# Roselyn Sánchez

Roselyn Milagros Sánchez Rodríguez (born April 2, 1973) is a Puerto Rican singer-songwriter, dancer, model, actress, producer, and writer. On television, she is best known for her roles as Elena Delgado on the CBS police procedural Without a Trace (2005–2009), as Carmen Luna on the Lifetime comedy-drama Devious Maids (2013–2016), and as Elena Roarke on the new Fantasy Island (2021–2023). In film, Sánchez has appeared in Rush Hour 2 (2001), Boat Trip (2002), The Game Plan (2007), and Act of Valor (2012).

## Early life

Sánchez was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and is the youngest of four siblings, having three older brothers. She received her primary education in San Juan. At a young age, she showed an interest in both dancing and acting and would put on shows for her family. Sánchez enrolled in the University of Puerto Rico, where like her father and brothers she was to study marketing. However, after three years she left the course. In 1991, at the age of eighteen, Sánchez moved to New York City, where she took classes in dancing, acting and singing. She returned to Puerto Rico and, in 1992, she made her movie debut, having landed a small part as an island girl in the movie Captain Ron, which was partly filmed in Puerto Rico.

## Career

In Puerto Rico, Sánchez gained public attention as a dancer and as co-host of a variety show called Qué Vacilón. At that time, in 1993, Sánchez won the Miss Puerto Rico Petite contest and, in 1994, she won the international title of Miss American Petite, bringing her international fame. Sánchez has been named in numerous annual lists of beautiful women including Maxim Magazine's "Hot 100" in 2001, 2002 and 2006; AskMen.com's "Top 99 Most Desirable Women" in 2005 and 2006; and FHM's "100 Sexiest Women" in 2005 and 2006.
In 2001, Sánchez was cast as Isabella Molina, an undercover United States Secret Service agent who was Jackie Chan's love interest in the hit movie Rush Hour 2. In 2003, she played the role of Lorena in the movie Chasing Papi, starring alongside Jaci Velasquez and Sofia Vergara. Sánchez has acted in some 20 movies, including as Maria in Edison and as Karen Lopez in Underclassman. She starred in the Puerto Rican film Cayo, released in 2005.
In 2003, her first musical recording, Borinqueña, was released. The album's first single, "Amor Amor", gained a lot of attention as well as a Latin Grammy nomination for Best Music Video. She appeared in Craig David's music videos "Hidden Agenda" and "Personal", and in the Fabolous video for the song "Make Me Better".
In the fall of 2005, Sánchez joined the cast of the CBS television series Without a Trace, where she played Agent Elena Delgado to 2009. She composed the musical Yellow, about a singer/dancer/actress who leaves Puerto Rico to hit the big time in New York, in which she played the principal part. The movie was filmed in 2005 and released in 2007. Also in 2007, she acted as Monique, the ballet teacher, in The Game Plan, and in 2009, starred in The Perfect Sleep, a neo-noir drama, co-starring Patrick Bauchau, Tony Amendola, Isaac Singleton, and Peter Lucas. In 2011, Sánchez made a guest appearance on TNT's Rizzoli & Isles, playing villainous attorney Valerie Delgado.
In 2012, Sánchez was cast opposite Ana Ortiz of ABC comedy-drama pilot Devious Maids, created by Marc Cherry. On May 14, 2012, the pilot was not picked to series by ABC for the 2012–13 United States network schedule. However, on June 22, 2012, Lifetime picked up the pilot with a thirteen-episode order. The series premiered June 23, 2013 on Lifetime.

## Personal life

From August 9, 1998, to April 15, 2001, Sanchez was married to English actor, former boxer, and former model Gary Stretch. After her divorce, she started a relationship with Puerto Rican salsa singer Víctor Manuelle. In December 2005, she announced that she had ended their relationship.
Sánchez became engaged to actor Eric Winter in December 2007 after two years of dating and they married on 29 November 2008, in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Sánchez gave birth to their daughter in January 2012 (she miscarried her daughter's twin early in the pregnancy). The couple had a son in November 2017. Both children were conceived with the help of IVF.
Sánchez has spoken openly about her struggles with endometriosis and infertility while trying to get pregnant later in life.
Sánchez is the spokesperson of the Fundación de Niños San Jorge, which assists sick children from poor families.

## Filmography
### Film

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1992 | Captain Ron | Clarise the Island Girl | |
| 1999 | Held Up | Trina | |
| 2001 | Rush Hour 2 | Isabella Molina | |
| 2002 | Boat Trip | Gabriella | |
| 2002 | Nightstalker | Gabriella Martinez | |
| 2003 | Basic | Nunez | |
| 2003 | Chasing Papi | Lorena | |
| 2004 | Larceny | Angela | |
| 2005 | State Property 2 | D.A. | |
| 2005 | Edison | Maria | |
| 2005 | Underclassman | Karen Lopez | |
| 2005 | Cayo | Young Julia | |
| 2005 | Shooting Gallery | Jezebel Black | Video |
| 2006 | Yellow | Amaryllis Campos | |
| 2007 | The Game Plan | Monique Vasquez | |
| 2009 | The Perfect Sleep | Porphyria | |
| 2010 | Venus & Vegas | Kristen | |
| 2012 | Act of Valor | Morales | |
| 2016 | Death of a Vegas Showgirl | Debbie Flores-Narvaez | TV movie |
| 2018 | Traffik | Malia | |
| 2019 | A Taste of Summer | Gabby Ferrar | TV movie |
| 2020 | Satos | Carolina | Short |
| 2021 | An Ice Wine Christmas | Camila Ruiz | TV movie |
| 2023 | Gringa | Elsa | |
| 2024 | Wallbanger | Jillian | |
| TBA | The Third Parent | Megan Hollow | Filming |

### Television

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1996–97 | As the World Turns | Pilar Domingo | Regular Cast |
| 1997–98 | Fame L.A. | Lili Arguelo | Main Cast |
| 1999 | Ryan Caulfield: Year One | Kim Veras | Main Cast |
| 2000 | Nash Bridges | Belinda Cruz | Recurring Cast: Season 6 |
| 2002 | In-Laws | Dani | Episode: "If You Can't Stand the Heat" |
| 2002 | The Drew Carey Show | Maria | Episode: "Drew Tries Hot Salsa" |
| 2003–04 | L.A. Dragnet | Det. Elana Macias | Recurring Cast: Season 2 |
| 2005 | Kojak | ADA Carmen Warrick | Main Cast |
| 2005–09 | Without a Trace | Elena Delgado | Main Cast: Season 4-7 |
| 2009 | Royal Pains | Sofia Santos | Episode: "Crazy Love" |
| 2011 | Rizzoli & Isles | A.D.A Valerie Delgado | Episode: "Can I Get a Witness?" |
| 2012 | Desperate Housewives | Carmen Luna | Episode: "Finishing the Hat" |
| 2013 | Newsreaders | Flavia Acai | Episode: "Pubic Hair Crisis" |
| 2013–16 | Devious Maids | Carmen Luna | Main Cast |
| 2014 | Familia En Venta | Lili | Main Cast |
| 2016 | Telenovela | Reporter | Episode: "The Hurricane" |
| 2019 | Grand Hotel | Gigi Mendoza | Main Cast |
| 2020 | The Rookie | Valerie Castillo | Episode: "The Overnight" |
| 2021–22 | Home Economics | Sofía | Recurring Cast: Season 2 |
| 2021–23 | Fantasy Island | Elena Roarke | Main Cast |
| 2022 | 'Til Jail Do Us Part | Sofía Estrella | Main Cast |

### Music Videos

| Year | Title | Artist | Role |
| 2003 | Hidden Agenda | Craig David | Model |
| 2007 | Make Me Better | Fabolous ft. Ne-Yo | Love interest |
| 2013 | Loco | Enrique Iglesias ft. Romeo Santos | Herself |

## Discography

* 2003: Borinqueña

### Singles

| Year | Single | Peak chart positions | Peak chart positions | Peak chart positions | Peak chart positions | Peak chart positions | Album(s) |
| Year | Single | U.S. Hot 100 | U.S. Hot Latin | U.S. Tropical /Salsa | U.S. Tropical | U.S. Latin Pop | Album(s) |
| 2003 | "Amor Amor" (feat. Tego Calderón) | — | 38 | — | 6 | 32 | Borinqueña |
| 2003 | "Noche De Verano" (feat. Víctor Manuelle) | — | — | — | — | — | Borinqueña |

## Accolades

| Year | Association | Category | Work | Result |
| 1998 | ALMA Awards | Outstanding Individual Performance in a Nationally Syndicated Drama Series | Fame L.A. (1997) | Nominated |
| 2002 | ALMA Awards | Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture | Rush Hour 2 | Nominated |
| 2004 | Fangoria Chainsaw Awards | Best Actress | Nightstalker | Nominated |
| 2006 | Black Reel Awards | Black Reel Award for Best Actress – Television | Kojak | Nominated |
| 2007 | NAACP Image Awards | Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series | Without a Trace | Nominated |
| 2007 | ALMA Awards | Outstanding Supporting Actress - Television Series | Without a Trace | Nominated |
| 2008 | ALMA Awards | Outstanding Actress in a Drama Television Series | Without a Trace | Won |
| 2009 | ALMA Awards | Year in TV Drama Actress | Without a Trace | Nominated |
| 2012 | ALMA Awards | ALMA Award for Favorite Movie Actress - Drama/Adventure | Act of Valor | Nominated |
| 2014 | Imagen Award | Imagen Award for Best Actress - Television | Devious Maids | Nominated |
| 2015 | Imagen Award | Imagen Award for Best Actress - Television | Devious Maids | Nominated |
| 2018 | Raul Julia Foundation Awards | Contribution Achievement Award | — | Won |