Valery Ortiz

Valery Milagros Ortiz (born August 1, 1984) is a Puerto Rican actress and model who stars as Dina Duran, Gabby’s caring and career-driven mom in Disney Channel’s unique live-action comedy series *Gabby Duran & The Unsittables*.

## Early Life

Born in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Ortiz grew up in Orlando, Florida, with an early love of dancing and performing that led to roles in local theater productions. After moving to Los Angeles, she continued her acting career playing characters on both the big and small screens, including “Date Movie,” “South of Nowhere,” “Hit the Floor,” “Switched at Birth,” “NCIS,” “Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.,” “Melissa & Joey” and “Cold Case.”

Ortiz previously hosted the “ABC Family Lounge” for the series “Pretty Little Liars” and was the host of “American Latino TV.”

Ortiz is also currently pursuing another lifelong dream of publishing her literary works, including a bilingual children’s book series called “Hola! Hello!”
When not working, Ortiz lends her time to organizations like the Los Angeles Mission, Special Needs Network, Inc., for children with autism, and Best Friends Animal Society. Ortiz is a Puerto Rican actress. She is best known for being co-host on Nickelodeon’s “Splat!” and American Latino TV while also being a main character on “South of Nowhere” and “On the Floor”.

## Biography

Ortiz was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico and raised in Orlando, Florida. Passionate to become a "ballerina", she explored her dancing talents after receiving a scholarship to The Southern Ballet Theater Performing Art Centre in Orlando. She continued dancing but eased out of it in middle school as her interest in theatre and acting grew. She worked in Orlando as an extra on the Universal Studios backlot. Following in her older brother's footsteps, she was accepted into the Dr. Phillips High School performing arts magnet program. After four years of study, Ortiz began working in several productions like Latins Anonymous (Orlando Fringe Festival), West Side Story as Maria, A Midsummer Night's Dream as Helena, The Vagina Monologues (Orlando Premiere) and The Edinburgh, Scotland Fringe Festival.

While attending the University of Central Florida for a Bachelor in Fine Arts, Ortiz was given an opportunity to work on Nickelodeon television show Splat! as the co-host. After the first season, a two-week road trip "vacation" to Los Angeles turned into permanent relocation to Los Angeles. Ortiz quickly started working on a local television show called LATV Live as a VJ.

While working at the Hard Rock Cafe as a hostess, Ortiz was cast as in the comedy “Date Movie” as Jell-O, a Jennifer Lopez impersonation. During the movie's filming, she was cast the television series South of Nowhere. Shortly after, she was cast in the pilot Emily's Reason's Why Not, which was picked up and aired in 2006. In 2010, she appeared on an episode of Two and a Half Men. She currently is an anchor for Si TV and E! News. Ortiz was "One of the Top 25 Latinas of 2006" from Maxim en Español. For three seasons, Ortiz portrayed the role of Raquel Saldana in Hit the Floor, a scripted VH1 series that premiered May 2013.

## Filmography

 2005-2008
 2013-2016
 2019-2021

## Trivia

* Valery Ortiz attended the University of Central Florida.