Saundra Santiago

{{Infobox person

| name = Saundra Santiago

| image =

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1957|4|13}}

| birth_place = The Bronx, New York, U.S.

| death_date =

| death_place =

| occupation = Actress

| years_active = 1979–present

| spouse = {{marriage|Roger Squitero|1999}}

|education = University of Miami (BA)
Southern Methodist University (MFA)

}}

Saundra Santiago (born April 13, 1957) is an American actress. She is best known for her role as Detective Gina Calabrese in the NBC original crime drama series Miami Vice (1984–1990). She also played Carmen Santos on the CBS soap opera Guiding Light and the second Carlotta Vega on the ABC soap opera One Life to Live.

Early life

Santiago is the daughter of a Cuban father and a Puerto Rican mother. Raised in the South Bronx, New York City, she attended Our Lady of Victory Grammar School. When she was 13 years old, her family moved to Homestead, Florida.{{cite news |last=Robertson |first=Nan |author-link=Nan C. Robertson |date=March 11, 1983 |title=NEW FACE: SAUNDRA SANTIAGO; ONE ACTRESS'S VIEW FROM THE BRIDGE |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1983/03/11/arts/new-face-saundra-santiago-one-actress-s-view-from-the-bridge.html |work=The New York Times |access-date=March 5, 2014}}

Santiago graduated from South Dade Senior High School and attended the University of Miami on a scholarship, majoring in psychology. As a University of Miami student, she became interested in acting. After graduation, she went on to postgraduate study in theater and arts at Southern Methodist University, eventually earning a Master of Fine Arts degree. Santiago joined the company of regional summer stock theater Timber Lake Playhouse, Mount Carroll, Illinois, performing many roles, including Maria in West Side Story in the 1980 season.{{cite news |last=Pidde |first=Samantha |date=June 8, 2016 |title=Actress enjoys return to TLP |url=http://www.mycarrollcountynews.com/news/article_d629693c-2da9-11e6-9fbd-8bfd9bc5659c.html |work=Carroll County Mirror-Democrat |access-date=June 8, 2016}}

Career

In 1984, Santiago made her big-screen debut appearing in the dance drama film Beat Street,{{cite news |last=Canby |first=Vincent |author-link=Vincent Canby |date=June 8, 1984 |title=MOVIE: 'BEAT STREET' |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1984/06/08/movies/movie-beat-street.html |work=The New York Times |access-date=March 5, 2014}} and later that year began starring in the NBC crime drama series Miami Vice, playing the role of Detective Gina Calabrese opposite Don Johnson.{{cite news |last=Aitchison |first=Diana |date=October 14, 1988 |title='MIAMI VICE' STAR WARMS UP FOR ROLE IN MUSICAL |url=https://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/fl-xpm-1988-10-14-8802290666-story.html |work=Sun-Sentinel |access-date=March 5, 2014}} The series ran for five seasons. In the 1990s, Santiago appeared in a number of made-for-television movies, including The Cosby Mysteries (1994) and To Sir, with Love II (1996) opposite Sidney Poitier.{{cite news |last=McCarthy |first=John P. |date=April 3, 1996 |title=Cbs Sunday Movie to Sir with Love II |url=https://variety.com/1996/film/reviews/cbs-sunday-movie-to-sir-with-love-ii-1200445671/ |work=Variety |access-date=March 5, 2014}}

In 1999, Santiago joined the cast of the long-running CBS soap opera Guiding Light, playing crime boss Carmen Santos.{{cite news |last=Goldstein |first=Toby |date=December 8, 2002 |title='AMC' FINDS A LUCKY PENNY |url=https://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/os-xpm-2002-12-08-0212040367-story.html |work=Orlando Sentinel |access-date=March 5, 2014}} She received a Daytime Emmy Award nomination for America's Favorite Villain in 2002.{{Cite web|url=http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0763639/awards|title=Saundra Santiago|website=IMDb}} She left the soap after three years. She appeared simultaneously in a recurring role on The Sopranos as Tony Soprano's next-door neighbor, Jeannie Cusamano, and as her twin sister Joan, from 1999 to 2007.{{cite web |url=https://www.broadwayworld.com/off-broadway/article/MANIPULATION-Begins-Previews-Tonight-at-Cherry-Lane-20110621 |title=MANIPULATION Begins Previews Tonight at Cherry Lane |date=June 21, 2011 |website=BroadwayWorld |access-date=March 5, 2014}} Additionally, on television, Santiago guest-starred on Law & Order in the 1992 episode "Prince of Darkness" (episode 3.8) and in the 2004 episode "Veteran's Day" (episode 14.15).

In 2004, Santiago joined the cast of the ABC soap opera One Life to Live in the role of Isabella Santi/Angelina Parades after leaving Guiding Light.{{cite web |url=https://www.soapoperanetwork.com/2009/07/saundra-santiago-discusses-life-as-carlotta-vega |title=Saundra Santiago Discusses 'Life' as Carlotta Vega |last=Gore |first=Scotty |date=July 20, 2009 |website=Soap Opera Network |access-date=March 5, 2014}} In 2007, she played a recurring role in the first season of the FX legal thriller Damages. In 2009, she returned to One Life to Live, this time taking over the role of Carlotta Vega from Patricia Mauceri.{{cite web |url=http://www.soaps.com/onelifetolive/news/4692/One_Life_to_Live_Patricia_Mauceri_Out__Saundra_San |title=One Life to Live: Patricia Mauceri Out, Saundra Santiago In! |date=June 29, 2009 |access-date=June 29, 2009 |publisher=Soaps.com }} She remained with the show until 2011. In 2014, she returned to prime-time television, playing the role of Marciela Acosta, the wife of gang leader Javier Acosta, in the short-lived Fox drama series Gang Related.{{cite news |last=Goldberg |first=Lesley |date=September 20, 2013 |title=Fox's 'Gang Related' Recasts Role With 'Miami Vice' Grad (Exclusive) |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/foxs-gang-related-recasts-role-633483 |work=The Hollywood Reporter |access-date=March 5, 2014}} Santiago also guest-starred on Person of Interest, True Detective, Gotham, Blue Bloods,{{cite news |last=Tecson |first=Karla |date=January 22, 2016 |title='Blue Bloods' season 6 spoilers: 'Stomping Grounds' centres on two complicated murder cases |url=https://www.ibtimes.com.au/blue-bloods-season-6-spoilers-stomping-grounds-centres-two-complicated-murder-cases-1501688 |work=International Business Times |access-date=January 22, 2016}} and Madam Secretary.{{cite web|last=Santiago|first=Saundra|title=The Blog: A Working Actor's Life|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/saundra-santiago/an-semiworking-actresss-l_b_1329556.html|work=The Huffington Post|access-date=March 5, 2014|date=March 16, 2012}}

Personal life

Santiago met jazz musician Roger Squitero in 1994, whom she married in 1999.{{Cite web|url=https://news.amomama.com/198153-saundra-santiago-miami-vice-looks-age-de.html|title='Miami Vice' Star Saundra Santiago Looks Age-defying at 62 and Has Been Married for 20 Years|first=Aby|last=Rivas|date=March 10, 2020|website=news.amomama.com|access-date=March 10, 2020}}

Filmography

=Film=

class="wikitable sortable"
Year ! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable" \| Notes
1981 \| The End of August \| Mariequita \|
1984 \| Beat Street \| Carmen Cararro \|
1993 \| Carlito's Way \| Club Patron Dancing with Carlito \|
1997 \| Nick and Jane \| Stephanie \|
1998 \| Hi-Life \| Elena \|
2002 \| Garmento \| Franca Fortuna \|
2006 \| The Promise \| Lourdes \| Short
2009 \| Bruja \| Lorraine \| Short
2013 \| The House That Jack Built \| Martha \|
2023 \| Rare Objects \| Aymee Parla \|

class="wikitable sortable"

Year

! Title

! Role

! class="unsortable" | Notes

1981

| The End of August

| Mariequita

1984

| Beat Street

| Carmen Cararro

1993

| Carlito's Way

| Club Patron Dancing with Carlito

1997

| Nick and Jane

| Stephanie

1998

| Hi-Life

| Elena

2002

| Garmento

| Franca Fortuna

2006

| The Promise

| Lourdes

| Short

2009

| Bruja

| Lorraine

| Short

2013

| The House That Jack Built

| Martha

2023

| Rare Objects

| Aymee Parla

=Television=

class="wikitable sortable"
Year ! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable" \| Notes
1979 \| ¿Qué Pasa, USA? \| Lisa \| Season 3 Episode 8: "Patria and Company"
1984–1989 \| Miami Vice \| Detective Gina Calabrese \| Main cast (111 episodes)
rowspan=2\| 1992 \| ABC Afterschool Special \| Jean Hodge \| Season 20 Episode 4: "Summer Stories: The Mall - Part 3"
Law & Order \| Sandra Alvaro \| Season 3 Episode 8: "Prince of Darkness"
1993 \| With Hostile Intent \| Sergeant Lucille Preston \| TV movie
1994 \| The Cosby Mysteries \| Amy Flusser \| TV movie
rowspan=2\| 1995 \| New York Undercover \| Juanita \| Season 1 Episode 23: "The Shooter"
Deadline for Murder: From the Files of Edna Buchanan \| Rosinha Zulueta \| TV movie
1996 \| To Sir, with Love II \| Louisa Rodgriguez \| TV movie
1999–2003 \| Guiding Light \| Carmen Santos \| 25 episodes ALMA Award for Outstanding Actress in a Daytime Drama (2001) Nominated – ALMA Award for Outstanding Actress in a Daytime Drama (2000, 2002) Nominated – Daytime Emmy Award for America's Favorite Villain (2002)
1999–2007 \| The Sopranos \| Jean and Joan Cusamano \| 5 episodes
2004 \| Law & Order \| Mariela Silva \| Season 14 Episode 15: "Veteran's Day"
2007 \| Damages \| Karen Gonzales \| 5 episodes
2008 \| Cashmere Mafia \| Dr. Jane \| Season 1 Episode 6: "Yours, Mine and Hers"
2009 \| The Unusuals \| Melanie Trumble \| Season 1 Episode 4: "Crime Slut"
2009–2011 \| One Life to Live \| Carlotta Vega \| 13 episodes
2011 \| Person of Interest \| Patti D'Agostino \| Season 1 Episode 7: "Witness"
2013 \| Meddling Mom \| Valeria \| TV movie
2014 \| Gang Related \| Marciela Acosta \| 5 episodes
rowspan=3\| 2015 \| The Following \| Mrs. Miller \| Season 3 Episode 1: "New Blood"
True Detective \| Irma \| Season 2 Episode 5: "Other Lives"
Gotham \| Janice Caulfield \| Season 2 Episode 4: "Rise of the Villains: Strike Force"
2016 \| Blue Bloods \| Carmen Baez \| Season 6 Episode 13: "Stomping Grounds"
rowspan=2\| 2017 \| Snowfall \| Mariela \| Season 1 Episode 10: "The Rubicon"
Madam Secretary \| Margarita Garcia \| Season 4 Episode 10: "Women Transform the World"
2020 \| Hightown \| Beatriz \| Season 1 Episode 4: "B.F.O."
2021 \| Sand Dollar Cove \| Anna Walters \| TV movie

class="wikitable sortable"

Year

! Title

! Role

! class="unsortable" | Notes

1979

| ¿Qué Pasa, USA?

| Lisa

| Season 3 Episode 8: "Patria and Company"

1984–1989

| Miami Vice

| Detective Gina Calabrese