Laura Gómez (actress)

Laura Gómez is a Dominican actress, writer, and director. Gómez is known for her role as Blanca Flores in the Netflix comedy-drama series, Orange Is the New Black (2013–2019).

Laura Gómez
Born
OccupationActress
Years active1998–present

Early years edit

Born in the Dominican Republic, Gómez grew up in Santo Domingo working as an actress and reporter.[1] She moved to New York at the age of 21 to study acting and filmmaking at the New York University.[2] After three years in the United States, she made her entry into theater and voice work.

Career edit

Gómez began her career appearing in Dominican film Víctimas del poder (1998) and later worked on Mexican telenovela Por tu amor. She made her American television debut appearing in an episode of Law & Order in 2008. In 2011, Gómez was awarded an IX Screenwriting Developing Grant by the Spanish Fundación Carolina. She wrote, directed and produced the short films To Kill A Roach—for which she received the NYU Fall 2012 Technisphere Award for Outstanding Achievement—and Hallelujah. She is a member of Spanish Repertory Theater,[3] with which she has appeared in critically acclaimed theatrical productions such as Doña Flor y sus dos maridos and La casa de los espíritus. Her voice-over work includes Spanish-language announcer for CoverGirl and Suave, and audiobooks including How the García Girls Lost Their Accent, by Julia Álvarez, and The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Díaz. She directed and co-produced The Iron Warehouse (2015), written by the playwright Hilary Bettis.

In 2013, Gómez was cast as Blanca Flores in the Netflix comedy-drama series, Orange Is the New Black. She was a recurring character during the first five seasons and was promoted to regular for season 6 and 7. As a part of the cast, Gómez received Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series in 2016.[4]From 2014 to 2015 she also had a recurring role in the NBC series Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, and in 2015 appeared in the HBO miniseries Show Me a Hero.[5] In 2016, she starred in the Dominican sports drama film Sambá receiving La Silla Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress.[6][7] Also in 2016, Gómez co-starred in the American thriller film, Exposed.[8]

In 2020, Gómez appeared in the Dutch drama series, Anne+.[9] In 2022 she starred in the Spanish drama film Upon Entry. The film received positive reviews from critics.[10] In 2024 she appeared in the drama film La cocina, it had its world premiere at the 74th Berlin International Film Festival.[11]

Filmography edit

Film edit

YearTitleRoleNotes
1998Víctimas del poder
2000Provocación
2008Pinchos y RolosElizabethShort film
2008CrimenDedé Mirabal
2009Cleaning LawLauraShort film
2009Nueva YorkPuerto Rican MomShort film
2012To Kill a RoachAliciaShort film, also writer and director
2012Cheesecake and TangoDianaShort film
2013Truth Will OutMamacitaShort film
2014Yo, la peor de todasPaulaShort film
2014HallelujahNataliaShort film, also writer and director
2015TrabajoLilíShort film
2015UniformNadineShort film
2016ExposedEva De La Cruz
2016America AdriftWilma
2017SambáLuna TorresNominated — La Silla Award for Best Supporting Actress
2017Maggie BlackKim
2022Upon EntryAgent Vásquez
2024Safari
2024La CocinaLaura

Television edit

YearTitleRoleNotes
2008Law & OrderClaudiaEpisode: "Challenged"
2013-2019Orange Is the New BlackBlanca FloresRecurring character (seasons 1-5) Series Regular (seasons 6-7)
Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series (2016)[12]
Nominated — Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series (2017)
2014–15Law & Order: Special Victims UnitSelena Cruz3 episodes
2015Show Me a HeroDama Montero4 episodes
2020Anne+Cecilia3 episodes
The Last O.G.ValerieEpisode: "Come Clean"

References edit

  1. ^ "Orange Is the New Black's Laura Gómez on Her Faux Unibrow and That NSFW Flashback Scene". Yahoo Life. July 22, 2016.
  2. ^ "The Transformations of Laura Gómez". Television Academy.
  3. ^ "About me – Laura Gómez".
  4. ^ "Laura Gomez". TVGuide.com.
  5. ^ Orozco, Gisela (July 22, 2015). "Laura Gómez en Orange is the New Black: Ni loca, ni habla con el diablo".
  6. ^ "Laura Gomez On Helping Develop Her Role in 'Sambá' & What's Next on 'Orange is the New Black'".
  7. ^ https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3733068/awards/?ref_=tt_awd
  8. ^ https://web.archive.org/web/20150924114509/http://www.onlocationvacations.com/2014/11/26/daughter-of-god-starring-keanu-reeves-spotted-filming-in-brooklyn/
  9. ^ "Cast & Crew – ANNE+".
  10. ^ "Upon Entry | Rotten Tomatoes". www.rottentomatoes.com.
  11. ^ "La CocinaLa Cocina - Competition 2024". www.berlinale.de.
  12. ^ Heath, Paul. "Screen Actors Guild awards winners in full | THN". Retrieved 2019-03-14.

External links edit