Valery M. Ortiz

Actress Valery Ortiz graduated from roles that hinged on dance training in teen-oriented series like "South of Nowhere" (The N, 2004-08) to more nuanced work on "Hit the Floor" (VH1, 2013-) and "Entanglement" (2018-). Born Valery Milagros Ortiz in San Juan, Pueto Rico she moved with her family to Orlando, Florida, where she nurtured an interest in ballet. Ortiz initially pursued dance as her career at the Southern Ballet Theater Performing Arts Centre in Orlando, but a growing interest in acting soon became her primary focus. After attending Dr. Phillips High School's arts magnet program, Ortiz worked in local theater and attending the University of Central Florida. While there, she was offered a hosting job on Nickleodeon's short-lived "Splat!" (2004-05) game show, which spurred her to head west and try her hand at the film and television industry in Los Angeles. Minor roles on television led to her feature film debut in the broad comedy "Date Movie" (2004), for which she spoofed Jennifer Lopez. From there, Ortiz was cast on the critically praised teen drama "South of Nowhere," playing an A-type cheerleader who gradually shed her queen bee persona over the course of the series' three seasons. When "South" ran its course, she divided her time between guest roles on series like "Two and a Half Men" (CBS, 2003-2015) and hosting duties on entertainment and culture news series like "On the Up" (SITV, 2007-2009) and "American Latino TV" (LATV, 2004-). In 2009, she returned to series work on the Robert Townsend-produced web drama "Diary of a Single Mom" (2009-2011), and later, as cheerleader-turned-manager Raquel Saldana on VH1's "Hit the Floor." When Ortiz's character succumbed to an illness in the show's third season, she returned to steady guest work before signing to star in "Entanglement" (2018), a romantic comedy series about two thirtysomethings searching for love in Los Angeles.