Desiree Casado

Desiree Casado (born (38 years old) in New York, United States) is an American actress most notable for the role of Gabriela "Gabi" Rodriguez on PBS's Sesame Street, the daughter of long-standing main characters Luis and Maria. Casado took over the role in 1993 (being the first child actress hired to appear on Sesame Street). Casado got the role when the past actress, Gabriela Rose Reagan (the real-life daughter of the actress playing Maria, Sonia Manzano), told her mother she did not enjoy being on television. The character of Gabi has become a more integral part of the show's cast in the last few years, perhaps mostly to fulfill Sesame Workshop's need to sustain youth among the cast, as the old guard of the show ages. Casado's character of Gabriela is one of only a handful of Latinx characters who have appeared on Sesame Street.In addition to her role as Gabi, Casado appeared in several television commercials (including for Jell-O along actor/comedian/rapist and a then-known Lindsay Lohan). Her film credits include I Like It Like That (1994), Bed of Roses (1996), Joe's Apartment (1996), Wishful Thinking (1997), Gloria (1999), and Anamorph (2007). In 2004, she acted in her first starring role in the independent film Juicy. She also played a small role on the ABC soap opera One Life to Live. She came back in character as Gabi at Sesame Place, promoting "Healthy Habits" in 2006. According to her official Sesame Street cast biography, Casado liked to dance, especially hip-hop, and is taking ballet lessons. As of 2012, she was also working as a sixth grade teacher while continuing her dream as an actress as well as her appearances on the show. She married Michael Miller in 2012.