Judy Reyes

Judy Reyes (born November 5, 1967) is an American actress, model, and producer, best known for her roles as Carla Espinosa on the NBC/ABC medical comedy series Scrubs (2001–2009, 2026), as Zoila Diaz in the Lifetime comedy-drama Devious Maids (2013–2016), as Annalise "Quiet Ann" Zayas in the TNT crime comedy-drama Claws (2017–2022), and as Selena Soto in ABC crime drama series High Potential (2024–). Reyes also appeared in the films All Together Now, Smile (2022), and Birth/Rebirth (2023), for which she received an Independent Spirit Award for Best Lead Performance nomination.

Early life Reyes was born on November 5, 1967, in the Bronx, New York City, to Dominican immigrants. She has three sisters, including a fraternal twin sister named Joselin Reyes, who played a paramedic on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. Reyes grew up on Bainbridge Avenue, from the age of 13 to the age of 25–26.

Career In the early 1990s, Reyes began her television career with guest starring roles in a number of shows, including Law & Order, NYPD Blue, and The Sopranos. She also had a recurring role in Oz as Tina Rivera. She is best known for her portrayal of nurse Carla Espinosa on the NBC comedy Scrubs from 2001 to 2009. She has starred in a number of made for television movies, primarily for Lifetime network, including Little Girl Lost: The Delimar Vera Story (2008), and The Pregnancy Project (2012).

After leaving Scrubs, Reyes guest-starred in several shows, including Castle, Medium, Off the Map, and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. In 2011, she starred as a mother dealing with her estranged husband's return into her life after his stint in prison in the independent drama Gun Hill Road. The film is set in Reyes' native Bronx, and its title refers to a real-life street that intersects Bainbridge Avenue on which Reyes herself grew up. Reyes also had small supporting roles in several films, including Went to Coney Island on a Mission from God... Be Back by Five (1998), Bringing Out the Dead (1999), Washington Heights (2002), and Dirty (2005).

In 2012, Reyes was cast as series regular Zoila Diaz, the senior maid, in the ABC comedy-drama pilot Devious Maids, created by Marc Cherry. On May 14, 2012, the series was not picked up by ABC, but on June 22, 2012, Lifetime ordered a run of thirteen episodes. The series premiered June 23, 2013. The Devious Maids finale episode aired on August 8, 2016. Two weeks following the show's cancellation, Reyes was cast opposite Niecy Nash in the TNT crime comedy-drama Claws playing the role of Annalise "Quiet Ann" Zayas. The series premiered on June 11, 2017 and ended in 2022 after four seasons. She also had the recurring roles as Dina Milagro in the CW comedy series Jane the Virgin (2015–19) and as Ramona in the Netflix comedy One Day at a Time (2017–2020). She played the role of Eva, executive producer of media conglomerate Waystar Royco's ATN news channel, in the HBO drama series Succession in 2018. Reyes also had a recurring roles in the comedy series Search Party and Better Things, and guest starred on Black-ish. In 2022, Reyes guest-starred in season 3 of Batwoman where she portrayed Kiki Roulette who was responsible for building Joker's joy buzzer.

Reyes starred in the independent films My Name Is David (2015) and Girl Flu. (2016), and had a supporting role in the thriller film The Circle (2017). She received Imagen Awards for Best Actress - Drama (Television) for her performance in the 2021 made-for-television film Torn from Her Arms. She appeared opposite her One Day at a Time co-star Justina Machado in the 2020 drama film, All Together Now. In 2022, she had a supporting role in the supernatural horror film, Smile, it was a box office success, grossing over $217 million worldwide. The following year, Reyes played the leading role in the psychological horror film, Birth/Rebirth. It premiered at the Sundance Film Festival and Reyes received positive reviews for her performance. She received Independent Spirit Award for Best Lead Performance nomination for her performance. Also in 2023, Reyes had a recurring role in the horror-comedy series The Horror of Dolores Roach, appearing again opposite Justina Machado.

Reyes appeared as the mother of the lead character in the romantic drama film, Turtles All the Way Down based on the 2017 novel of the same name by John Green. She also was cast opposite Kaitlin Olson in a series regular role in the ABC comedy-drama series High Potential based on the French series HPI.

Personal life

Reyes was married to cinematographer Edwin Figueroa.

Reyes is in a relationship with director George Valencia. Together, they founded the non-profit Sound of GOL Foundation!, a "recreational past time charity for young girls."

Filmography Film +Key Denotes films that have not yet been released Year Title Role Notes 1992 Jack and His Friends Rosie 1996 No Exit Maria LentiniDirect-to-video 1997 Lena's Dreams Martisa 1998 Went to Coney Island on a Mission from God... Be Back by Five Waitress Godzilla Woman #1 Uncredited 1999 Bringing Out the Dead ICU Nurse 2000 King of the Jungle Lydia Morreto 2002 Washington Heights Daisy 2004 King of the Corner Nurse Kathleen Delehant 2005 Dirty Bryant 2008 The Poker Club Detective Patterson Glow Ropes: The Rise and Fall of a Bar Mitzvah Emcee Vanessa Dupree 2011 Gun Hill Road Angela Rodriguez Without Men Magnolia Direct-to-video Kaylien Teacher Short film 2015 My Name Is David His Neighbor 2016 Girl Flu. Celeste 2017 The Circle Congresswoman Olivia Santos 2020 All Together Now Donna 2022 Smile Victoria Muñoz Christmas, No Filter Carol 2023 Birth/Rebirth Celie Nominated — Independent Spirit Award for Best Lead Performance 2024 Turtles All the Way Down Gina Holmes Our Little Secret Margaret

Television Year Title Role Notes 1992 Law & Order Maria Barragon Episode: "Sisters of Mercy" 1993 Street Justice Jody Episode: "Countdown" 1994 As the World Turns Nita Episode #1.9826 The Cosby Mysteries Laura Montero Episode: "Only You" New York Undercover Helena Episode: "After Shakespeare" 1995 CBS Schoolbreak Special Giselle Episode: "Stand Up" 1996 NYPD Blue Anna Ortiz Episode: "Where'd the Van Gogh?" The Prosecutors Maria Valquez Television film 1997 Cosby Miss Reyes Episode: "About My Life" Nothing Sacred Maritza Episodes: "Proofs for the Existence of God" and "Song of Songs" 1998 Trinity Mrs. Cupideros Episode: "In Loco Parentis" 1999 Mind Prey Det. Vega Television film 1999–2002 Oz Tina Rivera Recurring role, 5 episodes 2000 The Sopranos Michelle Episode: "From Where to Eternity" Madigan Men Vera the Dog Walker Episode: "Pilot" 2001 100 Centre Street Olivia Episode: "Things Change" Third Watch Gina Fuentes Episodes: "Requiem for a Bantamweight" and "Unfinished Business" WW 3 Maria Cruz Television film 2001–2009, 2026 Scrubs Nurse Carla Espinosa Series regular, 169 episodesRecurring season 10ALMA Award for Outstanding Actress in a Television Series (2006, 2008)Nominated - ALMA Award for Outstanding Actress in a Television Series (2002, 2009)Nominated - Imagen Award for Best Actress - Television (2005, 2007) 2003 Blue's Clues Carmen Episode: "Blue's Big Car Trip" 2005 Strong Medicine Jane Lopez Episode: "Family Practice" 2006 Our House Billy Television film 2008 Little Girl Lost: The Delimar Vera Story Luz Cuevas Television filmNominated - Imagen Award for Best Actress - Television 2009 Castle Theresa Candela Episode: "Little Girl Lost" Hawthorne Vita Gonzalez Episode: "No Guts, No Glory" 2010 Medium Jane Livingston Episode: "Native Tongue" Ask Alan Vanessa Television film 2011 Off the Map Eva Moran Episodes: "It's Good" and "Es Un Milagro" Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Inez Rivera Episode: "Blood Brothers" 2012 The Pregnancy Project Juana Television filmNominated - Imagen Award for Best Supporting Actress - Television Happily Divorced Teresa Episode: "Cesar’s Wife" Randy Cunningham: 9th Grade Ninja Señora Jorge (voice) Episode: "Viva El Nomicon" 2013–2016 Devious Maids Zoila Diaz Series regular, 48 episodesNominated-Imagen Award for Best Actress - Television (2014, 2015) 2015 iZombie Lola Abano Episode: "Brother, Can You Spare a Brain?" Fresh Off the Boat Mindy Torres Episode: "Good Morning Orlando" 2015–2017, 2019 Jane the Virgin Dina Milagro Recurring role, 11 episodes 2016 The Good Wife Nola Gades Episode: "Monday" Blue Bloods Coryna Garza Episode: "For the Community" 2017–2020 One Day at a Time Ramona Recurring role, 10 episodes 2017–2022 Claws Annalise "Quiet Ann" Zayas Series regular, 40 episodes 2017, 2020 Search Party Deb Episodes: "Suspicion", "Obsession", "Denial" and "The Reckoning" 2018 Succession Eva Episodes: "Shit Show at the Fuck Factory", "Lifeboats" and "Sad Sack Wasp Trap" Dirty John Verga Episodes: "Red Flags and Parades" and "Remember It Was Me" 2019–2022 Better Things Lala Episodes: "No Limits", "Show Me the Magic", "Escape Drill" and "We Are Not Alone" 2020 Black-ish Dr. Paul Episode: "Hero Pizza" 2021 Torn from Her Arms Thelma Garcia Television filmImagen Award for Best Actress - Drama (Television) 2022 Batwoman Kiki Roulette Episodes: "Broken Toys" and "We’re All Mad Here"2023 Party Down Sacker Episode: "KSGY-95 Prizewinner's Luau" Florida Man Capt. Donna Delgado 2 episodes The Horror of Dolores Roach Marcie 3 episodes Dr. Death Kim Verdi Recurring role, 7 episodes 2024–present High Potential Selena Soto Main role