Saundra Santiago

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.

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.

Career In 1984, Santiago made her big-screen debut appearing in the dance drama film Beat Street, and later that year began starring in the NBC crime drama series Miami Vice, playing the role of Detective Gina Calabrese opposite Don Johnson. 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.

In 1999, Santiago joined the cast of the long-running CBS soap opera Guiding Light, playing crime boss Carmen Santos. She received a Daytime Emmy Award nomination for America's Favorite Villain in 2002. 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. 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. 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. 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. Santiago also guest-starred on Person of Interest, True Detective, Gotham, Blue Bloods, and Madam Secretary.

Personal life Santiago met jazz musician Roger Squitero in 1994, whom she married in 1999.

Filmography

Film Year Title Role 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 Year Title Role Notes 1979 ¿Qué Pasa, USA? Lisa Season 3 Episode 8: "Patria and Company" 1984–1989 Miami Vice Detective Gina Calabrese Main cast (111 episodes) 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 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 episodesALMA 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 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" 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