Vanessa Marquez, a sweet-voiced native of California, had a passion for acting from a remarkably early age, and her aspiration was to become a child actress, emulating the talents of young starlets she greatly admired, such as the incomparable Judy Garland, the charming Shirley Temple, and the talented Bessie Love. She dispatched letters to producers and agents, hoping to capture their attention, and as these went unanswered, she never lost sight of her dream. Undeterred by the lack of response, she continued to pursue her passion.
Her perseverance eventually paid off, and in 1987, she landed her big break as the adorable and academically-gifted Ana Delgado in the inspiring teacher drama, Stand and Deliver (1988). As the script so aptly described, Ana was a flower ready to bloom, and so was Vanessa. Her success in Stand and Deliver led to a full-fledged film and television career, with roles in films such as the gangster epic, Blood In, Blood Out (1993),and the thought-provoking independent flick, Twenty Bucks (1993).
Her television work includes guest spots on popular programs, including Seinfeld (1989),and Melrose Place (1992),as well as recurring roles on ER (1994),and Malcolm & Eddie (1996). Additionally, she demonstrated her talent as a vocalist by lending her voice to the 2000 thriller, Under Suspicion (2000).
