Olga Merediz (born February 15, 1956) is an American actress and singer. Merediz originated the role of Claudia in the Broadway musical In the Heights, for which she received a Tony Award nomination for Best Featured Actress in a Musical. She played the role for the show's entire Broadway run, and reprised the role in the film adaptation. Her television credits include NBC's 2016 series Shades of Blue and Netflix's Orange Is the New Black.
Early life Merediz was born in Guantánamo, Cuba on February 15, 1956. She left Cuba with her family when she was five years old to Miami, Florida. Thereafter, she relocated with her family to Puerto Rico where she grew up. Olga attended and graduated from Commonwealth High School in San Juan where she performed and began developing her singing and acting skills in the high school theatrical plays. Merediz graduated with a bachelor's degree from Newcomb College, the former women's college within Tulane University in New Orleans, Louisiana.
Career
Film and television Having made her film debut in 1984's The Brother from Another Planet, Merediz has since appeared in a number of films, including The Milagro Beanfield War (1988), City of Hope (1991), Evita (1996), Music of the Heart (1999), K-PAX (2001), Remember Me (2010), Custody (2016), Humor Me (2017), and the reprise of her 2008 Tony Award nominated Broadway role as Abuela Claudia, in the film adaptation In the Heights (2021). She also provided the singing voice of Alma Madrigal in Encanto (2021).
Her television credits, in both dramas and comedies, include recurring and guest roles in Diary of a Future President, New Amsterdam, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Orange Is the New Black and Madam Secretary. She has been a series regular in the UK television series Bounty Hunters and the comedy Saint George, has appeared in episodes of both Law & Order and Law & Order: SVU, and appeared as herself as a judge on Throwdown with Bobby Flay.
Theatre In addition to In the Heights, her Broadway credits include Reckless at the Manhattan Theatre Club, Man of La Mancha, and Les Misérables. She also appeared as Rosie in Mamma Mia!.
Before they went to Broadway, Merediz starred in the Off-Broadway versions of In the Heights, and The Human Comedy. Some of her other Off-Broadway credits include Women without Men, The Haggadah, Lullabye and Goodnight, and The Blessing.
Additionally, Merediz was directed by John Cassavetes in a play called Thornhill.
Voice-over credits Merediz has an extensive voice-over and narration portfolio, including the PBS Nature documentaries: Bears, Hotel Armadillo, Jungle Animal Hospital, Nature's Miracle Orphans, and Cuba: The Accidental Eden. Her voice can be heard in numerous TV/radio commercials, Dora the Explorer, Go, Diego, Go!, Elena of Avalor, and Encanto.
Earlier in her career, she served as spokesperson for the MTA, New York City Transit Authority.
Awards and nominations At the 2008 Tony Awards, she received a nomination for Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical for the Broadway incarnation of In the Heights.Soltes, John. "Growing old with Olga Merediz in the new musical, ‘In the Heights’". The Leader. June 19, 2008. In addition to her Tony Award nomination, Merediz won a 2007 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Ensemble Performance for her role in the off-Broadway run of In the Heights, as well as a 2003 HOLA Tespis Award from the Hispanic Organization of Latin Actors.The Broadway League. "Olga Merediz | Awards and Nominations". IBDB.
In 2013, Latina magazine named her as one of the 50 Best Latin Singers and Pop Stars of All Time. According to the magazine, "The Cuban Broadway star knows how to dominate a live stage and owns it!"
Filmography +Key Denotes works that have not yet been released
Film Year Title Role Notes 1984 The Brother from Another Planet Noreen's Client 1988 The Milagro Beanfield War Milagro Townsperson 1990 Q&A Mrs. Valentin 1991 City of Hope Nidia The Super Female #2 1992 Boomerang Guard 1994 Angie Roz 1995 Drunks Chairwoman 1996 Evita Bianca Duarte Marvin's Room Beauty Shop Lady 1997 States of Control Purse-snatched Woman White Lies Woman #1 in Window 1999 Things I Forgot to Remember Carmela Music of the Heart Ms. Olivas 2000 Isn't She Great Mrs. Ramirez Center Stage ABA Receptionist Requiem for a Dream Malin & Block Secretary 2001 K-PAX Transit Officer 2002 Changing Lanes Mrs. Miller Apartment 5C Jenny 2004 Imaginary Heroes Maria Uncredited 2006 A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints Aunt Mary 2010 Remember Me Aidan's Professor 2011 Mr. Popper's Penguins Nanny Trouble in the Heights Gloria 2012 One for the Money Rosa Gomez The Place Beyond the Pines Malena Gutierrez 2014 The Angriest Man in Brooklyn Jane Top Five Chelsea's Mom Like Sunday, Like Rain Esa Fugly! Moms 2016 Custody Joyce Urge Esthetician America Adrift Sorida 2017 The Light of the Moon Mariana Humor Me Fortune Teller 2019 Fair Market Value Missy Goya 2020 Godmothered Beth 2021 In the Heights Abuela Claudia Encanto Abuela Alma Madrigal (singing voice) 2023 Somebody I Used to Know Joanne "Jojo" 2024 Spellbound General Cardona (voice) 2025 Eternity Karen
Television Year Title Role Notes 1985 The Cosby ShowMrs. RodriguezEpisode: "Mr. Quiet" 1986 Another WorldDolores1 episode 1987 Leg WorkNuseEpisode: "Things That Go Bump in the Night" 1987–95 ABC Afterschool SpecialMrs. Mathias / Dr. Montoya2 episodes 1988–89 TattingersNanette2 episodes 1989 Baby Cakes Check-out Girl TV movie 1991–2009 Law & OrderVarious6 episodes 1995 Central Park WestAnne2 episodes 1996 The Sunshine BoysSueTV movie 2000 The SopranosFranEpisode: "Bust Out" 2001 The JobYolanda SommeribaEpisode: "Anger" Third WatchJudgeEpisode: "He Said/She Said" 2002 George LopezAunt CeciliaEpisode: "Who's Your Daddy?" Law & Order: Criminal IntentMrs. MartinezEpisode: "Best Defense" 2003 Hope & FaithGloria3 episodes 2003–19 Dora the ExplorerMaestra Beatriz / Fairy Godmother (voice)2 episodes 2003–25 Law & Order: Special Victims UnitVeronica Nash / Judge Roberta Martinez7 episodes 2004 The JuryLeticia Schikert2 episodes 2005 Go, Diego, Go!Mrs. Marquez (voice)Episode: "Diego Saves the Humpback Whale" 2009 Au Pair 3: Adventure in Paradise Teresa TV movie Royal PainsEsperanzaEpisode: "If I Were a Sick Man" 2010 Past LifeCarmen SantosEpisode: "Pilot"2011 Blue BloodsInezEpisode: "My Funny Valentine" Pan AmMrs. RodriguezEpisode: "Unscheduled Departure" 2014 Saint GeorgeAlma Lopez10 episodes Dora and Friends: Into the City!Emma's Grandma / Wagnerian Woman (voice)Episode: "Dora Saves Opera Land" 2014–19 Orange Is the New BlackLourdes6 episodes 2015 AlternatinoMotherEpisode: "Respect Your Mother" 2016 Madam SecretaryRep. Elle VazquezEpisode: "Breakout Capacity" 2016–17 Shades of BlueLorena Zepeda3 episodes2017 The BreaksEpisode: "Blind Alley" Bounty HuntersMaria5 episodes 2017–18 Stuck in the MiddleAbuela2 episodes 2017–19 Brooklyn Nine-NineJulia Diaz2 episodes 2018–19 New AmsterdamWarden Gloria Salazar2 episodes 2019 Elena of AvalorFelicia (voice)Episode: "Flower of Light" 2019–20 BullJudge Ollis2 episodes 2020–21 Diary of a Future PresidentFrancisca2 episodes 2022BlockbusterConnie SerranoMain role; 10 episodes
Stage YearShowRoleNotes 1982 Lullabye and Goodnight Saint Off-Broadway 1984 The Human Comedy Mexican Woman Broadway 1987 Les Misérables Female Ensemble/Madame Thénardier Understudy Broadway (Replacement) 2001 Mamma Mia! Rosie Broadway (Replacement) 2002 Man of La Mancha The Housekeeper Broadway Revival 2004 Reckless Trish/Woman Patient Broadway 2008 In the Heights Abuela Claudia BroadwayNominated—Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical
Discography
Charted songs +List of charted songs, with year released, selected chart positions, and album name shown Title Year Peak chart positions Certifications Album USSong peaks in the US (Billboard Hot 100): "The Family Madrigal": "All of You": AUS CANDiscography - singles peaks in Canada: "The Family Madrigal": "All of You": IRE NZHotPeaks on the NZ Heatseeker Singles Chart: "The Family Madrigal": UKDiscography - singles peaks in the UK (Official Charts): "The Familia Madrigal": WW"The Family Madrigal"(with Stephanie Beatriz and Encanto cast) 2021 20 40 31 18 7 7 20 RIAA: Gold ARIA: Gold BPI: Platinum Encanto"All of You"(with Stephanie Beatriz, John Leguizamo, Adassa, Maluma, and Encanto cast) 71 — 83 — — — 111 BPI: Silver "—" denotes songs which were not released in that country or did not chart.
References
External links
Olga Merediz at the Internet Off-Broadway Database