Selenis Leyva currently stars alongside George Lopez in the NBC hit comedy Lopez Vs. Lopez which was just picked up for a third season.  Selenis plays George Lopez’s ex-wife Rosie in the half-hour comedy that follows a working-class family, their dysfunction, reconnection and all the pain and joy in between. The series has earned praise for exploring generational trauma within the Latinx community, toxic masculinity, alcoholism, infidelity, financial issues but handling all of that with humor. Prior to this, she is best known for her starring as tough-as-nails/head of the kitchen Gloria Mendoza on all seven seasons of the Netflix critically acclaimed series Orange Is the New Black. She also won a 2021 Gracie Award for her work on the Disney + original series Diary of a Future President, which honors standout women in the entertainment and news programming that addressed timely topics and social issues.  In film, Selenis recently starred alongside Michael B. Jordan in the global smash hit Creed III, and alongside John Boyega and Connie Britton in the Bleecker Street drama Breaking which was nominated for an NAACP Image Award (Best Indie Film) and won the Special Jury Award for Ensemble Cast in the U.S. Dramatic Competition at the Sundance Film Festival. 

Selenis is also an outspoken activist for LGBTQ+ rights, and often is invited to college campuses to speak on diversity and inclusion. Selenis most recently promoted the release of her memoir, MY SISTER, How One Sibling’s Transition Changes Us Both which was published through Bold Type Books. Written with her sister Marizol, a transgender woman and advocate, the book is told from both women’s perspectives…about growing up in the Bronx, Marizol’s transition and more broadly….family, love, and the path to self-realization. Prior to this, Selenis was awarded the Anti-Violence Project’s 2016 Courage Award and the Stonewall Community Foundation’s 2016 Vision Award for inspiring visibility, advocacy and outspoken support for the transgender community. She has been featured in publications such as the Huffington Post, Time magazine’s Motto, People magazine’s Latina Love Project Series, and Splinter.