A California native, sweetly-voiced actress Vanessa Marquez knew from an early age of her passion for acting. Originally wanting to become a child actress, she admired young starlets like Judy Garland, Shirley Temple, and Bessie Love. She sent out letters to producers and agents hoping to be noticed, initially to no avail, but Vanessa never lost sight of her dream. She finally got her big break in 1987 in the inspiring teacher drama Envers et contre tous (1988), as the academically adept and adorable Ana Delgado. Ana was, as the script stated, a flower ready to bloom, and so was Vanessa. Her success with Stand and Deliver led to a full-fledged career in film and television, with roles in films such as the gangster epic Les princes de la ville (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) and recurring roles on Urgences (1994) and Malcolm & Eddie (1996). In addition to her acting endeavors, Vanessa is also a talented vocalist and lent her voice in the 2000 thriller Suspicion (2000).
