Roswell

Background:

“I prefer to hear myself sing than see myself in a movie.” Majandra Delfino

Venezuelan import Majandra Delfino is most famous to television audiences as Maria DeLuca, the plain-speaking, reasonable waitress and high school student, on the successful science fiction teen series “Roswell” (The WB, 1999-2001; UPN, 2001-2002), from which she picked up both an ALMA and Young Artist nominations. Prior to her TV victory, she had roles in two short-lived sitcoms, “The Tony Danza Show” (NBC, 1997) and “Katie Joplin” (The WB, 1999), and made her feature film debut in “Zeus and Roxanne” (1997). Additional movie credits include “The Secret Lives of Girls” (1999), the Oscar winner “Traffic” (2000), “The Learning Curve” (2001), “Reeseville” (2003), “Celeste in the City” (2004, TV), “Don't Come Knocking” (2005) and “State's Evidence” (2006). Also an accomplished singer, the former member of a teen pop quartet named “China Doll” has released an EP, “The Sicks” (2003), and an album, “Tarte” (2007). The dark cabaret singer also dueted with French singer Robert in the 2003 song “ Le Prince Bleu.”

On the set of “Roswell,” Majandra found love in costar Brendan Fehr, who portrayed alien Michael Guerin on the series. After the relationship ended, she was involved with another costar, Devon Gummersall, who played her cousin, Sean DeLuca. The couple got married in October 2007.

Child Performer

Childhood and Family:

Marialejandra Delfino was born on February 20, 1981, in Caracas, Venezuela, to a Venezuelan father and Cuban-American mother. Along with her older sister, the future actress Marieh Delfino (born on September 24, 1977), who gave her the nickname “Majandra,” she spent the first three years of her life there before her family relocated to Miami, Florida. A standout student, Majandra attended the New World School of the Arts in Miami, Florida, and developed a huge passion for the arts, for which she took acting, ballet and singing lessons. The girl performed with the Miami Ballet in a production of “The Nutcracker” when she was 10 years old and joined an all-girls vocal group called “China Doll” in the following year. It was with the Latin-styled pop “China Doll,” whose member also included Samantha Gibb, daughter of the Bee Gees' Maurice Gibb, that she had the opportunity to share the stage with the Bee Gees at a benefit concert at Miami Beach. After leaving the group, Majandra, who used to act in school plays in addition to community theater productions, decided to concentrate on acting, a determination that at first received rejection from her parents.

Once dated her “Roswell” costar, Brendan Fehr, Majandra married longtime boyfriend Devon Gummersall on October 6, 2007. Her husband is an actor, who comes from Durango, Colorado.

Tarte

Career:

Born in Venezuela and raised in Florida, Majandra Delfino had emerged as a talented performer by age 12. In addition to participating in school productions and community theater musicals, she danced in the Miami Ballet'' production of “The Nutcracker” and served as an opening act with the pop quartet China Doll at a Bee Gees concert in Miami Beach. She also performed as a duo with best friend and another China Doll's-ex Samantha Gibb before focusing her energy more on acting. Excelling in academics, the 15-year-old Majandra had to deal with her parents' discouragement over her aspiration and was given a six-month deadline to gain an acting role or amply concentrate on her studies. Within months, however, she had won herself an agent and made her professional acting debut with a supporting part as the daughter of Kathleen Quinlan in George Miller's adventure/family film, “Zeus & Roxanne” (1997). Later that same year, she ventured to television playing Tony Danza's rebellious street-smart teen daughter, Tina DiMeo, on the NBC short-lived sitcom “The Tony Danza Show.” The role brought Majandra a 1998 ALMA nomination for Outstanding Individual Performance in a Television Series in a Crossover Role.

Two years later, Majandra landed a recurring role on another brief-lived comedy series, “Katie Joplin” (The WB, 1999), portraying Sara Shotz, and returned to the big screen to play Linda Hamilton and Eugene Levy's daughter, Natalie, in the coming-of-age drama “The Secret Lives of Girls” (1999).

However, she did not hit the big time until she was cast in the role of mordant Maria DeLuca on the science-fiction teen series “Roswell,” which was also aired on the WB before moving to UPN in 2001. The show was a success and so was Majandra. Her portrayal of the best friend of Liz (played by Shiri Appleby), a girl who falls for an alien in human form, garnered her an ALMA nomination for Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series and a Young Artist nomination for Best Performance in a TV Drama Series - Leading Young Actress (both 2000).

In addition to her coveted TV role, Majandra could be seen as Martina on the horror spoof, “I Know What You Screamed Last Summer/Shriek If You Know What I Did Last Friday the Thirteenth” (2000), opposite Tom Arnold, Tiffani Thiessen and Coolio, and making a cameo appearance on Steven Soderbergh's critically acclaimed drama, “Traffic” (2000), which starred Benicio Del Toro, Jacob Vargas and Michael Douglas. She also appeared on the festival-screened “The Learning Curve” (2001, as Ashley) and the award-winning black comedy “R.S.V.P.” (2002), helmed and written by Mark Anthony Galluzzo.

After the demise of “Roswell” in 2002, Majandra costarred with Brad Hunt in director/writer Christian Otjen's mystery/thriller, “Reeseville” (2003), starred as a small town girl named Celeste Blodgett on the television film “Celeste in the City” (2004) and acted alongside her sister, Marieh Delfino, on the Sam Shepard-scripted drama “Don't Come Knocking” (2005). Besides, she landed guest spots on the series “Boston Public” (2004), “Three Moons Over Milford” and “Help Me Help You” (both 2006) as well as played Suzette on the TV series pilot “Ultra” (2006), starring Lena Headey. Also in 2006, Majandra delivered a memorable supporting turn as Trudi on the drama film “State's Evidence,” for director Benjamin Louisand writer Mark Brown.

Recently, in 2008, Majandra returned to series television as a regular on “Quarterlife,” playing Vanessa. Among her costars on the drama series are Bitsie Tulloch, Maite Schwartz and David Walton. She has completed a voice-over assignment for the upcoming “Heidi 4 Paws” (2008), a live-action re-telling of Johanna Spyri's 1880 children's classic, “Heidi.” She can be heard as Miss Rottenmeier.

Despite her hectic acting schedules, Majandra has never forgotten her singing roots. In addition to frequently showing her gift on “Roswell,” she released an EP in October 2001 called “The Sicks.” Produced under her own record label, Dripfeed, the album comprised of six tracks, all of which she wrote by herself, and was inspired by Icelandic singer, Björk and band Portishead. Two years later, she recorded “Le Prince Bleu,” a duet sang with French singer Robert. In 2007, she launched her second album, “Tarte,” on Red Velvet Cake Records. She (again) wrote all the eleven songs on the album.

Awards:
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