Biography

In an impressive career spanning over two decades, Diana Maria Riva has established herself as a dominant force in television, film, and theater. She stars alongside Christina Applegate and Linda Cardellini in Netflix's hit series Dead to Me which has wrapped its third and final season. Riva plays "Detective Ana Perez," the lead investigator in the hit-and-run collision that killed the husband of Applegate's character. She earned both a Screen Actors Guild Award nomination for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series and won an Imagen Award for Best Supporting Actress - Television (Comedy) for her performance. She will next be seen in the new HBO Max series "The Gordita Chronicles" for director Eva Longoria. Riva plays "Adela Castelli," mother of Cucu, a Dominican immigrant growing up with her eccentric family in 1980's Miami as they all pursue the American Dream.

Riva was featured in the indie film Kajillionaire for writer/director Miranda July which was selected for the Sundance Festival last year. Previously, she co-starred with Anna Kendrick, Bill Hader, Billy Eichner and Shirley MacLaine in Disney's holiday film Noelle for Disney+. She also co-starred on the NBC/Hulu comedy Sunnyside from executive producers Kal Penn and Michael Schur.

On the big screen, she co-starred in Disney's McFarland, USA, with Kevin Costner and Maria Bello and Love and Mercy with Elizabeth Banks and John Cusack. Riva also had a supporting role in the critically acclaimed Short Term 12 starring Brie Larson. In 2010, she starred opposite Regina King, America Ferrera and Forest Whitaker in Fox Searchlight's Family Wedding. Other notable film credits include 17 Again, What Women Want, Employee of the Month, Chasing Papi and The Third Wheel, among others.

Riva starred with Eva Longoria in NBC's half-hour mid-season comedy Telenovela. She played "Mimi," the stylist and best friend to Longoria's character. Soon after, Riva played "Mrs. Rodriguez" in CBS's Man with a Plan, starring Matt LeBlanc, which earned her a People's Choice Award for Favorite New TV Comedy. Other series regular television credits include FX's Saint George, Fox's The Good Guys, CBS' iRob! and FX's The Bridge. She also recurred on such prominent series as Madam Secretary, Everybody Loves Raymond, The West Wing, Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip, Less Than Perfect, The Hughleys, and Family Law as well as The Drew Carey Show, Strong Medicine, The X-Files, The Pretender, Party of Five, The Ghost Whisperer, and In Plain Sight.

Riva was first discovered by ABC Studios. They quickly signed her to a holding deal and placed her as a series regular in their half-hour comedy Common Law opposite comedian Greg Giraldo. Though the show was short-lived, Diana parlayed her experience into an impressive small screen resume. She starred as Kim Delaney's colorful and confident office manager on the ABC/Steven Bochco series Philly. Prior to her dynamic role on Philly, Diana had already made quite a name for herself as part of the Bochco family-having appeared in recurring roles on City of Angels and NYPD Blue, as well as doing guest-star work on Murder One. Riva received rave reviews in the original Lifetime drama series Side Order of Life, where she played "Vivy Porter", a feisty outspoken woman who refuses to allow her diagnosis of cancer get the best of her.

Diana was born and raised in Cincinnati, Ohio with her native roots going back to the Dominican Republic. She attended the University of Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music where she received her MFA in Theater Performance. While not hard at work, Diana dedicates her time to her family. She and her children reside in Los Angeles.
- IMDb mini biography by: Gateway