Biography

Denise Santos is an actress, producer, and director whose recent work includes the award-recognized AFI Conservatory short film Truant. Directed by Robyn Wholey, the film was long-listed for the BAFTA Student Awards and shortlisted for the 2026 Young Director Award at Cannes Lions. Denise stars as Grace, a social worker whose routine welfare check uncovers a deeply unsettling situation. Best known for her role as Mamá in the Emmy-winning NFL Super Bowl campaign Run With It, Denise's career spans television, film, theater, and more than 100 commercial campaigns. Her credits include projects on Peacock, BET, CBS, Fox, Netflix, Tubi, and Amazon Prime, along with national campaigns featuring Shakira and Shaquille O'Neal. A passionate storyteller, Denise has trained at The Juilliard School, the Stella Adler Studio of Acting, and with some of the Southeast's most respected acting coaches. She is a National Member of the Television Academy and was named one of Georgia's 50 Most Influential Latinos. Beyond her work on screen and stage, Denise founded Latinas in Media Atlanta, a community dedicated to increasing visibility, opportunity, and connection for underrepresented voices in the entertainment industry.
- IMDb mini biography by: Denise Santos

Denise Santos is an actress, producer, and director whose on-camera work spans television, film, and Emmy-winning commercial campaigns. Her credits include projects on BET, CBS, Fox, Netflix, and Tubi, and most recently, she can be seen on A Merry Switchmas (Dir. Terri J. Vaughn) and coming up, Truant (AFI - Dir. Robyn Wholey).

Her most recent stage work includes a live musical reading of In the Heights, previously she performed in Carmen Rivera's La Gringa, The Vagina Monologues, & Alan Ball's Five Women Wearing the Same Dress. Denise has trained at The Juilliard School, the Stella Adler Studio, and continues to study with respected Southeast acting coaches.

As the founder of Latinas in Media Atlanta, she is deeply committed to uplifting Latine and underrepresented voices in Georgia’s film and television community. Named one of Georgia’s 50 Most Influential Latinos, she was featured on Telemundo's, Atlanta Con Sabor Latino, highlighting her work in the community. Denise is a National Member of the Television Academy and is represented by AIRE Talent (LA/NY/Intl), Formation Talent (SE), and Applegate Talent Agency (FL)
- IMDb mini biography by: Denise Santos