MELISSA  RIVERA

Melissa Rivera is a Puerto Rican actor, comedian, and creator based in Los Angeles.

When she’s not on stage doing stand-up or developing original work, she’s usually running the small but mighty daycare she owns—because nothing prepares you for the entertainment industry like negotiating with toddlers.

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Born and raised in Puerto Rico, Melissa brings a bilingual, bicultural perspective to her storytelling, often blending humor, identity, and sharp observations about life between cultures.

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Her short film Sexless premiered at the LA Shorts International Film Festival, and her digital series Carmen Miranda and Rag Dolls are available on YouTube. Her acting credits include appearances on How I Met Your Mother, The Bridge, and Murder in the First, along with national and Spanish-language commercials. 

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Melissa is a recipient of The Groundlings Theatre Diversity Scholarship and NALIP’s Emerging Content Creators Scholarship, and she was selected for the National Hispanic Media Coalition’s Latino Scene Showcase.

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She holds an MFA in Acting from California Institute of the Arts and a BA in Humanities (Music) from the University of Puerto Rico.

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Follow her everywhere: @melissasenorita