Biographie
Actress Jessica Meraz is rapidly gaining recognition in the film and television industry for her undeniable talent, authentic personality, and captivating presence. In 2017, she returned as a Series Regular on TNT’s acclaimed drama "Major Crimes," portraying Det. Camila Paige. Meraz brought depth to Camila, a young detective overcoming financial struggles after raising her five younger siblings following their parents' fatal car accident 15 years earlier. Favored by Chief Mason (Leonard Roberts), Camila established herself in Criminal Intelligence before moving to Missing Persons. Season 6 of "Major Crimes" premiered on October 31, 2017.
Beyond "Major Crimes," Meraz appeared as Natalie Ortiz on Freeform’s critically praised drama "Chasing Life" throughout its two-season run. Born and raised in the border city of El Paso, Texas, she is half Mexican from her mother’s side and of Scottish and Irish descent on her father’s side. The youngest of five siblings, Meraz is fluent in Spanish. She began acting at age seven in community theater. Between her junior and senior years of high school, she attended the New York Film Academy in Los Angeles, spending the summer gaining practical experience in acting, writing, directing, producing, and editing. Though she wanted to stay in LA, her parents encouraged her to finish high school in El Paso. Determined to pursue her career, she moved to Los Angeles at 18 and graduated from USC’s prestigious School of Theater.
Meraz’s first professional role was a guest appearance on ABC Family’s long-running series "Greek," whose showrunner, Patrick Sean Smith, later worked on "Chasing Life." She secured several guest roles on popular series such as ABC Family’s "Baby Daddy," ABC’s "Suburgatory," and "Newsreaders," a spin-off of the Emmy-winning "Children’s Hospital" on Adult Swim. Trained in comedy, improv, and sketch, Meraz showcased her comedic talents as a storyteller on Comedy Central’s "Drunk History" and performed in various sketch and improv projects for Adult Swim, Comedy Central, and funnyordie.com.
Her additional credits include a two-episode guest role opposite Zac Levi in Yahoo’s "Tiny Commando," several episodes of the Emmy-nominated Funny or Die series "The Earliest Show" (written and directed by Ben Schwartz), the web series "Life Stinks" alongside Rachael Harris, and the YouTube Red series "Do You Want to See a Dead Body" with Rob Huebel and Terry Crews. Meraz has had recurring roles on two CW dramas: as the supervillain Menagerie on "Supergirl" and as "Red" in the final season of "Nancy Drew." She also co-starred in the independent comedy horror film "Clearmind," released on Amazon Prime and Tubi in 2024.
In addition to her work in film and television, Meraz leads an active lifestyle and enjoys traveling and outdoor activities. Whether spending time with her cherished family or pursuing her passion for salsa dancing, she exudes an infectious zest for life.
