Jessica Pimentel

Pimentel was born and raised in Cobble Hill, Brooklyn. Both of her parents, originally from La Romana, Dominican Republic, and immigrated to New York as teenagers.^[2] Pimentel was the couple's only child. Her parents divorced when she was six years old, after which she became estranged from her father.^[3]

Pimentel graduated from New York's Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts, where she was a music major her first year then auditioned and was accepted into the drama program her second year. She focused on acting more after high school, playing Juliet in a touring production of Romeo and Juliet, and landing small roles in movies and TV shows.^[3]

She graduated from the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, class of 1999.^[4]

After a series of bit parts, Pimentel played the role of Angelique Domenguez in the 2008 film Pride and Glory. In 2014, she was cast as Floyd in four episodes of Person of Interest.

Pimentel's breakout role came in 2013, when she was cast as Maria Ruiz on the Netflix comedy-drama Orange Is the New Black. Pimentel was credited as a guest star for the first four seasons, before finally being made a part of the regular cast for Season 5.^[5]

Pimentel began playing music at the age of two and trained as classical violinist and concert master who has played at Carnegie hall. In her teens she began learning the guitar, electric bass, percussion and keyboards and joined several New York Hardcore bands. She was the bassist for New York heavy metal and hardcore band Desolate from 2010 to 2014.^[6]

Since 2010, Pimentel has been the lead vocalist and a recording guitarist for the New York-based death metal band Alekhine's Gun.^[7] Pimentel has also recorded several songs with the band Black Heart Sutra, and sings in the Los Angeles and Tijuana-based metal band Brujeria, performing under the name La Bruja Encabronada.^[8]

Pimentel is a featured artist for Spector basses,^[9], Gibson (guitar company), Korg and Darkglass and Krank Amps.^[6]

Pimentel has been married to Meshuggah drummer Tomas Haake since 2013 and lives with him in Sweden.^[10][11]

Pimentel was raised Christian, but became a practicing Tibetan Buddhist as an adult.^[12]

Films

More information Year, Title ...

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1998	The Last Days of Disco	Clubgoer	Uncredited
2005	Room	Young Mother	Uncredited
2007	Illegal Tender	Young Millie
2008	Off Jackson Avenue	Olivia
	Pride and Glory	Angelique Domenguez
2012	How to Score Your Life	Ex-Girlfriend
2013	Go for Sisters	La Mojada
2014	Death Pact	Vivian	TV movie
	Fugly!	Caroline
2015	The Grief of Others	Ms. Nuñez
2018	A Bread Factory	Teresa
2023	Bound[13]	Marta

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Television

More information Year, Title ...

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1995	All My Children	Pine Valley Kid	2 episodes
1997	12 Angry Viewers	Juror
2002	Third Watch	Josie	Episode: "Falling"
2003	Law & Order	Hooker	Episode: "Under God"
2005	Law & Order: Special Victims Unit	Selma Garcia	Episode: "911"
2008	Law & Order: Special Victims Unit	Joanne Suarez	Episode: "Retro"
2009	Law & Order	Tina	Episode: "Boy Gone Astray"
2010	Mercy	Female Clerk	Episode: "There Is No Superwoman
	Law & Order: Criminal Intent	Gabriella Belteno	Episode: "Disciple"
2013–2019	Orange Is the New Black	Maria Ruiz	Recurring role (Seasons 1–4), Series regular (Season 5–7) Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series (2015-2017)[14]
2014	Casting Calls	Mary
2014–2015	Person of Interest	Floyd	4 episodes
2015	Law & Order: Special Victims Unit	Manuela Ozuna	Episode: "Institutional Fail"
2023	Blue Bloods	Laura Acosta	Episode: "Lost Ones"
2023	The Horror of Dolores Roach	Flora Frias	3 Episodes

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