Olga Merediz
Olga Merediz is an American actress who most notably originated the role of Abuela Claudia in Lin-Manuel Miranda's Broadway musical "In the Heights", for which she received a 2008 Tony Award nomination for Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical. Merediz reprises the role in the film adaption of "In the Heights", directed by Jon M. Chu, released in 2021 by Warner Brothers. Olga also notably starred as the singing voice of Abuela Alma for the Disney animated film "Encanto" and reprised this role for "Encanto at the Hollywood Bowl" streaming on Disney+. Most recently she can be seen as a supporting role in "Somebody I Used To Know", which became the #1 streamed movie in the US on Prime Video.
Merediz was born in Guantánamo, Cuba. She left Cuba with her family when she was five years old to Miami, Florida. Thereafter, she relocated with her family to Puerto Rico where she grew up and attended American schools. Merediz graduated with a bachelor's degree from Newcomb College, the former female counterpart to Tulane University in New Orleans, Louisiana.
On Broadway, Merediz had leading and supporting roles in "The Human Comedy", "Les Miserables", "Mamma Mia!", "Man of La Mancha", "Reckless" and "In the Heights". On film, she has acted with Meryl Streep in both "Marvin's Room" (1996) and "Music of the Heart" (1999), worked with Sidney Lumet in both the film "Q & A" (1990) and the TV series "100 Centre Street", and played Blanca Duarte, Eva Peron's sister, in the movie of "Evita" (1996) directed by Alan Parker.
In other film and television roles she has worked alongside Ryan Gosling, Jim Carrey, Robert Redford, Samuel L. Jackson, Chris Rock, Rosario Dawson, Jennifer Lopez, Edie Falco, John Leguizamo, Rosie Perez, Barry Levinson, and the late great Robin Williams.
As a series regular on FX's "Saint George", playing George Lopez's feisty mother, Merediz also has recurring television roles on "Orange is the New Black", "Brooklyn Nine-Nine", "Diary of a Future President", "Bull", "Law & Order SVU", the British action comedy "Bounty Hunters", and "New Amsterdam" now streaming on Netflix. Olga will be featured in the upcoming Apple TV series "Jane" based on Jane Goodall.
Merediz produced a documentary based on her real life events, and penned a television pilot script also based on her Cuban-American heritage.
Movies
On a trip to her hometown, workaholic Ally reminisces with her first love Sean, and starts to question everything about the person she's become. Things only get more confusing when she meets Sean's fiancé, Cassidy, who reminds her of the person she used to be.
- Dec 27, 2022
- English
A taped performance of the Encanto Live-to-Film Concert Experience at the Hollywood Bowl. The original cast puts on a miracle of a concert as they sing the favorite songs, accompanied by a full orchestra and 50 person ensemble, and the Hollywood Bowl transforms into Casita!
- Jun 10, 2021
- OST
A film version of the Broadway musical in which Usnavi, a sympathetic New York bodega owner, saves every penny every day as he imagines and sings about a better life.
- Dec 07, 2017
- English
Harley is an engineering whiz who uses her inventions to navigate life as the middle child in a large family of seven kids.
- Oct 31, 2017
- English
After a New York City woman is sexually assaulted while walking home one evening, she struggles to accept the truth and rediscover the intimacy within her relationship.
- Apr 11, 2013
- English
A motorcycle stunt rider turns to robbing banks as a way to provide for his lover and their newborn child, a decision that puts him on a collision course with an ambitious rookie cop navigating a department ruled by a corrupt detective.