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FlashForward

Packed To The Rafters

Dania Ramirez stars as Maya Herrera, a young woman plagued by a threatening ability that has driven both her and her twin brother Alejandro (Shalim Ortiz) from their home in the Dominican Republic to make the dangerous crossing to the United States in search of help.

Ramirez has come a long way from her native Dominican Republic, where her dreams of acting began. She could recently be seen on the critically acclaimed HBO drama "The Sopranos." She also recently completed the independent film 'Brooklyn to Manhattan' for director Jessy Terrero.

Last summer, Ramirez appeared the third installment of the X-Men franchise "X-Men: The Last Stand," directed by Brett Ratner. She made her film debut in Spike Lee's "The Subway Stories," which led to two other of the writer/director's projects -- "25th Hour" and "She Hate Me." In the latter, she played the lead in a complicated love triangle involving a lesbian paralegal who wants to have a baby with her attorney girlfriend. Her other credits include the independent film "Cross Bronx," and she plays the love interest in the comedy "Fat Albert."

Ramirez moved with her family to New York City when she was 10 years old. Always a performer, writing songs to sing with her sisters but eager for something more, she looked for ways to break into the entertainment business. After being discovered while working retail, she started modeling and taking acting classes. This led to some commercial work and eventually towards acting.

Ramirez currently lives in Los Angeles. Her birthday is November 30.