Cerina Vincent (born February 7, 1979) is an American actress. She had her breakthrough role starring as
Maya
Maya may refer to:
Civilizations
* Maya peoples, of southern Mexico and northern Central America
** Maya civilization, the historical civilization of the Maya peoples
** Maya language, the languages of the Maya peoples
* Maya (Ethiopia), a popul ...
in the television series ''
Power Rangers Lost Galaxy
''Power Rangers Lost Galaxy'' is a tokusatsu television series and the seventh season of the ''Power Rangers'' franchise, based on the 22nd Super Sentai series ''Seijuu Sentai Gingaman''. The series was the first to follow the Sentai tradition of ...
,'' followed by a part in the comedy film ''
Not Another Teen Movie
''Not Another Teen Movie'' is a 2001 American teen parody film directed by Joel Gallen and written by Mike Bender, Adam Jay Epstein, Andrew Jacobson, Phil Beauman, and Buddy Johnson. It features an ensemble cast including Chyler Leigh, Chris E ...
'', before going on to star in the horror film ''
Cabin Fever
Cabin fever is the distressing claustrophobic irritability or restlessness experienced when a person, or group, is stuck at an isolated location or in confined quarters for an extended time. A person may be referred to as stir-crazy, derived from ...
'', which established her as a "
scream queen" and led to further roles in horror movies. More recently, she appeared as Suzy Diaz in the
Disney Channel series ''
Stuck in the Middle''. She has also written three books with Jodi Lipper, wrote a regular column for ''
The Huffington Post
''HuffPost'' (formerly ''The Huffington Post'' until 2017 and sometimes abbreviated ''HuffPo'') is an American progressive news website, with localized and international editions. The site offers news, satire, blogs, and original content, and ...
'', and co-hosts the podcast ''Raising Amazing'' with Dr. Joel Gator.
Early life
Vincent was born on February 7, 1979, in
Las Vegas
Las Vegas (; Spanish for "The Meadows"), often known simply as Vegas, is the 25th-most populous city in the United States, the most populous city in the state of Nevada, and the county seat of Clark County. The city anchors the Las Vegas ...
,
Nevada
Nevada ( ; ) is a state in the Western region of the United States. It is bordered by Oregon to the northwest, Idaho to the northeast, California to the west, Arizona to the southeast, and Utah to the east. Nevada is the 7th-most extensive, ...
, to parents of Italian descent.
Vincent loved to perform from an early age, encouraged by her mother, who was a dance instructor.
She performed in a Christmas production at Diskin Elementary School, learning the lines for all the characters.
She also appeared in productions at the Rainbow Company Youth Theater, which was sponsored by the Cultural Affairs division of Las Vegas. In 1996, at the age of sixteen, Vincent won the
Miss Nevada Teen USA
The Miss Nevada Teen USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Nevada in the Miss Teen USA pageant.
Contestants compete in interview, active wear, and evening gown. Winners have most commonly come from ...
title and competed at
Miss Teen USA
Miss Teen USA is a beauty pageant formerly run, since 1983, by the Miss Universe Organization for girls aged 14–19. Unlike its sister pageants Miss Universe, which currently broadcasts on Fox and Miss USA, this pageant is webcast on the M ...
. Though she made it to the top 15, she failed to place at the pageant (televised live), which was held in
Las Cruces, New Mexico
Las Cruces (; "the crosses") is the second-largest city in the U.S. state of New Mexico and the seat of Doña Ana County. As of the 2020 census the population was 111,385. Las Cruces is the largest city in both Doña Ana County and southern Ne ...
.
Vincent graduated from
Durango High School in 1997, and moved to Los Angeles, where she attended Marymount College on a scholarship.
Between classes, she went on auditions and eventually landed several commercials and a role on ''USA High'' for the USA Network.
Career
1990s
In 1999, Vincent made her film debut in the
direct-to-video
Direct-to-video or straight-to-video refers to the release of a film, TV series, short or special to the public immediately on home video formats rather than an initial theatrical release or television premiere. This distribution strategy wa ...
thriller ''Fear Runs Silent'', starring
Billy Dee Williams
William December Williams Jr. (born April 6, 1937) is an American actor. He appeared as Lando Calrissian in the '' Star Wars'' franchise, first in the early 1980s for ''The Empire Strikes Back'' (1980) and ''Return of the Jedi'' (1983), and thir ...
.
Her first significant role as an actress, however, was as the Yellow Galaxy Ranger,
Maya
Maya may refer to:
Civilizations
* Maya peoples, of southern Mexico and northern Central America
** Maya civilization, the historical civilization of the Maya peoples
** Maya language, the languages of the Maya peoples
* Maya (Ethiopia), a popul ...
, in the television series ''
Power Rangers Lost Galaxy
''Power Rangers Lost Galaxy'' is a tokusatsu television series and the seventh season of the ''Power Rangers'' franchise, based on the 22nd Super Sentai series ''Seijuu Sentai Gingaman''. The series was the first to follow the Sentai tradition of ...
'', the seventh season of the program's franchise that aired from February 6, 1999 to December 18, 1999. Vincent later recalled, "It was a great way to learn a lot and get a taste for this business on a small show like that, but for kids. It was cool to be a role model for kids."
Following the success of ''Power Rangers Lost Galaxy'', Vincent appeared on MTV's ''
Undressed
''Undressed'' is an American anthology series that aired on MTV from July 26, 1999, to September 5, 2002. The series was created and executive produced by British director Roland Joffé.
Synopsis
The series follows the relationships (both rom ...
'', ''
Son of the Beach
''Son of the Beach'' is an American sitcom that aired from March 14, 2000, to October 1, 2002, on FX. The series is a spoof of ''Baywatch'', with much of the comedy based on sexual double entendres, puns, innuendo and the like. A major running g ...
'', ''
Malcolm in the Middle'', ''
Felicity'' and ''
Ally McBeal''.
She also returned as Maya in the two-part ''
Power Rangers Lightspeed Rescue
''Power Rangers Lightspeed Rescue'' is a television series and the eighth season of the ''Power Rangers'' franchise, based on the 23rd ''Super Sentai'' series ''Kyuukyuu Sentai GoGoFive'' (1999).
''Lightspeed Rescue'' had, for the first time, a ...
'' episode, “Trakeena’s Revenge”, which saw the two teams of Rangers team up.
2000s
In 2001, Vincent landed her first role in a major motion picture,
spoof film
A parody film or spoof film is a subgenre of comedy film that parodies other film genres or films as pastiches, works created by imitation of the style of many different films reassembled together.
Although the subgenre is often overlooked by cri ...
''
Not Another Teen Movie
''Not Another Teen Movie'' is a 2001 American teen parody film directed by Joel Gallen and written by Mike Bender, Adam Jay Epstein, Andrew Jacobson, Phil Beauman, and Buddy Johnson. It features an ensemble cast including Chyler Leigh, Chris E ...
,'' playing foreign exchange student Areola. The part notably required her to be nude whenever she appeared throughout the movie: as a satirical take on the
gratuitous nudity that was prevalent in
teen films
Teen film is a film genre targeted at teenagers, preteens, or young adults by the plot being based on their special interests, such as coming of age, attempting to fit in, bullying, peer pressure, first love, teen rebellion, conflict with paren ...
of the time, and specifically as a parody of
Shannon Elizabeth
Shannon Elizabeth Fadal (born September 7, 1973) is an American actress, conservationist, animal activist, model and poker player. A popular sex symbol and teen idol of the 1990s and 2000s, Elizabeth is best known for her roles in the films '' A ...
's character
Nadia
Nadia is a female name. Variations include Nadja, Nadya, Nadine, Nadiya, and Nadiia. Most variations of the name are derived from Arabic, Slavic languages, or both.
In Slavic, names similar to ''Nadia'' mean "hope" in many Slavic languages: ...
in ''
American Pie'', the character never wears clothes,
even in public. Vincent is naked in all of her scenes, with her body serving as a
sight gag
In comedy, a visual gag or sight gag is anything which conveys its humour visually, often without words being used at all. The gag may involve a physical impossibility or an unexpected occurrence. The humor is caused by alternative interpretation ...
of sorts: subtitles for her ever-changing accent are spaced to avoid obscuring her breasts, as she interacts with fully clothed characters, none of whom seem to notice her out-of-place nudity.
Vincent described taking the part as a "huge decision" for her, having never previously done any nude scenes.
She initially turned down the role several times, ultimately deciding to do it because she thought it was funny; however, she still had reservations about performing in the nude for the first time and so extensively. In a 2011 interview, Vincent explained:
Vincent appeared in the 2020 documentary ''
Skin: A History of Nudity in the Movies'' in a segment discussing the role.
In 2003, Vincent starred in the R-rated horror film ''
Cabin Fever
Cabin fever is the distressing claustrophobic irritability or restlessness experienced when a person, or group, is stuck at an isolated location or in confined quarters for an extended time. A person may be referred to as stir-crazy, derived from ...
'', which featured some of her most memorable film moments, including her "leg-shaving" scene and the "plane-crash" seduction and sex scene. The film included topless scenes and two
sex scenes with two different characters. Fearing that she would be
typecast
In film, television, and theatre, typecasting is the process by which a particular actor becomes strongly identified with a specific character, one or more particular roles, or characters having the same traits or coming from the same social or ...
into nude roles, Vincent was cautious about over-exposing herself in the film, which became a point of contention between her and director
Eli Roth
Eli Raphael Roth (born April 18, 1972) is an American film director, screenwriter, producer, and actor. As a director and producer, he is most closely associated with the horror genre, having directed the films '' Cabin Fever'' (2003) and ''Hoste ...
.
Starting in 2004, Vincent appeared in a series of theatrical and television films, including ''
Murder-Set-Pieces
''Murder-Set-Pieces'' is a 2004 American horror film written, produced, and directed by Nick Palumbo. The film stars Sven Garrett and features cameos from horror icons Gunnar Hansen (''The Texas Chain Saw Massacre''), Cerina Vincent (''Cabin Fev ...
'' (2004) as the L.A. Girl, ''
Intermedio
The intermedio (also intromessa, introdutto, tramessa, tramezzo, intermezzo, intermedii), in the Italian Renaissance, was a theatrical performance or spectacle with music and often dance, which was performed between the acts of a play to celeb ...
'' (2005) as Gen, and ''
Conversations with Other Women
''Conversations with Other Women'' is a 2005 romantic drama film directed by Hans Canosa, written by Gabrielle Zevin, starring Aaron Eckhart and Helena Bonham Carter. The film won Best Actress for Bonham Carter at the 2005 Tokyo International Fi ...
'' (2005) as Sarah the Dancer. In 2005, she appeared in her first starring role in the film ''
It Waits'' (2005) as forest ranger Danielle "Danny" St. Claire. Vincent made several television appearances beginning in 2005, with appearances on ''
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
''CSI: Crime Scene Investigation'', also referred to as ''CSI'' and ''CSI: Las Vegas'', is an American procedural forensics crime drama television series that ran on CBS from October 6, 2000, to September 27, 2015, spanning 15 seasons. This wa ...
'', ''
Palmetto Pointe
''Palmetto Pointe'' is a television series that debuted during PAX-TV's transition to i: Independent Television. The series first aired on August 28, 2005, with its last episode airing on October 16, 2005. It was the first television series sho ...
'' and ''
Sex, Love & Secrets
''Sex, Love & Secrets'' is an American soap opera, created by Michael Gans and Richard Register, which originally aired on United Paramount Network (UPN) from September 27, 2005, to October 18, 2005. With an ensemble cast led by Denise Richard ...
''. Since then, she has also worked on the series ''
Bones
A bone is a rigid organ that constitutes part of the skeleton in most vertebrate animals. Bones protect the various other organs of the body, produce red and white blood cells, store minerals, provide structure and support for the body, a ...
'', ''
Two and a Half Men
''Two and a Half Men'' is an American television sitcom that originally aired on CBS for twelve seasons from September 22, 2003, to February 19, 2015. Originally starring Charlie Sheen in the lead role alongside Jon Cryer and Angus T. Jones, t ...
'', ''
Gary Unmarried
''Gary Unmarried'' is an American sitcom created by Ed Yeager, which ran on CBS from September 24, 2008, to March 17, 2010. The series focuses on a recently divorced couple (Jay Mohr and Paula Marshall) sharing custody of their kids while starting ...
'', ''Zombie Family'', ''
Mike & Molly
''Mike & Molly'' is an American television sitcom created by Mark Roberts on CBS. It premiered on September 20, 2010, and aired 127 episodes over six seasons. The series stars Billy Gardell and Melissa McCarthy as the eponymous Mike and Molly ...
'', and ''
The Walking Dead''. In 2006, she appeared in ''The Surfer King'' as Tiffany, ''
Seven Mummies'' as Lacy, and the
Sci-Fi Channel
Syfy (formerly Sci-Fi Channel, later shortened to Sci Fi; stylized as SYFY) is an American basic cable channel owned by the NBCUniversal Television and Streaming division of Comcast's NBCUniversal through NBCUniversal Cable Entertainment. ...
original movie ''
Sasquatch Mountain
''Sasquatch Mountain'' (also called ''Devil on the Mountain'') is a 2006 science fiction film produced by Grizzly Peak Productions for the Syfy channel, and directed by Steven R. Monroe.
Synopsis
A lonely tow-truck driver (Lance Henriksen) g ...
'' as Erin Price, alongside
Lance Henriksen
Lance Henriksen (born May 5, 1940) is an American actor. He is known for his works in various science fiction, action and horror films, such as that of Bishop in the ''Alien'' film franchise, and Frank Black in Fox television series ''Millenn ...
. In 2007, she appeared in the television films ''Manchild'' and ''Wifey'', as well as ''
Return to House on Haunted Hill
''Return to House on Haunted Hill'' is a 2007 American horror film and the sequel to the 1999 film ''House on Haunted Hill''. Directed by Víctor Garcia and written by William Massa, the film stars Amanda Righetti, Tom Riley, Cerina Vincent and ...
'' as Michelle, and ''
Everybody Wants to Be Italian'' as Marisa Costa. In 2008, she appeared in ''
Toxic
Toxicity is the degree to which a chemical substance or a particular mixture of substances can damage an organism. Toxicity can refer to the effect on a whole organism, such as an animal, bacterium, or plant, as well as the effect on a subs ...
'' as Malvi, the independent film, ''
Just Add Water'' as The Mrs., and in ''Fashion Victim''.
2010s
Vincent returned to films in 2012, appearing in ''Complacent'' as Myah Sanderson and ''Chasing Happiness'' as Andrea, and playing the title role in ''MoniKa'', for which she was also the executive producer. In 2013, Vincent appeared in the
Hallmark Channel
The Hallmark Channel is an American television channel owned by Crown Media Holdings, Inc., which in turn is owned by Hallmark Cards, Inc. The channel's programming is primarily targeted at families, and features a mix of television movies a ...
original movie ''The Thanksgiving House'' in the role of Ashleigh,
and produced and starred in the acclaimed horror short ''
Skypemare,'' which also starred
Annika Marks
Annika Marks is an American actress, writer and producer. She had a supporting role in 2012 film '' The Sessions'', and played leading roles in independent movies '' Grace.'' (2014) and ''Anguish'' (2015). From 2014 to 2018 she played Monte Port ...
and featured Ryan Dillon and
Adam J. Yeend
Adam J. Yeend is an Australian actor/producer best known for his roles in ''Offing David'', ''Liz & Dick'' and ''Holding the Man (play), Holding the Man'', and producer of the 2014 feature film ''Lust for Love (2014 film), Lust for Love'' as ...
; the film screened at Telluride Horror Show and ScreamFest 2013 in Los Angeles.
In 2017, Vincent had a small role in the indie movie ''Broken Memories''.
From 2016 to 2018, Vincent played Suzy Diaz, mother to seven children, on the
Disney Channel series ''
Stuck in the Middle''. The series ran for three seasons.
Vincent's most recent performances include the lead role of Jen in the 2018 feature film thriller ''The Work Wife'', a 2019 guest starring appearance on ''
NCIS: Los Angeles'', and a part in the 2020
Lifetime TV movie ''My Daughter's Psycho Friend''.
Personal life
In November 2018, Vincent announced her pregnancy with her first child, a boy with her long-time partner Mike Estes. Her son was born in February 2019.
Filmography
Film
Television
Books
Vincent and her co-writer Jodi Lipper wrote a regular column for ''
HuffPost
''HuffPost'' (formerly ''The Huffington Post'' until 2017 and sometimes abbreviated ''HuffPo'') is an American progressive news website, with localized and international editions. The site offers news, satire, blogs, and original content, and ...
'' from 2007 to 2016.
The pair have also authored three books:
*
*
*
References
External links
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Vincent, Cerina
1979 births
20th-century American actresses
21st-century American actresses
20th-century Miss Teen USA delegates
1996 beauty pageant contestants
Actresses from Las Vegas
American film actresses
American people of Italian descent
American podcasters
American television actresses
American women columnists
American women podcasters
HuffPost writers and columnists
Living people