April Hernandez-Castillo

One of the most respected Latina actresses in Hollywood, April Hernandez-Castillo's personal life story is one of victory. Her feature film debut as Eva Benitez in the Image Award-nominated MTV film, Freedom Writers (2007), alongside Academy Award-winner Hilary Swank, put her in the ranks of some of the biggest names in the industry.

An actress with a blend of unlimited expression and humor, the Bronx (NY) native made her stage debut at the famous New York Comedy Club in New York City as a stand-up comedienne. As an actress, April expanded her stage experience to television. She got her first acting break as the Yo/Yoa Girl alongside NBA All-Star Houston Rockets center Yao Ming in the 2004 Super Bowl Visa Check Card national commercial. Next came major television roles that would include NBC's Emmy-award winning series ER (1994), Law & Order (1990) and 30 Rock (2006). Keeping an eye on the big screen, in 2007 she tried out for the role of a lifetime and got it--in "Freedom Writers". She would co-star alongside one of Hollywood's biggest stars, Hilary Swank. It was in this role that April would catch the attention of The View (1997) producers, who invited her to co-host the show.

Reaching critical heights, her portrayal of Eva Benitez earned her recognition and critical acclaim confirming her status as one of the more talented up-and-coming actresses. Displaying the talent and drive to parlay success into a career as a respected actress, April garnered roles in the pilot Blue Blood (2008) on Fox and Showtime's Nurse Jackie (2009), CBS' Person of Interest (2011) and received a SAG Award nomination for her role as Officer Cira Manson in Showtime's award-winning drama Dexter (2006), a role in John Mitchell's sci-fi comedy The History of Future Folk (2012), guest-starred as Danny Pino's sister on NBC's drama Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (1999) and appeared in two episodes of FOX's hit show The Following (2013).