Vanessa Verduga is a multi-talented actress, singer and writer who is laser focused on creating bold and explosive career opportunities – but those inclined to start using the shopworn phrase “Renaissance Woman” to describe her will be quickly corrected for being too limiting. These days, the Los Angeles born, Bronx raised performer—who legitimately includes “producer” and “lawyer” on her resume —is making her mark instead as “Justice Woman,” the lead character in the popular web series she created and launched in 2012. And for which she has won numerous awards including an “Outstanding Lead Actress” award at the 2013 L.A. Web Festival, the very first “Excellence in Multimedia” award from the Hispanic Organization of Latin Actors, the “Best Sexy Actress” award at the 2014 Rome Web Awards, and the “Golden Star” award at the 2015 Rome Web Awards in Italy. Currently in post-production for Season 4, the show has earned positive reviews by NBC Latino and its first three seasons have garnered over 2 million views on its dedicated YouTube channel. Written, produced and directed by Vanessa, “Justice Woman” was inspired in part by her passion for superheroes growing up. The concept is also rooted in the disillusionment she experienced as an attorney. “Being a solo practitioner was an eye opening experience as I got to see firsthand how our legal system and the people in charge of it can work for both good and bad under the guise of the law”.

The series follows the story of Sofía Escala, a.k.a. Justice Woman, a spunky Assistant D.A. by day, defender of truth and justice by night. With the help of her office-mate and sidekick Robert (Roberta) Gallion, she fights to right the wrongs committed against the innocent and powerless by a corrupt legal system – and naturally winds up in some tight spots along the way.
 A smart, funny, fast-paced series with a touch of risqué business and perhaps the first Latina superhero and gay sidekick duo ever, “Justice Woman” tackles serious issues, but with large doses of campy humor.
 Expanding her creative outreach further, Vanessa has written a comic book entitled “Justice Woman Begins” and has designs on eventually translating “Justice Woman” into a television series and musical play.

Vanessa produced and starred in “H.O.M.E.,” a feature film by award winning director Daniel Maldonado, and “The Hunting of Lost Characters”, a short film by multiple Emmy-award winning director Gustavo Sampaio. She also produced the “Latino Thought Makers Live Series, hosted by Rick Najera” at Oxnard College, which spotlights influential Latinos in the fields of Performing Arts, Politics, and Social Issues. Her play “Implications of Cohabitation”, which she wrote and starred in played at the Clurman, Theatre Row (NYC), the past August 2016 to great reviews. Last but certainly not least, Vanessa is a recording her very first solo album, a bilingual urban Latin album, titled “Soy Mujer” (“I am Woman”), with multiple Grammy- and Billboard award winning producers DJ Napoles and Kenny O’Brien.

An active blogger who writes about current events and the reasoning behind her many artistic endeavors, Vanessa has written articles for NBC Latino, Latin Heat Entertainment, PolicyMic and MOSH.Opinions, and has been praised for her writing by fellow Latina actress/producer Eva Longoria. Vanessa was named one of the 25 Club Leaders of the Future–New York 2013 by Latino Leaders Magazine.

Destined for a multi-faceted life and career from her earliest days, Vanessa started acting, singing and dancing at age four, encouraged by her mother, a trained dancer in Spanish dance whose own mother (Vanessa’s grandmother) would take her every weekend to sing live at the local radio station in her native Ecuador. Coming from a family that valued the performing arts – but also stressed the importance of a strong education and practical career path – it’s logical that Vanessa would eventually find her way back to performing after a lengthy college and law school hiatus. 
A graduate of both the American Academy of Dramatic Arts and Seton Hall University School of Law, Vanessa returned to acting during law school when she joined the theater student group there. With a knack for developing strong yet vulnerable characters, she has appeared in numerous theater productions and films since graduating from AADA.

She got into filmmaking as a result of acting and writing. Having done theater throughout New York City, Vanessa decided to give film a chance and discovered that she loved it just as much. Co-writing the award-winning short film “Danny First” – based on the story of her relationship with her brother Tony, who is autistic – further impressed upon her the power of film to move and inspire a much wider audience.
 Having traveled and lived abroad, Vanessa – who studied in Paris and Italy, and worked in Milan during her undergrad days as a computer information systems major at Baruch College – brings a rich multi-perspective to her projects – not to mention that she is a polyglot, speaking five languages, Spanish, Italian, French, Portuguese and English.

Described by her peers as “a compassionate fighter with captivating strength and sassy humor,” Vanessa aspires to awaken our inner warriors through her art.

Check out Vanessa’s IMDB page here.

• Writer and lead actress of the play Implications of Cohabitation that played at the Clurman, Theatre Row (NYC), August 2016.
• Lead actress in the award-winning digital series Justice Woman.
• Supporting actress and producer of The Hunting of Lost Characters, a short film by award-winning Director Gustavo Sampaio, and H.O.M.E., a feature film by award-winning Director Daniel Maldonado.

Interviews:

Here I am again on the CBS/KCAL 9 Sunday morning news talking about the San Diego Comic Con and the two panels I spoke on Web Series Creators: The Next Generation! & Women of Color in Comics:

Stopped by CBS-KCAL9 Sunday morning news to talk about Justice Woman and the need for diversity in Hollywood and the comic book industry:

Here’s an interview I did for the Spanish Milwaukee Radio show “Guillermo & Rosita” on La Gran D 104.6 FM, where I address Michelle Rodriguez’ hurtful comments on minorities stealing white superhero roles and being too lazy to create their own. Something I wholeheartedly dispute. Listen here.

My interview on Dollhouse Radio’s REELTalk! Listen here.

Check out this Justice Woman interview at the 2014 New York Comic Con by ToyMasters Video Magazine:

Here’s an interview I did in Spanish for the Multiple-Emmy and AP Award winning Journalist Naibe Reynoso-Hodsden 😀

Check out my interview on LatiNation below. Feels nice to be recognized for doing what I love

Being nominated for a 2014 International Web Television Award was exciting and further being asked to be an award presenter at the ceremony made it all just magical.

A one on one interview I did with Elia Esparza of Latin Heat Entertainment providing a sneak peek on Justice Woman Season 2.

Sometimes a little controversy is needed to set the record straight. Vanessa Verduga on the Hotly Debated “Devious Maids” Controversy.

Jorge Medina of MAS Media Studios interviews me at the 2013 Bronx Heroes Comic Con.

Here’s a very candid interview I did for ToyMasters Video Magazine at the 2013 Women in Comics panel and gallery event.

Judyth Piazza interviews Multi-talented Actress, Writer and Producer Vanessa Verduga.

Here’s a fun string of interviews a few web content creators did for GenreTainment at the 2013 LA Web Festival. My interview begins at 20:31.

It was an honor to be one of three Latina Content Producers speaking about my experiences on creating Justice Woman for Prime Latino Media Salon’s Webisodes: The Future of Content is Now, recorded for television broadcast.

Here’s a Spanish interview I did for Mundo Fox’s “La Revista Semanal” television program discussing my web series Justice Woman.

Writing for MOSH.Opinions is a guilty pleasure, as it’s a publication that invites controversy and polarizing discussions. As a Latina trying to break the mold and not fit into a box or a stereotype, I make it a point to write on social issues that matter, that are often neglected from the mainstream, and that speak to the millennial generation. Today’s youth is smart, rebellious against conformity, and fearless, and I want to inspire them as a real life Superheroine who doesn’t accept being told how to think or what to feel by corporate media.

I was one of the lucky few who got to write for PolicyMic when the website first came on the scene. You can still read some of my articles there.

I am so grateful to Latin Heat for the support they’ve given me and continue to give all Latinos who are contributing to great art and journalism since 1992. I’ve been interviewed and have had Justice Woman reviewed by Elia Esparza and Bel Hernandez. They also ran a piece I wrote on the Devious Maids TV show, which was fairly controversial, so I bow my cape and cowl to them for encouraging diversity and free speech. When the ladies of Latin Heat were up for an Imagen award with their talk show HOLA! LA, I wrote a congratulatory piece in recognition of their talent.

I had the privilege of lending my voice to NBC Latino, prior to it shutting down in January 2014 to become part of NBC News, with this Op-Ed piece on the social trend of maternal clocks and the perception of motherhood in the 21st century.

OTHER CONTRIBUTIONS:

As a lifelong fan of superheroes, I was so honored when Major Malcolm Wheeler-Nicholson’s granddaughter, Nicky Wheeler-Nicholson, asked me to write for the Major’s blog. The man founded DC Comics and single-handedly changed entertainment history forever. Thanks Nicky!

I have been recognized at The Student Operated Press where I was able to share some of my career work and highlight Justice Woman, as well as a film I am producing entitled H.O.M.E.

I also maintain a personal blog, Owning My Inner Amazon Goddess where I share insights into my craft, my life.