October 2018

By Cory Stevens

Danay Garcia arrived in the United States from Cuba with her two-year-old son in pursuit of a better life. She spoke no English and had no job. Flash forward 15 years and Garcia is now a highly sought-after actress who currently stars in the AMC hit television show “Fear the Walking Dead,” one of the top-rated shows on cable television. She has been working steadily in film and television since 2006 and has recently ventured into writing, producing and directing.

Garcia’s experiences have made her feel strongly people need to give back to the communities from which they came. Now that she has achieved success in the entertainment industry, Garcia has committed herself to helping those who are in need and face similar challenges as she did. Her own experiences have inspired her to help people who might not have the tools they need to achieve success. She is also passionate about introducing the arts to children and showing them how much it can add to their lives. Whether they

want to become performers themselves, or just open their minds and hearts to it, Garcia believes the arts can enrich and educate.

Garcia was born in Havana, Cuba. Dance became her passion and she quickly became one of Cuba’s most well-known dancers, performing for audiences throughout the country. Garcia realized hard work and dedication pay off and this gave a her a work ethic that has stayed with her to this day. In her late teens Garcia continued her dance career however turned her attention toward acting. Dance was an introduction to the arts and showed Garcia how to express herself, but theater is when she found her voice and understood the power of performance. Dance gave Garcia the discipline and tools to pursue theater and become a storyteller.

Her first role performed for the public was the complex lead role in “Maria Antonia,” by Cuban playwright Eugenio Hernandez Espinosa. She played a 40-year-old character while she was only 17 and got rave reviews.

After training in the Cuban theater community and getting a few plays under belt, Garcia decided to relocate to the U.S. to make a life for herself and her son and pursue acting. She left Cuba for Los Angeles and was granted political asylum in the U.S. Within a few years, Garcia had learned English and jumped into a successful acting career. Television audiences first got to know Garcia as a co-star of the popular Fox series “Prison Break,” where she played the lead role of Sofia Lugo and achieved instant fame, appearing in hundreds of magazines around the world. She also appeared in episodes of popular television shows such as “Supernatural,” among others.

In 2008, just five years after arriving from Cuba, Garcia was named one of the 50 most beautiful people by People En Español magazine and one of Maxim magazine’s hottest girls on television. Garcia has had starring roles in films including “Sniper: Ultimate Kill” and “Avenge the Crows,” as well as supporting roles in a dozen other movies.

In “Fear the Walking Dead,” Garcia stars as “Luciana,” the fearless yet compassionate leader who shows unwavering courage in the dangerous post-apocalyptic world overrun by zombies and humans who will do anything to survive. Garcia recently wrote, directed and produced “La Cura,” a short film about a small town in Mexico feeling the effects of an unknown disease that forces the local pastor to make an ethical decision that will impact the lives of everyone in his village.

Garcia is now committed to giving back and helping Latino children. She believes the performing arts, which helped her make a life for herself, can help children get on the right path. She is currently working with several theater companies in Cuba on a program that would enable Cuban children to participate in the performing arts and give them a sense of purpose. “The performing arts is all about expression,” said Garcia. “It is so important for young children to have a direction in life and to aspire to something great. The performing arts also helps children develop skills and a work ethic that will serve them well whatever they decide to do.”

While filming in different locations, Garcia has visited local orphanages and spent time with children who need the support and guidance of an adult. She works to introduce the performing arts to these children.

Garcia is also forming a nonprofit foundation as part of her production company, This is Happening Productions, where a portion of proceeds from her projects will go to worthwhile charities. Garcia is looking to produce films that educate people about various causes and issues, with proceeds going to support the causes depicted in the films.

Wherever she goes, Garcia never forgets her roots and where she came from. Garcia said “I always believed that success was defined by finding your passion, doing what you love and striving to be the best you can be. This is the message I want to impart to others.”

Special Thank you to

Danay Garcia

Photography

Richard Foreman Jr/AMC | Louis Rodiger

Production and Makeup by Karina Fonti

using Cinema Secrets Pro Cosmetics

Hair by Gloria Espinoza

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