Diana Maria Riva | Actress and Advocate
The actress has declared 2025 as her year of “Unstoppable.”
In this Hispanic Lifestyle red carpet interview with Diana Maria Riva, she emphasized the significance of community support, particularly within the creative community, by actively showing up for one another.
Diana Maria Riva’s professional resume is why she is described as a dominant force in television, film, and theater. In support of her community, she co-founded the organization Latinas Acting Up, a Sag-Aftra, TV/Film industry union where hermanas are coming together to share the impact of their collective voices, raising visibility within the industry. Their activities are highlighted on the Instagram page @latinasactingup
We spoke with the actress at the National Association of Latino Independent Producers (NALIP) Celebrating Latino Excellence: 25th Anniversary End of the Year Celebration event.
Diana Maria Riva has had notable roles in both television and film. She starred alongside Christina Applegate and Linda Cardellini in the hit Netflix series “Dead to Me,” earning a Screen Actors Guild Award nomination for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series and an Imagen Award for Best Supporting Actress – Television (Comedy) for her performance. She also appeared in the HBO Max series “The Gordita Chronicles,” directed by Eva Longoria, where she played Adela Castelli, the mother of Cucu, a Dominican immigrant growing up with her eccentric family in 1980s Miami as they all pursued the American Dream.
In the indie film “Kajillionaire,” written and directed by Miranda July, Riva showcased her talent alongside Anna Kendrick, Bill Hader, Billy Eichner, and Shirley MacLaine. The film was selected for the Sundance Festival last year. Riva also co-starred in Disney’s holiday film “Noelle” for Disney+, alongside Anna Kendrick, Bill Hader, Billy Eichner, and Shirley MacLaine. Additionally, she co-starred in the NBC/Hulu comedy series “Sunnyside,” executive produced by Kal Penn and Michael Schur.
On the big screen, Riva co-starred in Disney’s McFarland, USA, alongside Kevin Costner and Maria Bello. She also appeared in Love and Mercy with Elizabeth Banks and John Cusack. Additionally, she had a supporting role in the critically acclaimed Short Term 12, starring Brie Larson. In 2010, Riva starred alongside Regina King, America Ferrera, and Forest Whitaker in Fox Searchlight’s Family Wedding. Other notable film credits include 17 Again, What Women Want, Employee of the Month, Chasing Papi, and The Third Wheel, among others.
Riva collaborated with Eva Longoria in NBC’s half-hour mid-season comedy Telenovela, where she played “Mimi,” the stylist and best friend to Longoria’s character. Shortly after, Riva portrayed “Mrs. Rodriguez” in CBS’s Man with a Plan, starring Matt LeBlanc. This performance earned her a People’s Choice Award for Favorite New TV Comedy. Other series regular television credits include FX’s Saint George, Fox’s The Good Guys, CBS’ iRob!, and FX’s The Bridge. Riva also made notable appearances in various prominent series, such as Madam Secretary, Everybody Loves Raymond, The West Wing, Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip, Less Than Perfect, The Hughleys, Family Law, The Drew Carey Show, Strong Medicine, The X-Files, The Pretender, Party of Five, The Ghost Whisperer, and In Plain Sight.
Riva, discovered by ABC Studios, quickly secured a holding deal and landed a series regular role in their half-hour comedy, Common Law, opposite comedian Greg Giraldo. Although the show had a short run, Diana leveraged her experience to build an impressive resume on television. She starred as Kim Delaney’s vibrant and confident office manager in the ABC/Steven Bochco series, Philly. Before her standout role in Philly, Diana had already made a name for herself within the Bochco family, appearing in recurring roles on City of Angels and NYPD Blue, as well as guest-starring on Murder One. Riva received critical acclaim for her performance in the original Lifetime drama series, Side Order of Life, where she played “Vivy Porter,” a feisty and outspoken woman who defies her cancer diagnosis.
Born and raised in Cincinnati, Ohio, with Dominican roots, Diana pursued her passion for theater at the University of Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music, where she earned her MFA in Theater Performance. While pursuing her career, Diana prioritizes her family and resides in Los Angeles with her children.
HISPANIC LIFESTYLE VIDEO EXCLUSIVE
