Maria Angelica was born in Manhattan's Lower East Side at the Beth Israel Medical Center. She is from Cuban-Greek descent but her exotic looks are often mistaken for Italian, Brazilian, Argentinean, Russian, Czechoslovakian, Yugoslavian, and French; therefore the term, "ethnically ambiguous" suites her.Her Greek mother, Sophia Pantages, was an actress until she decided to become an English schoolteacher. Maria's father, Juan Figueredo, left Cuba and came to America in 1960. He became an electronic engineer and helped construct the space helmets for the first American astronauts that walked on the moon, Gemini 8.She studied at the School of American Ballet and danced in "The Nutcracker" at the age of 11. (New York State Theatre in Lincoln Center) When she was 12, 13 and 14 she won three awards in her school's Declamation/Monologue Contest. The first one she did was from Tennessee William's, "This Property is Condemned." Maria graduated from high school six months early and traveled along the East Coast with an improvisational theater company. She continued studying drama at NYU, Tish School of the Arts and spent a year abroad in a NY/Paris Student Exchange Program, where she completed an acting apprenticeship with the Theater of the Oppressed, directed by the late Augusto Boal.Maria modeled in NYC and in Italy and appeared in several music videos. All the while, volunteering in soup kitchens and homeless shelters, and reading for underprivileged children in schools. Her vision is to be involved in charities on a global spectrum. Maria's work includes theatre, commercials, television and film. She appeared in a cameo role on the TV show, "Rescue Me," playing opposite Denis Leary. She was also in a short film, "The Bronx Balletomane," (which won several awards) playing opposite Federico Castelluccio. Maria is finishing a screenplay where the story takes place in Cuba and NYC. She will play the lead character and co-produce the project. Maria continues to study acting with Susan Batson in her Gold Dust class, at Black Nexxus in NYC. Show less «