Tia Texada Bio
Tia Texada is an American actress and model whose career in film, television and voice work has spanned from 1993 to the present. She is best known for portraying Sgt. Maritza Cruz on the NBC drama Third Watch and for a recurring role on The Unit, and she has built a diverse body of work that includes guest television appearances, feature films, animated series and commercial voice work.
Early Life and Background
Publicly available, verified sources included with this profile do not provide detailed records of Tia Texada’s birthplace, family background or formal education. What is verifiable is that Texada began her professional entertainment career in 1993 and established a dual focus on acting and music early in her career.
Her early professional years included work across multiple disciplines in entertainment. Texada developed a parallel singing career whose recordings were placed on television shows and whose live performances included participation in the Lilith Fair tour in 1998, indicating a simultaneous pursuit of music and screen work during the 1990s.
Path to Celebrity
Tia Texada moved into on-screen roles while maintaining music commitments, and she steadily built credits in both television and film. During the 1990s and early 2000s she appeared in a range of feature films while also booking recurring and guest roles on network television, which expanded her visibility across genres.
Texada supplemented on-camera work with voice acting and promotional assignments, contributing to animated series and commercial campaigns and serving as an announcer for the ESPY Awards. She also worked as a spokesperson for brands such as Maybelline and was featured in magazines including FHM and Maxim, further broadening her professional profile.
Tia Texada Career
Early Career (1993–2001)
Texada’s early career combined film appearances and television guest work. Feature film credits from that period include From Dusk till Dawn (1996) and Paulie (1998), and she appeared in multiple films released around 2000 and 2001 such as Nurse Betty, Bait, Thirteen Conversations About One Thing and Glitter, establishing steady film work across the late 1990s and into the early 2000s.
On television, Texada regularly booked guest roles that showcased her versatility. She appeared on shows spanning drama and comedy, which helped her cross over into larger ensemble and recurring roles while maintaining a presence in both live-action and voice projects.
Breakthrough (2002–2006)
Tia Texada’s profile rose substantially with her casting as Sgt. Maritza Cruz on the NBC drama Third Watch. Texada played Sgt. Maritza Cruz during the final portion of the series run, a role that became one of her most recognizable live-action credits and that placed her in a prominent network drama ensemble.
During this same period and afterward she continued to secure high-profile television work, including a recurring role as undercover agent Ribera on the CBS drama The Unit. Texada’s television credits also encompass guest appearances on series such as In Plain Sight, Saving Grace, Chuck, Mind of the Married Man, Everybody Hates Chris and Criminal Minds, reflecting steady network and cable bookings across drama and comedy.
Alongside on-camera roles, Texada expanded her voice acting résumé. She provided voices for animated series including The Wild Thornberrys and Static Shock, voiced Elena Valadis in Ben 10: Ultimate Alien, and played Isabel Vasquez in the television film Firebreather. Her range in voice work complemented her live-action projects and extended her reach into family and youth programming.
Notable Works and Milestones
Tia Texada’s signature screen work includes Sgt. Maritza Cruz on Third Watch and her recurring role on The Unit, supported by a string of feature film appearances such as Phone Booth (2003) and Spartan (2004). Her voice roles in established animated franchises and credited performances in high-visibility films contributed to a diversified career across mediums.
Texada also maintained a musical presence with songs placed on television shows such as Dawson’s Creek, and her participation in Lilith Fair in 1998 highlights a parallel performing career in music. Commercial and promotional work, including announcer duties for the ESPY Awards and brand representation, have been part of her professional portfolio.
Tia Texada Award Nominations
No verified award nominations are included in the provided sources for this profile. This section reflects only confirmed public records and omits unverified claims.
Tia Texada Awards Won
The verified material provided does not list awards won for Tia Texada. Only confirmed, publicly documented awards would be included here; none are present in the supplied records.
Tia Texada Family
Publicly verified sources included in this profile do not provide specific, documentable information about Tia Texada’s parents, siblings or other immediate family members. This section is limited to what is supported by the available records.
Personal Life
Available verified sources do not provide public details about Tia Texada’s private relationships, children or residence. Professional credits and public appearances form the basis of this profile, and personal-life statements have been omitted where not documented in the provided material.
Tia Texada’s career remains active from 1993 to the present, with ongoing credits across television, film and voice acting. Her continued participation in screen and voice projects demonstrates a sustained presence in entertainment and a multi‑disciplinary approach to her work.