Film and television Having made her film debut in 1984's
The Brother from Another Planet, Merediz has since appeared in a number of films, including
The Milagro Beanfield War (1988),
City of Hope (1991),
Evita (1996),
Music of the Heart (1999),
K-PAX (2001),
Remember Me (2010),
Custody (2016),
Humor Me (2017), and the reprise of her 2008
Tony Award nominated Broadway role as Abuela Claudia, in the film adaptation
In the Heights (2021). She also provided the singing voice of Alma Madrigal in
Encanto (2021). Her television credits, in both dramas and comedies, include recurring and guest roles in
Diary of a Future President,
New Amsterdam,
Brooklyn Nine-Nine,
Orange Is the New Black and
Madam Secretary. She has been a series regular in the UK television series
Bounty Hunters and the comedy
Saint George, has appeared in episodes of both
Law & Order and
Law & Order: SVU, and appeared as herself as a judge on
Throwdown with Bobby Flay.
Theatre In addition to
In the Heights, her
Broadway credits include
Reckless at the Manhattan Theatre Club,
Man of La Mancha, and
Les Misérables. She also appeared as Rosie in
Mamma Mia!. Before they went to Broadway, Merediz starred in the Off-Broadway versions of
In the Heights, and
The Human Comedy. Some of her other Off-Broadway credits include
Women without Men,
The Haggadah,
Lullabye and Goodnight, and
The Blessing. Additionally, Merediz was directed by
John Cassavetes in a play called
Thornhill.
Voice-over credits Merediz has an extensive voice-over and narration portfolio, including the
PBS Nature documentaries:
Bears,
Hotel Armadillo,
Jungle Animal Hospital, ''Nature's Miracle Orphans
, and Cuba: The Accidental Eden
. Her voice can be heard in numerous TV/radio commercials, Dora the Explorer, Go, Diego, Go!, Elena of Avalor, and Encanto''. Earlier in her career, she served as spokesperson for the
MTA, New York City Transit Authority. ==Awards and nominations==