Her real-life daughter played the part from Season 21 through Season 24. Married to Richard Reagan, president of the Norcross Wildlife Foundation, Manzano gave birth to daughter Gabriela Rose Reagan in 1988, a year before Maria gave birth to Gabi.
Manzano has received two Emmy award nominations for Outstanding Performer in a Children's Television Series and received the 2002 Hispanic Heritage Award for education, in addition to other awards and shows of recognition. I never wanted to be on a kids’ show, but I always wanted to be on Sesame Street." She became part of the increasingly ethnically diverse cast and recalled that "It was such a social force. While going to college at Carnegie Melon University, she originated the eponymous role of Sonia in the off-Broadway musical Godspell (appearing on its original cast album as well), and continued to play the role through her first year on Sesame Street. She also played Wanda Falbo's mother, and like other cast members, frequently narrated film inserts.īorn in Manhattan to Puerto Rican parents, Manzano attended the High School for the Performing Arts as a teenager. In addition to her portrayal of Maria, Manzano showed her versatility in pantomime segments, impersonating Charlie Chaplin's "The Tramp" in several segments. She has also written for the show and authored several books including a memoir Becoming Maria: Love and Chaos in the South Bronx released in August 2015. June 12, 1950) is an actress who played Maria on Sesame Street from the show's third season in 1971 until her retirement in Season 45 in 2015. Making a 2002 promotional appearance at Stage Deli.