# Paula Andrea Placido
**Paula Andrea Placido** (born 1994) is an American actress and visual artist known for recurring roles as Calista on the final season of Showtime's *[Shameless](https://www.edgepedia.org/shameless-american-tv-series)*, Roxy on *The L Word: Generation Q*, Charlie on Apple TV+'s *[Sugar](https://www.edgepedia.org/sugar-2024-tv-series)*, and Gina Solis on Peacock's *Apples Never Fall*.[1](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/305296/paula-andrea-placido)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1994, San Francisco de Macorís, Dominican Republic[2](https://memory-alpha.fandom.com/wiki/Paula_Andrea_Placido) |
| Background | Italian-Argentine father, Colombian mother; moved to West Palm Beach, Florida, at age six[1](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/305296/paula-andrea-placido) • [3](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4960648/bio/) |
| Breakout role | Calista, recurring on the final season of Showtime's *Shameless* (2 episodes, 2021)[1](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/305296/paula-andrea-placido) |
| Notable recurring roles | Roxy in *The L Word: Generation Q* (3 episodes), Charlie in *Sugar* (3 episodes, 2024), Gina Solis in *Apples Never Fall* (5 episodes, 2024)[1](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/305296/paula-andrea-placido) |
| Film work | Bartender in *Borderlands* (2024); Dani, a supporting lead, in the Lifetime movie *A Picture Perfect Holiday* (2021)[4](https://watch.plex.tv/person/paula-andrea-placido) • [5](https://resumes.breakdownexpress.com/592920-5043718-35295) |
| Other work | Visual artist and photographer; SAG-AFTRA member, 5 ft 6 in (1.68 m), fluent in Spanish[2](https://memory-alpha.fandom.com/wiki/Paula_Andrea_Placido) • [5](https://resumes.breakdownexpress.com/592920-5043718-35295) • [3](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4960648/bio/) |
## Early life and background
Placido was born in San Francisco de Macorís, Dominican Republic, to an Argentine-Italian father and a Colombian mother.[1](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/305296/paula-andrea-placido) IMDb describes her heritage as Italian and Indigenous, with paternal roots in Argentina and Potenza and maternal roots in Colombia.[3](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4960648/bio/) At the age of six she moved with her family to [West Palm Beach, Florida](https://www.edgepedia.org/west-palm-beach-florida), where she spent her formative years.[3](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4960648/bio/) She attended BAK Middle School of the Arts and Suncoast Community High School, studying visual arts and theater, before moving to Los Angeles in 2010.[6](https://lezwatchtv.com/actor/paula-andrea-placido/) • [7](https://www.hw.com/portals/32/WestFlix24_Program.pdf)
Her path to acting began with art rather than theater. She came from a family of painters and went to art school mainly for visual arts, taking theater classes as electives.[8](https://www.yitziweiner.com/paula-andrea-placido-on-three-things-you-need-to-create-a-highly-succesful-career-in-tv-film/) In an interview with Naluda Magazine she said she had wanted to act since first seeing *Harry Potter*, and that an audition for *Eclipse*, the third *Twilight* film, changed things for her: she bombed, but it motivated her to move to Los Angeles and keep trying.[9](https://www.naludamagazine.com/interview-with-the-l-word-generation-q-actress-paula-andrea-placido/) In a later interview she gave more detail, saying she flew to Los Angeles at 17 to audition for the role of Leah Clearwater in *New Moon* and *Eclipse*, did not get the part, and that it took about ten years after moving to land a significant television role.[8](https://www.yitziweiner.com/paula-andrea-placido-on-three-things-you-need-to-create-a-highly-succesful-career-in-tv-film/) After arriving in Los Angeles she studied at the Aaron Speiser Acting Studio.[2](https://memory-alpha.fandom.com/wiki/Paula_Andrea_Placido)
## Television career
**Breakout on Shameless.** Placido's first television role was as Calista on Showtime's *Shameless*, appearing in two episodes of the show's eleventh and final season in early 2021.[9](https://www.naludamagazine.com/interview-with-the-l-word-generation-q-actress-paula-andrea-placido/) • [1](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/305296/paula-andrea-placido) TVmaze identifies this as her TV breakout role.[1](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/305296/paula-andrea-placido)
**Recurring roles.** Her most notable work has come through recurring parts on three series. She played Roxy, a childhood friend and love interest of Dani, in three episodes of the third season of Showtime's *The L Word: Generation Q* (2022 to 2023).[1](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/305296/paula-andrea-placido) • [10](https://pocketmags.com/pt/diva-magazine/feb-23/articles/the-new-queer-in-town) In 2024 she recurred as Charlie on the Apple TV+ drama *Sugar*, appearing in three episodes alongside [Colin Farrell](https://www.edgepedia.org/colin-farrell) under director [Fernando Meirelles](https://www.edgepedia.org/fernando-meirelles).[1](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/305296/paula-andrea-placido) • [9](https://www.naludamagazine.com/interview-with-the-l-word-generation-q-actress-paula-andrea-placido/) Also in 2024 she played Gina Solis in five episodes of Peacock's miniseries *Apples Never Fall*, opposite [Annette Bening](https://www.edgepedia.org/annette-bening) and Sam Neill.[1](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/305296/paula-andrea-placido) • [3](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4960648/bio/) In an interview with Awakened-Woman she said the production took her to Australia for four months, a longer commitment than the quick guest roles she had been booking.[11](https://awakened-woman.com/2024/05/13/empowerment-series-actress-from-apple-tv-sugar-peacocks-apples-never-fall-and-showtimes-l-word-generation-q-paula-andrea-placido-shares-her-authentic-self-with-aw/amp/)
**Guest appearances.** Her guest credits include Rian on [HBO Max](https://www.edgepedia.org/hbo-max)'s *Hacks* (2022), a Palace soldier in the *Star Trek: Picard* episode "Penance" (2022), Tricia Ornelas on *[All Rise](https://www.edgepedia.org/all-rise-tv-series)*, Tamiko Rodriguez on *The Resident*, Emma Jones on *[The Shrink Next Door](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-shrink-next-door)*, and Ava on Netflix's *Never Have I Ever*.[1](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/305296/paula-andrea-placido) Later guest roles include Sandra Longo on CBS's *FBI* (2025), Ines Marin on NBC's *Chicago P.D.*, and Irene Montoya on ABC's *Grey's Anatomy*.[1](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/305296/paula-andrea-placido)
## Film and other work
Placido played a supporting role as a bartender in Lionsgate's *Borderlands* (2024) and a supporting lead as Dani in the Lifetime romance television movie *A Picture Perfect Holiday* (2021), alongside [Dina Meyer](https://www.edgepedia.org/dina-meyer).[4](https://watch.plex.tv/person/paula-andrea-placido) • [2](https://memory-alpha.fandom.com/wiki/Paula_Andrea_Placido) • [5](https://resumes.breakdownexpress.com/592920-5043718-35295) Her resume also lists lead roles in independent short films, voice-over and motion-capture work for the games studio [Supermassive Games](https://www.edgepedia.org/supermassive-games), and a large body of commercials for brands including Apple, Chevrolet, and Anheuser Busch.[5](https://resumes.breakdownexpress.com/592920-5043718-35295)
Alongside acting she works as a photographer and visual artist.[2](https://memory-alpha.fandom.com/wiki/Paula_Andrea_Placido) She has described the two practices as complementary, saying her background in visual art adds depth to her understanding of storytelling and character.[8](https://www.yitziweiner.com/paula-andrea-placido-on-three-things-you-need-to-create-a-highly-succesful-career-in-tv-film/)
## Public profile
DIVA Magazine profiled her in February 2023 as the newest star of *The L Word: Generation Q*, noting her roles as Ava's tenant on *Hacks* and as a lesbian bartender on *Shameless*, and describing her as one to watch in Hollywood's queer representation.[10](https://pocketmags.com/pt/diva-magazine/feb-23/articles/the-new-queer-in-town) In interviews she has spoken about pursuing a Hollywood career as an immigrant, queer Latina, and about moving to Los Angeles alone at 19 with $3,000.[12](https://shows.acast.com/amiga-handle-your-sht/episodes/seeking-our-dreams-on-the-other-side-of-fear-with-paula-andr) • [9](https://www.naludamagazine.com/interview-with-the-l-word-generation-q-actress-paula-andrea-placido/)
Her birth year is reported differently across sources: TVmaze and Memory Alpha list 5 November 1994, while Famous Birthdays lists 1990.[1](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/305296/paula-andrea-placido) • [2](https://memory-alpha.fandom.com/wiki/Paula_Andrea_Placido) • [13](https://www.famousbirthdays.com/people/paula-placido.html)
## References
1. [Paula Andrea Placido, TVmaze](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/305296/paula-andrea-placido)
2. [Paula Andrea Placido, Memory Alpha](https://memory-alpha.fandom.com/wiki/Paula_Andrea_Placido)
3. [Paula Andrea Placido – Biography, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4960648/bio/)
4. [Paula Andrea Placido Movies and TV Shows, Plex](https://watch.plex.tv/person/paula-andrea-placido)
5. [Paula Andrea Placido – Resume, Entertainment Lab LA](https://resumes.breakdownexpress.com/592920-5043718-35295)
6. [Paula Andrea Placido, LezWatch.TV](https://lezwatchtv.com/actor/paula-andrea-placido/)
7. [WestFlix '24 Program, Harvard-Westlake School](https://www.hw.com/portals/32/WestFlix24_Program.pdf)
8. [Paula Andrea Placido on Three Things You Need To Create A Highly Successful Career In TV & Film, Yitzi Weiner](https://www.yitziweiner.com/paula-andrea-placido-on-three-things-you-need-to-create-a-highly-succesful-career-in-tv-film/)
9. [Paula Andrea Placido: 'The L Word: Generation Q' Interview, Naluda Magazine](https://www.naludamagazine.com/interview-with-the-l-word-generation-q-actress-paula-andrea-placido/)
10. [The new queer in town, DIVA Magazine, February 2023](https://pocketmags.com/pt/diva-magazine/feb-23/articles/the-new-queer-in-town)
11. [Empowerment Series: Paula Andrea Placido, Awakened-Woman](https://awakened-woman.com/2024/05/13/empowerment-series-actress-from-apple-tv-sugar-peacocks-apples-never-fall-and-showtimes-l-word-generation-q-paula-andrea-placido-shares-her-authentic-self-with-aw/amp/)
12. [Seeking Our Dreams on the Other Side of Fear with Paula Andrea Placido, Amiga, Handle Your Shit (Acast)](https://shows.acast.com/amiga-handle-your-sht/episodes/seeking-our-dreams-on-the-other-side-of-fear-with-paula-andr)
13. [Paula Andrea Placido, Famous Birthdays](https://www.famousbirthdays.com/people/paula-placido.html)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Screen people and creators › Screen actors of the Anglosphere and Europe › American actors: 2000s onward › Surnames Pi to Q*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 19, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Sep 19, 2026; Oct 11, 2026; Oct 12, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license