Sweet-voiced California native Vanessa Marquez had a passion for acting from an early age and wanted to be a child actress like young starlets she admired, such as Judy Garland, Shirley Temple, and Bessie Love. She sent letters to producers and agents hoping to be noticed, and as they went unanswered she still never lost sight of her dream. She finally got her big break in 1987 as the adorable and academically-adept Ana Delgado in the inspiring teacher drama Kalk ve Diren (1988). As the script stated, Ana was a flower ready to bloom; so was Vanessa. Her success with Stand and Deliver led to a full-fledged film and television career: she had roles in films like the gangster epic Bound by Honor (1993) and the thought-provoking independent flick Twenty Bucks (1993). Her television work includes guest spots on popular programs including Seinfeld (1989) and Melrose Place (1992) and recurring roles on ER (1994) and Malcolm & Eddie (1996). Also a talented vocalist, she lent her voice to the 2000 thriller Suçlu Kim? (2000).