Tanairi Sade Vazquez ’10

Tanairi Sade Vazquez ’10 (Dance) is a multi-talented actress, dancer, and singer whose vibrant performances have captivated audiences across television, film, and Broadway.

She’s currently an understudy/swing in Broadway’s Buena Vista Social Club.

Her theatrical journey has seen her perform in acclaimed productions such as The Great Gatsby, Hamilton (pictured, left), On Your Feet, Gigi, Wonderland, and West Side Story Revival 2009.

In television, Vazquez got her start with a recurring role as Annie Valdez on the Netflix hit Orange Is the New Black—her very first acting audition. 

She’s showcased her talent most recently in The Equalizer, Season 5. She can also be seen in Let the Right One In (Showtime), A Luv Tale (BET Plus), Law and Order SVU (NBC), The Blacklist (NBC), The Deuce (MAX), The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (Amazon Prime), Fosse/Verdon (FX), and NBC’s Smash.

Vazquez has also made her mark in film, appearing in Steven Spielberg’s remake of West Side Story as a featured shark girl, Charita (below, 2nd from left).

Most recently, Tanairi starred in Nochebuena as Jennifer, which premiered at NYLFF and is now available on Prime Video. She won the Best Featured Actress award at the Georgia Latino Film Festival for her leading role performance as Jennifer in Nochebuena.

Vazquez also had the lead role in a notable 2021 Super Bowl ad for Squarespace that featured a new take on the Dolly Parton classic, 9 to 5.

Read more about Vazquez and her origin story in a previous magazine feature Making It Happen.