Francia Raisa is an American actress known for her roles in Bring It On: All or Nothing, The Secret Life of the American Teenager, Grown-ish and How I Met Your Father.
She began her acting career in her junior year of high school, appearing in commercials and print ads.
Raisa gained recognition with her lead role in Bring It On: All or Nothing and later starred in The Secret Life of the American Teenager from 2008 to 2013.
She also appeared in various TV shows and films, including Grown-ish and How I Met Your Father.
In 2017, Raisa donated one of her kidneys to her friend Selena Gomez, who has lupus.
Despite this significant act of kindness, the two friends did not speak for six years before rekindling their friendship in 2023.
Siblings
Francia has three sisters, namely Irlanda Almendarez, Italia Almendarez and Cynthia Hernandez.
Irlanda is Francia’s older sister, but not much is publicly known about her as she tends to stay out of the spotlight and works in a non-entertainment industry profession.
Italia is Francia’s younger sister, who also prefers to maintain a low profile. Cynthia is Francia’s younger half-sister, sharing the same mother but a different father.
Cynthia has occasionally accompanied Francia to red carpet events and supported her sister’s work.
Despite their different levels of public exposure, Francia seems to have a close relationship with all three of her sisters, who provide her with a strong support system outside of the entertainment industry.
Career
Raisa’s acting career began in her junior year of high school, when she started appearing in commercials and print ads.
She made her television debut in 2004 with a small role in the show American Family: Journey of Dreams.
Raisa’s big break came in 2006 when she landed the lead role of Leti in the direct-to-DVD cheerleading film, Bring It On: All or Nothing.
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This role helped establish her as a rising young talent in Hollywood.
From 2008 to 2013, Raisa starred as Adrian Lee in the popular Freeform series The Secret Life of the American Teenager.
Her performance earned her a Gracie Allen Award for Outstanding Female Rising Star.
After her breakout role on The Secret Life, Raisa went on to appear in a variety of other television shows and films, including Grown-ish from 2018 to 2024, Life-Size 2 in 2018 alongside Tyra Banks and How I Met Your Father from 2022 to 2023.
Throughout her career, Raisa has become a prominent voice and advocate within the Latinx community in Hollywood.
She is known for using her platform to promote important causes, particularly around women’s health and wellness.
Awards and accolades
Raisa has received several awards and accolades throughout her career.
In 2011, she won a Gracie Allen Award for Outstanding Female Rising Star in a Drama Series or Special for her performance in The Secret Life of the American Teenager.
Raisa was also nominated for an ALMA Award for Outstanding Actress in a Drama Television Series for the same show that year.
In 2012, she received a Teen Choice Award for Choice Scene Stealer: Female for The Secret Life of the American Teenager and was nominated for an Imagen Award for Best Young Actress in a Television Series for the same show.
Raisa has continued to be recognized for her acting work in subsequent years.
She received Imagen Award nominations for Best Actress – Feature Film for Beyond Paradise in 2016 and Best Supporting Actress – Television for Grown-ish in 2018.
Most recently, in 2022, Raisa was honored with an NHMC Impact Awards Gala Impact Award for Performance in a Sitcom for her role in How I Met Your Father.
