Acting

Melissa Navia is an American actress known for playing helmsman Erica Ortegas in the television series Star Trek: Strange New Worlds. Navia was born in New York City on August 24, 1984. She attended the Professional Performing Arts School in New York City, where she studied acting, singing, and dancing. After graduating from high school, she attended the New York University Tisch School of the Arts, where she earned a BFA in drama. Navia began her acting career in the theater, appearing in productions of The Crucible, The Taming of the Shrew, and A Midsummer Night's Dream. She also appeared in several short films and television commercials. Navia's breakthrough role came in 2013, when she was cast as Dawn in the sci-fi movie The Paragon Cortex. The film won several awards at the Wild Rose Independent Film Festival, including Best Actress for Navia. In 2022, Navia was cast as helmsman Erica Ortegas in the television series Star Trek: Strange New Worlds. The series is a prequel to the original Star Trek series and follows the adventures of the USS Enterprise under the command of Captain Christopher Pike. Navia's performance as Ortegas has been praised by critics and fans alike. In addition to her work on Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, Navia has also appeared in several other television series, including Bull, New Amsterdam, Billions, and Dietland. She has also appeared in the films The Perfect Match and The Girl Who Invented Kissing. Navia is a writer and stand-up comedian. She is also a trained martial artist and sword fighter.