Saundra Santiago is an American actress….who is best known for her role as Detective Gina Calabrese on the 1980’s television show Miami Vice….as well as spending three years playing the role of crime boss Carmen Santos on the long-running CBS soap opera Guiding Light…..plus, she appeared simultaneously in a recurring role on The Sopranos…..as Tony Soprano’s next door neighbor, Jeannie Cusamano….and as her twin sister, Joan. Saundra also had a role in the movie Beat Street in 1984 as Carmen Carraro…. who was the girlfriend of Ramo, the graffiti artist….and appeared as teacher Louisa Rodriguez in the made-for-TV film sequel To Sir, with Love II in 1996 opposite Sidney Poitier. Additionally, on television, Santiago joined the cast ABC soap opera One Life to Live in the role of Carlotta Vega after leaving Guiding Light…..where she remained with the show until it ended in 2011. She was a guest star on Law & Order in the 1992 episode “Prince of Darkness” (episode 3.8)….and in the 2004 episode “Veteran’s Day” (episode 14.15)….then in 2009, she returned to One Life to Live….while taking over the role of Carlotta Vega. In 2011, she took a guest role as Patti D’agostino in the Person of Interest episode Witness….then in 2014, she portrayed Marciela Acosta, the wife of gang leader Javier Acosta in the Fox TV Series Gang Related….and in 2016 she played the role of Carmen Baez, the mother of Detective Maria Baez in “Stomping Grounds”….which was the 13th episode of the 6th season of the CBS police procedural drama Blue Bloods.
As seen in this video herewith Suandra Snatiago sings “The Star Spangled Banner” at the start of Game 3 of the 1986 MLB World Series between the Boston Red Sox verses the New York Mets.
