The Dominican Republic boasts beautiful beaches, a rich culture, delicious cuisine, and its people are known for their warmth, vibrancy, and zest for life. The country has contributed so much to the world—from beautiful genres of music that always get the party started to talented writers, one of the greatest fashion designers of all time, gifted artists, and performers.
In the world of entertainment alone, there are many celebrities representing the island in the best way. There are highly talented actors in Hollywood of Dominican descent as well as award-winning musicians.
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These stars represent their heritage with pride and make all Latinos super proud. Dominican celebrities like Zoe Saldana, Juan Luis Guerra, Romeo Santos, and Cardi B, have accomplished so much. These stars are just a few of the many powerhouses with ties to the Dominican Republic. Scroll through to see some of the amazing Dominican celebrities who have gifted the world with their talents.
Al Horford is an NBA star.
He plays for the Boston Celtics and is a five-time NBA All-Star. His nickname is “Big Al” and he is the highest paid Latin American basketball player. He’s been married to former Miss Universe Amelia Vega since 2011 and they have five children together.
Oscar de la Renta was born in Santo Domingo.
The late and great fashion designer was inspired by the Dominican Republic and it showed in his designs. In a post on the designer's official Instagram page, the caption on a post reads:
"The ease of the Dominican Republic is at the heart of the Oscar de la Renta DNA. Vibrant caftans are signature designs that reflect the effortless glamour of day-to-night dressing. The Encore collection reflects the legacy of the man, and the house codes, which were built with the soft whispers of the Caribbean breeze in mind."
Author Julia Alvarez lived in the Dominican Republic until she was 10 years old.
She was born in New York City, but until the age of 10 she lived in the Dominican Republic. She and her family had to flee to New York City after an attempt to overthrow dictator Rafael Trujillo failed. Her poems and novels like How the García Girls Lost Their Accents often deal with being caught between cultures.
Julissa Bermudez has been incredibly successful.
Dominicana Julissa Bermudez first caught our attention as a host on BET in the mid-2000s, and since then she's appeared in a number of television shows and movies including alongside Al Pacino in the Amazon Prime series Hunters.
Jharrel Jerome has serious acting chops.
After his breakout performance in the series When They See Us about the Central Park Five, Jharrel became the first Afro-Latino and the first Dominican to win an Emmy Award, and has since launched a career in music.
Juan Luis Guerra is a true talent.
The Dominican singer is a three-time Grammy winner, and he has sold over 70 million records. Aside from his Grammys, he has won numerous awards and created timeless music that will live on for generations to come.
Zoe Saldana is one of Hollywood's most successful stars.
She has been hailed as the new queen of the box office after appearing in three of the top five highest-grossing films in movie history. Out of the five movies to make more than $2 billion worldwide, she has starred in three of them.
Romeo Santos has made quite an impact with his music.
Some people refer to him as the king of bachata. He has broken records with his music and is known for selling out arenas, and of course, he managed to break out of the boy band mold and achieve success as a solo artist.
Alex Rodriguez is one of baseball's most famous stars.
The former Yankees player was born in New York to Dominican parents. He became one of the highest-paid athletes of all time during his career on the field, and is now a successful businessman and TV personality. He's been making a lot of savvy business moves in recent years.
Cardi B is so proud of her Dominican roots.
The rapper makes it known that she is proud of her Dominican side. Her dad is from the Dominican Republic, and she continues to represent Latinos in her rise to the top. She's always making moves to advance her career.
Prince Royce made his impact in the bachata world.
The Dominican singer stole the hearts of many around the world with his romantic bachata songs. He has had plenty of hits of his own and has worked with some of the music industry's biggest stars throughout his career.
Michelle Rodriguez has made a name for herself on the big screen.
We love how much of a tough cookie Michelle is! The actress has been killing it on the big screen, and she has been dominating the Fast and the Furious franchise for years. She's definitely one of the most famous Latinas in Hollywood.
Clarissa Molina is killing it in her career.
Clarissa was Miss Dominican Republic 2015, and a year later, she won the title of Nuestra Belleza Latina. She has since begun her career as a TV personality on multiple shows on Univision and has also started acting in movies.
Junot Díaz is an incredible writer.
He was born in Santo Domingo and moved to New Jersey at a young age. He is the author of several books and short stories, including The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao, which won the 2008 Pulitzer Prize.
Natti Natasha is representing the DR in the reggaeton world.
Natti has made such a huge comeback in the music world in recent years, and she doesn't look like she is slowing down anytime soon. She is one of urban Latin music's biggest stars and is loved by many fans around the world.
Milly Quezada is a talented Grammy winner.
Her music is timeless! The beloved Dominican singer has multiple Latin Grammy awards under her belt for her incredible contributions to merengue and her songs are known to keep the party going.
Dascha Polanco is a force to be reckoned with.
She exploded onto the acting scene after her role in Orange Is the New Black. She has since landed roles in multiple other projects, including the Emmy-nominated series When They See Us and Russian Doll.
Charytín Goyco is loved in the Dominican Republic and beyond.
Her lively personality has made her an entertaining TV host and actress whom viewers can't get enough of. Of course, she's also had a long career as a singer and these days, she's quite active on social media.
Amelia Vega is a beauty through and through.
Amelia is an example of just how beautiful Dominican women are! She was crowned Miss Universe in 2003, making her the first Dominican ever to win the title. She's since acted in films and is also a mom to five beautiful children with NBA plater Al Horford.
Jessica Pimentel is doing so well in her acting career.
Jessica has been acting for quite some time, but she had her breakthrough role in the Netflix hit series Orange Is the New Black. She is also the lead singer for the death metal band Alekhine's Gun.
Dania Ramirez is a talented actress.
The Santo Domingo-born actress has added so many acting credits to her name. She has appeared in several films and in television shows such as Heroes, Entourage, and The Sopranos, all while raising her two children.
Judy Reyes has so many hit shows under her belt.
From her role in Scrubs to her most recent in Claws, Judy has proved that she is quite the star. She's a familiar face in American homes now, thanks to her prolific career in the television industry.
El Niño Prodigio is from the Dominican Republic.
Born Víctor Florencio, El Niño Prodigio is a medium and astrologer who, thanks to his appearances on television, is now widely known throughout Latin America. He currently has a regular horoscope column on the Univision Web site.
Francisca Lachapel has proved to be quite an entertainer.
Her beauty helped her be crowned as Nuestra Belleza Latina 2015, but her talent and personality has made her a fan favorite as a co-host on Univision's Despierta America. She's even penned a memoir since her pageant win 2015.
Tony Dandrades is a successful journalist.
The journalist and TV personality has been around for quite some time. He has landed some impressive interviews, and his lively personality really shines in any show he is in. He's even been nominated for an Emmy.
Leslie Grace is a triple threat.
The Dominican singer-songwriter has been taking the world by storm. In addition to making a slew of popular songs, she also stars in the In the Heights movie, We were so excited when we found out that she was to portray Batgirl in a DC film only to have our hearts broken when Warner Bros. Discovery decided to scrap the project. Still, we have no doubt she will continue to thrive.
