{{short description|American actress}}
'''Suki Lopez''' is an American actress, dancer, and graphic designer. She plays Nina on the children's television series ''Sesame Street''.
==Early life and career== Lopez grew up in Miami, Florida.<ref name="Reyes0615" /><ref name="Skiles" /><ref name="Arreola0121">{{cite news |last=Arreola |first=Cristna |title=Meet The New Latina On Sesame Street, Nina |work=Latina |date=January 21, 2016 |url=http://www.latina.com/entertainment/buzz/nina-latina-sesame-street |accessdate=February 17, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160610201622/http://www.latina.com/entertainment/buzz/nina-latina-sesame-street |archive-date=June 10, 2016 |url-status=live }}</ref> Lopez began studying ballet at age three,<ref name="Reyes0615">{{cite news |last=Reyes |first=Raul A. |title=Sesame Street Welcomes 'Nina,' a Young Latina, to 46th Season |work=NBC News |date=January 15, 2016 |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/latino/sesame-street-welcomes-nina-young-latina-46th-season-n495761 |accessdate=February 17, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200212024316/https://www.nbcnews.com/news/latino/sesame-street-welcomes-nina-young-latina-46th-season-n495761 |archive-date=February 12, 2020 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Skiles">{{cite news |last=Skiles |first=Christa |title=Five Questions with Suki Lopez |work=Dramatics |url=https://dramatics.org/five-questions-with-suki-lopez/ |accessdate=February 17, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200212024254/https://dramatics.org/five-questions-with-suki-lopez/ |archive-date=February 12, 2020 |url-status=live }}</ref> at the Maria Verdeja School of the Arts.<ref name="Skiles" /> She participated in talent shows and school choir as a child, and performed in Spanish-language commercials that aired in Latin America.<ref name="Reyes0615" /> She studied dance at summer workshops with Joffrey Ballet and American Ballet Theatre.<ref name="Reyes0615" /><ref name="Skiles" /> The first Broadway musical she saw was ''Hairspray'', which further inspired her to pursue acting as a career.<ref name="Skiles" />
Lopez participated in musical theatre in high school.<ref name="Reyes0615" /> She attended Our Lady of Lourdes Academy, where she performed in the Troupe 6273,<ref name="Skiles" /> and was cast in ''Thoroughly Modern Millie'' in her senior year.<ref name="Skiles" /> Lopez later moved to New York City to study at the Collaborative Arts Project 21 acting conservatory.<ref name="Reyes0615" /> She appeared in a productions of the ''Singin' in the Rain'' musical, and in a national tour of the musical ''West Side Story''.<ref name="Reyes0615" /><ref name="Arreola0121" /> Lopez also performed on the Disney Cruise Line,<ref name="Reyes0615" /><ref name="Skiles" /> appearing in the shows ''Disney Wishes'' and ''Disney's Believe''. She also understudied the role of Jasmine from ''Aladdin'',<ref name="Reyes0615" /> and performed as Belle from ''Beauty and the Beast''.<ref name="Skiles" />
==''Sesame Street''== Lopez joined the cast of ''Sesame Street'' during its 46th season in 2016, the first year that the show had moved first-run to HBO, marking her television debut.<ref name="Reyes0615" /><ref name="Nordyke0728">{{cite news |last=Nordyke |first=Kimberly |title='Sesame Street' Drops 3 Longtime Castmembers |work=The Hollywood Reporter |date=July 28, 2016 |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/sesame-street-drops-3-longtime-915314 |accessdate=February 17, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161221104653/http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/sesame-street-drops-3-longtime-915314 |archive-date=December 21, 2016 |url-status=live }}</ref> Her first audition was reading a scene involving a heart to heart conversation with someone performing as Elmo, and her second audition included singing and improvisation with the Murray Monster puppet.<ref name="Reyes0615" /> Her casting was part of a series of updates and changes to the show that coincided with the move to HBO.<ref name="Reyes0615" /><ref name="Nordyke0728" /><ref>{{cite news |last=Pressler |first=Jessica |title=What Will HBO's ''Sesame Street'' Look Like? |work=Vulture |date=January 12, 2016 |url=https://www.vulture.com/2016/01/what-does-hbo-mean-for-sesame-street.html |accessdate=February 17, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191225013255/https://www.vulture.com/2016/01/what-does-hbo-mean-for-sesame-street.html |archive-date=December 25, 2019 |url-status=live }}</ref> Lopez portrays Nina, works at the Sesame Street laundromat and bike store,<ref name="Nordyke0728" /><ref>{{cite news |last=Morabito |first=Andrea |title='Sesame Street' debuts new look in move to HBO |work=New York Post |date=January 16, 2016 |url=https://nypost.com/2016/01/16/sesame-street-debuts-new-look-in-move-to-hbo/ |accessdate=February 17, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180909173820/https://nypost.com/2016/01/16/sesame-street-debuts-new-look-in-move-to-hbo/ |archive-date=September 9, 2018 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Poniewozik |first=James |author-link=James Poniewozik |title=Review: HBO's 'Sesame Street,' Fancy but Not Free |work=The New York Times |date=January 13, 2016 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/01/15/arts/television/tv-review-sesame-street-hbo.html |accessdate=February 17, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190801054335/https://www.nytimes.com/2016/01/15/arts/television/tv-review-sesame-street-hbo.html |archive-date=August 1, 2019 |url-status=live }}</ref> and works as a babysitter for Elmo.<ref name="Reyes0615" /> ''Sesame Street'' promotional materials described Nina as "a young bilingual Hispanic woman who uses her wit, compassion, and charisma to help the furry residents of Sesame Street solve their daily dilemmas".<ref name="Reyes0615" /> Lopez said of the character: "Nina is a millennial, and she has a bunch of jobs. So I guess she is like me."<ref name="Reyes0615" /><ref name="Arreola0121" /> Lopez watched and enjoyed ''Sesame Street'' as a child.<ref name="Reyes0615" /><ref name="Skiles" /><ref name="Arreola0121" /> Shortly after Lopez's character was introduced, a petition was circulated asking for Nina to be depicted as a college graduate.<ref name="Reyes0127">{{cite news |last=Reyes |first=Raul A. |title=Is 'Sesame Street's' new Latina character the right role model? |work=CNN |date=January 27, 2017 |url=https://www.cnn.com/2016/01/27/opinions/sesame-street-latina-character-nina-petition-reyes/index.html |accessdate=February 17, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170720065237/http://www.cnn.com/2016/01/27/opinions/sesame-street-latina-character-nina-petition-reyes/index.html |archive-date=July 20, 2017 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Varela |first=Julio Ricardo |title=Online Petition Calls for New Latina Sesame Street Character to Be a College Graduate |work=Latino USA |date=January 21, 2016 |url=https://www.latinousa.org/2016/01/21/online-petition-calls-for-new-latina-sesame-street-character-to-be-a-college-graduate/ |accessdate=February 17, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170831190844/http://latinousa.org/2016/01/21/online-petition-calls-for-new-latina-sesame-street-character-to-be-a-college-graduate/ |archive-date=August 31, 2017 |url-status=live }}</ref>
==Personal life== Lopez has one brother. Her first name means "like" in Japanese.<ref name="Reyes0615" /> She has also worked in graphic design,<ref name="Reyes0615" /><ref name="Skiles" /> as a choreographer and acting coach,<ref name="Skiles" /> and has run social media accounts for various dance studios in Florida.<ref name="Reyes0615" /><ref name="Arreola0121" /> While appearing in ''Sesame Street'', Lopez was also studying liberal arts at The New School in New York City.<ref name="Reyes0615" /><ref name="Arreola0121" /><ref name="Reyes0127" />
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== * {{official website|http://www.sukilopez.com/}} * {{IMDb name|id=6969299|name=Suki Lopez}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Lopez, Suki}} Category:Living people Category:American entertainers of Cuban descent Category:Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School alumni Category:Actresses from Miami Category:American television actresses Category:American musical theatre actresses Category:American stage actresses Category:American women graphic designers Category:American graphic designers Category:Joffrey Ballet School alumni Category:Joffrey Ballet dancers Category:American Ballet Theatre dancers Category:The New School alumni Category:Year of birth missing (living people)