Rosa Maria “Rosie” Perez (born September 6, 1964) is an American actress, dancer, choreographer, director and community activist. Perez was born in Brooklyn, New York, in the neighborhood of Bushwick, to Puerto Rican parents: Rosie was born to Lydia Perez; her father is Ismael Serrano,a merchant marine seaman. She was transferred to a group foster home at age 8. Because of problems in her life, Perez ended up having a speech impediment. She eventually moved in with an aunt. She attended Grover Cleveland High School, which is located in Ridgewood, in the New York City borough of Queens, and Los Angeles City College in Los Angeles, California.