Paula Garces was born in Medellin, Colombia, where her father was a fisherman and her mother was a schoolteacher. At the age of seven, she relocated with her parents to New York City, specifically residing primarily in Harlem.
She began her acting career in commercials, hired by agent Diego Santiago, her father's best friend. Her film debut was in Paramount's teen sci-fi adventure Clockstoppers in 2002, starring alongside Jesse Bradford.
She later appeared in Richard Benjamin's hip-hop comedy Marci X in 2003, opposite Lisa Kudrow and Damon Wayans. Garces was then seen opposite Academy Award-winner Tommy Lee Jones in the Revolution Studios feature Man of the House in 2005 and as "Maria" in New Line's hit comedy Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle in 2004 and reprised her role as "Maria" in the hit sequel Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay in 2008, which grossed close to $40 million domestically.
She was also featured on Jerry Bruckheimer's hit show CSI: Miami in 2002. Garces starred in a six-episode arc on NBC's Law & Order: Special Victims Unit in 1999, as well as doing guest spots on HBO's hit series The Sopranos in 1999 and Oz in 1997.
While filming "Law & Order: SVU", Garces was offered a role she could not refuse: a new cast member on FX's hit television series The Shield in 2002. Paula's character, Officer Tina Hallon, brought new storylines and high ratings. Her contract was extended for three more seasons, once again securing her position as a rising Latina star.
In one of her early films, she nabbed a starring role opposite James Van Der Beek and Mary McCormick in the 1997 indie drama Harvest in 1998 (aka "Cash Crop"). Other film credits include James Redford's directorial debut, Spin in 2003, opposite Rubén Blades, Stanley Tucci, Dana Delany, and Ryan Merriman; the critically-acclaimed Hangin' with the Homeboys in 1991; Michael J. Fox's comedy Life with Mikey in 1993; and Jerry Bruckheimer's urban drama Dangerous Minds in 1995, starring Michelle Pfeiffer.
Expanding her career further, Paula worked behind the cameras as Executive Producer of the animated film Red Princess Blues Animated: The Book of Violence in 2007, which received great reviews at numerous film festivals. She can also be heard voicing the lead character Princess.
Paula premiered her first comic book, called "Aluna", at San Diego's 2010 Comic Con. "Aluna" is a period piece set in the 1500's about a mystical tribal princess taken from her native Colombia by conquistadors and raised in Spain, only to return to her homeland to save her people. This is a multi-platform starring vehicle for Garces.
