Vanessa Viola, a young woman of mixed heritage, being the daughter of a Filipino, Irish, and German father and a Filipina mother, is the fourth of five siblings. Her loving and protective father, who instilled in his family a strong sense of values, made the bold decision to relocate his family to a ten-acre farm in a small town in Northern California. This move, which some might consider a rural retreat, proved to be a blessing in disguise for Vanessa's imagination and creativity, which flourished in the midst of her idyllic surroundings. With two older brothers to look up to, Vanessa grew into a tough and resilient young girl.
As fate would have it, Vanessa was discovered by a model agent, and at the tender age of 16, she was chosen to walk the runway alongside supermodels Vendetta, Rebecca Romijn, and Marcus Schenkenberg in the prestigious Macy's Passport Show in San Francisco. The following summer, Vanessa graduated from high school and went on to pursue her degree in Media Arts from California State University, Chico. During her time in college, she gained valuable insight into the behind-the-scenes workings of the film industry, which only served to fuel her passion for acting.
Despite her initial attempts to keep her true passion for acting under wraps, Vanessa's determination to hone her craft eventually led her to move to Los Angeles, where she threw herself into a series of acting classes. Just six months later, she was signed by a manager, and her career as a professional actress was officially underway. Vanessa's early success was marked by a string of notable roles on popular television shows, including ABC's General Hospital, MTV's The Andy Dick Show, and the short-lived sitcom My Adventures in Television.
As she continued to build her resume, Vanessa branched out into film, booking her first supporting role in the short film "Liquid Confidence," produced by the renowned director Brett Ratner. Her subsequent short film, "Frame of Mind," directed by Simon Joeker, was recently picked up by HBO Latin, and she can also be found in a slew of commercials for major brands such as Nike Women, Yamaha Speakers, Suzuki, and countless others, including Jack in the Box, Motorola, Burger King, Toyota, and Right Guard.
Most recently, Vanessa has booked her first lead role in an independent feature film, "Against the Grain," directed by Tyronne Laforrest, cementing her status as a talented and versatile young actress.
