Biography
Claudia Rocafort is a passionate performer: she is an actor, dancer, voiceover artist, spokesperson, and communications coach. Her range is as diverse as her multicultural background, which has allowed her to work in English, Spanish, French and Italian in various countries in the Americas and Europe.
Born in Caracas, Venezuela, March 8, 1969, Claudia got her passion for film from her father, Juan Antonio Rocafort, a film producer in Spain, and her love of the theater from her mother Aura Siso, and grandmother, both New Yorkers and avid theater lovers. Her father’s side of the family is Spanish and on her mother’s side Claudia is of New York, Venezuelan, Colombian, English and Scottish descent.
Claudia’s love of the stage began when she started ballet classes and had her first solo performance in a recital by the time she was five. She went to an American school in Venezuela and grew up speaking Spanish and English simultaneously. She then attended The Ethel Walker School in Simsbury, CT, where she continued dancing, began performing in musicals, and took choreography classes. In 1987 she was awarded the Genevra Minor Darling Dance Cup.
At 17 Claudia spent part of the summer studying French in Paris at Le Cours de Civilization Français de La Sorbonne, and the rest volunteering in the Emergency room of a Public Hospital in Caracas, thinking she was going to pursue a career in Medicine. Inspired by the desire to heal others and her love of children, she devoted the months of her Senior year project as an intern in the “Hospital Magallanes de Catia” doing research in Pediatrics and Obstetrics.
After just a few months of Pre-Med studies at Tufts University, Claudia had a life changing car accident. Putting her Pre-med studies on hold she took psychology courses and an acting class, which helped her realize her deepest zeal was always to be a performer. She then immersed herself in a Drama and Art History Double Major, taking acting classes, theater history, production, directing, stage design, costume design and art history courses, fueling her passion for Period Plays and Films. Upon acquiring her BA from Tufts, she moved to New York City and continued her studies at The Lee Strasberg Theater Institute.
Claudia made her acting debut Off-Broadway in the Working Theater production of “Heroes and Saints” (1994). In 1995 she made her Television debut with the recurring role of Delia on One Life To Live. She has made numerous television appearances, including guest-starring and recurring roles, Some of her work includes Spin City, Now and Again, Burn Notice ,The Glades, Los Secretos de Lucia, and most recently as the recurring guest-star role of Poppy in Life Sentence.
Claudia made her film debut as the female lead Sasha Rollins in the Indie Film The Definite Maybe (1998) alongside Bob Balaban and Josh Lucas. Claudia returned to the screen, after her maternity leave, in Confessions of a Shopaholic and Step Up Revolution.
With her International look, Claudia became a successful commercial actor doing campaigns in an array of national and international television commercials for AT&T, Baptist Health, Budweiser, Canon, Cadillac, Clairol, IBM, Kellogg’s, McDonald’s, Panasonic, Snapple, Ziplock, and Verizon, among many others. Known for her deep sultry voice, Claudia has worked on numerous radio commercials, infomercials, industrials, Public Service Announcements, and dubbing for films.
Unlike many models that segue into acting, Claudia started modeling during the commercial SAG strike in the year 2000. She built a portfolio working in advertising campaigns, fashion magazines, book covers and lifestyle shoots, nationally and internationally. Claudia is as comfortable in front of the camera as she is behind the scenes, having also worked as a commercial producer and choreographer.
Aside from her love of all art forms, Claudia has a variety of interests and an unquenchable thirst for knowledge. She is passionate about travel and the history and beliefs that make each culture unique. A deeply spiritual soul, Claudia practices meditation, yoga, and loves studying world religions/philosophy. She is an avid supporter of the World Wildlife Fund, Plan International, Aid for Aids and UNICEF. Claudia cherishes children and sponsors a girl and two boys in Zambia, the Philippines and Bolivia respectively. She has also channeled her creativity into designing jewelry and is a Professional Organizing.
Claudia is a Certified Life Coach, a Communication Coach, and Executive coach. She loves to work with clients on mastering their public speaking skills, developing conscious communication, and clarifying their mission, vision and purpose.