Naya Rivera began appearing on television as a baby, making her debut in a KMart advertisement. Her first big role came in 1991, when she joined the cast of the CBS comedy The Royal Family, for which she earned a Young Artist Award nomination.
Rivera continued working on television for the rest of the 1990s, clocking in guest roles on Family Matters, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air and Smart Guy. She later took a recurring role in The Bernie Mac Show.
Rivera made a comeback of sorts when she joined the Fox series Glee, appearing as mean cheerleader Santana Lopez. Her character's popularity led her to become a series regular, along with Heather Morris, from the second season.
FILM:
- The Master of Disguise (2002)
TELEVISION:
- The Royal Family (regular, 1991-1992)
- Family Matters (recurring, 1992-1993)
- The Bernie Mac Show (recurring, 2002-2006)
- Glee (regular, 2009-present)