Eva Maria LaRue (born December 27, 1966) is an American model and actress. She is known for her roles as Dr. Maria Santos on All My Children and Det. Natalia Boa Vista on CSI: Miami.

Early life

LaRue was born in Long Beach, California to Marcie and Luis LaRuy. She has three siblings, sisters Nika and Lara and a brother, Luis Jr. She is of French, Puerto Rican, Dutch, and Scottish ancestries. She is a member of the Bahá'í Faith.

LaRue began acting at the age of six and was later a teenage beauty queen. She won Danfranc Productions Miss California Empire 1984 title at the state pageant held in Irvine, California. In 1985, she graduated from Norco High School and soon after she started modeling, first working with the Judith Fontaine Agency and eventually with Frederick's of Hollywood.

Career

From 1993 to 1997 and again from 2002 to 2005, LaRue portrayed Dr. Maria Santos Grey on All My Children. There, she was half of All My Children supercouple Edmund and Maria. She received a Daytime Emmy Award nomination in the category of "Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series" for All My Children. She also received a nomination in 2004 in the category of "Outstanding Original Song" for composing the song "Dance Again with You," which was used as a backdrop to the lovemaking scene after the third marriage of the characters Edmund and Maria in June 2003.