Rachel Ticotin


Rachel Ticotin Strauss is an American actress. She has appeared in films such as Fort Apache, The Bronx, Total Recall, Falling Down, and Con Air. She has appeared in the NBC legal drama Law & Order: LA as Lieutenant Arleen Gonzales, and guest starred in the "Warriors" episode of Blue Bloods in 2013, appearing as "Carmen Castillo". She also played Dr. Marie Cerone on the ABC medical drama television series Grey's Anatomy in 2018.

Early life

Ticotin is the daughter of a Puerto Rican mother and a Polish-Jewish father. Her father was a used-car salesman. She has five siblings. She earned money for acting lessons by working as a babysitter, in addition to managing New York's Public Theater and working as an usher there. She also was a production assistant for some films made in New York. In her 50s she enrolled in Columbia University, studying English, and graduated in 2019 as the first of six children with a college degree.

Career

In 1978, Ticotin made her film debut as a dancer in the film King of the Gypsies. She also acted in the off-Broadway production of Miguel Piñero's The Sun Always Shines for the Cool. During this period, she received an onscreen credit as a production assistant on Brian De Palma's Dressed to Kill. Her first big break came when, working as a production assistant alongside her brother David in 1981, she was given a significant role as Isabella, Paul Newman's love interest in the movie Fort Apache, The Bronx. That same year, she was listed as one of 12 promising new actors in John Willis' Screen World Vol. 33.
In 1983, she landed a regular role on NBC's television drama Love and Honor. Other television series in which she has appeared include: Ohara, Women on the Inside, Crime & Punishment, and Disney's Gargoyles.
Ticotin's film work includes: Critical Condition as Rachel Atwood, Total Recall as Melina, Where the Day Takes You as Officer Landers, Falling Down as Detective Sandra Torres, First Time Felon as McBride, and Con Air, in which she earned an ALMA Award for her role as prison guard Sally Bishop. In 1995, she played the role of Doña Inez, the Mexican mother of Don Juan, in the tongue-in-cheek romantic comedy Don Juan DeMarco, with Johnny Depp playing the title role.
Ticotin has participated in over 40 films and television series, appearing in Man on Fire, as Mariana, and The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants. Ticotin was cast as Vangie Gonzalez Taylor in the second season of PBS's television series American Family alongside Edward James Olmos, Esai Morales, Raquel Welch, and Kate del Castillo. Ticotin also appeared on television in season two of the ABC series Lost as Captain Teresa Cortez, mother of Michelle Rodriguez's character Ana Lucia Cortez.
In September 2010, she joined the cast of the NBC legal drama Law & Order: LA as Lieutenant Arleen Gonzales in place of Wanda De Jesus, who originally played the role. Ticotin reshot the scenes originally performed by De Jesus.
She also played Dr. Marie Cerone on the ABC medical drama television series Grey's Anatomy in 2018.

Personal life

She was married to actor David Caruso from 1984 to 1987, with whom she has a daughter, born in 1984. Since 1998, she has been married to actor Peter Strauss.

Filmography

YearTitleRoleNotes
1983For Love and HonorCorporal Grace PavlikTV film
1983–1984For Love and HonorCorporal Grace Pavlik12 episodes
1985Love, MaryRachel MartinTV film
1985–1986Our Family HonorKaren Pellagrino Season 1 Episode 11: "Crimes of Passion: Part 1"
Season 1 Episode 12: "Crimes of Passion: Part 2"
1986RockabyeVictoria GarciaTV film
1986StingrayElena BallesterosSeason 1 Episode 1: "Ancient Eyes"
1986When the Bough BreaksRaquel SantosTV film
1987–1988OharaAssistant U.S. Attorney Teresa Storm14 episodes
1988Spies, Lies & Naked ThighsSoniaTV film
1991Prison Stories: Women on the InsideIrisTV film
1992Keep the ChangeAstridTV film
1992From the Files of Joseph Wambaugh: A Jury of OneChristine AvilaTV film
1993Crime & PunishmentDetective Annette Reyall 6 episodes
1994Thicker Than Blood: The Larry McLinden StoryDianeTV film
1994Deconstructing SarahElizabeth DavisTV film
1994Tales from the CryptCharbonnet / LilianSeason 6 Episode 9: "Staired in Horror"
1994–1996GargoylesCaptain Maria Chavez 12 episodes
1995'Dexter IrelandTV film
1996Gargoyles: The Goliath ChroniclesCaptain Maria Chavez 3 episodes
1997First Time FelonMcBrideTV film
1999Aftershock: Earthquake in New YorkElizabeth PerezTV film
2001'Theodora 'Teddi' MaddenSeason 7 Episode 6: "Mona Lisa"
2002American FamilyVangie Gonzalez Season 1 Episode 2: "The Sewing Machine"
Season 1 Episode 7: "Crash Boom Love: Part 1"
Season 1 Episode 8: "Crash Boom Love: Part 2"
Season 1 Episode 9: "Mexican Revolution"
Season 1 Episode 10: "The Forgotten War"
Season 1 Episode 15: "The Glass Ceiling"
2003–2005SkinLaura Roam Season 1 Episode 1: "Pilot"
Season 1 Episode "Secrets & Lies"
Season 1 Episode 3: "Endorsement"
Season 1 Episode 4: "Amber Synn"
Season 1 Episode 5: "Blowback"
Season 1 Episode 6: "True Lies"
2005–2006LostCaptain Teresa Cortez Season 2 Episode 8: "Collision"
Season 2 Episode 20: "Two for the Road"
2007John from CincinnatiWoman In Jail CellSeason 1 Episode 1: "His Visit: Day One"
2009WeedsCandelaSeason 5 Episode 13: "All About My Mom"
2010–2011Law & Order: LALieutenant Arleen GonzalezMain role
2012UnforgettableSharon VegaSeason 1 Episode 19: "Allegiances"
2012NCIS: Los AngelesMonica TenezSeason 4 Episode 4: "Dead Body Politic"
2013Blue BloodsCarmen CastilloSeason 3 Episode 15: "Warrior"
2015The Curse of the Fuentes WomenEsperanza FuentesTV movie
2016Secret SummerMs. Annie ArcherTV movie
2017HomelandMercedesSeason 6 Episode 6: "The Return"
2018Grey's AnatomyDr. Marie Cerone Season 14 Episode 14: "Games People Play"
Season 14 Episode 15: "Old Scars, Future Hearts"
Season 14 Episode 22: "Fight For Your Mind"
2019The ActGina Season 1 Episode 1: "La Maison du Bon Reve"
Season 1 Episode 2: "Teeth"
Season 1 Episode 3: "Two Wolverines"
Season 1 Episode 7: "Bonnie & Clyde"
2023NCISJoy AaronsonSeason 20 Episode 11: "Bridges"

Awards and nominations

ALMA Awards
  • 1998: Nominated, “Outstanding Actress in a Made-for-Television Movie or Mini-Series” – First Time Felon
  • 1998: Nominated, “Outstanding Actress in a Feature Film” – Con Air
Saturn Award
  • 1991: Nominated, “Best Supporting Actress” – Total Recall
Blockbuster Entertainment Award
  • 1998: Nominated, “Favorite Supporting Actress in an Action/Adventure Film” – ''Con Air''