Danay García (born 5 July 1984; Havana) is a Cuban film and television actress. She played the role of Sofia Lugo in Fox network's drama series, Prison Break. Garcia started gymnastics at the age of 5 and then began dancing by the age of 6. Garcia then began modeling in addition to dance, and finally turned her attention to theatre. Garcia learned English, studying with teachers and dialect coaches, such as Robert Easton, Joel Goldes and John Sperry, and began booking commercials. Feeling cut off from her childhood art forms, she began ballet studies at the Debby Allen Dance Academy, while pursuing acting studies with renowned coach, Ivana Chubbuck. She steadily moved up to Ivana’s Master class, and booked her first U.S. feature film role playing opposite Marisa Tomei in “Danika.” She then accepted the lead role of Monica in the U.S.-Brazilian coproduction, “Man Camp” where she expanded her acting skills into comedy. She next appeared in the long-running CW Network series, “Supernatural,”.
Danay Garcia was born in Havana, Cuba. Garcia’s father’s side of the family is Chinese-Italian, and her mother’s family is of Spanish-Cuban descent. Her first name, Danay (Dah-nye), is Greek, and in translation means the Goddess of Abundance. Garcia started gymnastics at the age of 5 and then began dancing by the age of 6. Dance became her way of expressing herself and her individuality. Garcia says, “Dance is one of my necessities because it’s the closest way I found to being present in self expression. It makes me happy being able to affect others through my dancing. In the rhythms, you can’t miss being present, and that’s what I love, that connection to life in the present and to other people.” Dance also contributed to Garcia’s ongoing work ethic, while instilling a lifelong reliance on discipline that she continues using to achieve her goals. From ages 17–19, Garcia continued her intensive study in the theatre, working 7 days a week in productions. The only way to accomplish that was for Garcia to escape the Cuban regime - which she did, along with her 2 year old son. She and her son were granted political asylum in the United States.