Dascha Polanco (born Dascha Yolaine Polanco) is a Dominican actress known for portraying the role of Dayanara “Daya” Diaz on the Netflix series Orange Is the New Black. She wanted to be an actress from an early age but “always doubted auditioning because of her weight”, so she completed a bachelor’s degree in psychology at Hunter College.

Dascha Polanco Age

She was born in December 3, 1982 in Dominican Republic.

Dascha Polanco Height

She stands at a height of 5 feet 4 inches (1.65 m) tall.

Dascha Polanco Family

Her parents are Janet Polanco,and Ruben Dario Polanco. She was raised in Sunset Park, Brooklyn, and Miami by her father, a mechanic, and mother, a cosmetologist. She is the oldest of three children; she has a brother and sister. She identifies as Afro-Dominican. She was born in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, and moved to the United States at a young age.

Dascha Polanco Children

She has two children, a daughter Dasany Kristal Gonzalez and a son, Aryam. Her daughter portrayed a younger version of Polanco’s character in the fifth season of Orange Is the New Black.

Dascha Polanco Boyfriend

Dascha is single and does not frequently share her relationship life in public. However, in the past, she has been linked to rapper Travis Scott.

Dascha Polanco Career

After college, she began working in the healthcare industry with the intention of becoming a nurse. She was working in hospital administration at Montefiore Medical Center in the Bronx while studying nursing when she gained the courage to pursue acting again and registered herself with an acting studio. She attended BIH Studios in New York, and while there was signed by the talent agency Shirley Grant Management. Her first acting credits were minor parts in the television series Unforgettable and NYC 22.

In 2012, Polanco was cast in the Netflix series Orange Is the New Black as Dayanara “Daya” Diaz, an inmate in a women’s prison. In 2013, she was cast in the independent film Gimme Shelter before returning to her role on Orange Is the New Black for the show’s second season. In June 2014, it was announced that she had been promoted from a recurring role to a series regular for the show’s third season, which was released in June 2015. She appeared in the comedy films The Cobbler and Joy and starred in the film The Perfect Match. In 2018, Polanco had a recurring role in The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story, and in 2019, she had a recurring role in the Netflix series, Russian Doll and When They See Us.

Dascha Polanco Net Worth

Dascha Polanco’s estimated net worth is about $2 million.