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Dascha Polanco

Dascha Polanco

Actor · Born December 3, 1982 (43) · Dominican Republic

3 Screen Actors Guild Awards

Dascha Yolaine Polanco (born December 3, 1982) is a Dominican American actress best known for her role as Dayanara Diaz on Orange Is the New Black.

Biography from TMDB.

Born
December 3, 1982 (43)
From
Dominican Republic
Works as
Actor
Titles
25 on MovieCove · 26 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 156 days to Oct 27Down 38% in 30 days

What are Dascha Polanco's films like?

Across their 13 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Self.

Genres

Drama3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 57th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama movies
Action2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 22nd percentile
: browse their Action movies
Comedy2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 36th percentile
: browse their Comedy movies
Thriller2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 34th percentile
: browse their Thriller movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Bonds
31%
Self
25%
Morality
18%
Survival
14%
Society
7%
Power
2%
Ideas
2%
Family bonds8 titles, browse their movies with this themeSurvival4 titles, browse their movies with this themeSelf-worth3 titles, browse their movies with this themeComing of age2 titles, browse their movies with this themeRedemption2 titles, browse their movies with this themeGuilt2 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity2 titles, browse their movies with this themeDuty2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 10 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Serious: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their serious movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

A split, not a type: Light 3 · Serious 3 · Dark 4

Grounded: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their grounded movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

Grounded 6 · Stylized 4 · Heightened 0

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

Gentle 2 · Charged 4 · Intense 4

Shifting: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their shifting movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 4 · Shifting 6 · Whiplash 0

Straight-faced: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their straight-faced movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 7 · Some laughs 2 · Funny 1

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 4 · Even-paced 4 · Relentless 2

Engaged: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their engaged movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 3 · Engaged 7 · Full focus 0

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 7 · Open-ended 3 · Ambiguous 0

Roles they play

3 analyzed roles
Ally
1 of 3
Shapeshifter
1 of 3
Hero
1 of 3

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
8
Melancholic
6
Contemplative
4
Hopeful
5
Dread
3
Other
12

How their films linger

Hopeful8 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 2 with a twist

  • Happy2
  • Bittersweet9
  • Ambiguous2

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Dascha Polanco's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 23 of their 25 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service.

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Dascha Polanco's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

26 credits, 25 with a MovieCove page; 5 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Stumble(2025)

    Show 1 episode · as Krystal's Mom-ager

    Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all shows

  • A Little Prayer(2023)

    as Narcedalia

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all films

  • Terror Comes Knocking: The Marcela Borges Story(2025)

    as Marcela Borges

    Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all films

  • Air Force One Down(2024)

    as Vice President Hansen

    Midcredits score: 14th percentile of all films

  • Junction(2024)

    as Dana

    Midcredits score: 26th percentile of all films

  • Miguel Wants to Fight(2023)

    as Mrs. Rodriguez

    Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all films

  • The Walking Dead: Dead City(2023)

    Show 8 episodes · as Lucia Narvaez

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all shows

  • Poker Face(2023)

    Show 1 episode · as Natalie

    Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all shows

  • Samaritan(2022)

    as Tiffany Cleary

    Midcredits score: 30th percentile of all films

  • DC League of Super-Pets(2022)

    as Jessica Cruz / Green Lantern (voice)

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all films

  • Gordita Chronicles(2022)

    Show as Adult Cucu

    Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all shows

  • In the Heights(2021)

    as Cuca

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all films

  • iGilbert(2021)

    as Jana

    Midcredits score: 19th percentile of all films

  • The Irishman(2019)

    as Nurse

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

  • Evil(2019)

    Show 1 episode · as Patti Hitchens

    Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all shows

  • When They See Us(2019)

    Show 2 episodes · as Elena

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all shows

  • Russian Doll(2019)

    Show 4 episodes · as Beatrice

    Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all shows

  • VH1 Hip Hop Honors: All Hail the Queens (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2016)

    Actor

  • The Perfect Match(2016)

    as Pressie

    Midcredits score: 19th percentile of all films

  • American Crime Story(2016)

    Show 3 episodes · as Det. Lori Wieder

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all shows

  • Joy(2015)

    as Jackie

    Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all films

  • The Cobbler(2014)

    as Macy

    Midcredits score: 30th percentile of all films

  • Gimme Shelter(2013)

    as Carmel

    Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all films

  • Orange Is the New Black(2013)

    Show 89 episodes · as Dayanara Diaz

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all shows

  • Unforgettable(2011)

    Show 1 episode · as Estella

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all shows

  • American Dad!(2005)

    Show 1 episode · as (voice)

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all shows

Career shape

Star power in the 95th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 25 titles from 2005 to 2025; peak year 2023.

Biggest box office

Joy (2015)

$101M worldwide

Highest rated

Orange Is the New Black (2013)

Midcredits 88th

Film career

MilestoneAward win
20052025

Peak 2023 · at the high point of their film career. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting25 of 25: 25 only acting, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score62nd

By decade

2000s1 · acting2010s12 · acting2020s12 · acting

Billing

usually 10th · top billed in 0% of 9 roles

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30.

Awards

3 Screen Actors Guild Awards from 4 major nominations, 2015–2018.

WinNomination
  1. 2018
    • Screen Actors Guild Award, nominated · Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series
  2. 2017
    • Screen Actors Guild Award, won · Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series
  3. 2016
    • Screen Actors Guild Award, won · Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series
  4. 2015
    • Screen Actors Guild Award, won · Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series

Major bodies only: the Oscars, Primetime Emmys, Golden Globes, BAFTAs and Screen Actors Guild Awards are named; Cannes, Venice, the Berlinale, Sundance, the directors', writers' and producers' guilds, the Grammys, Critics Choice and the Independent Spirit Awards count as other major bodies. Festival and regional prizes are not counted. Source: IMDb.

How do Dascha Polanco's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 41st percentile, the median of all 14; across their 10 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 40th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

40thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 10

Approval · how many liked their films

35thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 10

Reach · how many have seen their films

76thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 10

Midcredits score across 25 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up10
  • 50th to 74th6
  • 25th to 49th6
  • Below 25th3

Shape of the crowd

12 of their 25 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved4
  • Cult Classic2
  • Crowd Pleaser12
  • Broadly Agreed2
  • Mixed5

Most divisive · actor

iGilbert (2021)

80th percentile spread · 47% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

The Irishman (2019)

Midcredits 97th · 84% liked

Reviewers score the acting 60/100 in their films, across 10 reviewed titles; fans 76, detractors 35. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Is Dascha Polanco's work okay for kids?

Across up to 6 MovieCove titles with content scores, violence & gore, profanity and frightening / intense run heavier than most films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore5 titles27–84 · median 67 · intenseheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity6 titles8–69 · median 27 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity6 titles36–80 · median 58 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs5 titles20–58 · median 29 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense5 titles23–79 · median 57 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 39

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted. The band's colour is the severity of their median, named beside it.

Who does Dascha Polanco work with?

People who share at least 2 of Dascha Polanco's MovieCove titles; Raúl Castillo shares the most, 2.