"I grew up believing that if you wanted to be a movie star, you did that!"

On the verge of her breakthrough, Rosa Blasi has learned it takes more. She is the kind of actress who without a doubt leaves many in tears - whether it is from laughing or crying. In her outstanding and award winning performances, she can capture the exact emotion that reaches the public and touches their hearts. The only thing missing... is a given opportunity.

Rosa Blasi started acting at the tender age of eight. She appeared in over 40 professional theater productions before making her move to Los Angeles, where she worked as a nanny and a waitress. It was quite a struggle until her debut on TV as a guest star on the soap opera 'The Bold And The Beautiful'. Rosa is thankful for what is referred to as the 'Latin Invasion': "Finally, being named Rosa and the way I look paid off to advantage in Hollywood, when, you know, six years ago when I first moved out they were like: What about changing your name to Renee? That sounds like Rosa!"

Eventually it became clear to her that staying true to herself (and her name) was the only thing she could do. "Look, if the producers are looking for a blonde, and I'm sitting there with four real blondes, and I have my hair dyed, the real blonde is probably going to get it. So you are who you are."

After a few guest appearances she got a starring role in the MTV/UPN comedy 'Hitz', establishing her full-time acting career. "It was never going to win any awards, but, God bless it, it allowed me to buy my first house!" she comments. In addition, it allowed more guest roles, on well known series as "Frasier", "Becker" and a special web-cast of "The Drew Carey Show".

In 2000, she got her first drama role in the film 'Noriega: God's Favorite', which led her to audition for the role of dr. Luisa "Lu" Delgado on 'Strong Medicine'; quite a transition. "I had a fear of making a fool of myself, going in to try to be a doctor - who is older than me, who is a single mom - when I'd been doing sitcom, where you walk across the set in a short skirt and make a joke."

However, her performance brought success. "She walked in and she was the part," says 'Strong Medicine' creator and co-executive producer Tammy Ader. "They have given me the freedom to play her as myself," Rosa says. "She's a character very, very much full of life, full of flaws - which is the best part - constantly putting her foot in her mouth and thinking for the now, not the future. It's very, very, very close. It's too close!"

From April to approximately November, Rosa works for about 60 hours a week on the set of Strong Medicine in LA. When she's not working, she now spends as much time as she can in New Jersey with her husband Jim Finn, a fullback for the New York Giants and one of the few Ivy League graduates playing in the NFL today. Jim and Rosa got engaged in Maui and exchanged vows almost a year later on Valentine's Day 2004, during a four-day-event there.

Only a few days after their wedding, Jim and Rosa went off to Japan, to what could mean the beginning of Rosa's breakthrough in film. Working with stars as Sarah Michelle Gellar, Jason Behr and Clea DuVall, and with Bill Pullman portraying her husband, she got a part in an American remake of the Japanese horror film "Ju-On", "The Grudge". However, her character Maria ended up having an appearance in only two scenes of the actual film. While Rosa jokes about being the star of the DVD's deleted scenes, she tries her best not to be disappointed.

Hopefully, it won't take long until Rosa's dreams come true. Though which will come first for her; expanding her career and audience by a starring role on the big screen.. or a new star expanding the family?