Luz Maria Utrera was born and raised in Argentina. She trained at the Lee Strasberg Institute, and has been featured on film and TV projects both in Argentina and the U.S. In addition to speaking fluent Spanish and English, Luz speaks basic Chinese and has knowledge of French and Italian. She is currently a New York based actress, model, and a proud US citizen. Luz Maria’s passion for acting started early in life. In high school she was given the option to take a computer class or a theater class - naturally, she chose theater. Luz started modeling as a kid, as her mother owned a children's clothing store. At seventeen, she starred in her first car commercial and won the Beauty Queen title at Miss Modelo pageant in her city of Santiago del Estero. Later that year Luz Maria moved to Buenos Aires where she obtained her law degree. While in law school, she continued modeling. It had to be kept secret from her conservative family of lawyers, who didn't particularly want her in a creative field. Upon completing her law degree, she decided to move to Los Angeles to follow her dream of acting. In 2009 Luz was selected a judge for "Cinema City International Film Festival". While following her dreams and studying acting at the Lee Strasberg Theatre & Film Institute, she became a victim of domestic violence. This experience changed her life and started a new professional chapter for Luz. As a way to cope with her trauma, she volunteered with a number of nonprofit organizations that address domestic violence issues. Luz's desire to make an impact goes way beyond the creative arts. In 2012 her foundation "Fundación Luz María" was launched in Argentina in order to help women who have experienced domestic violence.