Quartay DeNaya

Quartay DeNaya was raised in the suburbs of Minneapolis, Minnesota. Growing up in a single parent household by her mother Quartrina, DeNaya was taught the importance of faith and hard work. Graduating with academic honors from Osseo Senior High school, she was accepted into the American Academy of Dramatic Arts (Hollywood). After graduating with her Associates degree and the runner up nod for "Most Improved" in her class, she became a member of the Academy's Theatre Company in 2015. Later that year, she booked the lead role in the short film Roots in Concrete (2015) a film inspired by the death of 15 year old girl Latasha Harlins who was shot and killed right before the 1992 LA riots. Roots in Concrete received numerous film festival nominations. The film is directed by Princess Grace HBO Film Award winner, Allison A. Waite. A few years later, DeNaya was cast as Latasha Harlins in the opening sequence of the feature film Kings (2017), starring Halle Berry and Daniel Craig. This feature was directed by French-Turkish filmmaker Deniz Gamze Ergüven. In 2016, she was cast in the feature film A Cowgirl's Story, as the character Meryl. DeNaya shared the screen with young Hollywood talents like Bailee Madison and Chloe Lukasiak in this heartwarming family film. DeNaya's latest projects include a short film called Nia's Shadow, where she plays the title role, a young superhero named Nia Knight, directed by The Turner Brothers of Dreadhead Films. She was also cast in the comedy horror web series The Undercovers which is in post production. In addition to her film work, Quartay also enjoys performing on stage. She was cast as a Beauxbaton Gymnast in the Tri-Wiz Show at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, Universal Studios Hollywood. She also starred as the role of Camae in a theatrical production of The Mountaintop, and Vivian in Vivian's Music 1969. Both productions produced by Camilla Ross of Emerson Theatre Collaborative. When she's not acting you can find her training to attain her black belt in American Kenpo Karate, growing her proficiency in wielding weapons (Butterfly knives, Swords, Bo staffs and many others) honing her skills as a violinist, or coaching kids in the sport of Gymnastics. DeNaya is represented by Streitfeld Management, 90210 Talent and The DriveN Agency all based out of Los Angeles, CA.