Everything changes for the Reagan family in Season 1, Episode 21 (“Cellar Boy”), of “Blue Bloods,” when they learn the truth about what happened to Joseph Reagan, thanks to Yolanda Gonsalves. Viewers will remember she gives Jamie Reagan (Will Estes) a voice recording of Joseph from the night he died, revealing he was working with the FBI in an attempt to bring down the Blue Templar, a corrupt group within the NYPD. While her appearance on “Blue Bloods” is brief, it leads to a crucial plot point within the hit show’s 1st season, and some fans may be looking to uncover not only which talented actor plays the role but also why she may look familiar.
The part of Yolanda Gonsalves is portrayed by Andrea Navedo, but that isn’t the only time she’s been on the show. The actor is also in Season 1, Episode 10 (“After Hours”), as Yolanda’s twin sister, Lydia Gonsalves, a former officer on the warrant squad with Joe the night he died. When Jamie tracks her down during his rogue investigation, Lydia alludes to possible threats from the Blue Templar regarding her daughter losing a mother, and later, it is revealed after her suspicious death that Yolanda was instructed to give him the recording.
There is no denying the actor made an impact on the popular police procedural on two identical occasions, each raising the stakes early on in the series, and many may be surprised to learn what Navedo has been able to accomplish since playing both Yolanda and Lydia Gonsalves on “Blue Bloods.”
Award winner Andrea Navedo is also an author with an inspiring outlook on acting
Before “Blue Bloods,” Andrea Navedo worked on notable titles like “One Life to Live,” “Guiding Light,” “Law & Order,” “El cantante,” and “Remember Me.” After she pulled double duty as twins on the CBS series, she added several credits to her portfolio, like civil rights activist Carmen Delgado Votaw in “Mrs. America” and Xiomara Villanueva in the cast of “Jane the Virgin,” which earned her the 2015 Imagen Award for best supporting actress in television.
Navedo would later chronicle her rewarding life and career in a book published in July 2023. When discussing her reasoning for writing “Our Otherness Is Our Strength: Wisdom from the Boogie Down Bronx,” she revealed a fascinating realization about acting she discovered along the way. “Being of service was the ultimate goal,” the actor said in an interview with Awakened-Woman.
“I realized while on ‘Jane the Virgin’ that acting was not just for me. It was much bigger than me, I understood that I had a platform. I wanted to demystify celebrities, who actors are, and who I am then use my life experience to help others, if I could. At the very least, share my experiences. Hopefully, someone else might see themselves in me and be inspired in their own life.”
It is very evident that Navedo learned a lot while in the spotlight, and she hopes that her efforts in front of the camera, whether on “Jane the Virgin” or a pair of “Blue Bloods” episodes, can help those who have enjoyed and supported her work over the years.