Paola Lázaro

Paola Lázaro is a Puerto Rican actress and dramatic writer who currently portrays Juanita Sanchez, better known as “Princess”, on the AMC horror drama series The Walking Dead.

Paola Lázaro was born and raised in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Lázaro left Puerto Rico to study at the State University of New York at Purchase, where she earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in dramatic writing (2009).[1] She went on to earn her Master of Fine Arts from Columbia University (2013). At the end of her final year at Columbia, she was mentored by playwright Stephen Adly Guirgis over the course of the production of her thesis play.[2] Over the years the two have become very close, and Guirgis finds her to be a “kindred spirit,” often referring to Lázaro as his best friend. His presence has heavily influenced both her writing and her career.