SOON TO BE THE QUEEN OF HEARTS: Tessie Santiago is heir apparent to Lucy Lawless as TV’s foremost ass-whupping warrior. She arrives by way of the brand-new “slice, dice and—whoa!—she’s nice” action series Queen of Swords.

MIAMI SPICE: Born in Miami in 1979, she grew up in a middle-class Cuban-American family.

BEAUTY AND BRAINS: Mere months ago, the newly minted University of Miami grad was pulling a double major in theater and film and managed to find time to study abroad in London and Prague.

Z MARKS THE HOT: Tessie bypassed the whole struggling-actress shtick and snagged the plum role of Tessa Alvarado, a female Zorro marking her territory across the Old West on Queen of Swords.

“I come from a long line of strong women…I took to the whip pretty quickly.”

Tessie Santiago

Tessie Santiago

Tessie Santiago

Tessie Santiago

Tessie Santiago

Tessie Santiago

Tessie Santiago

Tessie Santiago