Desiree Garcia

Desiree Garcia may have only one acting credit to her name, but if the overwhelming praise for her starring role in "Guy and Madeline on a Park Bench" is any indication, she should have no problem landing roles in the future. However, work in front of the camera may not be Garcia's main focus; she is an assistant professor for the Film and Media Studies program at Arizona State University, where her emphasis is the effect of race throughout the history of American film. She has also earned a position as an associate producer on the "American Experience" episode "Zoot Suit Riots" and as co-producer on the episode "Remember the Alamo." In 2009's "Guy and Madeline on a Park Bench," she plays the title role of Madeline, a Boston girl who has recently been dumped by her musician boyfriend, played by real-life trumpeter Jason Palmer. But this isn't your typical indie tale of heartbreak: instead of discussing her sadness in hushed conversations, Madeline sings and dances her tears away. Director Damien Chazelle's creative blend of a stylish classic Hollywood musical and a black-and-white François Truffaut-style film of the French New Wave garnered rave reviews from critics despite never receiving a theatrical release.