LaRue was born in Long Beach, California to Marcie and Luis LaRue. She has three siblings, sisters Nika and Lara and a brother, Luis Jr. She is a member of the Baháʼí Faith. She is of Puerto Rican, French, Dutch, and Scottish ancestry. LaRue began acting at the age of six and was later a teenage beauty queen. She won Danfranc Productions Miss California Empire 1984 title at the state pageant held in Irvine, California. In 1985, she graduated from Norco High School and soon after she started modeling, first working with the Judith Fontaine Agency and eventually with Frederick's of Hollywood.
Career
LaRue was the co-host and announcer in Candid Camera from 1991 to 1992. From 1993 to 1997, and again from 2002 to 2005, LaRue portrayed Dr. Maria Santos Grey on All My Children. There, she was half of All My Childrensupercouple Edmund and Maria. She received a Daytime Emmy Award nomination in the category of "Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series" for All My Children. She also received a nomination in 2004 in the category of "Outstanding Original Song" for composing the song "Dance Again with You", which was used as a backdrop to the lovemaking scene after the third marriage of the characters Edmund and Maria in June 2003. In 2010, LaRue reprised her role as Maria temporarily on January 5 for All My Childrens 40th anniversary. LaRue also performed in television movies over the years, appearing as Annette Funicello in a biographical movie of the former Mouseketeer and also in the adaptation of Danielle Steel's Remembrance as Princess Serena. In 2005 LaRue portrayed Linda Lorenzo, George Lopez's "Long Lost" sister, on the TV sitcom George Lopez. In the fall 2005, LaRue began the role of Natalia Boa Vista on '. It was revealed in the end of season four that Eva's character, Natalia Boa Vista, was the mole in the lab reporting back to the FBI. Beginning with season five, LaRue became a full-time cast member. In July and September 2011, LaRue reprised her role as Dr. Maria Santos Grey on All My Children as a guest star as the show wrapped up its network run on ABC. In 2013 she played Agent Tanya Mays in the episode "Final Shot" on Criminal Minds. In July 2015, it was announced that LaRue had been cast on Fuller House, the revival series of the sitcom Full House. She portrayed the character of Teri Tanner, the vivacious wife of Danny Tanner. The series premiered on Netflix in 2016. She also played the role of the Admirable in three episodes of Mack & Moxy. In May 2019, she was cast on The Young and the Restless'' in the role of Celeste Rosales.
Personal life
LaRue's sister Nika was one of the women photographed by convicted serial killerBill Bradford for his collection. She was No. 3 on the poster released by the Los Angeles Sheriff's Department to find living victims. Bradford would photograph women he met in bars and photo shoots under the guise that he would assist their modeling careers. The incident was used in CSI: Miami in the season five episode "Darkroom" soon after the revelation. Nika guest-starred in the episode as a reporter. She was initially offered the role of Eva's on-screen sister and a surviving victim, but declined that role, describing it as being "too surreal". From 1992 to 1994, LaRue was married to actor John O'Hurley. LaRue was also married to fellow All My Children actor John Callahan from 1996 to 2005. She gave birth to their daughter Kaya in 2001. Callahan, who played Edmund Grey on the daytime soap opera, died on March 28, 2020 at 66, after suffering a stroke the day before. The couple served as co-hosts of the 1997 Miss America pageant in Atlantic City, New Jersey. On June 26, 2010, LaRue married Joe Cappucio. They divorced in early 2014.
