Simi Cruz (born 1972 or 1973) is an American yoga instructor and former actress who is primarily known as the wife of Raymond Cruz.
As a former actress turned yoga teacher, as well as the founder of her own yoga school, Simi Cruz certainly has a lot of accomplishments to be proud of. She is, however, most popular for her relationship with actor and The Closer star, Raymond Cruz.
Simi and Raymond have been married for several years now and in that time, he has gone on to become a household name with appearances on popular TV shows such as Breaking Bad, Better Call Saul, The Closer, and Major Crimes.
Some of Raymond’s most popular works came during the time that the couple was together and because of this, Simi Cruz’s name is still closely associated with his, even though they have now split. Of course, there is also the fact that they have at least one child together.
- Full name: Simi Rani Mehta Cruz
- Date of birth: 1972/1973
- Birthplace: Indianapolis
- Nationality: American
- Ethnicity: Indian-American
- Occupation: actress, yoga instructor, and yoga school founder
- Spouse: Raymond Cruz (divorced 2019)
- Children: one son
Simi Cruz Has Indian Ancestry and Grew Up in Northern Illinois
Simi Cruz has kept a tight lid on most aspects of her personal life and this makes it difficult to paint an accurate picture of her family background, childhood experiences, or even date of birth. We however have some clues from information that exists about her. Judging from her birth surname “Mehta”, Simi Cruz is not Mexican but rather has Indian ancestry. Mehta is a surname that is common amongst several Indian communities and means great, praised or chief.
Apart from this Indian heritage, Simi Cruz is American through and through. She was born in northern Illinois in the early 70s and spent her early years in the city. She completed her high school diploma in regular time and thereafter enrolled in Northern Illinois University. She studied astrophysics and received her bachelor’s degree in 1994. Upon concluding her bachelor’s degree, Simi Cruz headed out to Hollywood to try and make a go of an acting career. She later returned to the classroom in 2004 to study eastern philosophy at the Loyola Marymount University. She completed the program with an A grade in 2006.
She Featured In Several Movies in the 90s, Including Grand of Avenue and Face of Evil
As pointed out earlier, when Simi Cruz first finished college in 1994, she headed out to Hollywood to try and pursue an acting career. It wasn’t easy by any means but she still scored minor roles in a handful of movies and TV series. Her first credited role came in the 1996 TV movie, Face of Evil, which revolves around a murderous thief named Darcy Palmer and Cruz played the role of a young lady named Zoe. The next movie that Simi Cruz is credited with is another 1996 TV movie known as Grand Avenue. It follows a girl, Mollie, who has a strained relationship with her late boyfriend’s family in the aftermath of his death. Cruz had a minor role as Jeanne in the film.
In 1997, Simi Cruz scored a role in one episode of the long-running investigative TV series, The X-Files. She then had a simple role as the new girl in the 1998 film, Phoenix. Cruz’s most recent acting role dates back to 1999 on the TV series, Get Real. Get Real follows a dysfunctional family and Cruz played the role of Alicia Matta in two episodes. Most of these acting works that Simi Cruz landed in the 90s were minor and didn’t pay much. She, therefore, sustained herself by working as a salesperson and employee trainer at the fashion house, Urban Outfitters. She also acted as the hostess/manager of Café Med located in West Hollywood.
Simi and Raymond Cruz Wed in the 2000s and Welcomed a Son in 2007
Simi Cruz recorded some impressive achievements as a working actress but this pales in comparison with her husband’s. Raymond Cruz first began acting around 1987. He was in his late 20s by then and garnered a string of minor roles to his name. Even though his Latina heritage meant that he had to work twice as hard to succeed in Hollywood, he nevertheless didn’t give up. Raymond Cruz is now a notable TV star and has appeared in numerous TV series, including Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul where he portrays the ferocious Mexican drug lord, Tuco Salamanca. He has also featured in several unforgettable movies.
It is not known how or when Simi Cruz and Raymond Cruz first met each other. They were however an item in the early to mid-2000s and went on to tie the knot in a low-key ceremony. They thereafter welcomed a son in 2007. The couple made their home in California and had a blissful life while their union lasted. Simi kept busy by working as a yoga instructor while her husband thrived in his acting career, landing recurring roles in TV series such as CSI: Miami and The Division. The big coup for his career came in 2005 when he landed the recurring role of Julio Sanchez on the hit police procedural, The Closer.
Cruz Filed For Divorce in 2016 and it Was Finalised in 2019
Simi Cruz and Raymond Cruz were married for several years during which they enjoyed marital and family bliss with their child. The couple attended a few red carpet events together and also took their son on family outings. Even though Simi Cruz never reached A-List status with her own acting career, she did not begrudge her husband his success. She keenly followed his roles and advised him on which ones to take. One of such was the 2015 Lifetime movie, Cleveland Abduction. It tells the real-life story of a demented serial kidnapper, Ariel Castro, who kidnapped several women and kept them in custody for so many years until they were able to escape.
Raymond was cast to play Castro but Simi hated him playing such a repulsive character and promptly informed him to say no. She later read the script and saw that he could portray the hero in a manner that would humanize his victims. She supported him to take the role and the movie ended up garnering positive reactions. Simi Cruz thus assisted in her husband’s rise to fame.
They also had a good home life and looked set to spend the rest of their lives together. The couple however encountered some issues around 2016 and Simi Cruz filed for divorce in July 2016. The divorce spanned over three years, showing that the couple may have squabbled over child support, spousal support, and custody of their son. They later finalized it in August 2019.
Simi Cruz Now Runs Her Own Yoga Studio in Los Angeles
It has been 4 years since Simi Cruz officially divorced her husband and in that time, she has done quite well for herself. She has created her own yoga guide known as Yoga for the 12 Steps. She has also worked as a yoga instructor at the CITYOGA School of Yoga and Health in her native Indianapolis.
After years of working for others, Simi Cruz now earns her living through her own yoga school known as Simply Yoga Lifestyle. It is located in Fishers, Indiana. When it comes to her personal life, there is no record of Simi Cruz remarrying. Her ex-husband has also not remarried. Both are contented with focusing on their respective careers and co-parenting their son.
