Vanessa Villanueva is the ex-wife of Chris Perez, a Grammy award-winning Latina rock star and Selena’s former husband. Vanessa is an American-born hairstylist, entrepreneur, and occasional actress in her own right.
Perez was previously married to the late iconic singer Selina Quintanilla. She was unfortunately slain in painful circumstances in 1995, and this caused him immeasurable pain and grief. The journey to healing for Perez was quite a long one, and Villanueva proved to be an essential part of that journey. The two were married for many years but ultimately couldn’t last forever as they called it quits in 2008.
Villanueva has since moved on with her life outside the spotlight, but her kids and ex keep on thriving in it.
Biography and Profile Summary of Vanessa Villanueva
- Full name: Vanessa Villanueva
- Date of birth: 1971
- Nationality: American
- Ethnicity: Latina
- Mother: N/A
- Father: N/A
- Spouse: Chris Perez (2001 – 2008)
- Children: Two, namely Cassie and Noah
- Occupation: Hairstylist and actress
- Schools attended: University of California at Los Angeles
Vanessa Villanueva was born in Mexico in 1971
There is a paucity of details about Vanessa Villanueva’s early life. Her parents’ name is not known neither do we know if she has any siblings or not. Her exact date of birth is also not readily available. What we do, however, know is that she was born in 1971 in Mexico. She spent some part of her formative years there before she immigrated with her family to the United States of America.
In the U.S., Villanueva completed her high school diploma before enrolling for a degree at the prestigious University of California in Los Angeles. She completed her degree in normal time and is now making her way in life as an entrepreneur.
She Dated Perez For Three Years Before Tying the Knot in 2001
It is pretty hard moving on from the death of a loved one, but that was what Vanessa Villanueva helped Chris Perez do. Before they met and began dating, Perez had been in a relationship with iconic Tejano singer Selena. The romance commenced in 1989, and even though her father strongly disapproved of it, they continued waxing strong and even eloped in 1993. Selena and Perez were officially married for two years before the singer was shot to death by a former president of her fan club in 1995.
As you can imagine, Chris Perez was beyond devastated. He wished for amnesia to make him forget the details of Selena’s death, but it was not forthcoming. He, therefore, took to drinking to help him numb the pain. He also abandoned his music career. This would be Perez’ state for a long while, but with time, he began healing bit by bit. He made attempts to resurrect his music career, and it was in this process that the lead singer for his band, John Garza, introduced him to the beautiful Vanessa. They fell in love without further ado and began a romance around 1997. They dated for about three years and tied the knot in 2001.
The Couple Divorced in 2008 After Seven Years of Marriage
The marriage between Chris Perez and Vanessa Villanueva lasted for seven years, during which they welcomed two children, namely daughter, Cassie, who was born in 1999, and son, Noah, born on 5th April 2005. Perez restarted his music career while Villanueva also engaged in her endeavors. The couple lived in places such as Corpus Christi and San Antonio and supported each other. Perez proudly spoke about his love for Villanueva as he didn’t want to hide his marriage as he and the late Selena had previously done. He and Vanessa nonetheless maintained a low profile and focused on raising their kids.
The couple sadly split in 2007. The divorce proceedings did not take time to sort out, and there was no scandal in the aftermath of the whole thing. To date, it is not yet known why Vanessa Villanueva divorced Chris Perez. It could have been because he went back to his old ways of drinking and acting wild. It could also have been due to his busy schedule with his music, which saw him often leave home to go on tour. Another possible factor could have been that the couple grew apart. Whatever the reason for their divorce, Vanessa Villanueva made several attempts to reconcile with her husband, and when this failed, she made her peace with things.
Their Children, Noah and Cassie, are both Aspiring Musicians
Vanessa Villanueva is yet to remarry but is now focusing on her hair salon business. The same thing goes for her ex-husband. Chris Perez has not been romantically linked with any lady of recent but is focusing on a music career that has seen him drop several albums with different bands and win multiple awards, including the 2000 Grammy award for best Latin rock urban or alternative album. There is nothing to indicate that Vanessa and her ex-husband are in touch with each other, but you can always trust that they maintain an open line of communication because of their kids.
Their daughter, Cassie, is in her early 20s and is a talented singer like her father. She is also skilled in instruments such as the guitar, and her dad is obviously proud of her. He has shared pictures of social media and described her as a vocally and musically inclined badass. He has urged her to keep chasing her dreams and has stated that he is proud of her for being her own person. Chris Perez also shared a picture of him and Cassie performing before thousands of people in February 2020. He stated that he never thought that she would have the guts to do it. It was, therefore, quite a surprising but proud dad moment, and he hailed her performance as kickass.
Another budding musician in the family is their son, Noah. Noah appears to be suffering from Down’s syndrome or some other similar condition, but there is no confirmation of this. His parents are dedicated to giving him the best life, and his dad has often lavished kind words on him. On 6th August 2020, Perez posted a photo of him and Noah walking on the beach and thanked his son for letting him be his dad. He stated that the little boy often reminds him of what life is truly about and declared that he would not be the man he was today without Noah. Also, on Noah’s 16th birthday in 2021, his father described him as sunshine that makes him happy when the skies are grey. Noah plays the drums, and his dad has stated that it would be fantastic for all three of them to record a song together.
Villanueva Runs the Hair Lab Salon in Lake Forest, California
Vanessa Villanueva is a skilled hairstylist and previously ran a salon known as Salon Pure in the Rancho Santa Margarita area of California for several years. In June 2016, she relocated to yet another part of California, Lake Forest, and set up another salon known as Hair Lab. Hair Lab specializes in eyelash services, hair styling, and even spa services. It has several good reviews on Yelp praising the owner’s exceptional skill. Asides from her hair salon, Vanessa Villanueva has also tried her hands at showbiz.
In 2011, she joined the camera crew for the fantasy musical Memphis Rising: Elvis Returns. The plot of the movie has it that rock and roll king, Elvis Presley, didn’t really die but was whisked away to another galaxy. He later returns to earth and participates in an Elvis impersonator contest. Another project that Vanessa Villanueva has been a part of is the TV series, Forgotten Memories. She was featured in one episode of the show in 2015.
Key Takeaways
- Who is Vanessa Villanueva? Vanessa Villanueva is the ex-wife of Chris Perez, a band member of Selena Quintanilla’s band Selena y Los Dinos. Vanessa has acted in films like “Memphis Rising: Elvis Returns” and “Forgotten Memories”, and has also started several businesses including a fashion label called Viva Diva. She was born in Corpus Christi, Texas, and identifies as Latino.
- What is Vanessa Villanueva known for in the film industry? Vanessa Villanueva has appeared in a number of movies and television shows, including “Stuck in the Middle” and “Fuller House.” She played a role in the 2015 film “Forgotten Memories” as Gabi Valdez and also worked as a crew member and an electrician in the 2011 film “Memphis Rising: Elvis Returns”.
- What is Vanessa Villanueva’s net worth? Vanessa Villanueva’s estimated net worth is around $100,000. This includes the spousal provision she received following her divorce from Chris Pérez, as well as her earnings as an actress and businesswoman.
- Who was Vanessa Villanueva’s first husband? Vanessa Villanueva’s first husband was Chris Perez, a band member of Selena y Los Dinos. They met through a mutual friend, John Garza, and got married in 2001. They divorced in 2008, and they have two children together, Cassie Gabrielle Perez and Noah Perez.
- What is Vanessa Villanueva’s current marital status? Vanessa Villanueva is currently married to Henry Soliz. The couple started dating in 2012 and got married in February 2018. They are currently living together in Portland, Texas.
- Who are Vanessa Villanueva’s children? Vanessa Villanueva has two children, Cassie Gabrielle Perez and Noah Perez, from her previous marriage with Chris Perez. Noah was born with Down Syndrome, and despite the challenges, Vanessa cherishes and wonderfully nurtures motherhood.
- What are Vanessa Villanueva’s business ventures? Vanessa Villanueva is also an established entrepreneur. She has founded several businesses, including a fashion label called Viva Diva. Currently, she owns V’s Day Spa, a nail shop with a private spa.
