Bio
Vanessa Marano is an American actress best known for her television roles as Franchesca in The Comeback (2005), as April Nardini in Gilmore Girls (2005-2007), as Hanna Malone in Without a Trace (2002-2009) and as Eden Gerick in The Young and the Restless, from 2008-2010.
She currently stars as Bay Kennish in the family drama television series Switched at Birth, since 2011.
She is the older sister of child actress Laura Marano.
Marano started acting in the theatre when she was seven years old, performing in numerous plays at The Stage Door Theater in Agoura Hills, California.
She began her professional career with several national commercials.
On Scoundrels, Marano plays Hope West, the scheming, school-skipping daughter of Cheryl (Virginia Madsen) and Wolf (David James Elliott) West.
She is most recognised for her role as Francesca, the daughter of the Emmy Award winning Lisa Kudrow, in the HBO Original series The Comeback. She has had recurring roles in shows including Without a Trace, Gilmore Girls and Six Feet Under.
Her guest-starring credits include Trust Me, playing Eric McCormack's daughter, Malcolm in the Middle and Grounded for Life. She starred as a young girl who becomes a quadriplegic in the critically acclaimed television movie The Brooke Ellison Story directed by Christopher Reeve.
Marano's first film was the animated hit, Finding Nemo, followed by the independent film, Easy, The Clique and Stopping Power.
Vanessa speaks Italian and Spanish.