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Steffiana de la Cruz (Filipino-American Actress)
Steffiana de la Cruz is a Filipino-American actress and former model who built a steady career in Hollywood across two decades — long before most people knew her name. Born Stephanie Anna Marie Zantua on August 28, 1974, in New York City, she grew up shaped by the traditions of her Filipino heritage and the energy of one of the world’s most competitive cities. That combination, it turns out, prepared her well for a life in entertainment.
She began her professional journey as a model before transitioning into acting in the late 1990s. Her first credited television role came in 1997, and she continued building her résumé through a series of film and television appearances over the following years. It was her role in the blockbuster comedy Paul Blart: Mall Cop — which grossed over $183 million worldwide — that brought her the widest public recognition. She followed that with appearances in Zookeeper (2011) and Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2 (2015), cementing her place in a string of commercially successful Hollywood productions.
She is also widely recognized as the wife of actor and comedian Kevin James, whom she married on June 19, 2004, in Dana Point, California. Together they have four children.
Yet Steffiana de la Cruz is more than a supporting figure in someone else’s story. She is an actress with her own credits, her own career timeline, and a private life she has deliberately kept out of the spotlight.
| Full Name | Stephanie Anna Marie Zantua (birth name); Steffiana de la Cruz (professional name) |
| Date of Birth | August 28, 1974 |
| Place of Birth | New York City, New York, United States |
| Nationality | American |
| Ethnicity | Filipino-American |
| Religion | Christian |
| Zodiac Sign | Virgo |
| Profession | Actress, Former Model |
| Education | Completed high school at a local secondary school in New York City (name not publicly confirmed); no college degree on public record |
| Career Start | Modeling (early-to-mid 1990s); Acting debut — Die Gang, TV Series (1997) |
| Known For | Paul Blart: Mall Cop (2009), Zookeeper (2011), Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2 (2015), The King of Queens (2002–2006) |
| Marital Status | Married to Kevin James (since June 19, 2004) |
| Children | 4 — Sienna-Marie James (b. 2005), Shea Joelle James (b. 2007), Kannon Valentine James (b. 2011), Sistine Sabella James (b. 2015) |
| Parents | Mr. and Mrs. Zantua (names not publicly confirmed; Filipino descent) |
| Siblings | Not publicly available |
| Height | 5 ft 8 in / 1.73 m |
| Weight | Approximately 55 kg / 121 lbs (estimated) |
| Hair Color | Brown |
| Eye Color | Brown |
| Awards | No formal industry awards on public record |
| Estimated Net Worth | ~$5 million (estimated; not officially confirmed) |
| Residence | California, United States |
| Social Media | No verified official accounts confirmed |
Who is Steffiana de la Cruz?
Steffiana de la Cruz is a Filipino-American actress and former model, born Stephanie Anna Marie Zantua on August 28, 1974, in New York City. She is widely recognized for her roles in Paul Blart: Mall Cop (2009) and Zookeeper (2011), and as the wife of Hollywood actor and comedian Kevin James.
Early Life and Education
Steffiana de la Cruz was born Stephanie Anna Marie Zantua on August 28, 1974, in New York City, New York, United States. She is a Filipino-American actress and former model, recognized both for her own work in Hollywood and as the wife of comedian and actor Kevin James. Her full birth name reflects her Filipino roots — a heritage that has remained a quiet but consistent part of her public identity.
Childhood and Family Background
She was raised in New York City by her parents, known publicly only as Mr. and Mrs. Zantua. Both were of Filipino descent and had immigrated to the United States before her birth. Growing up in New York gave her early exposure to a diverse, fast-moving world — one that likely shaped her path toward the entertainment industry.
She has siblings, though their names have never been disclosed publicly. The Zantua family has consistently maintained a private profile, and little about her parents or early home life has been confirmed through primary sources. What is known is that she grew up in a Filipino-American household, where cultural identity and family values played a central role.
Educational Journey
According to publicly available records, Steffiana completed her high school education at a local secondary school in New York City. The name of the institution has not been confirmed in any verified source. She is reported to have graduated around the early 1990s, after which she pursued modeling rather than continuing into higher education.
Details about any college or university attendance remain not publicly available. No degree, institution, or field of study has been confirmed by her or her representatives.
Career
Few people in Hollywood have quietly built a career across two decades without ever chasing the spotlight. That describes this actress well. Long before she became a recognizable face in major studio comedies, she was doing the foundational work — modeling, auditioning, and learning the industry from the ground up.
Early Modeling Career
Her professional journey began in the early-to-mid 1990s, when she pursued modeling after completing her high school education in New York City. Like many who enter the industry young, she faced early setbacks. Breaking into modeling is rarely straightforward, and her path was no exception.
She gradually gained traction, working with agencies and taking on assignments — though the specific brands and clients she worked with during this period have never been confirmed in any verified public source. What is documented is the outcome: she built enough of a foundation to transition into acting by the late 1990s. That shift would define the next chapter of her professional life.
Acting Career — Television Roles
Her first credited acting role came in the television series Die Gang in 1997. It was a modest beginning, but a beginning nonetheless. Two years later, she appeared in Pacific Blue, a crime drama series, in a small supporting role.
Her television work continued into the early 2000s. She appeared in the TV movie Something to Sing About in 2000 — a project that added another credit to a résumé still finding its shape.
The most significant television opportunity of her career came with The King of Queens, the long-running CBS sitcom that starred Kevin James. She made multiple appearances across the show’s run, appearing in different roles across several episodes — a notable stretch of consistent work on one of network television’s most-watched comedies of that era.
In 2009, she appeared as herself in a Biography documentary episode focused on Kevin James — a small but telling credit, reflecting her presence within his professional world even off-screen.
Her television work extended further with appearances in Kevin Can Wait, the CBS sitcom that again starred her husband, where she returned to the screen in a recurring capacity.
Acting Career — Film Roles
Her film career began taking shape around the turn of the millennium. She appeared in Cement in 2000, followed by Soulkeeper in 2001 — two early film credits that kept her active during a formative period in her career.
In 2002, she appeared in both Redemption and Stealing Harvard, the latter being a wide-release Hollywood comedy. These back-to-back credits in a single year marked one of her busiest periods as a film actress.
Her most commercially visible work arrived with Paul Blart: Mall Cop in 2009. The film was a major box office success, grossing over $183 million worldwide, and her appearance in it brought her the broadest public exposure of her career. It remains the role most associated with her name.
She followed that with Zookeeper in 2011, another studio comedy, and then reprised her presence in the franchise with Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2 in 2015. Taken together, her film credits span fifteen years and include both independent productions and wide-release studio titles.
Major Achievements and Recognition
Her acting career, as documented on IMDb, spans from 1997 to 2018 — over two decades of consistent, if selective, work in both film and television. That kind of longevity in a competitive industry is itself a form of achievement, even without a headline award to attach to it.
She has not received formal industry awards or nominations based on any verified public record. Her recognition has come primarily through entertainment media coverage and through her association with high-profile productions that reached large audiences.
What sets her filmography apart is its consistency with one creative circle. Many of her most prominent credits — across both film and television — came through projects connected to Kevin James. That pattern reflects not just a personal relationship but a professional one: she was a working actress who appeared in commercially successful Hollywood productions over an extended period.
According to IMDb, her credits are verified and span multiple genres and formats, from television drama to studio comedy. That record stands on its own, independent of any other context.
Net Worth and Earnings
Questions about wealth are among the most searched topics for any public figure. For Steffiana de la Cruz, the answers are limited — not because the information is hidden behind controversy, but simply because she has never addressed it publicly. What is available comes from entertainment industry estimates, not official disclosures.
Salary figures for Steffiana de la Cruz are not available through any verified primary source. No official earnings have been confirmed by her or her representatives.
Salary Details
No per-project salary figures for her acting or modeling work have ever been confirmed through a primary source. She has not disclosed earnings from any individual film, television appearance, or modeling assignment in any verified interview or official statement.
Her known income sources across her career include:
- Acting roles in film and television, spanning from the late 1990s through the late 2010s
- Modeling work during the early-to-mid 1990s, prior to her transition into acting
- No confirmed brand partnerships, endorsement deals, or commercial sponsorships appear in any verified public record
It is worth noting that several of her most prominent acting credits — including Paul Blart: Mall Cop and Zookeeper — were major studio productions with wide theatrical releases. Compensation for supporting roles in films of that scale is typically meaningful, though the specific figures in her case remain undisclosed.
Net Worth Estimate
Based on publicly available entertainment industry reporting, Steffiana de la Cruz’s net worth is estimated at approximately $5 million. This figure appears consistently across multiple entertainment reference outlets and is considered a reasonable reflection of her accumulated earnings from acting and modeling over a two-decade career.
However, important context applies here. This estimate originates from entertainment media aggregators — not from financial disclosures, court records, or statements made by Steffiana de la Cruz or anyone authorized to speak on her behalf. It should be treated as an informed approximation, not a confirmed figure.
Her husband, actor and comedian Kevin James, has a separately reported net worth of over $100 million, accumulated through his extensive career in stand-up comedy, network television, and studio film productions. The couple resides in California. Their combined household reflects significant financial stability — but her estimated net worth of $5 million is understood to reflect her own independent career earnings, not a shared or inherited figure. That distinction matters. She entered the entertainment industry before meeting Kevin James, built acting credits across multiple productions independently, and her estimated valuation reflects that body of work on its own terms.
Personal Life and Family
Away from film sets and red carpets, Steffiana de la Cruz has built something she appears to value far more than public recognition — a stable, private family life. She has never been a tabloid fixture. She does not court media attention. And yet, the key facts about her personal life are well-documented, specific, and worth knowing accurately — particularly because several details circulating online contain errors.
Relationship with Kevin James
Steffiana de la Cruz is married to Kevin James, the American actor and comedian best known for The King of Queens and the Paul Blart: Mall Cop franchise. Their relationship did not begin through industry connections or a Hollywood party. It started, rather unexpectedly, with a blind date.
The introduction was arranged by Kevin James’s interior decorator in late 2001. By most accounts, the two connected immediately. Within three months, they had moved in together — a rapid progression that, in retrospect, set the tone for a relationship built on certainty rather than hesitation.
They became engaged in the fall of 2003. The wedding followed on June 19, 2004, at St. Edward Catholic Church in Dana Point, California. It was a formal, well-attended ceremony — approximately 180 guests were present, including actor Ray Romano. The reception took place at the Montage Resort in Laguna Beach, a setting that reflected the occasion’s significance without veering into excess.
Steffiana wore a strapless Tomasina gown with beaded and embroidered trim — a detail reported at the time and consistent across multiple sources covering the event. Their marriage has now spanned more than two decades. Kevin James has spoken publicly about her role in his life on more than one occasion, crediting her as both an inspiration and a source of personal and professional support. For a couple in an industry not known for longevity, theirs stands as a notably enduring partnership.
Previous Relationship
Before her marriage to Kevin James, Steffiana was in a relationship with actor Chris Penn — brother of Sean Penn — which lasted from approximately 1993 to 1999. During that period, she appeared in small roles in some of his film projects, which accounts for several of her earliest acting credits.
It is important to clarify a factual error that appears in a number of online sources: Chris Penn was not her husband. The relationship was non-marital. They were partners who lived together during those years, but no marriage took place between them.
Chris Penn passed away on January 24, 2006, in Santa Monica, California. He was widely recognized for his character work in film and television throughout the 1980s and 1990s. Any reference to him as her former husband is inaccurate and should be treated as a reporting error.
Children
Steffiana de la Cruz and Kevin James are parents to four children — three daughters and one son. Each birth has been reported through entertainment media, and the names and approximate birth years are consistent across verified sources.
Their first child, a daughter named Sienna-Marie James, was born on September 30, 2005. Steffiana was 31 years old at the time — and by all accounts, motherhood became a defining part of her identity from that point forward. Less than two years later, the couple welcomed their second daughter, Shea Joelle James, born on June 14, 2007, in Los Angeles.
Their only son, Kannon Valentine James, arrived in 2011, adding a different energy to what had been an all-daughter household. The family was completed in 2015 with the birth of their youngest daughter, Sistine Sabella James — bringing the total to four children across a decade of parenthood.
The family resides in California. Steffiana has consistently kept her children away from media exposure, and no verified interviews, photographs, or statements from or about the children have been made part of the public record by either parent. That choice appears deliberate. For an actress who spent years working in mainstream Hollywood productions, her commitment to shielding her family from public life speaks to where her priorities genuinely lie. She is, by every available account, a mother first — and a public figure only when the work requires it.
FAQ: Everything You Need to Know About Steffiana de la Cruz
Key questions answered about the Filipino-American actress and her public life
She is best known for her roles in the Hollywood comedy films Paul Blart: Mall Cop (2009), Zookeeper (2011), and Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2 (2015). She also made multiple appearances in the CBS sitcom The King of Queens. She is widely recognized as the wife of American actor and comedian Kevin James, whom she married on June 19, 2004.
Her zodiac sign is Virgo. She was born under the name Stephanie Anna Marie Zantua and later adopted her professional name Steffiana de la Cruz for her career in modeling and acting.
The couple met on a blind date arranged by Kevin James's interior decorator in late 2001. They married on June 19, 2004, at St. Edward Catholic Church in Dana Point, California. Their wedding reception was held at the Montage Resort in Laguna Beach, with approximately 180 guests in attendance, including actor Ray Romano. Their marriage has now lasted over two decades.
Their eldest daughter, Sienna-Marie James, was born on September 30, 2005. Their second daughter, Shea Joelle James, was born on June 14, 2007. Their only son, Kannon Valentine James, was born in 2011. Their youngest daughter, Sistine Sabella James, was born in 2015. The family currently resides in California.
This figure is based on publicly available entertainment industry estimates reflecting her career earnings from acting and modeling across two decades. It has not been officially confirmed by Steffiana de la Cruz or her representatives. Her husband Kevin James has a separately reported net worth of over $100 million.
Her earlier film credits include Cement (2000), Soulkeeper (2001), Redemption (2002), and Stealing Harvard (2002). On television, she made multiple appearances in The King of Queens (2002–2006) and later appeared in Kevin Can Wait (2017–2018). Her acting career, as documented on IMDb, spans from 1997 to 2018.
She adopted the professional name Steffiana de la Cruz for her career in the entertainment industry. Her birth name reflects her Filipino heritage — her parents, known publicly only as Mr. and Mrs. Zantua, immigrated to the United States from the Philippines before she was born.
Her weight is estimated at approximately 55 kg or 121 lbs based on publicly available reports. These figures are third-party estimates and have not been officially confirmed by Steffiana de la Cruz herself.
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