Vanessa Marano

Vanessa Nicole Marano (born October 31, 1992) is an American actress. She has starred in television movies and had recurring roles in such series as Without a Trace, Gilmore Girls, Ghost Whisperer,Scoundrels and The Young and the Restless. Since June 2011, she has starred as Bay Kennish on Switched at Birth. She posed on the book covers of "Sisters of Bay City" as Mel Winslow. Her younger sister Laura is also an actress and she posed on the covers with her sister as Kris Winslow.

Career
Vanessa Marano began acting professionally when she was seven years old.[1] According to an interview with her sister, her mother did not want either of her children to have careers in show business, and took her to an agent that she believed was most likely to turn kids down, only to find that she was accepted. Laura, who was on the scene with her also impressed the agency.[2] Since then, she worked for productions at the Stage Door Theater. Her first major roles on television have been as Jack Malone's older daughter in Without a Trace (she and real life sister Laura play sisters), Valerie's stepdaughter in The Comeback and as April Nardini in Gilmore Girls. She also played Layne Abeley in The Clique based on the books by Lisi Harrison and Samantha Combs in Dear Lemon Lima. Marano starred in an episode of Ghost Whisperer alongside Jennifer Love Hewitt. Marano played Eden on The Young and the Restless and Hope on Scoundrels. Since June 2011, she has starred as Bay Kennish on the ABC Family show Switched at Birth. In 2013, she starred in Restless Virgins which was inspired by a true story.

Notes/Trivia

 * Vanessa was born in 1992, while her book character, Mel was born in 1981.
 * She is also one of the youngest members of the prestigious Academy of Television Arts and Sciences.
 * Vanessa is the older sister of Laura Marano who is also an actress.
 * Both Vanessa and her sister, Laura Marano, have guest-starred on the series, Dexter (2006). Laura played the younger version of "Debra Morgan" in Season one while Vanessa played Arthur Mitchell's daughter in Season four.
 * Vanessa is good friends with Steffani Brass.
 * She and her real-life sister, Laura Marano, played on-screen sisters in recurring roles on Without a Trace (2002).
 * Best friends with Meaghan Martin.