Valery Ortiz sits down with Hal to talk about growing up and
going to school in Orlando.  Actress Valery Ortiz credits an
Orlando upbringing with setting her on a career path in
television. The graduate of Dr. Phillips High School won many
fans for playing mean Madison on "South of Nowhere."  She won
other fans for spoofing Jennifer Lopez in "Date Movie." Ortiz
wraps up her first season as Raquel on "Hit the Floor," about
the cheerleading squad for a pro basketball team, at 9 p.m.
Monday on VH1. Ortiz, 28, also continues to host for ABC Family
and the syndicated "American Latino TV." Here's an edited
version of my interview with her Thursday.  How do you describe
your "Hit the Floor" character?  Raquel is a strong-willed
woman, a single mother. In the very first episode, she loses her
spot in the squad, and all the decisions she makes after that
are because of her son. She is driven. You see her find herself.
She finally gets revenge on her baby daddy. I can't say too much
about what's going to happen.  "Sout