Leila Carmelita Arcieri (born December 18, 1973) is an American actress, model, and businesswoman best known for her role as Jamaica St. Croix on the television comedy series “Son of the Beach” and for appearances in films such as “xXx,” “Wild Things 2,” and “Daddy Day Care.”

She was born in San Francisco, California, to Anita Van Buyten and is of mixed heritage that has been described as including Italian, Jewish, African-American, and Native American ancestry, reflecting her father’s Ashkenazi Jewish background and her mother’s African-American roots.

Her parents divorced when she was young and she was raised primarily by her mother, developing interests in sports and performance while growing up and later working in fields such as graphic design and photography before moving into the entertainment industry.​

Leila Arcieri first gained wider public attention in pageantry and modeling. In 1997 she was crowned Miss San Francisco in the Miss California pageant, a title that led to commercial work and appearances in advertising campaigns for brands including 1-800-COLLECT and Starburst, as well as work as the Coors Light Beer spokesmodel for 2000. 

She also appeared in several music videos for artists such as Boyz II Men, The Isley Brothers, Montell Jordan, Q-Tip, and Puff Daddy, where her visibility in pop culture increased and opened doors to acting opportunities.​

Her acting career began with small roles in late-1990s films and television shows, including “Foolish” (1999), “Beverly Hood” (1999), and guest appearances on series like “Rescue 77” and “Cousin Skeeter.” 

Her breakthrough came when writer-producer Timothy Stack cast her as Jamaica St. Croix, a lifeguard character, in the syndicated series “Son of the Beach” (2000–2002), a parody of “Baywatch,” where she was part of the main cast throughout the show’s run.

She went on to appear in the action film “xXx” (2002) as Jordan King, the comedy “Daddy Day Care” (2003) as Kelli, and the erotic thriller “Wild Things 2” (2004) as Maya King, reinforcing her profile in both comedic and genre cinema. Her television credits also include roles on “Kevin Hill,” “CSI: NY,” “One on One,” and a range of TV movies and independent features, such as “Buffalo Bushido,” for which she won a Best Actress award at the Brooklyn International Film Festival in 2009.​

In addition to her work onscreen, she has been active as an entrepreneur. She is the founder and president of STIR Sweetener, a natural sweetener brand developed as a lower-calorie alternative to traditional sugar, reflecting her interest in wellness and healthy lifestyle products.