- In September 2012, Rivera was signed to Elton John's management company.
- Was of half Puerto Rican, one quarter African-American, and one quarter German descent.
- Auditioned for American Idol: The Search for a Superstar (2002), but didn't make the cut.
- Had a son: Josey Dorsey (b. September 17, 2015) with ex-husband, Ryan Dorsey.
- Took up songwriting at the age of 15.
- Unlike their characters on Đội Hát Trung Học (2009), Rivera and co-star Kevin McHale were very close friends. They gave each other "Bee" as a nickname.
- As a baby, Rivera appeared in commercials for Kmart, but her first significant acting job was at the age of four when she starred as Hillary Winston in the sitcom The Royal Family (1991).
- Died by drowning on 8 July of 2020 after renting a pontoon boat on Lake Piru (Ventura County, California), with her four-year-old son Josey. The child, who had a life preserver on, reported she went for a short swim but never came back.
- Was at Michael Jackson's Neverland Ranch twice. She was invited by Jackson's niece, who she met while auditioning when Rivera was younger.
- Younger sister, Nickayla Rivera, called her "Little Sonic", because of her "off-the-charts energy" when she got excited.
- In May 2011, Rivera signed a record contract with Columbia Records.
- Released her first single, "Sorry" ft. Big Sean, on September 17, 2013.
- Was on the verge of quitting acting before she got her role in Đội Hát Trung Học (2009).
- Was an avid reader and dedicated time to various charitable organizations.
- Her real-life best friends were Đội Hát Trung Học (2009) co-star, Heather Elizabeth Morris, who played her best friend in the show as well, and Đội Hát Trung Học (2009) co-executive producer, John Peter Kousakis (a.k.a. Telly Kousakis).
- Had 6 tattoos. They included a small bow on the back of her neck, the word "Love" written in Hebrew on the inside of her right wrist, a large cross on her lower back, a small peace sign on the inside of her left ankle, and a shooting star on the top of her right foot.
- While joking around one day, she made up a celebratory dance that is now known as "The Naya Dance".
- Rivera's younger brother, Mychal Rivera, has started as tight end, #81, for the Tennessee Volunteers football team. And in 2013 he was the 184th pick in round 6 of the NFL Draft. He debuted in 2013 as a tight end, #81, for the Oakland Raiders.
- Revealed in her autobiography "Sorry Not Sorry" that she had an abortion in 2010, after discovering that she was pregnant with the child of Ryan Dorsey who she had split from at that time. She and Dorsey later married in 2014, and started a family together.
- In 2016 she wrote her memoir "Sorry Not Sorry: Dreams, Mistakes & Growing Up.".
- Signed her autograph as a heart with her first name followed.
- In December 2011, Rivera became the new face of Proactiv Solution.
- When she was 17, she worked as a greeter at Abercrombie & Fitch but quit to take a job selling memberships at Lake Elizabeth Golf & Ranch Club.
- In 2002, she appeared in the music video for B2K's "Why I Love You".
- Los Angeles, CA, USA: Recording for her first solo album under Columbia Records (January 2012)
- Had a younger sister, Nickayla Rivera, who models.
- In 2012, Rivera held her #1 rank on AfterEllen's Hot 100 list.
- Her first concert was going to see No Doubt.
- Mother Yolanda was a former model.
- Confirmed in her memoir, "Sorry Not Sorry", that Smart Guy (1997) actor Tahj Mowry was her first boyfriend. The pair dated for four years between 2000 to 2004 when they were teenagers.
- As a teenager, Rivera loved The Simple Life (2003) and wanted to be like Paris Hilton. She convinced her dad to let her get a little dog like Paris, who she named Kally.
- In 2011, she ranked #1 on AfterEllen's Hot 100 list.
- In 2012, she ranked #27 on the Maxim Hot 100 list.
- Daughter of George Rivera.
- In 2010, she ranked #61 on the Maxim Hot 100 list.
- In 2011, she ranked #43 on the Maxim Hot 100 list & ranked #1 on AfterEllen's Hot 100 list.
- She was a lifelong liberal Democrat.
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