Producer Ivana By Maria Talks Monarca And Latinx Representation

2024 Author: Steven Freeman | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-01-12 00:28

Pursuing just one career in film and television is tough for most people, but Ivana de Maria would rather try three at once. “I like being busy, to be honest,” the Mexican American producer, actress and writer tells People CHICA. "I really do!" Most recently, from Maria's been working as a producer on Monarca, a new Netflix series executive produced by Salma Hayek that follows the exploits of the billionaire Carranza family, who initially made their money in the tequila business. “I was very excited to be a part of a project where there were so many women in leading positions,” de Maria says, calling the show a “very new way of doing television for Latin American markets.” The show has already been a hit in Mexico, where it ranked number-one in viewership the weekend of its release. Meanwhile, by Maria 's been wrapping up filming a new show for Fox - “purely acting,” in this case. Here, she talks about why she likes producing and shares the reasons she thinks Hollywood should open its doors to a wider array of creators.

In addition to being a producer, you're also an actress and writer. What appeals to you about producing, as opposed to those other things?

The reason why I went into producing was because I really hated the system of acting in the sense that it was a lot of waiting for people to give you an opportunity. A lot of the elements about your career and your future are in the hands of so many people other than yourself. I realized that we were living in a time when as an actor you really have the opportunity to be making your own content, to be telling the stories that you want to tell. So I started producing stories that I wanted to act in, and then I basically fell in love with the whole concept of storytelling, of finding the story or writing a story… and then from it being just an idea to then seeing it on paper, making it happen and seeing it on the screen.

USC's Annenberg Inclusion Initiative recently published a study about how bad Latinx representation is in top-grossing Hollywood movies. What were your thoughts on that?

I was actually very intrigued by that study. Recently I became an executive producer for an HBO show here in the US and I had a very unique experience. When I talk to people about how it came about, everyone says, "That's so strange, that's not how things happen, that's not how things work." I sold a show to HBO without an agent, without a manager. I had never pitched a show in my life. I didn't have a name for myself here in the US and they still opened the doors, gave me the time, listened to my pitch, and believed in the story enough to not let any of those elements of who I was matter. I see a lot of new things happening, new ways of working happening. I definitely think that the barriers of entry have failed and that the power is in the hands of the creatives more than ever, because there 's so much competition and so much content out there that everyone is looking for the next best story. If you have the next best story and you know how to tell it, I think you have the chance to tell it.

It does seem like TV has really offered a lot more opportunity in the past few years

Yeah, for sure. Things are changing a lot and with those changes come opportunities for different people. I was shocked to see all the statistics, and it's obviously very sad to see how little presence of Latinas and women in general there is in film… but I do think that there is a lot of opportunity as well. Personally, from what I've experienced lately, everyone is looking for Latino directors, Latina producers, and everyone wants to put a Latino on their show. Whether they're doing it to be politically correct or not, it's such a smart business decision, because the US Hispanic market is the strongest market there is. The fan bases are so incredibly loyal. If you think about it, you have all these incredible Latin actors and actresses who are trying to cross over into the USor into Hollywood from different parts of the world, and you really have a huge opportunity to bring them on your project and with them bring their entire fan base.

Prior to the HBO show you mentioned, had you experienced situations where people doubted your producing abilities because you're a woman or a Latina?

Always. I think also because I'm young. To be honest, that has been the most biggest insecurity for me - the fact that I've always been younger than other people that are around me. The Latina element, I think it's still very present. … There's still this perception that there's not enough space for more than one Latino. It's like, "Oh no, there's already a Sofia Vergara." What does that even mean? There's so much opportunity. At the same time, I think that in the acting realm there's been a shift where [Latinx actors] don't need to be cast as the service lady or the valet guy or the waitress. You can be a lawyer and be Latina, you can be a doctor and be Latina. There's been this shift, and hopefully it'll continue because it's still not entirely there. … It starts with the creators. It starts with the people who are telling the stories, it starts with sharing our stories as Latinos, and sharing the stories that are not necessarily stereotypical and getting those stories told. It's full circle teamwork.