Digital Cover: Cinthya Carmona
Talent: Cinthya Carmona
Photos: Ben Cope
Stylist: Bianca Agrusa
MUA: Maria Luz
Hair Stylist: Guy Levi
Producer: Chrissy Wang
Words + EIC: Anthony Vu Cao
Special Thanks: Platform PR
Hi GR8T, thank you for having me! My name is Cinthya Carmona and I play make believe for a living!
You have been acting for a while now, could you tell us how you first got started?
I was always performing as a kid, whether it was putting on plays for kids in my neighborhood, or working on productions in school. People close to me always told me I was an actress or that I should try it, but I actually grew up as a dancer and my dream was always to dance professionally. It wasn't until I went to an acting workshop at 17 that the acting bug really hit me and I realized it was for me. Everything just seemed to click and make sense. I haven't looked back since!
How was it like being cast on The Tax Collector and being on set with Shia LaBeouf?
The Tax Collector was so different from any other project I had ever done. For so long I had played the high school cheerleader on TV and now I was really doing something dark and gritty, which is my favorite. Working with David Ayer (our director) and such a talented cast was an experience I will never forget. It was like an acting boot camp for sure!
Do you have a preferred process when it comes to preparing a role?
Although every character I play is different, there are some things that remain the same for me when it comes to my process. I'm basically a detective, so I really just create an entire life for the character with a backstory, I ask myself a lot of WHY's. It's really about figuring out the psychology of a person, what drives them, motivates them, what they are afraid of, what their goals are, what their childhood was like etc. Sometimes, a script will give you some clues, most of the time you are creating them yourself. I definitely just spend a lot of time trying to see the world as my character would, and do things my character would, seeing the world from their perspective. I create playlists for them, music is a big part of helping me tell a story. I have notebooks and journals as the character. Really is about sitting with the character and getting to their true essence.
Can you remember the first audition you ever did? How would it compare to the most recent one?
This is a funny story I've never shared before: I auditioned for school stuff all the time, but my first professional audition was for a CLEAN AND CLEAR commercial and at the time I was a teenager with acne! I was so insecure about it, I locked myself in the bathroom of the casting directors office and refused to come out. The casting director knocked on my door, I couldn't do it. I went home! hahahaha Teenage angst is so real! While I still feel like an awkward teenager, I think I've been doing it long enough now that auditions don't make me feel that way anymore. I've learned how to have a lot of fun with them, it only took me 15 years!!!
If you could choose to star in a TV show which one would it be and why?
There are two for me. Definitely the first season of "Euphoria". That show broke the mold. I loved everything about that first season from the music, the wardrobe, the makeup, the directing/acting/writing. I was definitely hooked along with the rest of the world. Second would be "Queen of The South" because we love a strong female badass.
"Everything that you dream of right now feels crazy and impossible, but it's not. Forget the naysayers and the doubters, people will project their own insecurities onto you. Stay focused and don't lose sight of the forest in the trees, you got this."
As a bilingual actress, which language do you feel most comfortable with?
Although Spanish is my first language, (I'm Colombian and Venezuelan) but I grew up in Miami since I was 3 years old. I definitely speak more English. I'll mess up words in Spanish and my family in Barranquilla (Colombia) makes fun of me so hard for it!
You're starring in Jenni, the biocip about Jenni Rvera, what excites you most about this project?
Really loved being able to be a part of the first Jenni Rivera biopic in English. There have been a few productions made for latin audiences but this is definitely for new eyes and a new generation. Jenni is a legend, honored to have been a small part in telling her story, and very excited to play the great Chiquis Rivera.
Apart from acting, you also host your own talk show with LATV called "You, Me, & Joe". What can you tell us about this show and what made you become part of it?
You, Me, and Joe is a show where artists come together to get real and have real conversations over coffee. I literally get to sit with some super cool people doing amazing things in the industry and we just talk about everything under the sun. Art, life, love, what inspires them, the adversities they've faced. I get to have some of my friends there as well and it's literally like getting a peek into our real life conversations when the cameras are off. When LATV originally reached out to me about the show, I wasn't sure if hosting was for me, I had never done it before. I think because I just genuinely love sitting and chatting with people and getting to know them and their stories, this show is honestly perfect for me! We are having such a good time on set, with the coolest people, my entire team is there behind the scenes, and shooting days really just feel like one big hang out. That's what (I hope) our viewers feel as well!
What is your favorite part about having a talk show that hosts so many talented individuals across the board?
My favorite part is just learning about the things people have overcome in life. I'm so inspired by every guest that sits down with me. I really believe in an era of social media and people only showing you the highlight reels of their lives, it's important to sit and get real. About mental health, heartbreak, rejection, struggle. I've been very fortunate to have guests on our show that really just let their hair down and get real. I'm not a fan of small talk, it's my biggest pet peeve!
What advice would you give to your younger self?
I feel like I always still speak to the younger version of myself. Reparenting your inner child is so important. Specifically I would tell her : "Everything that you dream of right now feels crazy and impossible, but it's not. Forget the naysayers and the doubters, people will project their own insecurities onto you. Stay focused and don't lose sight of the forest in the trees, you got this."
How do you find balance between work and your personal life?
It has taken me a long time to find balance, but I think I'm finally starting to get a hang on it. For years it was go go go, work, hustle, focus. My mental health didn't matter, sleep didn't matter, the way I pushed myself didn't matter. It definitely took a toll on me and I had to take a couple years to really learn how to care for myself and my mental health. Now? Nothing comes before my mental health, nothing. I go to therapy, I stay active, I have a solid group of people that really care about me and keep me accountable and I know the importance of being kind to myself and making time for the people and the things I love. At the end of the day, no matter how much you want to work and succeed, you have to take care of yourself first and foremost.
We've seen you're very into working out. What is your favorite routine and why?
Working out is a part of my daily life. It's so much more than the physical aspect of it, it does wonders for your mental health. It's a healthy way to give your brain happy chemicals and I'm all about that! I never regret a workout no matter how small it is. I like to switch things up with fitness so I don't get bored. I'm really into Pilates and Tennis right now, I do yoga and weight training a few days a week. Sometimes I'll take a dance class or go for a gorgeous hike in LA, it's such a fun healthy hobby!
Lastly, what is something about you that nobody knows?
Okay: no-one knows this but, I've never been on a roller coaster! I've been on baby ones like Space Mountain, Thunder Mountain etc. But like actual legit roller coasters? Never!!
Thank you so much GR8T, you guys are awesome xoxo! GR8T
