Carmina Garay Interview by Carol Wright Photographer: Robert Olin Studios
Carmina Garay is a Hollywood star in the making. With roles in Disney+’s Diary of a Future President and Hulu’s hit series, Pen15, Garay is stepping into the industry with her youthful energy and undeniable talent. With both shows returning for their second seasons, you’ll only be seeing more of the teenage actress. Garay spilled on some of her most memorable on set moments, as well as the connections she shares with her characters.
Have you always been a creative person? Yes! I would say I have always been a creative person. For as long as I can remember, I have been singing, drawing, dancing, and acting! I have always been drawn to the arts. You can be seen in Diary of a Future President on Disney+. Are there similarities between you and your character Sasha? Yes, huge similarities! I like to think that Sasha is really just my personality, times 10. We are both bubbly, optimistic, love our friends, and love to have fun. When I first started playing Sasha, I didn’t think that we were that much alike, but as we continued filming, I realized we were a whole lot more similar than I thought. Elena and Sasha got into a lot of antics in season 1, such as venturing to forbidden stores in the mall and more. What was 69
your favorite scene to shoot? Oh! That’s a tough question! I would say I have two favorites. One is the “Intimates and More” mall scene in episode 4, and the other would be the fight scene at the dance between Sasha and Elena in episode 8. The “Intimates and More” mall scene was just so fun to shoot because we got to dance around and do things you normally don’t do in a store. It was really funny seeing the looks on peoples faces who were actually shopping at the mall! Tess (who plays Elena) and I were also looking forward to the fight scene for a long time as well. It was fun to get so intense when we were all dressed up and in such a pretty room! Diary of a Future President is an important series for young people to see, especially young girls. Are you excited to be in a show that highlights strong, young women? Yes, I am so excited! I always felt
that I wanted to be a role model in some way and now with DOFP, we have the chance to tell some really great stories. I love the way that so many issues that young girls go through (that may feel so earth shattering at the time) are talked about and normalized. We all go through things, and DOFP shares those stories in a relatable way. Our hope is that young girls especially can watch and see that it’s not just them who may be experiencing the mean girl or the crush or whatever they may be dealing with. Diary of a Future President is coming back for a second season. Can you give us any hint of what Sasha will be up to in season 2? Haha, sorry, but I can’t! Because of the Coronavirus pandemic, most productions have been paused including DOFP. I have no idea what to expect for season 2, but I hope to see more of Sasha and Elena’s shenanigans!
