Karrie Martin

karrie martins

A fan-favorite on Netflix’s Gentefied, Karrie Martin shines as the relentless, unapologetic Ana Morales. The bilingual comedy, executive produced by America Ferrera, tackles painful issues with wit and warmth and is exactly the kind of TV we need right now. We talked to the rising actress about the importance of representation onscreen, behind-the-scenes set moments and more:

What drew you to Gentefied and made

you want to be involved?

In all honesty, I had no idea what I was getting myself into at first. I was given a brief breakdown as to who my character was and a set of sides before I went in. But then I met Marvin [Lemus], Linda [Yvette Chávez] and the producers and I was sold. They are Gentefied. I had never felt such warmth and camaraderie in an audition room, and their energy was off the charts. I felt safe and at home; I knew right then and there that I wanted to do every single day. Everything that the story is, all the feelings and emotions, are thanks to the heart and care brought by our production team.

Let’s talk about your role as Ana – she is unapologetic about who she is: do you find that you relate to her in this sense?

Yes, Ana is such a dynamic character! I think what I relate to the most is Ana’s directness. Amongst my family, I’m definitely the most direct, but actually as I think on this question, I’m probably not as direct out in the world.

This is why Ana’s ability to stand in her power has taught me so much about myself and given me such strength and permission to just be completely me anywhere I am. I am definitely finding more of myself as I grow with her.

Though your personal life differs from that of Ana’s, how do you use these differences to fuel your portrayal of her?

That’s a great question. Because we have such different personal lives and come from such different backgrounds, I had to be fully me, while being fully Ana. The set was such a safe place to give myself the permission to drop into who Ana is without judgment and just live life through her eyes. That said, there’s something so incredible about her that even in her weakness, she’s strong. As the oldest of 4 children, I’ve always had this level of “perfection” I thought I had to be; I related and just allowed myself to sit in the mess and truly enjoy it.

What does it mean to you to bring such a strong character to life and have her resonate with viewers?

It means everything to me. Ana means everything to me. She’s educated me, just as she educates and empowers the young girls and women watching. I would not know what I now know without Ana and without this experience. For me to be the portrayal of everything wonderful that she is (strength, power, self-worth) and for it to resonate with others is the greatest honor. Ana being a lesbian, is like me being heterosexual, it’s just part of me, but I am more than that just like Ana is more than the labels people put on her. She’s an artist, she’s a daughter, she’s a sister, she’s a fighter, she’s a perfectly beautiful mess that continues to evolve. When telling authentic human stories like this, we get to bridge the gap between the one telling the story and the one watching. People are able to truly see themselves and I believe that’s why so many individuals have related to Gentefied.

What has the reaction been like from viewers so far?

The reaction from viewers has been incredibly positive. I am getting messages from all over the world of people telling me they are so grateful to finally be able to see themselves. That there is probably the most incredible part of this whole experience. Because of our show, people are feeling understood and they’re seeing different perspectives of life and society and family and it’s all relatable.

Are there any memorable behind-the-scenes moments that you can share with us?

This is definitely not juicy gossip, but more so something I, myself, would’ve loved to read more about as I was coming up in the industry. So, as you know, actors are in their heads a lot and have moments on set when they’re fighting against the truth of the emotion they’re feeling. For me, in this particular moment, I was in my head about over-emoting. So, Marta Cunningham, director of Episodes 5 and 6, came up to me and told me to just take a breath and let it go. She gave me the

permission I wasn’t giving myself, which was the exact push I needed. For me, to be able to talk that moment through, be on the same page, and know that was I was feeling was valid and on point truly allowed me to trust myself during the rest of filming.

What would you say was the biggest

lesson you learned on the Gentefied set?

How would you describe the vibe on set?

The biggest lesson I’ve learned from this set is to never limit myself. I can do all things through hard work and dedication, in-spite of any labels given to me. The color of my skin, where I’m from or how I speak does not minimize my intelligence or what I’ll accomplish. I determine that. The vibe on set is only defined by one word: FAMILY. And everything that means. It was loud, never felt like work, it was encouraging and it felt like home.

What can you tell us about your experience working with America Ferrera on set?

America was incredible and is so smart! She had a precise vision and a perfect execution. I will say that, through my casting job, I was blessed to work with some amazingly influential women who’ve shown me firsthand to never cower to anyone or anything, and America was no different. She was a producer, a director and an actress on our set. I learned so much from just watching her move so effortlessly from one thing to another and still maintain her grace and strength. She’s the most epic role model.

If the series is green-lit for a second season, what do you want to see happen for Ana? Where do you think she stands with Yessika?

I have so many visions for Ana but I would love for her to find herself by losing herself. I don’t know if that makes sense, but I’d be very into an extreme character arc for her. In regards to Yessika and Ana, I truly don’t know. Her thought process in that last episode is such a mystery and can mean so many different things, so I’m ready for the crazy journey she’s about to embark on!

When you think of your ultimate career goals, what comes to mind?

For starters, getting a season 2 of Gentefied. This is my first series, so to continue developing this beautiful character I get to play, who’s already stretched who I am as an actor more than I ever thought possible, would be a dream come true. But I also want to do movies! I would love to produce (already have some ideas for this) and possibly direct, nothing is off table.

What have you been loving on TV lately?

Well, it’s no secret that I love love and am a hopeless romantic, so you know that mainly means I love me some Hallmark Channel. Literally, all day every day. However, in the streaming world, I just finished Elite, which was everything I didn’t think I needed. I’m currently on Ozark, I know I’m late, but it’s so good and extremely suspenseful. I’m also all about a solid documentary, and Netflix has some of the best. In my personal opinion, I think the content being created is slowly but surely becoming more diversified, so it’s a great time to create and put yourself out there.

How have you been dealing with staying sane at home during these unprecedented times?

Like many, this time has for sure been more of a struggle than I expected. I’m very open about my faith and that’s truly what I’ve been clinging to to stay above water. I highly recommend devotionals as they create a wonderful routine, which is what I thrive on in times like this. I’m also blessed to be back home in Louisiana with my family, so that in itself has been very helpful. We’ve taken to puzzles, long (socially-distanced) walks/ bike rides in our neighborhood and taken drives to our family farm to get some fresh air. My cast mates and I have made it a thing to stay in touch and be connected, as well. But I’ve definitely allowed myself to be lazy and be gentle with everything that’s been happening because the emotions appear like a rollercoaster sometimes.

Any special message for fans/viewers?

First of all, thank y’all so, so much for all the love, all the support and all of the beautiful messages of encouragement you send me on a daily basis. If I were to send y’all any piece of advice, it would be to never give up and keep dreaming. It’s not going be easy, and it may hurt some, but keeping that faith brings about some of the most wonderful blessings. You are enough, you are powerful, you are perfectly imperfect and can do whatever you set your mind to with hard work and determination.

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