María Canals Barrera on Her Life as an Actress and Mother

María Canals Barrera, actress and singer, is best known by teenagers for her roles as the beloved and amusing mom in both “Wizards of Waverly Place, “Camp Rock” and “Camp Rock 2: The Final Jam.”

She has worked extensively in theater and made her network television debut in the 1993 TV series “Key West”. María has since gained much recognition with comic book fans for her voice roles on “Justice League”, “Justice League Unlimited”, “Static Shock” and “Danny Phantom”. María has also starred in “The George Lopez Show” and is the voice of Sunset Boulevardez on “The Proud Family”. Her most recent project is a role in the upcoming film “Larry Crowne” with Tom Hanks and Julia Roberts. She recently gave an exclusive interview with Best of You Today about these professional roles along with her most important one, that of a conscious mom to her two young daughters.

BOYT:    What was your inspiration to pursue a career as an actress?
 
MCB:    Acting was always a passion I followed. I’m sure it came from my dramatic mother. When she told us stories, she relived every moment of it. I remember auditioning for the shows in school and I couldn’t wait to be in 8th grade because that’s when you could take drama. I was the lead in a bunch of plays in high school and I was named “Most Talented”. I auditioned for the University of Miami, got a scholarship, majored in Theater Arts, and got a degree in Fine Arts. In my senior year, I was in a play at The Coconut Globe Playhouse and I thought, “Wow, this is what I want to do.” 
 
BOYT:    In addition to being a successful actress, you’re a mother as well.
 
MCB:    Oh, yes. My husband and I have two little girls that are almost 7 and 5. 
 
BOYT:    As a working mom, how do you balance your career with parenting?
 
MCB:    By prioritizing, being supportive of each other, and remembering what’s important and that it’s an adventure. There is nothing harder or more important than parenting because you’re affecting someone’s life forever. The point is to raise a healthy, well-adjusted, happy, loving grown up. That’s what we do. I love it. My husband is a wonderfully intuitive father. He’s a very perceptive person and I’m very grateful for that. 
 
BOYT:    Is your husband, David Barrera, supportive of your busy career?
 
MCB:    He’s an actor as well and is very busy. He’s doing a lot of guest stars and independent films, but he has a little bit more freedom because he’s not a regular right now.
 
When I did “Camp Rock”, my husband was doing a miniseries in Africa and it was a six-month shoot. He was able to visit three times and for one of the visits he got to stay for a whole month. But, after that experience, he said, “I don’t ever want to be that far apart for that long again.” It was hard on all of us. So, when I did “Camp Rock 2” and “Wizards of Waverly Place the Movie”, he and the kids came with me and we did “hotel school” instead of home school. It was a sacrifice for him because he was giving up work, but it was so important to be together. It was so fun, even though it was exhausting because I was working, teaching and parenting. 
 
BOYT:    Do your daughters like your show, “Wizards of Waverly Place”?
 
MCB:    They really like the show. They love the actors on set because they got to know them as people, which I really love. You don’t want you kids to be starstruck at such a young age.
 
BOYT:    What are your cast mates like?
 
MCR:    Selena Gomez has a sweet, kind heart. She’s a down-to-earth, simple Texas gal in many ways and she’s also super talented. David Henrie is a complete doll; he’s just so sweet to my girls. On “Camp Rock”, Demi Lovato's a fun, down-to-earth, goofy, gorgeous talent. The Jonas brothers are really sweet guys and my girls got to play with them and just hang out on set. 
 
BOYT:    With a very busy family and career, what are some of your daily practices to remain centered and grounded?
 
MCB:    We believe in the power of prayer and in spending quality time together. We make choices; you don’t have to be crazy busy. I have terrific hours on “Wizards” because it’s a sitcom and a kid’s show. We rehearse untill 2:30 in the afternoon. I get to pick my girls up from school a lot. Shoot days are pretty long. My girls will come to the set or they’ll meet me for lunch. I believe in getting enough rest. I don’t know that I always do it. 
 
BOYT:    Have your daughters shown any interest in acting?
 
MCB:    We’ve talked about all of the possibilities of what they can study in college, what a job is, making money, and what it means to take care of yourself and your family. I’ve talked about the myriad of careers that she can choose from, but my oldest said, “My lifelong dream is to be a singer,” and I said, “Okay.” I plan on supporting them in whatever their passion is. I want them to feel fulfilled. We can’t control everything, but there’s a lot that we can choose. Life is a series of consequences based on our choices and I’m helping them make the right choices.
 
BOYT:    You are currently working on the movie “Larry Crowne” alongside Julia Roberts and Tom Hanks. Can you give us a sneak peek into the life of your character in the film?
 
MCB:    Tom Hanks is the director and star. He co-wrote it with Nia Vardalos, from “My Big Fat Greek Wedding”. “Larry Crowne” is about a middle-aged man, Tom Hanks, who gets fired and has to go to college. It really speaks to what is going on with this economy and a lot of people having to go back to school, reinvent themselves and change careers. I play Lala Pinedo and I am a classmate of Larry’s. I’m this shy gal who’s afraid of public speaking. Julia Roberts plays our professor and I try to emulate her. It’s a really funny, quirky, terrific, unpredictable story. You won’t be able to figure it all out. It’ll surprise you.
 
BOYT:    When can we hope to see this in theaters?
 
MCB:    In spring 2011.
 
BOYT:    If you could pick any career other than acting, what would you choose?
 
MCB:    One of the things that recently crossed my mind is the role of a preschool teacher. My little one just graduated from this wonderful preschool with these wonderful teachers and I saw the impact they have on these little lives so early on. When a teacher is special like that, they will never be forgotten. So, that crossed my mind because it is such an impactful profession.  
I like to cook. Maybe I could be a chef. I don’t know about you, but I think the Food Network has changed the world. It has made it so user-friendly to make something you thought you never could. You can download recipes for free on foodnetwork.com. I love it.
 
BOYT:    Is there someone that you admire in your industry?
 
MCB:    Tom Hanks. He’s pretty amazing. I have to say, after having worked with him, he’s human, but he’s positive, has a great attitude, and is authentic. He treats everybody with such respect and he’s fun. He reminded me to trust myself and to be very grateful. He’s a very grateful person and I bet that’s why he’s so successful. He doesn’t take his blessings for granted. 
 
BOYT:    What would you say is the best piece of advice you’ve received during your career?
 
MCB:    Have training first. I was well trained. It never crossed my mind that you could go into this business and not first prepare. When I moved to LA, it seemed like everybody that wanted to be in this business had never done it or even taken a class. It seemed like they were looking for fame. You’ve got to love what it is. You have to enjoy what it entails, and that is a lot of work and a lot of rejection. 
 
BOYT:    If you could offer advice to someone that wants to pursue a career as an actor, what would that be?
 
MCB:    Make sure that you love the work. If you don’t, you won’t make it. It’s a hard business. So, make sure you love it. And make sure you get trained so that you know what you’re doing.
 
BOYT:    What is something our readers may be surprised to know about you? 
 
MCB:    Is it shocking for an actress to not believe in dieting? I think dieting backfires. I believe everything in moderation. Stay active.