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[0:06] Robert Peterpaul: Hello, beautiful people. Welcome to the Art of Kindness, where we have compassionate conversations with artists from all areas of the entertainment industry who are using their voice to spread joy and make this big spinning planet in the sky a better place to be. I'm Robert Peterpaul, and I'm so glad you're here.

[0:39] Robert Peterpaul: Bump bum bum bum. Sorry, I've always wanted to do that. If you know, you know. Happy June, friends! It's an exciting month filled with so many wonderful celebrations, from pride to the official start of summer, hey, to my birthday. It's also got the kickoff to a brand new Disney's Channel original series called Ultraviolet and Black Scorpion). And lucky for you, we have one of the stars coming to your Mickey Mouse ears right now. Haha! Today's guest is performer and environmental activist Marianna Burelli. Originally from Venezuela, Marianna has carved out a home in many countries throughout her life. From attending college in South Africa to then studying theater and forming her own theater company in London, Marianna is a true woman of the world.

In 2009, she began her professional acting career in Mexico City and quickly became a Latin American celebrity for her roles on series like Paramedicos. After racking up tons of credits and acclaim, Marianna set her sights on Hollywood. She now makes her U.S. debut in Disney's Channel's original series, Ultraviolet and Black Scorpion). The family comedy follows Violet, an everyday Mexican-American teen who is chosen by a magical luchador mask, which transforms her into Ultraviolet, a superhero fighting crime. Marianna shines on the show as Nina, Violet's mother and principal of her daughter's middle school. The series marks an important moment for Disney's featuring a cast made up of a diverse group of Latinx actors, as well as Latinx talent behind the camera with a writer's room filled with people of Latinx heritage.

Ultraviolet and Black Scorpion) debuted on Disney's Channel on June 3rd and will begin streaming on Disney's Plus on June 8th. When she isn't on set filming, Marianna is a real-life superhero fighting for environmental justice. She is the co-creator of a 100% natural, sustainable, and plastic-free cosmetics line. We discuss the origins of this, her acting journey, working with Disney's, and so much more. As always, please stick around for your post-interview kindness tip of the week. I also would love for you to go follow us on social media at Art of Kindness Pod and at Robert Peterpaul. It's a lovely hub for us to connect on. We share bonus content about the episodes and also announce really exciting things.

Actually, this week we have a huge announcement coming, so stay tuned, friends. We'd also love for you to be so kind as to leave us a five-star review. Just saying. Now without further ado, please enjoy the magnificent Marianna Burelli.

[3:40] Marianna Burelli: Hi!

[3:41] Robert Peterpaul: Hey!

[3:43] Marianna Burelli: Hello.

[3:44] Robert Peterpaul: How's it going?

[3:45] Marianna Burelli: I'm good, Robert. How are you?

[3:48] Robert Peterpaul: I'm great. You look like you're glowing in front of this window right now.

[3:52] Marianna Burelli: Well, yeah, I found my light.

[3:56] Robert Peterpaul: That's the one thing I know how to do.

[3:57] Marianna Burelli: I actually found my life.

[3:59] Robert Peterpaul: Yeah, as actors, like I feel like that's a skill you need to pick up early on. Otherwise, nobody can see you, you know?

[4:04] Marianna Burelli: Nobody can see you. And you can look really strange when you're badly lit. Like, not even beautiful or ugly, just strange looking. Like just weird.

[4:15] Marianna Burelli: Yeah, that's why we got lighting designers, you know? It's an important job.

[4:18] Robert Peterpaul: For sure.

[4:19] Marianna Burelli: Oh yeah, for sure. They say, be friends with the cinematographer, be friends with the grip people, and be friends with a makeup artist. And that's it. That's your career.

[4:33] Robert Peterpaul: It's so true.

[4:34] Marianna Burelli: Yeah.

[4:35] Robert Peterpaul: And that's one thing I always love about Disney's, and we're gonna get into your awesome new project. I just feel like the lighting and the aesthetic is always so colorful and beautiful. And so it's like eye candy. You could watch it on mute, and it would still be just as much fun, I feel like.

[4:49] Marianna Burelli: Yeah, yeah, it is true. Although our show has a different color. I don't know if you watched the trailer.

[4:59] Robert Peterpaul: I got to watch the first episode, actually.

[5:01] Marianna Burelli: Who are you? Have you not seen it?

[5:04] Robert Peterpaul: Yes, I've seen episode one.

[5:06] Marianna Burelli: That's it.

[5:07] Robert Peterpaul: That's all I got to see. Although they did, I think they sent me the first two, but I got it last night. So I only had the chance to watch one.

[5:13] Marianna Burelli: Wow. How were you able to do that?

[5:16] Robert Peterpaul: The Disney's Press team is pretty magical.

[5:18] Marianna Burelli: Yeah. It's pretty magical.

[5:20] Robert Peterpaul: What?

[5:21] Marianna Burelli: Yeah, it's a perk of the gig that I always love. It's like if someone told me I would be getting to watch TV for a living, I'd be like, Are you kidding? What?

[5:28] Robert Peterpaul: Yeah, and I loved it.

[5:29] Marianna Burelli: Oh my oh my goodness. I'm gonna get into it and I'm probably gonna compliment you this entire time. But before I do, there's a question I always like to start out asking people who've kind of, you know, reached success and are doing what they love and are very visible. And it's a very simple question. How do you feel you are at taking compliments?

[5:52] Marianna Burelli: Not great, not great. Honestly, not great. I think it's one of those things that they say, don't believe it when it's too sweet, and don't believe it when it's too sour either, you know. I feel like one of the things that helped me stay focused and sort of like, of course, shaken, but not like removed from the grid. It's been to stay pretty neutral, you know. Like some people come and tell you, I remember when I did my first TV show years and years and years ago, and I was one of the series regular, and it was a show that changed my life, and I thought it was remarkable, and everyone was like, This is it, Marianna. From here, Hollywood's gonna call you, and that's it, and we're never gonna see you anymore.

You're gonna be like, and it didn't happen, you know. Yeah, other things happened which were incredible, but I have learned to treat this career with a lot of respect and a lot of not believing everybody all the time because it can get very intoxicating. I mean, either way, the good and the bad, I think it's good to kind of do the work. Really, I pour myself into it. I am really like I'm a hard worker, an actor's actor, yeah.

[7:06] Marianna Burelli: Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. I that's what I like the most about my career working. Like all the part, all the other parts around it kind of like make me shy and I feel uncomfortable. But the actual acting part is the part that I love the most. So going back to your question, I mean, I appreciate them and I think they are necessary sometimes. They help you, you know, move and they help you, I don't know, whenever you feel like things are not flowing. But I take them with a grain of salt. Like I receive them really appreciatively, but at the same time, I don't intoxicate myself with that. You know, I don't stuff my face with them.

[7:55] Marianna Burelli: Yeah, it's like a nice frozen margarita. You need the salt along the rim, you know, to kind of keep you in check. You can't go too sweet.

[7:59] Robert Peterpaul: Exactly. If you go too sweet, then you lose perspective of what's good and what's not, you know, like yeah.

[8:07] Marianna Burelli: Yeah, I think that's really interesting. And it's something we touch on this podcast a lot, which is the difference between being kind and being nice. And I think in the entertainment industry, you get a lot of people who are nice and kind of blowing smoke up your butt, but they're not exactly genuine and kind. And so for me, being truly kind is being genuine and authentic, and you know, on the other end, it's being able to kind of receive what someone's telling you. Because if we can't receive that love, you're not really connecting, you're just kind of putting up a wall and moving on, and it's not as authentic on the other end. So I think it's cool you brought that up because I've heard that and experienced that, you know, just through these conversations.

You know, I kind of touched on certain things that kindness means to me, but before we really dive in to kind of unlock the door of our conversation, I would love to know what do you think kindness means to you?

[8:56] Marianna Burelli: Kindness, yeah, definitely not nice, it's not the same to me at all. I feel one of the differences has to do with the intention. It's the intentionality behind the word kind. You know, it's that genuine thoughtful, empathetic ability or quality in a human to foresee life a little bit away from him or herself, like, you know, to be able to see him or herself as a part of a unity of many other things instead of thinking that we're separate, you know, and I have to be nice because then I I'll be able to find this other thing, I'll be able to get this, you know. It's I don't feel like it's a chess game, really. I know so many people feel that, but I feel like it's a yeah, it's an like like what you said is creating connections, meaningful connections. And I think kindness is a beautiful bridge to be able to build those connections.

[10:07] Robert Peterpaul: I love that. That's so sweet. And I think that speaks to, you know, why you're having so much success and so wonderful to watch on screen, because for me, kindness goes hand in hand with the arts and acting and storytelling. And I think if you're genuinely connecting and you're kind of I don't know, sometimes it helps me to think about the bigger picture and where my role fits in versus just thinking I have to nail this, it's all about me. Cause it's not it's obviously not. And I mean, you know, especially when you're starting out and you're doing those co-star roles that are like two to three lines and you're like, how can I do this? It's like you're just serving a bigger picture in a story.

[10:42] Marianna Burelli: Yeah.

[10:42] Robert Peterpaul: So I love that. And I I'm sure that probably helps you with acting as well.

[10:46] Marianna Burelli: Yeah, it almost kind of like gets you out of your own mind because I feel like our mind plays really nasty little games sometimes.

[10:56] Robert Peterpaul: Oh yes. Listen, I'm like, I want to hide myself from the Zoom. I don't want to see my face. My mind's there's a million things, you know.

[11:02] Marianna Burelli: Yeah, absolutely. And I feel that whenever you can strip yourself from all those thoughts and judgments and you know, all the things that are popping up constantly in your head, you're able to be much more truthful to your character, first of all. Because if you're judging your character all the time, then poor person, you know, like Nina is full of flaws in so many ways. And I love all of those because I feel like that's what makes I feel like those flaws make her human, make her like three-dimensional, make her relatable, make her, you know, a working mom, full of flaws and full of wonderful things, and trying to do her best, honestly. But failing a lot of the times, failing miserably, and sometimes recognizing that she fails and other times being like, No, I wish I didn't fail, you know, like just being a human.

[11:58] Marianna Burelli: Yeah. And I think kindness helps you really not judge that process that your character is going through and that you as an actor go through with your character whenever you are, you know, becoming somebody else. Especially the whole physicality of your character, not all your characters have to be fit, have like abs, you know, like I feel like it's very important not to put your own personal expectations and desires onto your characters because it's really heavy and sometimes it doesn't belong to them, most of the time doesn't belong to them.

[12:35] Marianna Burelli: So I think kindness, especially kindness with yourself as well. Just being kind. This is not about, you know, uh me in this moment. This is about serving the story as Nina and what does Nina do? What what is she? You know, what role does she play in this whole macro world? Um, so yeah, I think kindness is fundamental in life in general.

[12:59] Robert Peterpaul: Yeah. And it's funny because you know, I I want to get into Ultra Violet and Black Scorpion) after I kind of decipher what kindness means to you, and we're gonna talk a little bit more about your career. But while we're on the subject, you know, right when we meet Nina, without spoiling anything, I think the first couple lines where we see her in her principal role at the school, you know, she's giving this wonderful sage advice, but then you find out she's reading it off the posters on the wall. And so I think that kind of encapsulates what you just said, which is that she's a hardworking woman doing the best she can, and she wants to have this good intention and give this good advice, but she's kind of taking the easy way out because she is flawed and she's probably has a million things going on, and it's a very funny moment, and I'm probably overanalyzing it.

[13:40] Marianna Burelli: No, but it's true, and also you you get to know her further down the line. She's super like she's a tiger mom and she wants her kids to excel. Like she is uh I mean, talking about expectations, she has high expectations for her kids, you know.

[13:56] Robert Peterpaul: Yeah, and I mean she's kind of saying these things to her daughter because she knows that she needs to be understanding, but she really wants to say, like, why did you fail? You should have excelled. You know what I mean? Because she knows that she cannot do that because that's not the way um the psychology tells you to do it and to deal with you know obstacles. So you have to encourage. So she put up those things up there because otherwise they don't come naturally to her. She's much more of a what did you fail? You should have done it better, you know, that kind of thing. But so you can see her, like she pulls and pushes all the time. Like, and that's that's super cool about the character. And that truth is what allows for these comedic movements, you know, even on a funny family show. It's like if it's rooted in truth, that's why we keep watching.

[14:42] Marianna Burelli: Yeah. And I know someone for you, you know, speaking of I guess leaders and role models. One of the ways Disney's is so brilliant at kind of advertising their shows and just being such a wonderful company, I think, in in many ways, is they have these fun promos. And I saw one with you talking about your hero who you said was your grandma growing up.

[15:01] Robert Peterpaul: Yeah. I would love to know if you have any stories of acts of kindness you received from your grandma or even just a lesson that she taught you that you feel like stays with you today.

[15:11] Marianna Burelli: Oh my god, so many things. She was she was uh fundamental for me growing up. Um, she was a writer, she was uh a novelist, and and she had this incredible imagination at the age of two and a half. I was able to recite poetry because she taught me. Um, so she was a big time lover of literature and arts, and I think one of the one big reason why I'm here today is because of her. She I used to play characters in front of her, and she would encourage me, she'd be like, do this, do that. She would be very um super brave. So I would go to the park with her and she would let me do things that my mom wouldn't let me do, for instance. You know, she'd be much more daring. She was the opposite of what a grandma normally is.

You know, like grandmas are like these women, no my grandma was like a horse. And she was like do it. And we used to imagine we used to roller skate on a roof and she would watch us but she'd be like yeah do it. Like you know and we were always safe and it was always but it was fun hanging out with her. It was incredible. She teaches poetry. She would teach us uh she'll have like a big chest in her house full of paints and books and maps and you know like a really good treasure for the imagination like uh yeah so she was kind to me in so many ways because she showed me fearlessness and I think that's that's to move away I think kind is equal to love and I feel like fear is opposite to love. So I feel somehow fearlessness has to be on the side of kindness of love you know and um and she yeah she taught me about the sensitivity and the sublime the how sublime the arts are you know they're these untangible things that just make you feel so many things um undescribed undescribed undescribable but yet so fundamental in our life.

[17:26] Robert Peterpaul: That's so beautiful I you're making me think of my grandmas who I'm also so lucky to have and to take away that lesson of fearlessness, which you know, I think when we boil down the two emotions, that's what they say. It's fear and love. Those are the only two emotions when you boil everything down. And so the fact that they taught you that is so beautiful and lucky, and you know. Shout out to the grandmas everywhere. We love you.

[17:47] Marianna Burelli: Yes, for sure. I I think you know, in reading about your story and researching you, from what I could find, you sort of lived this almost nomadic lifestyle where you're always moving around and you got to experience a bunch of different cultures and places, which is so cool. And I'm not sure if if she was with you all the time or just you know, someone that was in and out, but I guess when I look at your life, you you're kind of constantly in a way having to start over and make a new place a home. So do you think that's a a skill you still have today?

[18:20] Marianna Burelli: I mean, that's what we do as actors, right? We go into a new project and we immediately have to be kind of comfortable and make it a a new family. So I I see that parallel really strongly.

[18:29] Robert Peterpaul: Wow, I never seen that, but you are totally right. Absolutely. Yes. Yeah, my life for I mean, and my parents are not diplomats or anything. It just happened to be that way, that from a very young age I wanted to go, I wanted to go and study elsewhere. And I heard about this um scholarship of this schools called United World College, and I applied and it was a very long process of selection, and then I got picked when I was 15. So I left Venezuela, I was born in Venezuela. Um, and then I moved to Swaziland, and now it's called Eswatini. It's a little little tiny country in the southern hemisphere of Africa, and it's right next to South Africa and Mozambique. And I lived there for two years, and I did international baccalaureate there for two years, and I changed my life.

Can you imagine? Someone from Venezuela from a little town, Barquisimeto, like a little tiny town, and moved, and I kind of like moved across the globe, and I lived in Africa for two years at the age of 15 until I was 18. And then yeah, almost 18. And then from there I fell in love with theater. And then I tried um some schools in London and I got accepted to one of the drama schools in London and I decided to study acting and I studied contemporary acting in London for four years and then and then I moved again to Poland to do some physical theater and then I moved to Mexico. I lived in London for eight years and then I moved to Mexico and I lived in Mexico for 10 years and then I moved to LA and then I booked this job. This is just a magical adventure.

[20:06] Robert Peterpaul: I I and I don't want to gloss over the fact that when you were in London did you start your own theater company or did I make that up?

[20:06] Marianna Burelli: No I did I did I did because that that was what I studied I studied um contemporary theater and that was one of the things that they would encourage you to do like not to wait for the phone to ring but to create your own work and to create your own stuff material. So I created a theater company called VAP Theater and we created a show called Caviar and Chips that did really well we went to the Edinburgh Festival and we got signed by Time Warner back in the day like 2007 six and then we had a contract with them for a year and because we were the only female comedy show that was on um so I've loved comedy from forever like since forever and an English comedy, you know, that's where I learned how to do comedy in England.

So which I think is brilliant um oh so brilliant. So brilliant. Um so to be able to do comedy here is a dream. It it's beyond 'cause I love drama, but comedy I find it deliciously hard and rewarding. And I find it almost like doing maths on s on on on the stage. It's like mathematics. Like it feels like, you know, although like people think like, oh yeah, uh she's so funny or he's so funny. There is so much rhythm, right? Behind it's like music. You can really just it's all about timing. And if you deliver it in the right time, then it works perfectly. And if you don't it flops, you know, I think there's so there's a science behind the laughter, which is fascinating for me.

[21:55] Robert Peterpaul: Yeah, and especially coming from that British comedy world, I I feel like that's all really grounded and rooted in truth, where when you're filming these scenes, there is such a timing and a rhythm, but at the same time it's like everyone is playing the truth of the moment so well and is taking it so seriously. It's not like you're playing a joke. I think a lot of people think you're going in there trying to be funny. It's like no, you're trying to connect with each other as your real characters, and that to me is what's funny in life. The the really honest, truthful things, you know.

[22:25] Marianna Burelli: Yeah, and the tragedy behind that, right? Because the tragedy behind our own realities can be can be hilarious, honestly.

[22:36] Robert Peterpaul: Yeah.

[22:36] Marianna Burelli: Yeah.

[22:38] Robert Peterpaul: Yeah, grief and like all these really dark things. I mean, they're not overall funny, but they have very funny moments, and there's things that are just ridiculously funny that you can't even believe are happening.

[22:47] Marianna Burelli: So Yeah.

[22:48] Robert Peterpaul: That's so true.

[22:49] Marianna Burelli: I agree.

[22:50] Robert Peterpaul: Well, your international body of work is so impressive, and I think I could probably steer us down a very twisty rabbit hole of that. But you know, we're here to talk about your latest project.

[22:59] Marianna Burelli: Yeah.

[23:00] Robert Peterpaul: I just admire how you shaken things up and you moved to LA. And you know, now you're making your US debut in Disney's Channel's upcoming show, Ultra Violet and Black Scorpion), which I've already said multiple times, and I'll say it again when I record your bio, which will probably be very long.

[23:14] Marianna Burelli: Yeah.

[23:15] Robert Peterpaul: So how did how did that come about? Was it literally like you moved to LA and this happened almost right away for you?

[23:20] Marianna Burelli: No, no, no, no. I came to LA.

[23:23] Robert Peterpaul: No, no, no.

[23:23] Marianna Burelli: I came to LA and then I I I because I got married and then I moved to LA with my husband, who is also a an actor. Uh wonderful one as well.

[23:34] Robert Peterpaul: And built-in self-tape partner right there.

[23:37] Marianna Burelli: Yeah, there you go, guys. Roberto Aguirre. I'm joking. Um and then we just got married and I I became pregnant really soon, unexpectedly soon. So um I spent my whole, you know, pregnancy. I created this brand that I have now for Amai, which is like um, you know, um eco-friendly cosmetic, like clean beauty that has to do with shampoos, conditioners, plastic free. Uh, but that's another story.

[24:06] Robert Peterpaul: Oh no, I want to ask you about that later on.

[24:08] Marianna Burelli: So it's okay. Yeah. Yeah. So that that happened while I was pregnant and um I gave birth and this audition came about when Sienna, my daughter, was about five months old. I was like, okay, I'm gonna start taking, you know, some additions, see. But my mind was so uh focused on my daughter. It all happened really quickly. Like, first I did an audition, and they were like, Oh, they want to see you for a callback. I went I didn't the callback, but my mind was like, Okay, I'm I'm breastfeeding, so I'll do the callback. Thank you so much, and I'll go back home. And I'm like, okay, Sienna's time to eat. You know, my mind was which was so helpful because when the process started getting when I started getting closer and closer when I had to go to Disney's, which I went so many times to do like producer session and chemistry read.

[24:57] Marianna Burelli: Oh yeah, first one I did was with Scarlett, the girl that plays. We were the first two people cast. So at first it was me and many other moms and Scarlett and many other girls. And we would spend hours at Disney's, you know, like they would match us, they would be like Marianna and such and such, put together, we'll do a scene, and then out, and then Marianna and somebody else, and then Scarlett and Marianna, and then I mean Scarlett and I like kicked it off like immediately. I was like, please let it be. But what I'm my point is that um during this whole process, I was so, you know, I would go to the bathroom and I would like pump, you know. I was thinking, oh my god, I don't want the milk to come through in the middle of my scene.

Do you know what I mean? Yeah, and it really helped because whenever I would leave Disney's, I'll be like, okay, I'm going, I'm on my way home. So I would get home, and the Disney's audition would stay somewhere else, and I would focus on my priority at that point, which was my daughter. And that was beautiful because every now and then I would get a comment, they'd be like, They loved you, they want to see you, and I'd be like, great, amazing. You know, but it didn't that didn't become my life. Yeah, that that was a part of it, and it was a very special thing what was taking place, but my focus was my daughter, and I really feel that casting directors can smell desperation. And I was not desperate at all.

I was like, This is great, guys, I'm having a great time. And the process was beautiful because it was always like a huge table full of people at these things. Which can be a little bit nerve-wracking, but because it was a comedy, they would all be laughing out loud and like hitting the table and like really enjoying it. So it was almost like going to the theater for an hour and doing your thing and then leaving. Yeah. It was it was great. So finally imagine we booked this role in about like by the end of 2019, December 2019. That was a long time ago. Yeah. And then and then we were gonna do the pilot and then COVID happened. Um and then and then we filmed finally the pilot in 2020 in October.

And then other things happened within the show that needed you know some changes had made it to needed to take place and then we thought at some point that the show wasn't gonna go and um and the show finally did in New Orleans which was also a surprise.

[27:34] Robert Peterpaul: Oh yeah that's so cool.

[27:35] Marianna Burelli: Yeah. Wow what a journey I mean so many things just popped up into my head which is that when I talk to people and for myself personally you know whenever I book something or people do that's really big it's when you're not focused on it. It's when you're not putting your all into it and so nervous that you're overthinking it and coming across desperate. It's when you're just a person having fun which is kind of why we all get into this anyway.

[27:56] Robert Peterpaul: Yeah.

[27:56] Marianna Burelli: So I love that and I think that's such a great reminder for the actors listening because we have a lot of actors that listen to the show.

[28:02] Robert Peterpaul: Yeah.

[28:02] Marianna Burelli: Second of all, you know, I have friends that work for ABC and Disney's casting, and you know, we all know firsthand how hard it is to not only get a show to the casting process, but to be cast on one of these shows, specifically Disney's in that legacy brand, it's like next to impossible. I mean, you're like in the negative one percent of people, it's a huge deal. And then to have that actually go after all these trials and tribulations, you know, congratulations. I mean, it's just insane. You are in this VIP club now where you're also playing a Disney's Channel parent, which I think is another kind of like iconic thing, you know. We all love our Disney's Channel moms and dads. And then on top of that, you know, you're a principal.

And so what I really got from the first episode, and just the premise, not in a preachy way at all, but just from watching it, is this through line of like female empowerment and of course representation in such a wonderful way. Can you speak to what that means to you? Because it seems like women in comedy, you know, you said when you were starting up was huge for you, and in a lot of ways things have gotten better, but just what does that mean to you now overall?

[29:06] Marianna Burelli: Good question. Um first of all, the whole women thing. I find it the script, the the script is written in such a way, which I love because the comedy doesn't come from the fact that I am Latinx or that you know, my ethnicity, or that we eat tacos, Mexican food, oh that the enchiladas are spicy. No, the joke comes from real real life, from real issues that anyone goes through. And um there isn't like they don't really add an accent on our ethnicity. It just happens that we're Latinx, you know, we're a family um of Latinos, and that's it. And and some things are really kind of representative of our culture, but other things are just people trying to live their lives and trying to make their ways um a little better, make their means, you know, like it doesn't have to do with like they are Latinx.

This is the theme. It's not a theme. And a friend of mine said to me said, hey Marianna, have you realized that you're doing white people's comedy? And it really hit me. I was like, what's that even mean? But yeah, you know, like the comedy that is written for white people, which is like, you know, it's not, it's not ethnic comedy, as it were. It's not, I'm not making fun, or I'm not uh creating comedy out of my own um circumstance as an immigrant or as a so I find that freedom on the script is fabulous. It's beautiful. I love the fact that um they were like we love your accent this is the accent that we want in the show. Do not change it. Do not like this is this kind of like slight accent you have we want it.

Because it's a woman that wasn't born in the United States. It's someone that came when she was young and when she was uh doing university and she had already like Spanish was her first language and it was the same for the dad but um so I loved how embracing they are of the fact that the show it's basically it's mainly about Scarlet. It's mainly about the the role ultraviolet, who is a Latina uh girl superhero, which is it's a really beautiful combo to have. And whose mom is a badass, is not the school, you know, cleaner, or it's not not that that not that it's not incredible, like if you're a cleaner, whatever, but like we are being put always in under the same sort of categories. And this is this woman is a school principal, the dad is a nurse.

Um, you know, we're breaking the stereotypes that have have been kind of have been created for so many years on television for Latinx, you know. So to break all those boundaries and to be able to be daring. I feel like someone asked me like three words that would define ultraviolet and black scorpion. And I said hilarious, uh, endearing and daring, because I feel that the the creators of this show to have the vision of a family like that with the issues that you'll see them deal with in a time where you don't see when you study and see this kind of content on television, it's very daring. And and I think this is what changes the history of TV in in certain moments. Maybe I'm being super like you know, high expectations, but I think no, we don't have anything on TV like like ultraviolet yet.

[33:04] Robert Peterpaul: Yeah, I think you're so right. I mean, I know growing up it's like Disney's's always done a better job, I think, than a lot of places at having representation. You know, they always had a lot of female-driven shows. I feel like when I was growing up, their big ones were like Hannah Montana, that's so Raven, you know.

[33:19] Marianna Burelli: Yeah, but now to have something like this that your daughter, you know, can watch, and children that are young and and their minds are being shaped, they can take this in and see themselves and not have the stereotype. It's just incredible.

[33:32] Robert Peterpaul: It's incredible.

[33:34] Marianna Burelli: Yeah. To see that they can see themselves on TV, they can see people that look like them, and they can see people that maybe sound like them. And I think that shapes culture and that shapes society. I mean, whether we want it or not, TV and entertainment shapes the society that we live in and and sets, you know, bars for what's to come.

[33:57] Robert Peterpaul: Yeah, it is very exciting to see that my daughter will be able to see a show about a little young girl superhero who is full of flaws as well. So it's not the perfect child at all, but it's brilliant. I mean, I feel I don't know what you feel, but I feel like everyone will fall in love with ultraviolet.

[34:16] Marianna Burelli: Oh, definitely.

[34:17] Robert Peterpaul: I think so. Right from the start, it has you. I mean, it's just different.

[34:21] Marianna Burelli: It's also, I think, very much shot differently than a lot of the Disney's Channel shows.

[34:25] Robert Peterpaul: It's more epic.

[34:26] Marianna Burelli: The color thing.

[34:27] Robert Peterpaul: Yeah.

[34:28] Marianna Burelli: And it's like more cinematic.

[34:29] Robert Peterpaul: Absolutely.

[34:30] Marianna Burelli: It's not a sitcommy setup. It's it's very beautiful to watch and and like these sweeping shots. You know, speaking of working for Disney's, I would love to know how is it working for Disney's compared to the other productions that you've worked on? Because as a creative, it always seems like Disney's is the fairy tale, it's the dream that a lot of people want to reach. So I would love your perspective on that.

[34:53] Marianna Burelli: Yeah, um, well, I've been lucky to be able to work with so many, so many wonderful people. Honestly, like I've been super blessed in that regard. It's funny because you don't work with Disney's, you work with the showrunners, yeah, and you work with the production company that Disney's uh hires. So Disney's is still super far away. You know, in a strange way, you know. I think the closest I was to Disney's was when I was casting for it.

[35:20] Robert Peterpaul: Yeah.

[35:20] Marianna Burelli: That I would go to Disney's all the time and I would see uh people there, and I would be sitting there in those beautiful sofas and you know, all colorful, and it felt like a fairy tale. I was like, what am I doing? This is real life. Um, but then when it comes down to also because we are in New Orleans, so it feels it it feels like a production. It doesn't necessarily feel like Disney's.

[35:46] Marianna Burelli: Um, but the showrunners that we have are the most incredible people. Um I love them profoundly. They're incredibly talented, sensitive, inclusive, uh wonderful, wonderful, wonderful. So it's been a fairy tale to work with them, and they were hired by Disney's, so somehow I I got my Disney's doses through them because they are fabulous.

[36:11] Robert Peterpaul: Yeah.

[36:12] Marianna Burelli: Mickey Mouse wasn't on set every day. Are you kidding?

[36:13] Robert Peterpaul: I know, right? What?

[36:18] Marianna Burelli: I did receive a popcorn maker with a Mickey on top.

[36:21] Robert Peterpaul: So I mean, okay, okay.

[36:24] Marianna Burelli: They don't even need to pay me. I'll just take that.

[36:25] Robert Peterpaul: That's amazing. I think you're gonna start to see things get your life is gonna get more Disnified, I think, as it starts to air because the Disney's fans.

[36:34] Marianna Burelli: Yeah, it's gonna, it's gonna get a whole lot more magical.

[36:37] Robert Peterpaul: So when you're not filming, you're like this environmental activist in a lot of ways because you created Amai, you're the company that is sustainable, plastic free, it's a cosmetics line. I think you have soap and like so many different things. So what made you decide to start that?

[36:54] Marianna Burelli: Well, I don't know how to not do anything. I don't know how to chill.

[36:59] Robert Peterpaul: I can tell you're busy.

[37:00] Marianna Burelli: Yeah, but we you know, it's I have a friend of mine who always says to me, like, if I say, Oh, I'm going to the Caribbean or whatever, he's like, Don't do a documentary. Just chill. Don't do a documentary about your holiday. Because I'm always like thinking, what am I gonna do? Like, I don't know if it's a good thing.

[37:20] Marianna Burelli: Uh, loads of the times it's not great. That I have actually learned over the past months how to relax. You know, after I finished the first season, there was a feeling that I needed to give myself time, and I needed to learn how to give myself time, not to be producing something up. So a mic came about when I was when I just moved to LA, and I didn't really imagine I was working in Mexico constantly, and then I moved to LA and then quiet. I mean, I have a manager at the beginning. Thank God I had a manager from the beginning who's still with me, and I love her so much. Yeah, but at first, I mean, I was a new phase, and they really didn't care that I had a really good career in Mexico. They were like, "Okay, what has she done here?"

And it was this thing of like nothing, but give her the opportunity, and they were like, "But what has she done?" And she's like, "Nothing," and you know, it's kind of hard to break that. Um, but eventually we did. Uh, but so it was slow at the beginning. It felt like, "What am I? I'm not doing a whole bunch of things." And I was like, "What should I do?" And one of my biggest passions, if not the biggest, is the environment, like how to improve our lives in a way that the supply chain doesn't harm people, environment, animals, etc. Um, and so I was trying so many. I love, I have so much hair, as you can tell, I have so much hair, thank you, but um, I won't need a wig, I don't think for a long time.

Um, but um, I and then I used to buy loads of conditioners and creams and hydrating masks and blah blah, and sometimes I didn't like them, so I would buy the thing and I try it and then it didn't work and I didn't know what to do with it, and suddenly I found myself surrounded by plastic bottles and I was like, "This isn't good, this is horrible." I'm actually so I started, I went to one of those famous stores for like shampoo, solid shampoo and conditioners, and I bought pretty much a little kind of sample of each. Nothing worked on my hair, it was horrendous, dry like that, and I was like, "This is horrendous, what are we gonna do about it?" So I was talking to one of my friends, uh, who is also an actor in Mexico, well internationally, but um, and she was in the middle of her postpartum.

She had a baby at that time, and the baby was like three months old, and she was having a really tough time. Um, and I used to spend a lot of time in her house, and I said like, "Listen, we need to do something," and she was like, "Okay, why don't we make them?" I was like, "What?" And then she was like, "Yeah, let's find somebody who can make them, and then let's work on it," and I was like, "Okay, okay," and that was it.

[40:17] Marianna Burelli: That was the beginning, and then we spent like nine months trying, basically my nine months of pregnancy. Yeah, I was creating a mai and a mic came out on our online store on the 8th of May, and I gave birth on the 28th of May, 20 days later. Wow. So basically you had twins, yeah. Yeah. I had twins. Nobody's ever said it like that, but I had twins. Totally. And my and Sienna are exactly the same age. Oh wow. Uh-huh. And the idea was to create products that were made out of organic, non-refined oils, etc. And they weren't covered in plastic, so solids, and they're all wrapped in rice paper, which is also compostable. So after you finish your shampoo, there's nothing left. You can put this in your compost, or you can put it in your recycling bin, and that's it. Um, yeah, so that's amazing.

[41:17] Robert Peterpaul: Yeah. Thank you for doing that. I'm gonna have to check that out. Everybody go check that out. I'm gonna buy some because that's amazing and that's super great. It sounds like not only for you, but for the environment. So it's kind of a win-win, you know.

[41:29] Marianna Burelli: Yes, absolutely. I know we don't have too much more time left, but before we leave each other, I would love to play a surprise game if you're down. It's okay, super easy. It's really not much of a game, honestly. Okay, but it's called the compliment game. And basically I reached out to someone in your life to get a quote of what they love about you, or I just asked for like a couple sentences of something they admire about you. I sent a lot of DMs, okay? And you know, this person got right back to me, and um, you're gonna have to try and guess who it is.

[42:03] Robert Peterpaul: Oh my god, okay. Everyone's beautiful in their own way. It's the compliments game on me. Yay! Okay, okay. It's the compliment.

[42:10] Marianna Burelli: Compliment, yeah. Yay! Mom. Okay. I think yours has a hint, so I think it'll be a little bit easier for you, but you can ask me yes or no questions, and I can try and give you more hints.

[42:24] Robert Peterpaul: I don't really know anything, but I'll try my best. So I need to guess who this person is.

[42:29] Marianna Burelli: Yeah, so I'm gonna read you the quote and then you have to guess who said it. And it's someone you know.

[42:33] Robert Peterpaul: But I know is it close or someone that I know?

[42:36] Marianna Burelli: Uh, I think you guys are pretty close.

[42:41] Robert Peterpaul: Okay, okay.

[42:41] Marianna Burelli: Okay, well we'll, I mean we'll find out. And if it's awkward, you know what? I'll edit it out and I'll cut it out.

[42:46] Robert Peterpaul: No, I think it'll be good.

[42:47] Marianna Burelli: Okay, so here's your quote.

[42:48] Robert Peterpaul: All right.

[42:49] Marianna Burelli: Mariana is one of the most fun, creative, most genuine people I know. I'm honored to call her a friend who I admire and learn so much from. I couldn't have gotten through the jazzy city of New Orleans with anyone else.

[43:06] Robert Peterpaul: Um, Ethan.

[43:08] Marianna Burelli: Yes, Ethan Gray.

[43:10] Robert Peterpaul: Yes, Ethan!

[43:12] Marianna Burelli: You nailed it!

[43:13] Robert Peterpaul: I nailed it.

[43:16] Marianna Burelli: I can almost hear him say it.

[43:18] Robert Peterpaul: Yes. I'm glad he added that in because I was like, I feel like there's probably a lot of people who learned a lot from her and admire her.

[43:25] Marianna Burelli: Yes. Thank you, Ethan. He was so excited.

[43:30] Robert Peterpaul: So how do you know Ethan?

[43:32] Marianna Burelli: Ethan, how do you know Ethan?

[43:34] Robert Peterpaul: I know you just sent a well.

[43:35] Marianna Burelli: I DM'd him.

[43:38] Robert Peterpaul: Now we're friends.

[43:39] Marianna Burelli: Okay, uh, he's marvelous. He was our acting coach on 10.

[43:44] Robert Peterpaul: Oh, amazing.

[43:45] Marianna Burelli: He was incredible because this is another thing that I didn't really know. Uh, because it makes the girls done differently, but a show here has we did 17 episodes, I think.

[43:57] Robert Peterpaul: 18, 17, and every episode or every other episode, you have a new director.

[44:04] Marianna Burelli: We who have who would come and be like, "Hey, I see Nina this way." And I mean it is great, but by episode 14, you pretty much know what you've been building, and they haven't even seen that much. So it's kind of like, uh, so um, so Ethan would be like our constant. A director would come and he would, you know, he will fill them in. It was beautiful to have him, and also he's an awesome human being, and we had so much fun.

[44:31] Robert Peterpaul: But that's so lovely. Thank you, Ethan.

[44:34] Marianna Burelli: Thank you, Ethan.

[44:36] Robert Peterpaul: Again, I'm gonna let you go, but my final question before we part is if you could please share some kind of tangible kindness or wellness tip that you think listeners should incorporate into their daily life.

[44:49] Marianna Burelli: So, for example, you kind of gave one before when you said that your instinct is to keep busy and do a lot, but you've learned to slow down, and so I think encouraging people to slow down is one something small and tangible that you just think people should do more of.

[45:04] Marianna Burelli: Uh, listen to other people, I think is really special when because I feel like we live in a world where everybody wants to talk and maybe nobody wants to listen. And sometimes when we listen, we're able to go into um other people's, you know, reality, which are usually very different to the realities we assumed they were living, you know. So I feel like less assumption and more listening would be a good tip, I think. It's it served me well. Because sometimes when I assume, I'm normally wrong. That's the thing. When I'm like, "I don't understand why such and such," and then I learn more about them and I'm like, "Of course."

[45:50] Robert Peterpaul: Yeah, so listening is it's one.

[45:53] Marianna Burelli: I love that.

[45:54] Robert Peterpaul: Yeah.

[45:55] Marianna Burelli: Oh, thank you. That's such a great one. And I think it's super important with acting too, right? You gotta listen to your scene partner.

[46:01] Robert Peterpaul: Big time.

[46:01] Marianna Burelli: If you're not listening, you're not responding, you're not connecting. So I love that.

[46:06] Robert Peterpaul: And I love everything you're doing. I thank you so much for your time today and just for everything you're doing to make the world and our industry a brighter and you know more eco-friendly place. It was lovely to meet you.

[46:08] Marianna Burelli: Thank you.

[46:20] Robert Peterpaul: Likewise. Thank you for the space. And thank you for your podcast. It's beautiful that it's so oriented to kindness.

[46:27] Marianna Burelli: Oh, thank you.

[46:29] Robert Peterpaul: I can't wait until the kind words start flooding your social media pages after people watch the show.

[46:34] Marianna Burelli: Oh my god, so exciting. Okay, the third of June comes out on Disney's Channel, and then on Disney's Plus very soon after. I'm not allowed to say the date, but right very soon after, and we're gonna see many episodes of the Disney's Plus at the same time.

[46:48] Robert Peterpaul: So wow.

[46:50] Marianna Burelli: That's exciting.

[46:50] Robert Peterpaul: That's gonna have a huge, it's such a fun show. I mean, I saw the first episode, but I can tell you everyone's gonna love it. It's got everything. I mean, it's got action, it's got comedy, it's got these really sweet moments and these fun characters. So congratulations on that, and thank you again.

[47:05] Marianna Burelli: Thank you.

[47:06] Marianna Burelli: Guys, I don't know how to leave a Zoom room, and I've done a million interviews, but I'm gonna click the button. I'm gonna leave. I'm gonna leave.

[47:12] Robert Peterpaul: Okay.

[47:14] Marianna Burelli: Thank you guys. Bye.

[47:16] Robert Peterpaul: Bye.

[47:23] Robert Peterpaul: And now it's time for your kindness tip of the week. In sticking with today's theme of superheroes, today's kindness tip is to recognize both you and your loved ones' superpowers. Now you're probably thinking, okay, Rob's lost it. I can't fly or punch through a brick wall. And I'm like, wait, what? You can't? Am I the only one who can do that and run at lightning speed, so I'm the first one in line at the bakery every morning? Okay, sorry. While we may not have actual supernatural abilities, we do have natural ones that we should celebrate. Maybe your superpower is being a really excellent planner. Perhaps you're like me and one of your superpowers is multitasking, or I mean attempting to. Whatever the case may be, sit with yourself for a bit and give yourself credit for something that makes you you.

To make this an even kinder exercise, I challenge you to flip it on its head and also write down some of the superpowers that you see in your loved ones. And then call them up or send a text and let them know that you admire that about them. I'll go first with my fiance Cassie, who may or may not be hearing this through the bedroom door right now, by saying that I truly admire her superpower of leading with kindness and treating others as she would want to be treated, no matter what she's going through. As a teacher, especially, I know she always does her best to lead by example, and I really love that about her, and know that she will continue to do that wherever she goes.

[49:01] Robert Peterpaul: Oh, she said thank you. I also love you all and am so grateful you tuned in to the Art of Kindness with me today. I would say your superpower is just picking really awesome podcasts, you know? I think that's definitely your superpower because you chose this one. So thank you. We'll be back soon with a really, really thrilling episode and possible giveaway. What? But Mum's the word. Go check us out on social media. That's all I'm gonna say. Until then, remember, everything's gonna be a okay.