VIDA - MELISSA BARRERA & MISHEL PRADA INTERVIEW
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MELISSA BARRERA & MISHEL PRADA
The ground-breaking series VIDA is coming to an end. The predominately female and character-driven drama following two Mexican-American sisters is gearing up for its third and final season on Starz and the show’s two leads are forever grateful for the opportunity they have been given.
The final season of the GLAAD Award-winning series—which follows two Mexican-American sisters in Los Angeles, is at an end. In Season 3 Lyn (Melissa Barrera) and Emma (Mishel Prada) continue the monumental task of rebuilding their mother's business while navigating financial constraints, competing developers, and the growing anti-gentrification movement. Lyn and Emma must contemplate the relationships in their lives, including their own, and are forced to dig deep to unearth what their mother’s legacy means to them.
The show will air its final six, 30-minute episodes beginning April 26th. “Vida” is a character drama about coming home, confronting the past and finally growing up. At its core, the show is about family and mending broken bonds. The show is gritty and bold in its storytelling. “Vida” fosters inclusiveness both in front and behind the camera. The writer’s room and directors are also predominantly female and people of color, allowing for authenticity in the way the characters and stories are represented. The series looks at the ever-changing demography of the east side of Los Angeles: how gentrification is impacting the community and the growing LGBTQ population within the neighborhood.
Melissa Barrera
Melissa Barrera will soon star in the movie adaptation of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Broadway musical “In the Heights.” The movie is being directed by Crazy Rich Asians filmmaker Jon M. Chu, and it also stars Anthony Ramos and Corey Hawkins. Additionally, Barrera has also been set to star as the title character in Carmen, opposite Jamie Dornan. The modern-day reimagining of the classic opera will mark the feature debut of Black Swan choreographer Benjamin Millepied and will feature music from Oscar®-nominated music composer Nicholas Britell (Moonlight) and Grammy®-winning singer-songwriter Julieta Venegas.
Mishel Prada
Born and raised in South Florida, Mishel Prada first broke onto the scene as the lead of the hit Emmy®-nominated digital series “Fear the Walking Dead: Passage.” Since then, Prada has risen to new prominence playing the lead role of Emma in the groundbreaking hit STARZ series “Vida.” Her work on “Vida,” along with her support of various charity organizations in and out of the LGBTQ world, has made her an important presence on the political stage. She is currently recurring on the hit show “Riverdale,” and she just finished shooting the third season of “Vida.”
I spoke with both Melissa and Mishel about the final season and what playing these groundbreaking characters has meant to them.