Actress Maria Canals-Barrera (“Camp Rock” franchise) chatted about starring in the new film “Seven Cemeteries.”
The cast includes Danny Trejo, Sal Lopez, Samantha Ashley, Efren Ramirez, Vincent M. Ward, Lew Temple, and Richard Esteras.
It will be released in Theaters, On Demand and On Digital on October 11, 2024, via Quiver Distribution.
‘Seven Cemeteries’
The synopsis is: “A recent parolee (Danny Trejo) gets a Mexican witch to resurrect his old posse so that they can help him save a woman’s ranch from a ruthless drug lord.”
“It was such a fun experience,” she admitted. “I’ve never done a project like this on film; it was great.”
Working with Danny Trejo
On working with Danny Trejo, she said, “Danny Trejo is an icon; he is big, strong, muscular, and tattooed. I guess some people think he is scary, but I looked into his eyes and all I see is a dad… a big, sweet daddy figure. That’s great because in this movie, he is our hero.”
“Even though I play a domineering old witch, who brings people back from the dead to fight our battles, I saw him as our daddy, so it was really cool. I just loved working with him; he was terrific,” she said.
Working with Efren Ramirez
“Also, who doesn’t love Efren Ramirez? Efren is so, so good in this movie,” she exclaimed. “The makeup on him was extraordinary, and his acting was so good. I loved my scenes with him because he played my husband. He really cared about the story and our characters.”
Playing her character
On playing her character “Bruja,” she said, “I liked how she got to be funny. She was very human in her attitude even though she has those powers. I even liked the way she looks, which was hideous, especially since I’m such a glamour puss in real life.”
“She was also vain and wanted to be called the ‘Enchantress’ instead of a witch. I loved it! I thought it was a wonderful challenge and I loved the end product; I think it looks really good,” she added.
The digital age
On being a part of the digital age, she said, “The digital age is really cool. I also love the fact that this movie is also in the theaters, and that we can physically go to the movies near Halloween time.”
“I think it would be great for people to dress up and meet at the theater; also, don’t have dinner at home, have dinner at the theater by stuffing your face with all the theater food,” she said.
“Have a great time laughing and screaming watching ‘Seven Cemeteries’ because it will get you right in the mood for Halloween,” she added.
Advice for young and emerging actors
For young and aspiring actors, she said, “You have to make sure that you love your craft because if you love doing the work, that is what is going to sustain you and help you have a career. It’s very competitive and you don’t have that much control.”.
“You have to trust yourself, use all of yourself, and believe in yourself. Get the best training you can get, and make sure that you love the craft (and not the fame and the glamorous life that is put out there). There is a lot more to it than that,” she elaborated.
“There is a lot of pain and rejections but if you love it, you keep going. You need to have a big amount of love for the craft, and then you have to believe in yourself, and never give up. That’s all,” she added.
Stage of her life
On the title of the current chapter of her life, she revealed, “Releasing with Love.” “That’s about my real life,” she said.
“My career is a wonderful thing that I get to do, and I take it seriously or else I wouldn’t be a working actor for 30 years. We leave our art, and we leave our children behind. I want to release with love,” she explained.
Success
Regarding her definition of success, she concluded, “Success means being able to do what you love and be appreciated for it, and making a living out of it. To me, that’s success.”
To learn more about Maria Canals-Barrera, follow her on Instagram.
