Exclusive Interview: Mariel Molino Talks Promised Land, Exploring Her Identity, and Why Her Character is the Most Dangerous Player

Mariel Molino is a dynamic storyteller who is bringing the most complex characters to life with ease in projects including Papis muy padres, El juego de las llaves, Narcos: Mexico, and La Negociadora.

This year, she made her American television debut in Promised Land. An epic, generation-spanning drama, Promised Land follows two Latino families vying for wealth and power in California’s Sonoma Valley. Mariel shines as the youngest daughter Carmen and the only family member not vying for a seat at the table, which make her the most dangerous player of them all.

Pop Culturalist was lucky enough to speak with Mariel about her career, Promised Land, and more.

PC: How did you discover your passion for storytelling and the arts?
Mariel: I grew up doing theater in my grade school. From the moment that I stepped on stage and did my play, which was Wizard of Oz (I was Crow #6), I knew it was my calling. I loved entertaining. I loved making people laugh. I loved stepping into a different reality and creating a new world. I truly knew at a very young age that I wanted to do this for the rest of my life because I loved to play.

It took a lot of convincing with my parents. Both of them immigrated to the US from Mexico. This was not their world at all. They had no idea how to even start and didn’t know what to do with a kid who wanted to go up to LA to audition. In that regard, I feel pretty lucky in retrospect because it was the challenge of finding my path and knowing where to go, the mistakes I made, and learning whom to trust and who not to trust that really made the success of it worth it. Because if it had been handed to me, I don’t think I would’ve tried this hard.

PC: Who or what has had the biggest influence on your career?
Mariel: This is a two-part answer. The first was doing a telenovela, which in Latin America is similar to a soap opera. I had such a judgment before doing them. I didn’t like the way in which telenovelas were shot or the storytelling. I was judgmental because I thought it was a stereotypical version of what the world thought of Latinos. Then I got the opportunity to act in a telenovela. That was one of the biggest learning experiences that I’ve had as an actor. It’s no joke. You’re learning twenty to thirty scenes a day. You have to hit every mark. You have three cameras going. You better know your lines. You better not be blocking your costars’ light or camera. It was like hyper-speed training, especially going from not acting to being thrown into a very technical way of acting. It was also about trusting myself and knowing when to back off, going from crying to laughing to being angry. Even though I had so many preconceived notions of what it would be, it gave me so much discipline as an actor.

On the other hand, personally, my mother to this day inspires me so much. She became a single mom at a young age, and she never stopped working a day in her life to make sure that we had a life full of so many privileges, education, a home, the ability to travel, love, and support. She’s my inspiration every day. I still believe no one works harder than she does. That has always been my inspiration to keep pushing on. Knowing that there’s always time to do better. There’s always time to study more and to hone your craft. For that, I’m always really thankful.

PC: You’re currently one of the stars of Promised Land. Tell us about the series and your character in it.
Mariel: Promised Land is about a Latino family vying for wealth and power in Sonoma County. Joe Sandoval, my father in the series, owns the biggest wine producer. They’re third in the country. Everyone around him is trying to take control.

My character, Carmen, is a bit of an underestimated player. She’s the artist of the family. No one really expects anything from her. That is what makes her dangerous. On a personal level, I feel as though even Carmen doesn’t know her place in the business or in the family because she’s not vying for a seat. Because of that, she’s the most dangerous player.

PC: So much of Carmen’s journey is about identity and finding her place like you said. Unlike the majority of the family, she doesn’t see things in black and white. How did you create that space for yourself to dive into the journey that begins to unfold this first season?
Mariel: It’s funny. At the beginning, when we did the pilot, Carmen was radically different. She started off the season doing something almost unforgivable. At that point, I had to find a way to come back from that. I had to find a way for the viewers to have love for Carmen even though she had done something unspeakable.

But after we got picked up, things shifted, Carmen had this beautiful re-imagining where she’s now underestimated. The biggest challenge was to make this spoiled rich girl seem not only relatable to viewers, but someone that you want to root for. When you’re looking at it from the outside, she has everything she could ever want. She’s grown up with a silver spoon. She’s attractive. She’s charming. She knows what she does have and doesn’t. Why are we rooting for her? That was something that I was always asking myself in every episode. What makes her have this depth? I hope that’s translated onto the screen. When everything starts happening to her, we get to see her evolve, grow, and go from this spoiled little girl to someone who can stick up for herself.

PC: You do such a brilliant job displaying all the different layers to Carmen. One of my favorite things about her is that she keeps the other characters on their toes. How much fun has it been for you to play her? Has anything surprised you about her arc thus far?
Mariel: It’s been so much fun to play Carmen because you never know what she’s going to do or what she’s going to say. She has this cutting sarcasm. She steps away and sees the big picture. While people are fighting and chewing each other’s heads off, she’s taking notes in the background.

I think what’s surprised me is the level of knowledge that she actually has about this business. She’s grown up around it. She knows what people like and what people don’t like. For me, Mariel, I’ve been surprised to see that Carmen knows a lot more than she’s willing to let on. Even though sometimes she comes off as big, bold, and bright, she keeps a lot locked in. She knows when to use it and when to fight back.

PC: In Episode 6, we see how far Carmen is willing to go for her family. What was your reaction when you read that twist that happens towards the end of the episode?
Mariel: I remember when I read the episode and saw that Carmen kisses Michael, I threw my script. I was so pissed. I couldn’t believe it. That’s how good the writing is on this show because I truly believed that Carmen got to that point. Here’s the sister whom she has already put her neck out for, whom she already defended to death and covered up a possible murder for, and this woman won’t even give her a pitch? Come on. I understood her anger in that moment. Between the drinking and this shared hatred towards Veronica in that moment, I bought it. I really did. Which maybe isn’t the best. [laughs] Then when I saw the twist, I was like, “No way. It’s genius.” In the end, you see that it was Carmen’s idea. It was Carmen that said, “You know what? This is screwed up.” This is really something that I don’t even know if I would do for my sister. But she’s willing to go there. She’s loyal. She’s like, “There’s only one way we’re going to catch him. This is it. This is our out.” What’s funny is what I was alluding to. I didn’t know how much I could or could not say, but in the pilot episode, originally, Carmen was having an affair with Michael. That was how Carmen’s character was perceived before we started the series. At the beginning, that was what was going to be put out in the pilot. Thankfully, it changed.

PC: There’s such great chemistry that comes off the screen between you and the rest of the cast. How were you all able to build that bond? What has been your favorite relationship of Carmen’s to explore in Season 1 and why?
Mariel: Oh my gosh. We got so lucky. I could sit here and cry it out with you. I love them so much. We got so close when we shot the pilot in Georgia. We bonded immediately. For a lot of us, this is our first big thing. I have so much respect and admiration for them. I’ve learned something different from each and every one of my castmates. I just left a trip to Big Sur with five of them. I got back yesterday. We’re really close. We’re really lucky.

In Season 1, the relationship that I was most excited about was the one that I have coming up. You’ve seen a little bit of it now. It’s with Mateo, played by Augusto Aguilera. I respect him so much as an actor. He’s one of the most disciplined actors that I’ve ever worked with. We’re such different people and different characters. Coupling these two very odd people together is beautiful. It’s so harmonious. It just works. It’s also hilarious. I can’t wait for you to see the birth of Carteo, which is what I’m calling Carmen and Mateo. It’s a lot of fun and so random.

PC: Such a great teaser. You’ve shared on social media that this project has been a dream come true for you. What has it meant for you to make your American television debut on a show that’s tackling such timely and relevant themes? You were talking about your parents earlier. What has it been like to share this moment with them as well?
Mariel: Promised Land has truly been the fulfillment of the American Dream that we talk about on the show. I don’t think my parents ever imagined that one of their kids would be in Hollywood. Being first-generation and seeing how hard my parents worked to be here and to have their own dreams fulfilled is inspiring. For a very long time, I wasn’t sure if I was ever going to be able to get the opportunity to work in this country as an actor. There was a part of me that thought, “You’re not good enough for American TV.” I think that also had to do a lot with my identity. I never felt fully American. I always felt like I was a bit Mexican and a little bit American.

Even when I was in Mexico, I didn’t feel fully Mexican. There is that bi-cultural identity crisis that a lot of first-generation Americans and immigrants feel. What an opportunity to step into that and tell a story like Promised Land where I get to explore these themes. It’s been a gift. I can’t even begin to describe what this has done for me, how it’s made me grow as a person, and how it’s made me learn about the current struggles that so many immigrants have—not just Latinos, but so many immigrants coming into this country in hope for a better life.

PC: You and the cast are in such a unique position where you get to see the response from the fans in real time. They’ve voiced how much this show has made them feel seen. What has it been like for you to get to share this moment with the fans as well?
Mariel: That has been one of the most rewarding parts about this experience: getting to see the amount of support we get on social media. I get direct messages from so many people saying how thankful they are that we’re representing them, that they’re watching it with their abuelita, and they’re watching it with their younger siblings. They see the struggles of their grandparents being portrayed. Without being too cheesy, that’s why you do it. You hope that there is something in this show that resonates with you and makes you feel like you’re seen and heard, and that whatever you’re going through is worth it at the end of the day. If there’s someone out there that feels that then I’ve done my job, regardless of what happens to the show, this cast, or even my career. It’s super meaningful. I’m honored to be a part of a show that is representing people all over the country that have gone through that.

PC: You’re an absolute scene-stealer in this series. Is there a particular scene that you’re excited for fans to see?
Mariel: The one scene in Episode 5 where we’re with all the siblings and getting a little drunk. We’re dancing and playing wine pong. That was one of the most fun scenes to film because I love filming with the siblings. I’m excited for you guys to see a team up between Carmen and Junior. That’s coming up in Episode 9. Don’t trust your younger siblings. That’s all I can say. It’s so fun to get to play a child again.

To keep up with Mariel, follow her on Twitter and Instagram. Watch Promised Land on Hulu.

Photo Credit: Alberto Hildago