Pop-Culturalist.com

Gabriela Milla is an actress on the rise who is captivating audiences with her breakout performance as Isabel in Season 2 of Acapulco.

The laugh-out-loud comedy follows a young Mexican man whose dreams come true when he gets the job of a lifetime at the hottest resort in Acapulco. But he soon realizes the job is far more complicated than he ever imagined.

Pop Culturalist was lucky enough to chat with Gabriela about joining the cast of Acapulco, what fans can expect from her character, and more!

PC: How did you discover your passion for the arts and storytelling?
Gabriela: That’s such a good question. This is going to sound cheesy, but it’s one of those things where I have to say that I was born with it. It was as early as the age of four when I realized that being a Disney princess wasn’t a career. [laughs] I was like, “Acting is the next best thing.” I’ve always loved entertaining people and telling stories. I’ve always loved the creative process and being an actress. Since I was six years old, I’ve been writing my own plays. My mom was my prop master. The neighbors or my cousins were my cast. I’ve had that itch my whole life and sometimes it’s turned into different things, but I have to say it’s been since I was a kid. I just liked entertaining people and making them laugh.

PC: Who or what has had the biggest influence on your career?
Gabriela: The most recent has to be Issa Rae from Insecure. I love what she’s carved out for herself. She didn’t see herself, her friends, or the women she grew up around on the screen, so she was like, “Screw it. I’m going to write it myself and star in it.” She’s so magnetic in what she’s done, not only for her community but also for people like me who got to know her community better. She does it with laughter, which is unbelievable. She’s never trying to preach. She’s just telling a story through laughter. That message hits the audience in a deeper way. She’s definitely one of the most recent ones. There have also been so many singers who have influenced me. But I would definitely say in more recent years, it’s been women who are in front of and behind the camera.

PC: In addition to being an actress, you’re also a producer. How have your experiences behind the camera influenced the way that you approach your work on screen and vice versa?
Gabriela: It’s given me more respect for the vision. I feel so honored to be an actress. I know I can bring in who I think the character is and what I think the story is, but at the end of the day, my job is to help the writers and showrunners see what they have envisioned on screen. It’s not about me. It takes a lot of the selfishness of acting away. I might think that character may sound one way, but I’ll get an adjustment or comment from the showrunner and I’ll be like, “Oh my God. I haven’t even thought of it that way.” I’m so much more focused on serving the story as a whole as opposed to how it makes me feel because the people behind the camera are trying to tell a story. Everyone has a piece in it. I have so much admiration for the writers and want to help them bring to fruition what they wrote on the page.

PC: You’re starring in Season 2 of Acapulco. How familiar were you with the series before you auditioned?
Gabriela: I was a huge fan because my old roommate who is one of my best friends was obsessed with the show. When I got this audition, I stepped away from acting for a bit. There was a lot of uncertainty. I was saying no to a lot of auditions. Then I read this scene and I was like, “This character seems amazing.” My roommate found out and was like, “I’m a huge fan of this show. You better audition for it.” [laughs]

I was also a huge fan of Eugenio [Derbez], especially as a kid growing up in Honduras. I watched him. I emulated him. I created a sketch show with my neighbors emulating his sketches because he was a comedian back in Mexico.

I was a fan of this show because it brought me so much joy when it came to seeing Latinos on screen. As much of a fan as I am of shows like Narcos, they can be depressing. [laughs] This was such a fun show. It makes fun of American stereotypes and tourists in Mexico but in a fun-loving way. I thought it was a really elegant, cool show. I was like, “This is exactly my vibe and my kind of comedy.”

PC: Did you feel any pressure joining a cast with a season under its belt? How were you able to create bonds with them?
Gabriela: It was so overwhelming because I was such a fan of the cast. I thought that they all fit these different quirky characters like a puzzle. Once I landed in Mexico, the cast couldn’t have been more welcoming. I was received with open arms by everyone, especially the leading ladies. I couldn’t have asked for a better experience.

PC: We know you can’t say too much, but what can fans expect from your character? What was it about her that attracted you to this role?
Gabriela: The sense of individuality. She’s not just the romantic interest of the season. She really is her own entity. She’s a spitfire who speaks her mind. What’s cool about the show is that it shows Maximo navigating this world where everyone is wearing a mask and pretending to be something that they’re not to try to fit in. What was so cool about Isabel is that she is who she is and she’s happy with it. She’s going through her life making mistakes while traveling the world, but she’s so comfortable in her own skin. You rarely see that, especially with Latina characters.

PC: This is one of your biggest roles to date. Did anything surprise you about the experience? What was the biggest takeaway?
Gabriela: I guess how fun and how freeing it was. The cast and crew really welcomed me with open arms and made me feel comfortable. This doesn’t have to be a scary thing. I hadn’t worked much at all, but I really felt like when I was walking onto set it was an extension of me walking into a family. These are really amazing human beings in front of and behind the camera. I don’t have to have this long resume to feel like I’m at home.

PC: When Season 2 drops, is there a particular scene or episode that you’re really excited for your fans to see?
Gabriela: Oh my gosh. There are so many. I would definitely say Episode 3. I’ll leave it at that. Wait, Episodes 3, 5, 7, and 9—so basically watch the whole season. [laughs] Episode 3 is heartwarming and hilarious.

PC: You’re quickly building a name for yourself in comedy. What is it about this genre that excites you as a creative?
Gabriela: what excites me is that as an audience member, I really appreciate comedy. Growing up, it felt so good to be able to disconnect from teenage angst or whatever problem was happening and turn on the TV and watch Friends and forget about it for a bit. Or go to watch movies like The Hangover and laugh for three hours. I’ve always felt that the effect it has had on me is so positive. It gives me so much joy to feel like I might be doing that for someone else.

To keep up with Gabriela, follow her on Instagram. Watch Acapulco on Apple TV+ today.

Photo Credit: Jonny Marlow