Exclusive Interview: Martha Millan Talks The Cleaning Lady Season 2, Her Character’s Darker Arc, and More

Martha Millan is one of the breakout stars of 2022. Earlier this year, she made her debut as Fiona De La Rosa in Fox’s The Cleaning Lady, and has continued to captivate audiences with her standout performance.

Now in its second season, the critically-acclaimed series picks up with Thony (Élodie Yung) desperately trying to find her son, Luca (Sebastien & Valentino LeSalle), after he was kidnapped by his father, Marco (Ivan Shaw). With nowhere else to turn, she enlists the help of FBI Agent Garrett Miller (Oliver Hudson) to track him down before they leave the country. Meanwhile, an incident involving Chris (Sean Lew) forces Fiona (Martha Millan) to shield her son by any means necessary, furthering the theme of how far a mother will go to protect her child.

Pop Culturalist was lucky enough to catch up with Martha to talk about Season 2 of The Cleaning Lady, Fiona’s darker arc, and more.

PC: The last time we spoke, you teased that worlds would be colliding this season. How early on were you clued in on Fiona’s journey for the season? As her world has expanded, did it affect the way that you approached this character?
Martha: To be honest with you, we were just excited to get a Season 2! I had no idea what direction the show was going in, let alone Fiona’s journey. I knew they were going to delve into more of the family issues and everything. But the fact that we were tying up someone in a bathtub was definitely not on my radar. [laughs] It wasn’t Fiona, it was Thony, but she still witnessed it.

I had an idea of the general direction of where Fiona was going when I read the first episode and read what happened with Chris and my brother. I knew the stakes were going to be much higher this season and that it was going to be darker.

PC: In addition to that collision, Melissa [Carter] and Miranda [Kwok] have introduced new characters to this world. Which of these new relationships has been your favorite to explore and why?
Martha: I love the fact that they have expanded Nadia’s role. She’s such a strong character. This show really showcases very strong female characters. I’m so happy for her. Then at the same time, I love Naveen Andrews’ character, Kamdar. I never get to play across from them because I haven’t fully collided with their worlds yet. But the dynamic of those relationships is a good balance for Thony and Arman. I really enjoy the progression of their relationship.

PC: Melissa and Miranda have thrown so much at your character, especially in this second season. You’ve handled that journey with so much nuance. How have you created this space for yourself to tackle these darker themes and this gray area that Fiona finds herself in this season?
Martha: I mean, I never thought I’d be involved in a bathtub situation with a possible murder, but Melissa has referred to it as pushing reality. It’s finding the believability and the essence of Fiona’s characteristics and how far her emotional responses go. It’s about grounding it in reality and how far you would go for your family, which is a continuing theme of the show. That really helped me find believability in the situation because the stakes are much higher for Fiona. This is something that she never really wanted to be a part of or understood before. It’s also quite unsettling, which rattles their relationship in a very new way.

PC: We know that you can’t say too much, but there’s a scene where Thony and Fiona are talking about the aftermath of Marco’s death and the fact that they can’t properly grieve because there’s so much going on in their worlds. Are we going to see her come to terms with that loss as the season progresses?
Martha: You’re going to see the struggle and conflict that she’s dealing with in terms of what her new reality is now and the stakes that she’s dealing with. It all comes down to what’s best for her family and children.

Trust me, when I read the episodes toward the end of the season, I was like, “Oh my God. What’s going to happen to me?” I’ll leave that as a teaser for you guys because even for me, it was a huge revelation! The consequences that both these women are facing now together is quite an elevated level of intensity.

PC: Great teaser. Authenticity has been one of the trademarks of this series, and you actually have been able to involve your own parents as part of this process. Can you talk a little bit about being able to celebrate the success of this show with them and how they’ve helped you bring that authenticity to the screen?
Martha: My parents are so invested. First of all, they’re incredibly happy to see me working. [laughs] For me as an actress, that’s always their main priority. The fact that I’m involved in a show that celebrates their culture or at least explores their culture as Filipinos and the family dynamics, they’re so invested in every way.

I’ll run by them how to say certain things in Tagalog, whether it’s more casual or formal. Both of them would have ten-minute debates. [laughs] I’ll be like, “I don’t have time for this. I have to know in ten minutes.” [laughs] They’re so wonderfully supportive of it. Season 2 has definitely caught them off guard in terms of how far Fiona has gone in many ways.

PC: I love that in Season 2 there’s a huge focus on Fiona and Chris and their relationship. What has it been like getting to collaborate with Sean as his role has expanded along with the weight of his storyline?
Martha: Sean is such an incredibly talented person in every way. He’s a dancer. He’s an entrepreneur. I’m like, “How do you do it all at this age?” Since I’ve been in a lot of scenes with him, it’s been really wonderful to see the progression of our relationship and find that true bond between mother and son. I’m not a mother, but it’s been extremely effortless to play with Sean because of his openness. He’s such a welcoming person. It was easy to find new levels of our relationship through our traumatic journey together. It’s been fun. Chris is dealt such heavy circumstances. I applaud him for diving into it with open arms.

PC: Like you were saying earlier, one of the trademarks of this show is these strong female characters, and you’ve played so many throughout your career. Who are the women in your own life who shape the storyteller that you are today?
Martha: Definitely my mother and sister. Boy, those are two strong, unbreakable, unshakeable women. They’ve been through so many challenges in their lives. All have been handled with such grace and ferocity. They’re both fearless.

My mother was in banking and finance. My sister is in crypto finance. Those are very male-dominated worlds. I was able to see them handle themselves in those environments. My poor father has to deal with all three of us. [laughs] I commend him even more.

PC: You and the rest of the cast have talked about the collaborative environment that Melissa and Miranda have created on set. How has that trust allowed you to take agency over your character and her storyline?
Martha: In the first season, it was learning about how to communicate. I was very timid in terms of how to connect and communicate with my bosses. These are my bosses. They’re the most open, genuine, and sincere women who really created the best environment for you creatively. I never really went up to them about my character because I trusted them.

This season, I’m learning how to adapt to the journey that they want to take me on. It’s more or less me wanting to go along for the ride, even though they’re extraordinary roller coasters. I just want to go along with the ride that they’ve shaped for Fiona and see where it goes.

I am understanding my character more and more throughout the season. There are more innate choices that come through my performance, rather than building up histories or backstories for myself. Because now I already have Season 1 as my backstory. These are innate reactions that are coming from me.

PC: Because of the success of Season 1, there was a quick turnaround between Season 1 and Season 2. What challenges and advantages does that bring for you as an actress?
Martha: The challenges are always going to be there as an actress, regardless of whether you’ve waited ten years for a role or you’ve waited two weeks to start working. It’s about finding authenticity, realism, and believability in every moment that you have. That’s the connection that you have with the people that you’re working with.

I’m so lucky to have such a talented cast. The chemistry that I have with Élodie Yung is ineffable. It’s indisputable that we’ve been able to connect. I love that we have that. I’m always in huge gratitude to her in terms of her openness as an actress and as my scene partner.

It’s about trusting your instincts and the story that’s already happened, so you can respond with innate instincts. The response that I had with Arman (played by Adan Canto) the first time I met him was so genuine. I was very nervous to work with him because I’ve never worked with him as Martha. Fiona’s never met him, but she’s heard all these things. A lot of those things helped build up to the moment you see on screen when he says hello and I’m like, “I forgot my name.” [laughs]

PC: This season, we also got to see Lou Diamond Phillips come back and direct an episode. What was it like getting to collaborate with him again in a different capacity? Is that something that you’re interested in doing potentially in the future?
Martha: Lou Diamond Phillips is such an amazing person. As an actor, he’s so giving. As a director, he’s so aware. He’s so aware of the appreciation for everything that goes into making those three minutes or that scene and acknowledging the cameramen, crew, and actors and allowing them the space to create. I’m so grateful to him for creating that space for creativity.

Personally, I would never be a director. No. [laughs] That is something that everybody is like, “Why?” I’m like, “It’s too much work.” I like coming in and hoping that I know my lines and hoping that moment is going to be real. That’s enough for me for now. The fact that I’m working, that’s good. Directing is something that’s just too much for me. I always say this to Élodie because that’s the direction that she wants to go in. I’m always like, “You go ahead. You take the reins.” She’s very good at leading. I’m good at adapting. That’s the difference between us. That’s why I’m in awe of any director who wants to come into a show who already has a tight-knit crew and cast and directs us. You have to have a lot of strength to do that.

PC: We’re closing in on the last few episodes of this season. We know you can’t say too much, but what can you tease about what’s ahead for Fiona?
Martha: Oh my goodness. What can I tease? Well, I almost cried when I read the last episode. I was like, “What is happening?” Fiona’s journey this season is going to be somewhat questionable in terms of the impact it has on her future. All the decisions that she’s made with Thony, will they be worth it?

PC: We’ve talked in the past about how this show is celebrating marginalized voices and what it’s meant for audiences to see themselves represented on the screen. How has being a part of this project changed the way that you look at future projects?
Martha: It’s amazing. I get a lot of questions about that. I’m so proud to be a part of that movement with a show that is spearheading that. But I also realize that it would be wonderful to not have the fact that the show does have diversity and representation be such a big thing. That should be normalized. It should be a normal situation and not a trend or phase.

It would be absolutely wonderful to reach a point where it’s about the talent and the creative people behind the scenes rather than ethnicity, diversity, or representation. Because in the world now, you can’t deny that it’s everywhere. I would love for it to be so normal and effortless. I’m a huge advocate for that representation because I haven’t seen many Filipinos or Southeast Asians at the forefront of a primetime network show. I am so grateful to be a part of that and hopefully the normalization of that.

PC: This show is definitely a huge step forward in the right direction, where they don’t have to call attention to diversity. It just exists.
Martha: Exactly. When you travel, you don’t expect the country to change for you or explain its culture. You dive in. That’s what this show really creates for people. It’s like, “Whoa. This is what happens. Awesome.” The content and storytelling that Miranda and Melissa have created beautifully encapsulate that.

PC: Outside of this project, you have a couple of films that you’re a part of. Are there any that you can talk about at this time?
Martha: I’m excited about a movie that I have coming out. It’s going to be on Hulu. It’s called Merry Kiss Cam. It’s a Christmas movie. It’s my first rom-com, which is such a departure from Fiona’s dark and heavy world (which I love too and embrace). But I get to play a very obnoxious, rich, arrogant art gallery dealer in this. I actually get to play alongside Katie Lowes who is incredible in Inventing Anna, Scandal, and this movie as well. It’s comedic. It’s light. It’s fun. You’re definitely going to see me in a different world. I also get to wear nice clothes.

PC: You’re such a dynamic storyteller. What’s left on your bucket list?
Martha: You asked me about directing. I definitely would not like to do that. [laughs] I do have incredible stories that I would like to share. That’s something that I’m learning from being on set and watching my life progress. But I would love to share some of those stories from my point of view.

To keep up with Martha, follow her on Twitter and Instagram. Watch The Cleaning Lady every Monday on Fox at 9/8c.

Photo Credit: Rob Echanique