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Deadly Class’ María Gabriela de Faría is delivering a killer performance in her American television debut. Based on the popular graphic novels by Rick Remender and executively produced by The Russo Brothers, Deadly Class is a coming-of-age tale about a disillusioned teen recruited into a high school for assassins.

The role means a great deal to María for several reasons. During the process, she learned to open up about similar struggles she shares with her character. It also was an opportunity for her to grow as an actress and to represent a culture who wants to see themselves as heroes.

Pop Culturalist had a delightful conversation with María about the series.

PC: Tell us about Deadly Class and your character in the series? What should fans know about Maria?
María: Deadly Class is an amazing coming-of-age story in a dark and heightened world. It takes place in the counterculture of the eighties, which makes everything more fun. Maria is a student at Kings Dominion Atelier of the Deadly Arts. She was kidnapped by the cartel when she was seven-years-old and she been performing assassinations for them ever since. She’s bipolar and struggles with her mental health, so she secretly medicates and is constantly looking for a way out. She doesn’t belong in this world—she has a different dream: she wants to have a house and kids. So, everything she does at Kings Dominion takes a toll on her. Every day she spends there kills her a little bit more inside.

PC: How challenging is it for you to bring a character from a beloved graphic novel to a live-action format?
María: It’s really complex. I feel a sense of responsibility. When you have a graphic novel that’s been so successful and has fans around the world that love the story and character, you feel a responsibility to them. You want to give them everything they want, but at the same time make the character your own. It’s a tricky dance.

For me, it was very important to portray Maria in a very honest way. At first, I was really worried about bringing the character to life, but I thought to myself, if Rick Remender [creator of Deadly Class] is asking me questions about my character and trusts me to play her, I definitely have what it takes to make her my own. After I broke through that barrier, I began to relax. Maria is a really hard character to play, but it was definitely smoother after I realized that the team had faith in me. I was also able to bring things from my personal life to the character.

PC: What similarities and differences do you share with Maria?
María: Well, as for similarities, the name, of course. [laughs] Although I’m not bipolar, I can relate to her fear of losing it. As a kid, I started to develop anxiety and panic attacks and they became more frequent as I grew up: I would have them once or twice a week. While I’m not medicated, I found a different solution: I meditate and I go to therapy. I can relate to her need to feel normal and to hide it from everyone. I didn’t tell my family or my friends until last year. I didn’t want them to feel like I was going crazy. Maria feels the same way. Since playing Maria, I feel a responsibility to share my story, which is a story that everyone can relate to! Maria also feels like an outsider, and I think we all feel that way. Those are really the two big things that I share with her. Though it was nothing like what Maria and Chico have, I have also been in an abusive relationship, so I’m able to relate to that. That guy who abused me, he made me a better actress.

The differences are I’m not an assassin and I’m not training to be an assassin. [laughs] Besides that, Maria’s physicality was hard for me. I was never an athletic person—I never played any sports, I never worked out, but because I was playing Maria, I had to do it. It was important to me for Maria to look like she could take down a big guy, so I worked really, really hard. Now, I consider myself a strong physical woman. I work out every day and that’s thanks to Maria, but we definitely didn’t share that in the beginning.

PC: Your character has meant a great deal to a lot of communities. Did that add any extra pressure heading into filming? Have you had any time to reflect on that milestone?
María: Of course! This is my first character on American television. I’ve been acting forever—since I was five-years-old—in Latin America. It’s a much smaller industry there, so this has been a big goal of mine. It means everything to me. At the same time, I thought to myself, “Now is your time to show everyone that you’re talented and that you can do this.” This character is Latina, she’s badass, and she’s one of the leads of the show! She’s a hero. This is the moment to show Hollywood and the industry that Latinos can play these types of roles. We can be leads in action movies and shows. People want to see us doing it, so I really wanted to do a good job.


Of course, it’s an opportunity for me to grow as an actor, but it’s also important for my culture and people. I know a lot of fellow Latinos who are struggling to make a career here. This not only applies to me, but it’s also the same for Lana [Condor] and Luke [Tennie].

PC: Like you just said, this is your American television debut. What are some of the major differences when you compare this experience to the work you’ve done in Latin America?
María: [laughs] I remember thinking during the pilot, “Oh my God. There is so much food. It’s everywhere.” [laughs] They’re very similar, but everything in America is amplified. There are so many people working behind the scenes. There are people who open doors for you—I’m always like, “I think I can fully open the door by myself, but thank you.”


You have more time to prepare, too. You have a table read and then you have time to rehearse. In Latin America, you’re doing an episode in one or two days. Here, you have time to talk to your producers, showrunners, and writers.

But there’s also more pressure here. The industry in Latin America is more relaxed. Nobody cares about your personal life. Here, it’s different: you have to think about everything. I love it, though. I think as an actor, you should feel that responsibility to the audience.

PC: In the series, both Maria and Marcus are struggling with mental health issues. Marcus is more vocal about it, while Maria is not. Will we see Maria open up more about her bipolar disorder?
María: I don’t want to give too much away, but Maria and Marcus are very different people. Dealing with mental health is something that’s very personal. For example, a family member right now is dealing with some mental health issues, plus he has cancer. He doesn’t want to share it with people—he wants to keep it a secret. I keep telling him that he has to open up; he has to tell his story. He has to share with people because that’s how you get support, but that’s my way of thinking. Everyone is different. I don’t think Maria will change how she feels, but there’s a chance Marcus will help her open up a bit more. Her fear of telling others isn’t going to go away.

Photo Credit: Katie Yu/SYFY

PC: Maria has a lot of different relationships in the series. Which is your favorite to explore and why?
María: Definitely my relationship with Saya. In the comics, they don’t show it too much, but it’s different on the show. It’s an important relationship for both of them; they rely on each other a lot. They deeply care about and love each other. It’s hard because they can’t be friends. You can’t have relationships in Kings Dominion with people that belong to a different clique. For Maria, Saya is the person that understands her, but you can’t trust anyone at Kings Dominion.

PC: If the series is picked up for season two, where would you like to see Maria’s storyline head?
María: I want to see an empowered Maria who doesn’t follow anyone’s rules but her own. I want her to break free and not be afraid. I want her to fight for what she thinks is right. It’s going to be great for her, and really fun and different for me as an actress.

Pop Culturalist Speed Round

PC: Guilty pleasure TV show?
María: I don’t know if this is a guilty pleasure, but I love Club de Cuervos on Netflix. I’ve watched it several times. Actually, maybe Jane the Virgin: it’s like a telenovela, but in English.

PC: Guilty pleasure movie?
María: Again it’s not a guilty pleasure, because it’s an amazing movie, but Moana. I can watch it over and over again. I cannot tell you how many times I’ve watched Moana. Whenever I’m sad, whenever I’m happy, whenever I’m worried, I watch it. I guess you can feel guilty about it if you watch it as many times as I have.

PC: Favorite book?
María: Ensaio Sobre a Cegueira by José Saramago or One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel García Márquez

PC: Favorite play or musical?
María: In the Heights

PC: A band or artist that fans would be surprised to learn is on your playlist?
María: I love Radiohead.

PC: Hidden talent?
María: I’m a yogi! I want to teach yoga.

Keep up with María by following her on Twitter and Instagram, and catch Deadly Class every Wednesday at 10/9c.

Photo Credit: Allen Fraser/Syfy