Exclusive Interview: Pop Culturalist Chats with The Cleaning Lady’s Martha Millan

Filipino-Australian actress Martha Millan is a tour de force who is captivating audiences with her brilliance in Fox’s newest primetime hit series The Cleaning Lady.

The crime drama follows Thony De La Rosa, a whip-smart Cambodian doctor who comes to the U.S. for a medical treatment to save her son. But when the system fails and pushes her into hiding, she’ll use her wit and intelligence to fight back, breaking the law for all the right reasons.

Martha shines as Fiona De La Rosa, Thony’s sister-in-law, who will stop at nothing to protect her family.

Pop Culturalist was lucky enough to catch up with Martha to learn more about her, The Cleaning Lady, and the emotional journey we can expect this season.

Career

PC: Could you take us back to the beginning? How did you discover your passion for acting and storytelling?
Martha: I was in grade 12. I took an elective on the side. I was just playing around. Then I did The Importance of Being Earnest, Oscar Wilde’s play. I played Gwendolen and I loved it. I was like, “Oh my God. People get to do this for a living?”

So I went to the University of Sydney. Then I decided to take a year off. My mom was like, “You’ve got to do something. You can’t go gallivanting around.” I decided to take a course at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. I discovered New York and got accepted there. I decided to stay. I started working pretty much straight after graduating.

PC: Who or what has had the biggest influence on your career?
Martha: Wow. That’s the first time I’ve been asked that. Professionally, it was my teacher, Peter Jensen, at the Terry Schreiber Studios. He was so grounded. He shaped my craft and mentored me to trust my instinct and pushed me to explore how far I could go with certain things. But in terms of professional influences, it’s all about experiencing, learning, making mistakes, and hopefully not making them again.

PC: You’ve said in previous interviews that you faced a lot of adversities and there weren’t a lot of opportunities for Asians within the industry. How were you able to preserve? When did you start noticing the shift towards greater representation and diversity?
Martha: Yeah, I had to put aside all the judgments and feedback that I got. It wasn’t even criticism about my performance. It was, “You’re not Asian enough,” “You’re too Asian.” It was really hard to hear. A lot of the feedback wasn’t about my performance. It was about who I am, and I can’t change that. In the end, I had to let that go. I had to really trust the choices that I was making, and that was going to have to be enough in the audition room. That was something that I had to get over and not take so personally, despite all the feedback being about something that I couldn’t change. The only things that I could change were solidifying the choices that I made in the room and the confidence that I brought.

That definitely took a long time because after you hear so many things about yourself that you can’t do anything about, you definitely lose a lot of hope. It’s about perseverance and trusting yourself. If this is what you love doing and you want to express yourself in this way, share it with the world. You have to trust your instincts. That’s something that I highly recommend to anyone. For me, I had to drop the fact that there were going to be judgments made about me that I wouldn’t be able to change.

The Cleaning Lady

PC: The Cleaning Lady premiered last week and it’s become the network’s highest-rated new drama in two years. You’re in a unique position now where you can see the fan response in real time via social media. What has that experience been like? What has that milestone meant to you?
Martha: It’s incredible, Kevin. First of all, I’m not even a social media person. I was on the plane. I was flying to Sydney, but I was able to get on Twitter. My Twitter feed kept alerting me. I was like, “Oh my God.” It was all positive. I never read any of the backlash or anything like that. Everyone really applauded the representation that this show brought. You could see people’s honest joy and relief that we were finally represented on a platform that everybody watches every day. It’s taken a long time, but it’s wonderful.

It’s never too late for change. The fact that it’s evolving is really groundbreaking. Miranda Kwok and Melissa Carter have shaped this show so that it’s representative of all cultures, especially in terms of the diversity of the cast, the writers, the directors, and the producers. It’s representative of all cultures and it lends to the authenticity that this show is about.

PC: Whenever you’re the first to do something, there’s always going to be a lot of attention and eyes. Did that bring any pressure to this project?
Martha: I didn’t think about it while we were shooting. It was about being present and living the characters’ experiences and creating those authentic moments so that people will really care about these characters. When I saw the response and how quickly everybody was to respond and share their experiences…you always hope for the best. The feedback has been wonderful. It says a lot about what the world is asking for right now.

PC: Authenticity is one of the big reasons why I think this show has resonated with audiences and will continue to do so. How much of a hand do you have in shaping your character? What has that collaboration been like with the writers’ rooms?
Martha: They’re very collaborative. Melissa and Miranda Kwok have created an environment where we are allowed to talk to the writers. The writers are actually on set. It’s wonderful to meet them and say thank you for giving us such rich characters that can go on so many emotional journeys. So yes, there is room for collaboration in terms of helping you find your character. They understand the evolution of that and welcome that collaboration. That’s why it is such a grounded show: because of that authenticity and the fact that we do communicate.

PC: This show has so many intense moments, but your character in particular brings a lot of levity as well. For you as an actress, is one more challenging than the other?
Martha: It’s funny because most of the shows that I have done have been dramas. It was great to shift back and forth. But I think that’s Fiona. People who know me will probably say it’s just Martha. [laughs] But I love it. She’s so unpredictable. She’ll be laughing, and then the next time, she’s going to want to punch you. The only challenge is to make sure that it’s real, grounded, and believable. In order to get to that point, I have to stay connected and really understand what she’s going through, whether it’s a comedic or dramatic scene.

PC: Fiona has the biggest transformation throughout this series. How did you prepare to tackle her arc?
Martha: To be honest with you, I never knew what was going to happen to her. It was episode by episode. I was always on my toes trying to figure out what was going to happen next. I had to remain present in terms of what had just happened and what the consequences were of the last episode—what decisions has she made and how am I going to apply those decisions in reacting to what happens next?

In terms of the arc, I’m so grateful to the writers who have shaped that for me. For me to go through that ride has been a blessing as an actor. I can go onto set and see what happens. That’s why it’s so fluid in terms of how she’s evolved and her finding her voice. It’s always exciting. I love the fact that I don’t really know what’s going to happen because that’s how life is. We don’t know what’s going to happen. It’s about how we respond to those circumstances and learn from our mistakes.

PC: There’s a big reveal involving your character in Episode 2. What effect will that not only have on her but all the characters moving forward? What can you tease about that?
Martha: With Fiona’s situation, there’s always a big reveal. Whenever I read the script, I’m like, “Oh, okay!” In essence, this show is about family, what happens to this family, and how one person in the family is going to affect everyone else. It’s about how we bond and deal with those circumstances and how our relationships are strengthened throughout that. It’s an emotional ride. It’s also about allowing those issues to be grounded and real so that it’s relatable to everybody because we’re dealing with extraordinary circumstances. Not everyone is undocumented or working for the mob, but if you bring it down to the bottom line, it’s about family and what would you do for your family? That’s what keeps our performances grounded.

PC: There are so many moments within the show that are going to stay with audiences. Is there a particular scene or episode that you’re really excited for fans to see?
Martha: Episodes 4 and 5. You’ll see one extreme of Fiona and then the other. Episode 5 was emotionally challenging. It’s going to allow people to see our world and what we deal with being undocumented. Not saying we’re condoning that, but in terms of understanding why we’ve made the choices we’ve made and why we’re in the situation that we’re in. We’re taking all these risks for the good of our family.

Speaking of family, Elodie and I have become like family off set as well. I love and adore her. She’s my big sister and mentor. That translates on screen. You can see that we care about each other. We’re very present, and if we’re not we’re like, “Let’s do it again.” That’s why a lot of those scenes are very impactful and powerful because we really care about how our characters are portrayed.

PC: During the pandemic, you were also coaching aspiring young actors. If you could share a piece of advice with them, what would it be and why?
Martha: Trust your instincts no matter what anyone says to you. Your first instinct is yours and yours alone. Nobody else is going to make that choice. That’s why your choice as an actor coming into the room is going to be unique. Embrace who you are. Trust what your inner self says the first time. Don’t second guess yourself.

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

Photo Credit: Yanina May