Rising Stars: Meet Mariana Belén of Los Angeles

Today we’d like to introduce you to Mariana Belén

Hi Mariana, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I was born in Cúcuta, a small city in northern Colombia. Throughout my life, I have developed deeply as an integral and sensitive artist, always seeking to discover the meaning of interpretation. I became an actress in Colombia, where I began to immerse myself in the world of film and TV sets as a professional makeup artist and special effects artist. At the same time, I ran a small makeup business and was part of a band because I’m also a singer. I was always looking for ways to get closer to acting, and one day, by chance, I got the opportunity to make my first appearance on Colombian TV.

God has always helped me through all my processes, and little by little, I started getting roles in more complex characters and bigger productions. When the opportunity arose in my career, I won an audition for a very famous TV show in Colombia, and from there, my journey as an artist and actress has been non-stop. I began studying intensively, preparing more and more. I trained with some of the best acting coaches in Colombia, practicing genres such as melodrama, realism, and comedy, and studying acting techniques like Meisner and Stanislavsky.

After some internal processes where my spirit longed to reach a higher level, I finally found an international scholarship to study acting, which was perfect because it coincided with my desire to live in the United States. I could choose Los Angeles, the city of my dreams. For a long time, I had been nurturing the idea of living abroad, even though it had been in a different context and with different plans. In the end, it was always my dream, and the big day arrived. I wanted to develop my career in Los Angeles.

Upon arriving here, I’ve had some of the most amazing experiences in a long time. I believe it’s been the best decision of my life. When I got here, I didn’t have time to think—I just had fun and studied. I’ve met so many people, visited so many places, and transformed my life and my perspective on it. I started as a designer on Melrose, creating custom outfits for Burning Man, and realized I could put all my artistic talents into action here.

Recently, I completed my first acting role in an independent film by Californian director Michael Matteo Rossi, which will premiere at the end of this year or early 2025. I played a character named Araceli, a rebellious Mexican leader of a group fighting for justice. It’s a sci-fi film, and it was an incredible way to start my career here. I got the role because I met the director at a film festival called Dances With Films, and we clicked professionally. We started shooting just before my birthday, which was the best gift and confirmed I was on the right track. At the same time, I was preparing for a major audition for Telemundo Los Angeles, which I’ll tell you more about later.

We filmed at several locations in Downtown L.A. and Anaheim, and other Colombian colleagues like Angel López and Carolina López were part of the project, which made me feel very connected to what it means to be Latina in Hollywood. There are so many opportunities and possibilities here. I worked with actors like Chris Moss, Mike O’Hearn, Daniel O’Reilly, and others, and they were all so kind that they made me feel like I was on the right path.

This project was the beginning of what is and will be my career in Los Angeles. Simultaneously, I’m starting to develop as a painter again, with some paintings I want to create as I return to the art of painting. For now, my acting career is the most important thing. I’m still studying at one of the most prestigious acting schools and have a couple of projects lined up before the year ends. I’m constantly looking for auditions, opportunities, and new connections.

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Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
The journey has been full of challenges; that’s what I call obstacles. Every situation is a test, and I always stood firm in my decisions. I wanted to be an actress. It has been a beautiful journey because those challenges are what have made everything worthwhile. I had to go through a lot of frustration at times, emotional highs and lows, and I even went through a heartbreak in the midst of deciding to move to Los Angeles. After that, I decided to move forward with my plans and come here alone to the place I had always dreamed of. Being here has been really calm and smooth; I feel like this city has been waiting for me for a long time, and it has given me many things that have brought me gratitude and opened doors. It’s not easy either, arriving in a new country, acting in another language, meeting new people, making new connections, and establishing myself within L.A.’s artistic scene. When I arrived in the city, I almost immediately won the casting for *Sensor Addiction*, so the journey, more than easy, has been beautiful and blessed.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I am an actress, singer, painter and designer. I graduated in Colombia with a degree in environmental engineering but I decided to be an actress and I have studied a lot to achieve it. It set me apart from others because I am a Colombian with many integral artistic talents, from being a makeup artist to interior decorator, singer and passionate about fashion. I love cooking exquisite dishes and I love living in Los Angeles

So, before we go, how can our readers or others connect or collaborate with you? How can they support you?
I think the best way for us to form alliances among actors is to remove the veil of race and language limitations. I speak two languages, Spanish and English, and I’ve realized that here, the only universal language for making art is just one: cinema. Among local actors and directors, we can organize events related to networking within the acting community and everything related to the audiovisual world. If you follow me on Instagram, you can see what kind of profile you’re looking for, and sometimes collaborations help strengthen our working relationships and our careers. You can join me through my social media, and why not work on independent projects that give us exposure both inside and outside the country?

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marianabelenactress?igsh=OGQ5ZDc2ODk2ZA%3D%3D&utm_source=qr
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/@marianabelenactriz?si=NNRQep6lJux74qKV