Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Mariana Arôxa. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Mariana , thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Are you happy as a creative professional? Do you sometimes wonder what it would be like to work for someone else?

What’s a “regular” job? I feel like we’re here to expand as humans, to be our most authentic selves. And I’ve realized that we’re not static—we’re ever-changing—and expression is at the core of the most lit versions of our experience on this Earth.

I also think we’ve been conditioned to exist in relation to what we do, more than who we are, and that’s a pretty stiffing way to think about life.

So, I don’t usually wonder what it would be like to have a regular job—except when a character in a story asks that question of me. And when they do, I bow a little deeper in gratitude for having a career filled with art, curiosity, and ‘not-so-regular’ jobs.

I have immense respect for those who thrive in a 9-to-5 life—I just know it wouldn’t fit my path. My joy comes from the unpredictability, the creation, and the freedom to express myself fully.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I got professionally into acting when I returned to Rio after college to help my father with his business. A theatrical agent saw me speaking on camera at one of his events and told me I had strong talent. I’d been saying since I was a kid, “I want to study acting,” but my parents weren’t supportive, so I had given it up—until that moment reignited everything.

After college, I tried a nine-to-five to make my parents proud, but I already knew it wasn’t for me. Then I earned a full scholarship to a TV/film school and started booking work—including a major musical, despite no formal vocal training. I had to learn on the job, but my acting got me there.

Since then, I’ve embraced a nontraditional path, juggling events, bartending, teaching yoga, personal assisting—even selling clothes online—so I can create joyfully without the weight of “making it” or merely surviving. My approach to life and work is one of reckless optimism: I trust my gut, follow what lights me up, and honor the little kid inside who just wants to play through art.

Challenges are still present—I even sabotaged myself leading up to this interview—but I see them as part of the process. Above all, connection, pleasurable creation, and authentic expression guide my path… and I do my best to gracefully take one imperfectly perfect step at a time.

Any resources you can share with us that might be helpful to other creatives?

I’ve been leaning into the understanding that everything unfolds in its own beautiful timing. If I could give my younger self a nugget of wisdom, it would be to care less about how others perceived her and trust her inner compass—because that intuition is what will guide her to every place her heart desires.

Reprogramming and rewiring limiting beliefs is a non-linear journey, but we’re lucky to live in a time with so many tools to support this personal process of growth.

The resource I wish my younger self had known about most is meditation. I only started meditating about six years after choosing acting as a career, and it has since become the most powerful tool for advancing my art while staying grounded in peace. It’s still a challenging tool to grasp at times… but every day I discover something new within that silence. Grateful.

In your view, what can society to do to best support artists, creatives and a thriving creative ecosystem?

I feel that if humans allowed themselves to express their inner artists—whatever the craft may be—there would be a greater understanding and respect for art and artists. The pain many carry from suppressing that part of themselves often reflects in how they approach and value art in general.

For me, I don’t look to society to define what support as an artist should look like. I believe we must lean into our own inner power, envision the world we want to live in, and take inspired action toward making that a reality.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marianaaroxa

Image Credits

Matt Kallish
Leah Huebner
Liselott Pettersson