We recently connected with Maria Cid and have shared our conversation below.

Maria , looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. We’d love to hear the backstory behind a risk you’ve taken – whether big or small, walk us through what it was like and how it ultimately turned out.

It’s March 2020, and I’m about to graduate from the BFA in Acting program in Mexico City. We just started rehearsals for our graduation play when… yes, the pandemic hit. We went home with innocent smiles, joking about how our “one-week vacation” suited us perfectly. But that week became a month, then two months, and so on. With little to nothing happening in the acting and modeling scene, I decided to visit some family in Atlanta and help them with their kids while things “went back to normal.” (Spoiler alert: nothing went back to normal.)

My five-month stay here helped shape the woman I am today. I made friends from all over the world, cleaned toddler poop from the living room floor, learned how to potty train, invented a plethora of games, and even got lost in the woods with a friend while it was pouring rain.

It wasn’t until my last month here that I met Emilio, my now-husband. We hit it off from the beginning and continued dating even after I returned to Mexico City to finish my degree. (Shout out to the pandemic for normalizing remote work!) But long-distance love wasn’t for us, so despite everything and everyone I knew in Mexico City, I took a leap of faith and moved to Atlanta in late 2021.

I won’t lie; it hasn’t been easy, and I did not foresee all the challenges that moving countries would entail. However, it does get easier with time, and there is still so much of Atlanta and the U.S. for me to discover. I mean, I just celebrated my three-year anniversary, and I feel like I’m just dipping my toes in the water!

Honestly, Atlanta has been good to me. As soon as I got my residency, I was signed by The Avenue Agency, and I recently signed with Wilhelmina Models for modeling work. Plus, I’ve met so many amazing people! So things are looking up.

Finally, to anyone out there weighing whether to take the risk or not, I say: take it! There’s no way to know if it will “work out” unless you try. And even if it doesn’t work out, at least you gave it a shot, lived the experience, and made a decision based on that. Remember, there are no wrong decisions, as we are only seeking what we believe is best for us.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

My primary craft is acting; it’s what I do best and what I enjoy the most. I also model occasionally, as I love expressing myself through my body and working creatively with others.

One of my biggest professional achievements so far has been winning the “Best Actress” award at the Love and Hope International Film Festival in Barcelona in 2022 for my role in “Eagle Knight,” directed by Alejandro Blazquez. Another highlight was assisting my mom with her directorial debut short film, “Rubi’s XV.” Last but not least, I had the honor of being featured in my favorite magazine, ELLE Mexico, in the July 2020 issue.

If you’d asked me what I bring to the table I’d say commitment, creativity, and passion. There is nothing I enjoy more than working on creative projects collaboratively. I’m not a strong solo worker; I think that’s part of the reason I love acting so much. You need other people. Together, you elevate one another, and I find that to be beautiful.

Lately, I’ve been reflecting on the importance of creating one’s own work, so feel free to follow along or reach out if you have something brewing! Who knows, we might end up creating something great together!

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

I believe this is a very important question—one that we should ask ourselves often. For me, the most rewarding aspect of being an artist lies in the opportunity to express your inner world and to create a new one alongside others. Whether you paint, sing, write, act, or engage in any other art form, you share a piece of your humanity. Ideally, those who experience your work see themselves reflected in it, and if you’ve been vulnerable and true to yourself, they might feel a little less lonely in this process of being in this world.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

Very recently, my mission became to be unapologetically myself. To stop looking for what others want or what I think they want, and to tap into my uniqueness and exploit it without reserve in my art.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://imdb.me/mariacid
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mariacid09/

Image Credits

_theklark.org_
almendrabelenfuentes
soyhash