When they say you can always come home – I didn’t realize it would be for over a month! And neither did Emma (Mishel Prada) and Lyn (Melissa Barrera) when they returned to East LA for their mother’s funeral in the first episode of “Vida.” On the surface, “Vida” deals with a lot of the same themes as my life in quarantine. A show about two sisters who return to their childhood home and are forced to wrestle childhood traumas while dealing with grief, loss, ex boyfriends and complicated relationships. Except when I came home I found that my bedroom had been turned into a ribbon room, while Emma and Lyn discovered that their mother had been secretly married to a woman and that she’s left her bar to all three of them. So basically, way more interesting than my life.
And as if 2020 couldn’t get any worse, “Vida” is starting its final season on Sunday! (sobbing!) But what better way to spend your time in self isolation than binge watching it and tuning in every Sunday for new episodes on Starz! Whether you’re already obsessed or are ready to start living la “Vida” loca – we spoke with star Mishel Prada about her character, life on set, and what she’s going to miss most.
This show is for the girl who loves…family drama and steamy romance
3 words to describe this show are…Sisterhood, sensual, East LA
3 words to describe my character are…Unapologetic, mosaic, Chingona
My favorite memory from set is…This season, my kitten “the little one” would come to set with me and kick it in my dressing room with me. Roberta was in charge of making sure the kitten was well-behaved.
Who is your favorite character from the show and why?
I’m so in love with Lyn’s emotional journey. Her little victories, her inevitable failures and above it all, her endurance to keep growing and uncovering inner strength.
What are you going to miss most about filming this show?
Getting to work with such an inspiring group of women. I still am in awe that out of all the people in this mad world, we somehow found each other and made something beautiful. I’ll carry that with me forever.
What have you learned while filming this show?
You never forget your first. This was my first TV show.
I learned to trust myself, I learned how to speak up, I learned how to be there for others, I learned that telling a story worth telling is a birth. It can be messy, exhilarating, difficult and gorgeous and in the end, it’s all worth it.
