Production: Fahad Ali | @bookmanagement

Talent: Vanessa Villela | @Vannevillela

Publicist: Lilyan AGPR

Photographer: Alex Evans | @alexevansphotography

Stylist: Sammie | @sammiethestylist

Makeup Artist: Ashley J Simmons | @makeupbyashsimmons

Hair Stylist: Leo Valentino | @leovalentinohair

* Interview has been edited for length and clarity.

Take me through your journey. I know you got your start in acting in telenovelas like “El Cuerpo Del Deseo,” “Una Maid en Manhattan,” and “Eva Luna”. What was that experience like?

I started my acting career on a kid’s TV show when I was four years old. Seventeen years ago, I moved from Mexico City, where I had spent my entire life until that point, to Miami, to work with Telemundo for El Cuerpo Del Deseo. It was super hard to move away from my home country, but at the same time it was a wonderful experience and opportunity that allowed me to represent Mexico. It was amazing to work with so many incredible directors and producers from all over the word; it was a completely different experience from anything I had done before. I was also eventually able to find my own community of Latinx people in Miami, so I didn’t miss home as much.

After El Cuerpo Del Deseo, I did Eva Luna with Univision. I loved being able to world with a mix of talented people from all over the Latin world. It was an incredible success and I loved being able to play a fun character, who was a bit of a villain.

Then, I did Maid in Manhattan with Telemundo, which was one of my favorite (if not my favorite) soap operas that I’ve ever done. It was a comedy based on this Jennifer Lopez movie, and I ended up meeting two of my now-best friends while working on that show. We had such an amazing time and everyone in that cast was incredible. We created such a fun team of close knit friends. Honestly, I wish that soap opera had lasted way longer; the cast, production, writing, and everything else was sensational!

Those three projects have a lot of meaning for me. El Cuerpo Del Deseo was the one I worked on after moving to the United States. Eva Luna was the first production with Unavision. And Maid in Manhattan was also very successful, and just one of my favorite soap operas.

You were inspired to take on a career in real estate after the passing of your sister Jackie, what has this journey been like for you?

Well, it’s been a bittersweet and incredible and sensational and sad and everything in one. She was a realtor and she did really well in her first year, when she worked in San Diego. Jackie was actually the one who suggested, about two years before she passed away, that I start doing real estate. She noticed that I had free time when I wasn’t filming anymore, and she thought I would really love real estate because I could do it on my own time and because it fit with my personality because it was all about helping people and being friendly. So I started studying, but I ended up getting called for a TV show before I could finish.

I also remember that one day before she passed away, she suggested that we did a reality TV show about sisters in California. I remember laughing at the idea because I didn’t think I could be on reality TV, and it wasn’t really a part of my dreams back then. At the time, I wanted to work with her at a staging company in LA. I remember going to Miami for a couple of weeks to visit my friends, but when I went back to San Diego to see Jackie again and start learning about the company, she passed away. I covered the staging company, but nothing was really happening with it, and so many people started suggesting that I start doing real estate, instead of staging.

In my head, I didn’t want to do it. I had started this company with my sister, and she had put so much effort and money into this company. I wanted to do something good with it for her son and for my mom. And I honestly got frustrated when people would tell me to sell the business, or abandon it for something else.

But one day, I was so sad and conflicted over it, so I just said out loud “Jackie, what should I do? Should I just sell the business?”, as if I was talking with her in my car. I just wanted a sign. I ended up going on my phone and looking for open houses, just to see what would happen. Almost immediately, I found 10 open houses, and after the first one I went to, I was approached by a man who said he wanted to work with me. I told him that I wasn’t a realtor, but he reassured me that we could find a way to make it work as soon as soon as I got my license. He said that I was amazing with people and I could be really successful in this type of work. He pretty much used a lot of the same words that my sister used when she suggested for me to do real estate that first time. I felt like that was the sign I needed.

So I put the staging company on the side and started studying for the real estate exam again, with the hopes that it would all work out in the end. But when I was just about to take the final exam in person, lockdown came and I had to wait for a while until they reopened the exams. Eventually, I took the test, then started working immediately. I had my first listing a month later.

It’s just been sensational because Jackie was so right about everything that she told me I would love. She’s brought me blessing after blessing.

You have been deemed a fan favorite on Netflix’s Selling Sunset. Can you talk about what being on this show has been like, what it means to you, and what you have learned so far?

I never really imagined that I’d be a fan favorite, especially in my first season! It’s been so overwhelming, but in a good way. My heart is overflowing with gratitude, especially because it has given me the opportunity to fulfill my passion for helping other people. I also love that it really helps me feel more connected with people because they know me more as Vanessa, and not just as an actress. It makes me so happy, especially with after all the grief and the chaos of the pandemic. I get to start a new era of helping people with what they’re going through by sharing what I went through and how I cope with day to day struggles. It’s been the best thing that could happen to me.

Having been in telenovelas and now a reality tv show, what has this transition been like?

Obviously, it was hard because there was no script; there was no hair and makeup. You have to figure it out on your own, get your glam team, and get your stylist. It wasn’t hard because I’m used to having cameras around me, so in that sense they didn’t make me feel nervous. But it was my first project in English, and being constantly filmed while having normal conversations in another language can be a little stressful.

What was growing up in Mexico City like? Did you always know you wanted to be an actress?

Yes, I think so. When I was four years old, one of the producers asked my mom if my sister and I could be in his show, Chiquillados, which was a huge success in Mexico. So I started, and I fell in love with it. I didn’t feel shy, and it came naturally to me– I felt like I was born for it. So the producer loved my work so much that he wanted me to stay on the show.

I was portraying the girlfriend of Mini Dracula, and then he wanted me to be the wife. My mom later told me that I said that there was no way I was going to marry Mini Dracula, so I was out of the show. So that’s why I left the show, but it wasn’t because I didn’t like it. But either way, I continued asking my mom to do auditions. I had my first opportunity in telenovelas at eleven years old, and the producer loved my scene. I played a drunk teenager and I had never studied acting. The producers loved it so much that one of them gave me a role in his next soap opera; I played one of the grandkids. So it was incredible and mind blowing that that was happening to me.

After that, I continued doing auditions and soap operas. Not everything was rainbows and happiness; there were so many times that I wanted to stay in a soap opera, but I couldn’t. I cried in my house when I didn’t get the role, but I never gave up, and I always believed in me and my dreams. I always believed that there was a reason why, and what is meant for you will come to you, and there’s nothing that can take that away from myself. So I continued, and now I really love my job.

At any point throughout your career, are there any highlights/moments that stand out for you?

Probably moving from Mexico to another country. And being a part of another international TV network. That was incredible. Also, leaving Colombia, which was also like a super big move that was even further away from family. So it was probably harder, but at the same time, it was exciting because I was working with the most talented Colombian people. I feel super blessed. Honestly, I feel my life has been incredible; I feel everything I’ve done is a highlight.

Where do you draw your inspiration from?

Well, my first role model was my mom, for sure. My parents got divorced when I was seven, and I always saw my mom working non-stop and being a supermom and cooking and everything. She was sensational. She has been my inspiration since I was little because I always wanted to make her proud.

I also want to honor my sister’s life. I want to achieve all the things that she wanted me to achieve in my real estate career and in everything. When we had conversations, she was always like “I want you to do this” and “I want you to have this.” She was always so happy for my success– in acting, in everything, always celebrating everything. She was never jealous about my success. Now she’s my other fuel, my engine.

Giving back to your community means a lot to you. Can you talk about the organizations you contribute to?

I want to join Stand Up for Cancer. I lost my grandfather to cancer. He was the most lovely, sweet grandfather. A very good friend of mine, who was in El Cuerpo Del Deseo, died of cancer, too, so i want to join Stand Up for Cancer and be a part of it. I have worked with organizations to protect animals, and now I’m looking to see how to get involved in climate change. So honestly, anything I can do to help others.

Mental health is obviously very important right now, so I’m also trying to see how i can get more familiarized and help with that. Especially now, with COVID, I think a lot of people are suffering; I read about this one symptom called parasomnia, which makes things smell and taste like sewage. People are really affected mentally, so I want to get more involved with that and help as much as I can. I always say that when you put a message out there and help just one person, it’s magic.

What does having a platform like yours mean to you?

I feel that it’s a blessing, which is why I’m so happy to be on the show. It gives me the opportunity to connect with people in a different way and bring a message that I want to bring out there and help others. Again, as an actress you’re always loved, but it’s your characters getting the love– it’s not yourself. Sometimes, people don’t know you, they don’t know your story, they don’t know what you’ve gone through, or all the things you’ve overcome. I think having this platform comes with a responsibility, and this makes it different and easier to connect with people.

Congratulations on your collaboration with Lascivious! It looks like you will be breaking into the world of fashion soon. Is there anything related to this project that you could share with us?

Well, I’m working on new things and creating more for that! I should have some surprises by this summer!

Vanessa Villela: Selling Sunset Star