Constance Marie is a Los Angeles-based Latinx force. While she has had a prolific career from the beginning, she has always prioritized working on projects that highlight the Latinx community and social causes. You may recognize her from her powerful performance of Regina Vasquez in the revolutionary show “Switched At Birth”. But this month, she will be seen as 'Beatriz Diaz' on "With Love" — the new Latinx romantic comedy series for Amazon Prime Video, created and written by Gloria Calderon Kellett. Constance will be playing a character that many women in America will be able to relate to, answering questions like: "What happens after the happily ever after?" Constance Marie is more than a powerful actress. She is a mother, a humanitarian, and a fighter for a better world and planet for future generations. Please continue reading below to learn more!

Where are you based?
I was born and raised in Los Angeles. My family has been in the United States since 1850! Technically, that's before it was even the United States. America was still part of Mexico then.

You were a trained dancer when you got your very first acting job, a starring role as 'Penny' on the CBS series "Dirty Dancing." Would you say that acting chose you? From there, how did you know you wanted to continue with this career?
I started as a dancer, but I wasn't a trained dancer. I was very lucky to come up in a time when break dancing, hip-hop, and street dancing were all in their formative stages. Trained dancers didn't know how to do that yet. There were lots of opportunities for street dancers in music videos and commercials. I was a dancer in the movie "Salsa" when Kenny Ortega asked me if I wanted to audition to play the character of 'Penny' for "Dirty Dancing." At that time, I thought to myself, "well, my rent still needs to be paid. Sure, I'll audition!"

Up until that point, I had been incredibly shy in high school, which is why I failed drama class! But after many years of dancing, I was more comfortable performing and speaking in public. Once I started acting, I realized how a wonderful vehicle it was to touch people's hearts, and how exciting it was to play different characters! Plus, I got my own dressing room, and didn't have to share with ten other dancers!

Most recently, you appeared in the rotoscoped animated show "Undone." Was it your first time acting in this kind of production? Could you tell us more about your experience?
None of us knew what "Undone" was going to be. It was technically animation, but we shot live-action scenes! It was a completely new process! They photographed us from every angle with computers to ultimately change us into graphic novel-looking characters. There were no sets. We were just acting in front of white cardboard with black lines! We had to use our imaginations and look at the computer-generated images of what our town looked like, what our house looked like, etc. It was fantastic! I loved the idea of working in a new kind of medium and the story of this Latinx family!

I also love the concept that every one of your choices can change the trajectory of your life. And on "Undone," you can play out the same scenario in many ways.

We also would love to hear more about your daughter's participation at "Undone." How did it come to be?
Because "Undone" was shot in an office conference room, basically everything that happened was in one big room. In this room were casting, actors holding, hair and makeup, and anybody else who happened to walk into the office!

My daughter came to visit me at lunch one day, and the casting director Linda Lamontagne saw that she and the lead actress Rosa Salazar kind of resembled each other. She secretly asked me if I was interested in having my daughter audition. I was not. I thought my daughter should focus more on school. But I did also believe it could be a learning experience for her. So unbeknownst to my daughter, I asked her to go over the lines with me so I could audition with other girls to play Rosa Salazar in flashbacks as an eight-year-old. While rehearsing, my daughter put the paper down and looked me straight in the eye, and asked, "Mom, can I audition to play your daughter?"

And I thought to myself, "Well, this is what she knows. She has seen me act since she was born, so why not give her a shot?" And it did happen organically, and it was her desire, so I let her do it. Of course, she got it! I think she did a fabulous job! She is so proud to have been able to participate!

On December 17th, on Amazon Prime Video, you will be on the screens as 'Beatriz Diaz,' for "With Love" -- the new Latinx romantic comedy series, created and written by Gloria Calderon Kellett. Could you tell us more about your character and what we should expect from the show?
I feel so blessed to be a part of "With Love." Latinx peeps have finally made it to Holiday rom-com. I have waited for this my whole life. I play 'Beatriz Diaz'. She is a character that many women in America will be able to relate to. She is at a place where she got the man of her dreams, had their children, and they created a business, but now their long-term relationship is on autopilot. What happens after the happily ever after? She must redefine her relationship. She struggles and has a secret, but I'm not allowed to give that away…

As far as what to expect from the show, it is a feel-good rom-com that is heartfelt, funny, sexy, and the big warm hug we all need right now. We have been through two years of Covid, isolation, and divisiveness, so I think that this show is coming at the perfect time! We, as a society, crave connection and need to feel good!

Telenovelas are a huge thing in Latinx culture, but they are slowly starting to appear more in Hollywood. Can you tell us a bit about your thoughts on that?
I have been very blessed to work on some groundbreaking shows. The fact that "Switched at Birth" was such a pioneering show, having almost half the cast be deaf, was amazing! I love Lizzy Weiss' writing and the fact she could write a story with opposing points of view and be true to each of those points. There was no clear right answer.

It was all about understanding and empathy!

Jejune loved your role as 'Regina Vasquez' in "Switched at Birth." This show is a bit revolutionary in many ways. First and foremost, it brings deaf culture and actors to mainstream TV. But the show also beautifully covers so many social issues. Can you tell us a bit of your experience being on this show? Did you have to learn sign language? Did you already know some from the beginning?
Playing 'Regina Vasquez' on "Switched at Birth" really stretched my skills as an actor! She was so fabulously complex and still a role model. I did not know sign language before I started that show. It was an incredible challenge to try to learn sign language in three weeks so that it looked as if I had done it for 12 years! I think my dance background helped me understand patterns, and also, being Latinx, I know how to speak with my hands.

Regina is such a powerful character. She is a badass single mom who knew her daughter was switched, but was already in love with her and not willing to give her up. Can you talk a bit about Regina, what it was like playing her, and how much you could relate to her?
It's interesting because when I first saw the character for 'Regina Vasquez,' I wasn't 100% sure because, at first glance, she looked like a typical Latinx single mom, recovering alcoholic, who is working class and struggling. But then, as I delved deeper into the character, I realized that she was a survivor. She was an homage to single moms like mine who worked so hard to ensure that their children had the best in life. I felt that this needed to be reflected in society! Because Regina, even with all the odds against her, raised a daughter who did well at school and was a good kid, who did not get into trouble and excelled athletically. Regina's parenting was paying off, even against the odds, she did it right!

One of the most heartbreaking story arcs in the show is when Regina has carpal tunnel and can no longer sign with her daughter. Can you talk a little bit about this experience and why this is so heartbreaking?
The saddest part was when I had to give up sign language on the show. I wanted to make sure that I represented the parents in the deaf community with deaf children in the best light. So, I couldn't fake it! I had to do it for real. And because initially, I was so good at it, the writers wrote more and more scenes. So, at the age of 45, I was learning a new language and using my hands in a completely different manner. My rehearsal was 24/7 when I was not shooting, and then it was a 14-hour day when I was shooting. So, I did end up getting tendinitis in carpal tunnel in both arms. The creator, Lizzy Weiss, wrote that into the storyline. What happened to me in real life is what happened to 'Regina Vasquez.' It was heartbreaking because I felt like I was abandoning the deaf community. But the good thing that happened was that all the other actors had to bring up their sign language game!

I love sign language so much, and I still remember it and have taught some to my daughter!

You had a prolific career from the beginning, but, most of all, you always tried to work on projects highlighting the Latinx people. Could you tell us more about this and why it is important to you?
As an actor, I feel that it's important to represent Latinx people in a manner in which I can be proud. Growing up as Latinx American whose family has been here for generations and generations, I felt it was essential to find a balanced representation of our people.

As a child, when I was growing up, I would see all these characters on shows that were Latinx, but it was always the recent immigrant, or the bad guy, or the maid, or somebody who needed to be rescued. That did not resonate with me.

I made a conscious choice to only select roles and projects that I could be proud of. I feel blessed to have been able to continue to do that throughout my career. Representation matters! I want future generations to see themselves reflected in a positive light.

This year, in September, you and Melissa Fumero gave an interview to Yahoo discussing the Latinx misrepresentation by Hollywood. What do you believe it's necessary to change some directors' minds to hire and advocate for more Latinx actors/actresses and roles?
I do not think it's a question of changing directors' minds because they ultimately are only directing projects that have been greenlit. It is a higher-up issue with the studio decision-makers.

If a Latinx writer or any writer writes a project where Latinx characters are more emboldened and empowered and play the leads of a show, it is up to the studio heads to greenlight those projects to get them made. If they are not greenlit because there's no diversity amongst the studio heads, then, maybe here and there, a casting agent or director can try to cast a role with a Latinx actor, but it's hard to make any kind of real progress or build momentum in that way. One of the saddest things about when the "George Lopez" show went off the air was that we did not have any other family Latinx sitcoms to replace our show.

With your experience trying to get pregnant and eventually turning to IVF, you became an advocate to share your life story and help other women in similar situations. Could you tell us more about it?
Being a working woman from a very young age (13 and a half, to be more specific), it's a little hard to hear the biological clock ticking while you're trying to create your dreams and jump over hurdles as a professional. So, by the time I listened to the biological clock, I was 38 years old. I have been told that it is a little late in the game to try to get pregnant, and being Latinx didn't help me very much as far as fertility is concerned.

It took five years to have my daughter and a tremendous amount of patience, education, hard work, and money. IVF is not covered by insurance for many people, which is very sad.

I like to say that my daughter taught me patience before she even got here!

That fertility struggle was one of the loneliest journeys I have been on. I always promised myself, when I got to the end of it, if I ultimately had a child of my own or through donor egg or through adoption, that I would share my story with other women so they felt less alone. I actually pitched writing a book about my journey with a humorous spin because sometimes you just have to laugh. At the time, I was told that people were not interested. But I know women are interested. I will get back to writing that book with my own take because I don't think women should feel so alone on that journey.

We love that you are an advocate for Planned Parenthood and Equal Pay for Women. Can you please tell us why these organizations are so important to you?
I think one of the legacies I would like to leave my daughter and all the younger women is that we leave our country and the economy in a better place than it was for us. Planned Parenthood provides so many women access to control over their bodies. It is hard to go to school or accomplish your dreams or continue your education if you do not have access to birth control - if you can't afford it. This is a huge factor as a human that men do not have to deal with. The fact that access to it is still a struggle is something that we, as women, are going to change.

As far as equal pay for women, the original pay structure was so long ago in our history. It was originally established because men were the breadwinners of the home and many women were homemakers. That is not the case anymore.

Most homes are two-income households, with the women bringing home about half or more in many situations. The fact that we are still struggling to get equal pay for equal work also shows how backward we still are. That needs to change for the future generations of women. We cannot be the greatest country in the world if we treat half of our population/women as less than.

You are also a spokesperson for East Los Angeles Women's Center, which helps women dealing with rape, domestic violence, and human trafficking. Can you please tell us a bit about this organization and why it is so important to you?
The East Los Angeles Women's Center has been around since 1976. They have been helping women dealing with rape and domestic violence for that long. They were one of the very first organizations to have a 24/7 bilingual hotline. Their name seems like they would have a smaller part of Los Angeles in which they cover, but they cover much more than East Los Angeles. They are so important because, from the very first call, they support the victims, and offer therapy, mentoring, relocating, education, and health awareness. They are truly angels!

Domestic violence has increased since the pandemic. Do you have any advice for anyone struggling with a bad situation these days?
The advice I would give to someone struggling with a tough situation or domestic violence is that you deserve better. No matter what someone tells you or you've been conditioned to believe, you deserve better. You deserve to be treated with respect. And you are not alone. Many women struggle, but many people are there to support you.

Call East LA WOMEN's Center- EVEN if you are not in Los Angeles.
They will guide you.
800-585-6231 —24/7 They are there for you.

We LOVE that you are a vegetarian — leaning more towards vegan these days, an advocate for PETA and that you are worried about the planet — living a very organic and holistic lifestyle. Could you tell us how your transition to vegan has been and why more and more people should be aware of its benefits?
Yes, I am a vegetarian and have been for decades. I am slowly evolving towards vegan. It was a choice I made as a teen because eating steaks, hamburgers, and ground beef made me feel heavy and lethargic. So, I cut that out. Then, a few years later, I cut out poultry, and I felt lighter. Years later, I eliminated fish because of all the mercury in it and that it could - possibly - be unhealthy for me in my fertility journey. Mercury has been studied and reported to contribute to congenital disabilities.

Along this journey, I read a report from the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on climate change on how animal factory farming contributes more to climate change and global warming than the auto industry. That report solidified my feelings about being vegetarian/vegan, not just for my personal health but also for the planet's health.

PETA has been an ally that I discovered along the way because not only do they educate and raise awareness on the rights of animals, but they also educate about the benefits of being vegan/ vegetarian for the health of the planet.

Part of my organic journey was because of the many years of struggling and dealing with fertility issues - Nothing like a woman with time on her hands to do research about the toxins in the environment preventing her from getting pregnant. That was a huge eye-opener. I desperately wanted to have a baby and was willing to eliminate any toxins that could prevent this. Once I was blessed to have my daughter, I realized I knew so much about living an organic and green life that I wanted to ensure my baby's health was optimal by keeping her as organic as possible as well. I honestly think many people just do what their parents did. At this time, with global warming in our lives with all that we know, I think helping to ensure that we leave our children a cleaner and greener planet than we inherited is our duty as parents.

How would you like to see more people move toward a more sustainable life? Any advice for anyone trying to become greener?
People can do many easy things to live a more sustainable life.

•One of the things I do with my daughter is trash-less lunches when she started school. It actually ends up being more cost-effective in the long run because you do not have to continue to buy Ziploc bags and plastic that doesn't break down if you purchase stainless steel. It lasts forever! Just that one thing makes a huge difference.

•I used cloth diapers for my child. It is unbelievable how simple and easy they are. Yes, you have laundry, but you save about $2000 by not continuing to buy disposable diapers (which are petroleum-based) that do not biodegrade and end up in landfills.

•Lastly, just cutting back on meat. I'm a huge supporter of Meatless Mondays! Even just one day a week would make a huge difference.

How did you weather the pandemic? How did you stay positive during the shelter in place? Have you gone back to normal?
Actually, it's going to sound weird, but I loved that I had to stay home at the beginning of the pandemic. I have a very busy lifestyle, and I'm constantly on the go. It was excellent to have to stay home and chill. Having a child who is also stuck at home made it a little more challenging, and I had to be creative as far as how to burn daylight/get through the days. But we did things that we had never done before. We took long walks, even to just run errands, we rode bicycles, we completed puzzles, made art, and yes, we got bored. I think boredom is a gift because it forces you to be even more creative or check in with yourself, to look inside. Nowadays, there's so much noise going on and distractions with the phones, Internet, and social media, we rarely remember to check in with ourselves.

But one bad part of that was I ate a lot more. I am still working on getting rid of my extra Covid 10 pounds! It's incredible, it's so easy to gain weight quickly, but it takes so long to lose it and get back in shape.

What is your life motto?
I have two life mottos:

1) It is better to be safe than sorry. Meaning, making sure you are present and do all the things you have to do, checking all the boxes, and making sure that you do a good job, because, sometimes, if you don't, you will end up doing double the work in the long run!

2) Life doesn't have to be perfect to be wonderful! No matter your circumstances, do what you can to make the best of it. I always find with that mindset; things eventually work out.

To learn more about Constance Marie and the East Los Angeles Women’s Center please follow them here:
Twitter: @goconstance
Instagram: @goconstance
TikTok: @goconstance
Facebook: Constance Marie

East Los Angeles Women's Center:
Instagram: @ELAWC
Twitter: @ELAWC

Team Credits:
Photographer: Ted Sun
Stylist: Quentin Fears
Make-up: Tamieka Gardner
Hair: Mika Fowler
Stylist Assistant: Darrin Banks
Retoucher: Crystal Retouch

Layout: Prachedes Germano

COVER: Constance Marie - Empowering The Latinx Community