Since her acting debut in the 1990s, Maria Canals-Barrera has been on a steady rise to fame. Like most actors of her ilk, Canals-Barrera spent her budding years in the theater, appearing in several stage productions in Miami and Los Angeles. The veteran actress is mostly recognized for her performance as Theresa Russo in the Disney Channel family sitcom Wizards of Waverly Place. She also gained recognition for her role in the Camp Rock film series with the Jonas Brothers.
Additionally, Canals-Barrera has garnered notable voice credits in her career, including her performances as Sunset Boulevardez in the Disney Channel animated series The Proud Family and Hawkgirl in the DC Animated Universe. She has also won awards for her exceptional talent. What has Maria Canals-Barrera been up to? Explore these facts about the Miami-born actress.
1. Maria Canals-Barrera is of Catalan Descent
Although she plays Spanish characters perfectly, considering her fluency in the language, Maria Canals-Barrera was born to Cuban parents from a Catalan background. Despite being born and raised in Miami, Florida, United States, Canals-Barrera has a distinct Hispanic accent that has influenced her rise to fame. The actress has no known sibling in the spotlight.
2. She Attended the University of Miami on a Theatrical Scholarship
@mariacanals_barrera Everything is EXACTLY what it seems. #wizardsbeyondwaverleyplace is here! #disneychannel #disneyplus #theresarusso @Disney+ @Wizards Beyond
♬ original sound – Maria Canals-Barrera
While her professional acting debut came when she was already in her 20s, Canals-Barrera began nurturing her knack for the arts in high school. She took drama classes in junior high school. After graduating from Hialeah-Miami Lakes Senior High School, she won a theatrical scholarship to study at the University of Miami. She has leveraged her education to forge an illustrious career in the performing arts.
3. Her Hispanic Accent Earned Her the Hawkgirl Role
@mariacanals_barrera Repost/ @latinationlatina Maria Canals-Barrera @maria_cb most known for her role as the MOM in Camp Rock and Wizards of Waverly Place tells a story about her Cuban mother! We see where you get your glamour from! 👑✨💐 Watch more of The Big Deal on @latinationmedia — streaming on the LATV+ app! — Wizards of waverly place mom. Camp rock mom #mariacanalsbarrera @dakyta @nickyparisbitch
♬ original sound – Maria Canals-Barrera
During the casting call for the Hawkgirl/Shayera Hol character in the Justice League animated series (2001-2004), the requirements included an actress with an accent to highlight Hawkgirl’s unique tone as an alien. As such, Maria Canals-Barrera’s Hispanic accent got her the role. Her performance as Hawkgirl gained her recognition among comic book fans, and she reprised it in another DC Comics series titled Justice League Unlimited (2005-2006). She also voiced Hawkgirl and news reporter Shelly Sandoval in DC’s Static Shock.
4. Maria Canals-Barrera Launched Her Acting Career With Several Guest Roles
The first decade of her acting career was marked by minor appearances on TV shows, starting from her 1990 acting debut in one episode of 21 Jump Street as Rosina. The next two years saw her make guest appearances on shows such as Super Force, Grapevine, and Corte Tropical. She had her first recurring role on Fox’s Key West in 1993. Her other television credits in the 1990s include Murder, She Wrote (1994), Almost Perfect,(1995), Good Behavior (1996), The Tony Danza Show (1997-1998), and Beggars and Choosers (1999).
5. Wizards of Waverly Place and Camp Rock Defined Her Career
While she has had other prominent roles, Maria Canals-Barrera is often associated with Wizards of Waverly Place. She appeared in over 100 episodes of the Disney Channel family sitcom from 2007 to 2012 as Theresa Russo, alongside Selena Gomez (Alex Russo). In 2011, she won the Imagen Award for Best Supporting Actress – Television and Alma Award’s Favorite TV Actress – Supporting Role for her performance, among several nominations for the same role.
Canals-Barrera also reprised the role in Wizards of Waverly Place: The Movie, based on the series and Wizards Beyond Waverly Place. Additionally, she played Connie Torres, the mother of Demi Lovato‘s Mitchie in Camp Rock (2008) and Camp Rock 2: The Final Jam (2010). She has been cast to reprise the role in the third Installment, Camp Rock 3.
6. She is Married with Two Kids
Maria Canals-Barrera has been married to American actor David Barrera since 1999. Canals-Barrera’s husband is best known for his role in the HBO miniseries Generation Kill. Their enduring marriage produced two daughters, Bridget and Madeleine, who are also involved in the entertainment industry. Bridget appeared alongside her mother in one episode of Wizards of Waverly Place. She also played Isabella in the pilot episode of Cristela, where her mother portrayed the title character.
7. Maria Canals-Barrera Voiced She-Hulk in Two Video Games
In addition to movies and TV shows, Maria Canals-Barrera has also performed in video games. Her debut voice role in a video game is Mercedes “Meche” Colomar in Microsoft Windows’ Grim Fandango (1998). In 2011, Canals-Barrera voiced She-Hulk in two video games: Marvel vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds and Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3. She also voiced the Hawkgirl character in the 2015 video game, Infinite Crisis.
