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Actress, writer, director, and producer Katya Martín is bringing drama every Monday night in Promised Land . The recently premiered ABC’s epic, generation-spanning series tells the story of two Latinx families vying for wealth and power in California’s Sonoma Valley.
Known as the show’s breakout star and playing the pivotal role of “Juana,” the actress will make you go on a ride of emotions alongside the unexpected storyline.
You might be familiar with Katya’s face. The star is no stranger to the small screen, and her global credits include BBC’s Roadkill, Showtime’s The Affair, and My First Miracle.
HOLA! USA had the opportunity to interview Katya Martín and learn more about her role in Promised Land.
PROMISED LAND is stepping away from stereotypes and is bringing drama, wealth, and power to our screens, from a family living and doing business in California’s Sonoma Valley. Keeping the aforementioned in mind, when did you realize that securing a role in the show was almost imperative?
I distinctly remember reading the script and thinking, “this is such an amazing story and a beautifully written pilot. Whoever books this is going to carry a very important weight on their shoulders.” I honestly was not expecting that person to be me.
When I got the call that I had booked the role, it became imperative to take on that responsibility with everything I had. Soon after, I met the rest of the cast, and it was reinforced even more that this role was bigger than me and this story was more significant than any one of us in the ensemble; it tells the story of so many people who have grown up between cultures, who have fought for opportunities and who have made great sacrifices to come to the United States and build a legacy for themselves and their families.
Please walk us through your role
Juana Sanchez is a young woman from Mexico who, in 1987, crosses the border into California with her sister Rosa fighting to find work to save money and put herself through school to attain the dream of becoming a teacher.
When Juana and Rosa meet Carlos, he convinces them to come to Heritage House, a vineyard where his brother Billy lives and works.
Juana and Carlos make it to the vineyard and, with the help of Billy, obtain fake papers, taking on new identities: Lettie and Joe Sandoval. Lettie and Joe will eventually become the matriarch and patriarch of Heritage House in Promised Land’s present-day storyline.
Juana is resilient. She is grounded, observant, and not afraid to stand up for what is right. She will always protect those she loves, even if it leads to her carrying the baggage instead.
Can the audience expect the unexpected from your character?
Oh, they definitely can. One of the best things about playing Juana has been getting each script and finding out what she does next. She keeps me on my toes, and I think the audience will be surprised and excited to see her twists and turns!
Do you have anything in common with your role?
Juana and I have a great deal in common. She and I both came to the United States as teenagers and had no choice but to integrate into a brand new culture. We share a love for learning, a love for teaching, a love for our families that may drive us to do crazy things sometimes, and we have both had to make sacrifices and work hard to attain our dreams.
Juana, though, I must say, is more grounded than I am. She knows how to breathe through any situation and come out strong and composed. She knows how to take risks without looking back. I’m challenged by her every day, and this is really my favorite part about acting: getting to learn from the characters I play and grow as a person because of them.
It was a funny coincidence that my character takes the name Lettie when she arrives in the USA. I have three cousins and an aunt named Lettie in my family in Spain, and I narrowly missed being given the name “Leticia.” I guess I could run from the name, but I couldn’t hide!
The series will also include storylines sharing immigration journeys and experiences. As the daughter of Spanish immigrants, do you think your parents will feel represented?
My father is Spanish and my mother American, so I’ve watched both of them work through language barriers and find ways to adapt and assimilate between Spanish and American cultures, all the while teaching my brother and me to embrace both.
When we moved to the US, I witnessed my mom earn her teaching degree (a parallel now with my character in Promised Land and a huge inspiration for me in my own life) while working multiple jobs and raising two kids alongside my father. He was, in turn, juggling two to three jobs and navigating life in a new country. I watched him improve his English and work hard to build a community of friends from the ground up. That drive to build a life for us, that resilience and “stick-to-it-ivness,” as my mother would say, is something I’ll always carry with me. That is what defines the immigrant experience to me: building something for yourself and your family no matter the sacrifice, fighting to make a home somewhere because you know the hard work will pay off and create opportunities. If not for you, then for your kids.
I should also say that while there are certainly many parallels to my parents’ experience, every immigration story is unique. That is what makes Promised Land so special: that it takes away the label “immigrant” and instead puts human beings in front of the audience.
Speaking of parents. Latinx and Hispanic parents tend to be traditional when it comes to careers. What did they say when you decided to pursue a career in the entertainment industry? How do they feel now when they see you succeed?
I wanted to be an actress basically since I could talk. When I was little, I’d see children in movies and TV shows and get so upset that it wasn’t me getting to play pretend up there, but my parents were very protective about me getting into “show biz.”
When we moved to California, my teenage self attacked every acting extracurricular I could find. I got jobs babysitting to pay for headshots, worked as a barista so that I could afford classes and coaching, and signed with an agent. I told my parents when I had auditions and reassured them my homework was done. Seeing that I was willing to put in the work to make my dream a reality, they supported me and have ever since.
My parents gave me the gift of independence. Because of them, my decision to take my career into my own hands was mine alone. The life experience and work ethic they instilled in me is where I get the inner drive that has helped me persist through the toughest moments in my career.
I know that they are proud of me. Proud that I worked for this and made this happen on my own, and proud that I keep going.
Please invite our readers to enjoy Promise Land.
To anyone reading this, I would love to invite you to watch Promised Land and fall in love with the Sandoval’s just like I have. These characters are complex, they are each the good and bad guys, and they will surprise you in every episode.
¡Muchisimas gracias por apoyar nuestro show!