Although she is only 36-years-old, Maria Elena Laas has been in the business for more than 20 years. During this time, she has appeared in commercials, movies, and TV shows. Her resume consists of well over a dozen credits, and the list continues to grow every year. In 2018, she landed a role on the Starz series, Vida, which helped give her career an extra boost. Although her character’s time on Vida appears to be done, Maria has a lot of other great things in the works. Continue reading for 10 things you didn’t know about Maria Elena Laas.
1. Being On Vida Was A Dream Come True
Maria has had a lot of roles over the course of her career, but she says Vida was the opportunity of a lifetime. She says it was a dream come true to be able to play Cruz and be a part of series that many would consider groundbreaking.
2. She Was Raised In Different Countries
Maria was born and Puerto Rico, but she was raised in Saudi Arabia and Japan. While in Japan, she lives in a city called Yokohama which is located about 30 minutes outside of Tokyo. Maria developed a strong love and respect for Japanese culture and traditions and hopes to one day learn to speak Japanese.
3. She Fell In Love With Acting At 6
Becoming an actress has been one of Maria’s goals since she was just a child. She fell in love with theater when she was six and began acting in school plays. When she was a teenager living in Japan, she spent lots of time in Tokyo auditioning for roles.
4. She Loves Collaboration
Like any other creative process, acting is something that can’t be done alone. The best projects involve high levels of collaboration. Luckily for Maria Elena Laas, collaborating with others is one of her favorite things about the industry.
5. She Liked Scary Movies Growing Up
When Maria discovered scary movies as a child, it didn’t take her long to et hooked. She told Horror News, “I remember flipping through channels as a little girl and seeing the flickering TV set and creepy voice in Poltergeist. It was so scary that I stayed far away from watching horror movies. Then when I was older and ready to give horror films a second chance, I fell in love with Silence of the Lambs, Pet Sematary, Scream and Nightmare on Elm Street.”
6. She Believes In The Paranormal
The idea of ghosts and other paranormal beings are constantly being debated. While some people thin there’s no such thing, others believe that paranormal activity is a very real thing. Maria Elena Laas is part of the first group. During her interview with Horror News, she shared how her belief in the pararnomal began: “it began when my great aunt Amparo and her husband Lilo passed away. A couple who had never met them moved into their house some time after their deaths. Within the first few months the wife started seeing an old woman pacing up and down the main hall late at night. Shortly after she began seeing a tall lanky man also walk the hall. When she contacted my family and described what she was seeing on a regular basis we knew without a doubt that it was Amparo and Lilo.”
7. She’s A Proud Aunt
Maria doesn’t have any children of her own yet, but she’s definitely getting some good practice in by hanging out with her nephew. She became an aunt in 2018 after her brother, Michael, welcomed a cute little baby boy.
8. She’s Worked With George Clooney
It’s pretty common for actors to have done a few commercials and/or print ads early on in their career, but Maria Elena Laas has done nearly 200. Some of the brands she’s worked with include Ford, Target, and Garnier. In 2006, she appeared opposite George Clooney in a commercial for Nespresso.
9. She Loves To Travel
Thanks to her upbringing, Maria got an early start at seeing the world. As a result, she loves to go on adventures and travel as much as she can. She’s gotten to visit some pretty cool places including South Africa, Italy, and Mexico.
10. She Faces Her Challenges Head On
There are some people who like to avoid challenges, but Maria Elena Laas isn’t one of them. She prefers to face her challenges head on and believes that it’s important to follow your heart but also use your head when making important decisions.
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