Monica Barbaro’s career journey has been full of excitement and opportunity. Although it took her a few years to land her first majorTV role, she hit the ground running. She is best-known for playing Anna Valdez in Chicago Justice as well as Lisa Apple in the series Splitting Up Together. Monica is the type of actress who commands attention any time she is on the screen. However, the biggest project she’s worked on so far is one that hasn’t even been released yet. She will be starring opposite Tom Cruise in the 2021 film, Top Gun: Maverick. Fans of the original film are excited and newcomers can’t wait to see what all of the hype is about. Continue reading for 10 things you didn’t know about Monica Barbaro.
1. She Got A Gift From Tom Cruise
Working with a legend like Tom Cruise has definitely been a very meaningful experience for Monica. To make things even better, Tom gave her a thoughtful gift after filming wrapped for Top Gun: Maverick. She told Vanity Fair, “Tom very generously gifted me the watch that my character wore in the film: a Pilot’s Watch Mark XVIII TOP GUN edition ‘Strike Fighter Tactics Instructor’ from IWC Schaffhausen. It’s a very special watch, only available to active duty graduates of the U.S. Navy Strike Fighter Tactics Instructor programme…”
2. She Is A Trained Ballerina
Dance was Monica’s first love and she spent several years training and performing. Over the years, she studied several types of dance was mostly involved with ballet. She attended New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts where she recieved a BFA in dance.
3. She Got Into Acting After College
Despite spending many years being focused on dance, acting was something that Monica always wanted to do. After college she started to feel like she wanted to shift her focus from dancing to acting. She ultimately got to a point where she knew she had to chase her dreams and be true to herself.
4. She’s Passionate About Taking Care Of The Environment
Everybody wants to live on a planet that is clean and comfortable, but unfortunately not everyone cares about doing what it takes to keep the earth that way. Monica is a strong believer in the importance of taking care of the environment and she has used her social media presence to remind people how important it is to do things like avoid single use plastics.
5. She’s Had Her Fair Share Of Odd Jobs
Like many other creative professionals, Monica’s path to success wasn’t without its twists and turns. After college she moved back home to California, and it took a while for things to take off on the acting front. She ended up doing some odd jobs like working at a gym and a local Free People.
6. She Likes To Travel
Enjoying each moment of life as much as possible is something that has always been important to Monica. She does what she can to make the most out of every opportunity she’s given. Traveling is one of her favorite ways to live life to the fullest and she’s been able to see lots of cool places. Some of the countries she’s visited include Japan and New Zealand.
7. She Was Nervous During The Audition Process For Chicago Justice
Chicago Justice was Monica’s first really big role, and she couldn’t help but be nervous when it was time to audition. She told MovieFone, “I was waking up every day throughout this audition process, and I knew that it was like the most important thing that had happened to me in my career yet, because this matters! This matters to me, like physically, to get this opportunity.”
8. She Isn’t Afraid To Speak Her Mind
Monica is the type of person who doesn’t hesitate to stand up for what she believes in. Whether it be politics, women’s rights, or anti-racism, Monica has been very vocal on social media about where she stands on several issues. She has also encouraged all of her social media followers to vote.
9. Top Gun: Maverick Is Only Her Second Film Role
Monica has had quite a few TV roles over the years, but she’s only had one other movie role besides Top Gun: Maverick. The fact that she could co-star in a film with someone like Tom Cruise so early in her career is just proof that she is truly a talented actress.
10. She Likes To Hike
There are lots of ways to stay active and Monica likes to get creative with the ways she she gets her exercise in. When Monica has free time, one of her favorite things to do is spend it outdoors. She enjoys going hiking and getting the chance to experience all sorts of beautiful views.
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