Monica Barbaro Explained

Monica Barbaro
Birth Date:17 June 1990
Birth Place:San Francisco, California, U.S.
Occupation:Actress
Years Active:2013–present

Monica Barbaro (born June 17, 1990) is an American actress. She began her career with small roles in film and television in the 2010s, before her first major role in the second season of Unreal (2016), followed by further television roles in Chicago P.D. (20162017), Chicago Justice (2017), The Good Cop (2018), and Splitting Up Together (20182019). Her feature film debut was in the independent film The Cathedral (2021).

Barbaro's breakthrough came with a supporting role in the 2022 epic , which she followed with starring roles in the romantic comedy At Midnight (2023) and as Joan Baez in the biopic A Complete Unknown (2024). During this period, she also starred in the Netflix action comedy series FUBAR (2023present).

Early life

Barbaro was born on June 17, 1990,[1] [2] in San Francisco. She grew up in Mill Valley, California, where she graduated from Tamalpais High School in 2007.[3] Her parents divorced when she was a child. Barbaro started dancing at an early age and went on to study ballet. While taking electives in acting, she completed a degree in dance at New York University Tisch School of the Arts in New York City.[4] After graduating in 2010, she decided to pursue acting and returned to San Francisco. There, she booked a commercial, a short film, connected with an agent,[5] and attended the Beverly Hills Playhouse acting school.

Career

Barbaro gained attention in 2013 for her lead role in It's Not About the Nail, a viral comedy short about communication in a marriage.[6] [7] Her first major television role was portraying the character of Yael on the second season of the Lifetime television series UnREAL.[8] Following UnREAL, Barbaro joined the cast of NBC legal drama Chicago Justice, an entry in Dick Wolf's Chicago franchise,[9] in which she portrayed Anna Valdez.[10] In 2018, Barbaro also played Cora Vasquez on Netflix's The Good Cop, alongside Josh Groban and Tony Danza. Between 2018 and 2019, Barbaro had a recurring part in the ABC sitcom Splitting Up Together.[11] In the 2022 blockbuster , Barbaro portrayed Lieutenant Natasha "Phoenix" Trace, a naval aviator.[12]

The following year, Barbaro starred in the romantic comedy At Midnight (2023). The film received mixed reviews for its story but Barbaro earned acclaim for her performance. San Francisco Chronicle declared "Barbaro...proves with seemingly effortless charm that she can carry a rom-com".[13] Barbaro, a professional dancer, was able to lend her talents in a scene that involved the two leads dancing a combination of salsa and the tango.[14]

In 2023, it was announced that she would play activist and folk singer Joan Baez in the James Mangold directed Bob Dylan biopic A Complete Unknown, starring Timothee Chalamet.[15]

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
2013BullishEva
2021The CathedralLydia Damrosch
2022Natasha "Phoenix" Trace
I'm Charlie Walker Peggy
2023At Midnight Sophie Wilder
2024A Complete Unknown Joan BaezPost-production
TBACrime 101TBAFilming

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
2015StitchersBrenda 'Bentley' MillerEpisode: "The Root of All Evil"
2016Hawaii Five-0Ella KohaEpisode: "Ke Koa Lokomaika'i"
Cooper Barrett's Guide to Surviving LifeAttractive GirlEpisode "How to Survive Working with Friends"
UnrealYaelMain role (season 2), 10 episodes
NotoriousChloe EdwardsEpisode: "Tell Me a Secret"
2016–2017Chicago P.D.Assistant State's Attorney Anna Valdez4 episodes
2017Chicago JusticeMain role
Lethal WeaponNora CooperEpisode: "Flight Risk"
2018The Good CopCora VasquezMain role
2018–2019Splitting Up TogetherLisa AppleRecurring role
2019StumptownLiz Melero4 episodes
2023FUBAR Emma BrunnerMain role

Video games

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Su . Diana . At Midnight: Quiz con Diego Boneta y Monica Barbaro ¿cuánto se conocen? . Spoilertime . Video . February 20, 2023.
  2. News: Johnson . G. Allen . May 26, 2022 . Bay Area actress went through grueling 'boot camp' with Tom Cruise for 'Top Gun: Maverick' . en-US . . Hearst Communications, Inc. . live . May 28, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220603033854/https://datebook.sfchronicle.com/movies-tv/bay-area-actress-went-through-grueling-boot-camp-with-tom-cruise-for-top-gun-maverick . June 3, 2022.
  3. BA #198: Monica Barbaro . Box Angeles . Elder . Mike . September 24, 2017 . May 17, 2022 . June 14, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220614225219/https://boxangeles.com/2017/09/24/ba-198-monica-barbaro/ . live .
  4. Web site: Edworthy . Sarah . May 29, 2020 . Interview: Monica Barbaro . September 19, 2022 . . en-US . August 26, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220826130210/https://www.vanityfair.com/london/2020/05/interview-monica-barbaro . live .
  5. Web site: Zuckerman . Esther . June 20, 2016 . Hot Rachel From "UnREAL" Talks Breaking Into Acting and Playing a Manipulator . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20220920173514/https://www.cosmopolitan.com/entertainment/tv/q-and-a/a60172/unreal-hot-rachel-monica-barbaro-interview/ . September 20, 2022 . September 19, 2022 . . en-US.
  6. Web site: Gray . Joslyn . June 6, 2013 . Viral Video: 'It's Not About the Nail' Is a Hilarious Look at Marriage . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20130713011834/https://www.babble.com/mom/viral-video-its-not-about-the-nail-is-a-hilarious-look-at-marriage/ . July 13, 2013 . July 30, 2016 . Babble . en-US.
  7. Web site: Saperstein . Pat . June 29, 2013 . Variety's Picks: 15 Symptoms of Life in L.A., New Burt Bacharach Book, Goodie Mob Album, More . July 30, 2016 . . en-US . June 22, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220622192220/https://variety.com/2013/biz/news/varietys-picks-15-symptoms-of-life-in-l-a-new-burt-bacharach-book-goodie-mob-album-more-1200502908/ . live .
  8. Boardman . Madeline . June 3, 2016 . 'UnREAL': Before They Were Stars . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20161115062006/https://www.ew.com/gallery/unreal-before-they-were-stars/2616333_monica-barbaro-yael . November 15, 2016 . September 19, 2022 . Entertainment Weekly.
  9. Web site: Andreeva . Nellie . August 25, 2016 . Chicago Justice's Monica Barbaro Cast as Series Regular . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20160828060932/http://deadline.com/2016/08/chicago-justice-monica-barbaro-cast-series-regular-1201808613/ . August 28, 2016 . October 17, 2018 . Deadline Hollywood . en-US.
  10. Web site: Stephens . Stephanie . February 8, 2017 . Chicago Justice's Monica Barbaro Dancing Her Way into Dream Role . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20181125142621/https://parade.com/550628/stephaniestephens/chicago-justices-monica-barbaro-dancing-her-way-into-dream-role/ . November 25, 2018 . October 17, 2018 . Parade . en-US.
  11. Web site: Dayani . Aahil . April 18, 2022 . What Has Monica Barbaro Been Up To Since Chicago Justice Was Canceled? . September 19, 2022 . . en-US . September 20, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220920172557/https://www.looper.com/836094/what-has-monica-barbaro-been-up-to-since-chicago-justice-was-canceled/ . live .
  12. Web site: Gilchrist . Todd . June 3, 2022 . How Top Gun: Maverick star Monica Barbaro developed a pilot's swagger . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20220920173658/https://www.avclub.com/monica-barbaro-top-gun-maverick-interview-tom-cruise-ko-1849011672 . September 20, 2022 . September 19, 2022 . . en-US.
  13. Web site: Johnson . G. Allen . February 9, 2023 . Review: Bay Area-born Monica Barbaro shines in sappy rom-com 'At Midnight' . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20230210163644/https://datebook.sfchronicle.com/movies-tv/monica-barbaro-at-midnight-review-17770622 . February 10, 2023 . February 16, 2023 . . en-US.
  14. Web site: Busch . Jenna . February 9, 2023 . At Midnight's Monica Barbaro On Dancing, Superhero Films, And Top Gun: Maverick [Exclusive Interview] ]. live . https://web.archive.org/web/20230209215035/https://www.slashfilm.com/1191514/at-midnights-monica-barbaro-on-dancing-superhero-films-and-top-gun-maverick-exclusive-interview/ . February 9, 2023 . February 16, 2023 . Slash Film . en-US.
  15. Web site: Strauss . Matthew . April 27, 2023 . Monica Barbaro to Play Joan Baez in New Bob Dylan Movie A Complete Unknown . April 27, 2023 . Pitchfork . en-US.
  16. Web site: Saunders . Toby . January 25, 2023 . Forspoken cast: Full list of voice actors & where you know them from . January 27, 2023 . . en . January 27, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230127114348/https://www.radiotimes.com/technology/gaming/forspoken-cast-voice-actors/ . live .

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