Who’s a fan of Disney? (Yes, my hand is raised. HIGH. Actually, it’s even higher now thanks to a little princess who’s my LadyP’s best TV-friend every Friday morning.)
The cast of The Wizards Return: Alex vs Alex (Canals-Barerra, center, next to Selena Gomez). Image courtesy DisneyDreaming.com
But if your kids are a bit older than mine, then you probably already know Maria Canals-Barrera who stars as Theresa Russo, the mortal mother of teenage wizards on the Disney Channel original series “Wizards of Waverly Place.” Well guess what? This week, this real life mom-of-2-girls will be reprising her role as Selena Gomez’ TV-mom in an upcoming special movie event “The Wizards Return: Alex vs Alex” on Disney Channel Friday, March 15 at 8:00pm ET/PT (where Gomez’s Alex inadvertently conjures a spell that creates a Good Alex and an Evil Alex, leading up to major drama atop the Tower of Pisa). And as though that’s not enough excitement for a working mom, Maria’s also appearing in two new episodes of Disney Junior’s popular short-form series “That’s Fresh,” a cooking show that presents simple, healthy recipe ideas for kids and families (airing Wednesday, March 13 and Thursday, March 14; both at 9:25 p.m., ET/PT on the 24-hour Disney Junior channel).
This is one busy Real-Fab-Mom, so I was thrilled when I got to chat with her about how she juggles a successful, exciting life in showbusiness while raising two kids:
How old are your daughters (in real life)? I have a 9 year old, Bridget, and a 7 year old, Madeline.
Did you take time off when they were first born? I didn’t take that much time off. I was voicing a character on an animated series called The Justice League. And I know when I started [working on] Wizards, Madeline was just 2 years old. They were little when I was working, but you know, I have such wonderful hours being on a children’s show, on a sitcom, that I got to see a lot of them… which was terrific. What’s great about a sitcom is that we have hiatus weeks… we’d work 3 weeks and have 1 week off… work 2 weeks and have 1 week off… it’s great! [By law, children’s shows have limitations on how many hours kids can work… so no 14-hour days for this working actress! Sweet… right?]
What’s their reaction when they see you on TV? They’ve always enjoyed it. They knew the kids on the show, from the set, before they actually started watching it on TV. They knew Selena, Jake and David as people first, as friends… and i love that. They’ve always been part of coming to the set and they’re huge fans, and they got to be a part of it! Bridget (the 9 year old) got to be on one of the episodes… and Madeline (the 7 year old) played little-me in the movie!
So then, do you turn into a stage mom when it’s their turn to perform? I try not to, but I have a little tendency to want to get too involved… but my husband keeps it in check. [laughs]
You’re not planning on using THOSE grapes on “That’s Fresh” are ya?
So if your girls wanted to become actresses, you’d be ok with it? If they really wanted to do it – my husband and I discussed this – we’d totally support them, but we’d follow their lead. [Maria then described how her girls are really into performing musical theater right now through their school and extra-activities… and how her older daughter inspired a quest for green makeup to enhance her recent elementary school performance of “Defying Gravity” from the musical Wicked!]
Regarding “That’s Fresh” – did you grow up cooking with your Cuban family? YES. My parents were both great cooks, so we’d always have delicious homecooked meals every day. As a kid, you don’t realize how lucky you are. So we’d have these wonderful gourmet Cuban meals. I do love cooking and my girls love cooking with me.
Got any tips for getting a busy family around the dinner table? We try to make it [around the table together] as many times as possible, and definitely on Sunday. We do it 4 times a week. We try to do it every night, but it just doesn’t always work out that way because of rehearsals for their [kids’] shows, other events, gymnastics class… But what you do is, you have to plan for it, you have to insist on it. [Maria then described a typical family scene where one kid wants to eat dinner in front of the TV or elsewhere… to which she firmly says “No. No you may not. Come to the table” LOVE!] When people say it’s really important, it’s really true. Because, what happens during that time is that they open up to you… and it’s not even something they’re aware of. They start talking about what happened in school, what they think about this friend… and you really get to connect as a family.
How do you re-energize yourself to keep your mind, body and spirit fabulous (on those days when you don’t feel so fab)? Because our work is so erratic and up and down, I really like to help out at the school when I can… which is every week. I like to volunteer in the class. I’m co-directing the variety show at school. It’s exhausting, but so fulfilling. It’s so fulfilling to me, it inspires me to be a part of their lives and their schooling and activities. I find that I can be tired, but being involved with what matters to them is so fleeting (especially in elementary school), it really does invigorate me. It’s just such a wonderful, special time, and when people say ‘oh, enjoy it, it goes by so fast,’ they’re right. They’re absolutely right. It does go by really fast.
Well Maria, as someone’s who’s *baby* just turned 1 last week… I hear ya.
Catch Mama-Maria THIS WEEK on Disney Channel’s “The Wizards Return: Alex vs Alex” Friday, March 15 (8:00 pm, ET/PT) and Disney Junior’s “That’s Fresh” (Wednesday March 13 and Thursday March 14; both at 9:25 pm ET/PT on the 24-hour Disney Junior channel).
