Actress Knows How to Find Inner Peace Between Her Work and Conservation Efforts

You can tell a lot about actress, singer-songwriter, Mia Maestro, from her Twitter account. Instead of posting selfies, the Argentinian artist prefers to tweet about things that matter to her-her posts offer insights into topics ranging from environmental conservation to social activism. Off social media, Maestro is actively committed to being a “global citizen” and approaches everything she does with passion, creativity and conviction.

“Through acting I am constantly being exposed to new cultures and communities. I’m inspired by the people I meet,” says Maestro from her home in Los Angeles.

Although she has graced the covers of Glamour and Harper’s Bazaar, she is best known for her on-screen work. A versatile actress, she made her screen debut in Tango a 1998 Golden Globe- and Academy Award-nominated Spanish film directed by Carlo Saura. She gained attention for her role as Chichina Ferreyra in the biopic The Motorcycle Diaries opposite Gael Garcia Bernal.  From there she was able to take on more intriguing roles, such as Christina Kahlo (sister of iconic artist Frida Kahlo) in Julie Taymore’s Frida, Dolores in Oliver Stone’s Savages and Carmen in The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 1 and Part 2.

Her television credits include scientist Dr. Nora Martinez on Guillermo del Toro’s hit vampire series, The Strain as well as parts in Scandal, Person of Interest and White Collar.

With such an eclectic resume, Maestro feels like she truly is living her dream.

“I am lucky that I get to explore such different roles. I feel that all of this has enriched my life and has opened the spectrum for different ranges of emotions and stories.”

Her love of the arts took root in her hometown, Buenos Aires, a hotbed of cultural activity while she was growing up that has the same reputation as today. “At a young age, I was exposed to all the new productions and the incredible creativity and synergy of the city’s theatre community,” Maestro remarks.

She feels fortunate to have such a supportive family and remembers always singing as a child – so much that her mother, an economist, insisted she take singing lessons. Maestro is the only one in her family to pursue a career in the arts.

In the mid-1990s, at the age of 18, Maestro moved to Berlin to train as a classical vocalist. She took master acting classes with Gisela May, the late actress who was a member of the notorious German theater company, the Berliner Ensemble, founded by German playwright Bertholt Brecht.

There have been other influential mentors in Maestro’s life who have helped guide her throughout her career, but she was especially close to her acting teacher, the late Argentine director, Carlos Gandolfo. “I always had unconditional support and his constructive criticism when I started acting professionally,” she says.

Drawing inspiration from a diverse group of international artists, Maestro looks up to vocalists, Patty Smith and Laurie Anderson, as well as to contemporary filmmakers like Argentine director, Lucrecia Martel, and Mexican director, Carlos Reygadas.

Constantly evolving as an artist, Maestro branched out into the world of indie music. Her debut album Si Agua, features collaborations with Irish singer-songwriter, Damien Rice. Si Agua, recorded in Iceland, is co-produced by labels Arts and Crafts and Nacionel Records.

Last year, Maestro has been invited to join the Academy of Motion and Pictures Arts and Sciences and is thrilled to be part of its diverse and powerful group of artists. She is also involved in Sundance Institute, a nonprofit founded by actor, Robert Redford, which offers creative workshops and residential labs for artists by invitation only. During her stay, Maestro attended the Director’s Lab and worked closely with Latin American directors, Francisca Alegria and Andrews Correa.

“I find my time at Sundance one of the most creative experiences I’ve ever encountered,” she says.  “The Sundance Lab is a way to reset myself.  By collaborating with incredible artists all working together towards storytelling, I am reminded why I do what I do and it is very powerful.”

In between acting and pursuing a musical career, Maestro “thrives in nature.”  She loves camping, surfing and scuba diving – she even swims with sharks.

Her love of nature led her to join forces with South African conservation biologist Steve Boyes, who is dedicated to conserving the Okavango Delta in Botswana. She met Boyes at a TED conference In Vancouver. In 2016, Maestro joined him and director Neil Gelinas on an expedition in Botswana.

“We paddled for over six hours daily, and got charged by hippos. And I pitched my own tent every night alongside the lions, water buffalos and elephants that lived there,” she says.

She became involved with the National Geographic Society’s Okavango Wilderness Project, an initiative that works towards protecting the entire ecosystem and basin of the Okavango Delta, which is the largest freshwater wetland in southern Africa.

“Needless to say I fell in love with the paradise of the Okavango Delta and my family and friends,” Maestro remarks.

So in love, in fact, that she is co-producer of Into the Okavango, a National Geographic documentary that covers the multiyear expedition to explore and protect the Okavango River Basin.

Dedicated to helping in other areas of the world, Maestro makes an annual trip to visit tea farmers across the globe with an organization called the Global Tea Hut. Sharing tea with loved ones is one of Maestro’s favorite things.  Her fond memories of the beverage go back to her childhood, when her grandmother would make matcha green tea for Maestro and her sister, Maria Pia. Each day Maestro practices the ancient Chinese tradition of Cha Dao (The Way of Tea) in pursuit of inner peace through preparing and serving the beverage.

“I love to dedicate the time to mindfully prepare the best cup of tea, to the best of my abilities,” she confesses. “It’s a simple yet powerful practice that comes from very ancient lineages.”

Maestro has been focused on creating new music and will be performing in The Orphan of Zhao, written by Stephin Merritt and directed by Shi-Zheng Chen as part of the Beijing Theatre Festival.

Whatever Maestro is doing in her career, she does it with ingenuity and mindfulness, always able to find the right balance to make her happy and at peace with her life.

This article by Rena Godfrey appeared in the New Year’s 2019 issue of Lifestyles Magazine.