Maria Canals-Barrera Is So Proud To Be Your Favorite Disney Mom
Kenan Thompson stars in his own original NBC series called Kenan as a local TV personality and single father working hard to balance his career while raising his daughters. Actress Maria Canals-Barrera (Wizards of Waverly Place, Camp Rock, The Proud Family) has joined the cast as Kenan’s bossy new neighbor Loretta who develops a friendship — and possibly sparks — with Kenan’s former father-in-law Rick, played by Don Johnson. I spoke with Maria Canals-Barrera about being a part of this hilarious cast and what it’s like being everyone’s favorite Disney mom.
Canals-Barrera called it an “honor” to be a part of such a humorous cast. “It’s really for all kinds of people, all kinds of ages. They’re not really trying to fit into a little box, which is very smart because we aren’t little boxes,” Canals-Barrera told me. “We all root for the single dad making it, no matter how old you are, what color you are, where you’re from. It’s these wonderful universal stories that I think are the secret for success in TV. Not trying to write small, but go ahead and write big.”
Canals-Barrera shared what a wonderful time she had working alongside Kenan Thompson, Chris Redd, and Don Johnson. “These are people that are at the top of their comedic goals. I get to work with Don who's an icon and very funny. He's just terrific. So likable, so warm, so funny,” she said. “Kenan [is] one of those people — and Chris Redd too — [that] no matter what they say they’re just funny. Those people that are naturally funny.”
I’m proud to be the Disney mom.
We see Loretta developing a deeper connection with Don and his granddaughters, tapping into the motherly aspect that Canals-Barrera has become known for with her past roles on Disney. “It’s just a part of me,” she shared. “I think there’s nothing more important […] than being a good mom and there’s nothing harder than being a good mom.”
Canals-Barrera opened up about how amazing it is to hear from people who grew up watching her. “Every single day of my life, I get stopped on the street and told amazing things by people. They say thinks like, ‘You were my childhood’ and ‘You’re my favorite Disney mom,’” she said. “I just thank god thank that I was able to be part of something so lasting and so meaningful like Wizards, like Camp Rock, and now Sunset Boulevardez. I’m proud to be the Disney mom.”
Additionally, she loves that she was able to represent for the Latino community. “The fact that she’s an American mom that happens to be of Latin heritage is like another explosion of surprise to me because there are all these American kids that happen to be Latino that are like, ‘That meant something to me. I just love that you were a wonderful mom, an American mom, and it wasn’t written that you were some kind of foreigner or put in a box. You got to be just the mom who loves her kids,’” said Canals-Barrera. '“I just love that I’ve been able to be part of that. I’m just so grateful for it.”
Kenan airs on NBC and is streaming on Hulu.
