Carolina Miranda may be basking in the glow of the Swiss Alps during a much-needed break, but her journey to the top of the Netflix charts was anything but a vacation.
The Perfil Falso (Fake Profile) star is currently going viral after getting candid about her “destiny” in the spotlight, revealing that despite her massive global success, she actually tried to quit acting at least three times.
“I’ve been trying to escape acting, and it just won’t let me go,” she says with a laugh. It’s a sentiment that has struck a chord with fans on X (formerly Twitter) and TikTok, who are praising the actress for her refreshing honesty about the “tears of blood” it took to make it in the industry.
The Mexican-born star, who grew up in the small city of Irapuato, didn’t actually dream of being an actress. It was her mother who constantly pushed her, saying, “You have the talent… you have to perform.”
But the road to her first big break in the telenovela Los Rey was nearly derailed by a freak accident. Just one month before filming, Miranda dislocated her kneecap. Determined not to lose her shot, she “broke” her knee in a grueling rehab process just to make the start date.
Despite that grit, the heartbreak of the industry almost sent her packing for good. After being replaced in a project just two days before filming began, Miranda moved to Veracruz, convinced her career was over.
Then came the role that changed everything: Señora Acero.
Playing the iconic “La Coyota,” Miranda starred in over episodes, but she reveals she had to fight for the spot. While the production wanted a “big name,” the writer bet everything on her.
“I had nothing, and he bet on me until the very end,” she recalls.
That gamble paid off. Following her stint as Vicenta Acero, Miranda became a global household name thanks to the Netflix thriller ¿Quién mató a Sara? (Who Killed Sara?), which hit number one worldwide.
However, it was her transformative role in Mujeres Asesinas that truly tested her limits. To play the troubled Esmeralda, Miranda spent five hours a day in the makeup chair having full-body tattoos and bruises applied. She even listened exclusively to metal music to stay in character.
The role was so intense it took days of therapy and meditation to “find herself” again after filming wrapped. “I had adopted nervous and guttural tics,” she admits. “That’s how I came to understand… the fiction did not belong to me.”
Her dedication hasn’t gone unnoticed. In mid-, she took home a Gracie Award, followed by a prestigious International Emmy nomination for Best Actress.
Despite the accolades, Miranda admits she still deals with a very human struggle: stage fright. “No one believes me!” she jokes. But for her, the nerves are worth it for the connection with her audience—which is primarily made up of women.
“It’s a huge responsibility to be aware of what we are teaching society through our actions,” she says of her role-model status.
With Season of Perfil Falso on the horizon and a haunting performance as a young Silvia Pinal in a new documentary, Miranda has finally stopped trying to run away from her fate.
“I can’t forget that before I wasn’t dedicated to this, and that in the future I might not be either,” she reflects. “But for now, destiny is so clearly drawn that it brings me back to where I belong.”
And for her millions of fans, they are “infinitely grateful” she stayed.
