At 41 years old, Maria del Cerro He is going through one of the most fulfilling moments of his career. Model, actress, host, influencer and mother of two daughters, she built a career marked by versatility and the constant search for new challenges. From those first steps in modeling thanks to “Super M” and its massive emergence on television with Cris Morena in “Almost Angels”until his present on the Gran Rex stage with “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory”never stopped reinventing itself. While also enjoying the success of the second season of “Daisy”the artist is encouraged to make a demanding debut in musical comedy, a genre that she always dreamed of exploring and that today finds her going through long days of rehearsing, singing, acting and dancing.
In this talk with NOTICIAS, “Mery” reviews the learnings that the school of Cris Morenareflects on the passage of time, motherhood and the balance between family and an intense professional agenda. In addition, she talks about the complicity with her partner of 16 years, Meme Bouquet, the pride she feels in becoming an example for her daughters, Mila (10) and Cala (6), and the bond she maintains with several of the friends she made in the artistic world, such as Paula Chaves, Lali Espósito, Emilia Attias and Cande Vetrano.
Enthusiastic, restless and grateful for being able to make a living from what she loves, del Cerro assures that she continues to look forward: after having gone through modeling, television, hosting, reality shows and now musical theater, her goal continues to be the same as when she dreamed from a seat at the Gran Rex: to continue growing, learning and finding new ways to tell stories.
News: You described the casting and rehearsal process for “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” as a quite emotional experience. How did you feel about this bet?
Maria del Cerro: First of all, it is a totally different record from the one he had been playing. Just now the second season of “Margarita” also came out, where I am doing full comedy, and this is another contrast. As an actress, it’s great to play different aspects. Everything happened to me. Also for me it is finding myself back at the Gran Rex from another place, thinking that Mila and Cala are going to be sitting there looking at me. When I was little I went to the Gran Rex to watch “Chiquititas” and from below I thought: “I want to be there.” After many years it happened that I was in “Casi Ángeles” in 2008, 2009 and 2010. So today being from another place, now a mother, thinking that Mila and Cala are going to be in the audience at the same age that I was when I dreamed of being there, it’s like a lot of emotions come together.
News: Furthermore, in “Casi Ángeles” he was part of the young cast and now he is one of the “responsible adults”…
from the Hill: Yes, in a cast of boys who break it. We are lucky to be with an amazing cast, headed by Rada, with whom we did not know each other, we had never worked together and in addition to being extremely talented, he is so versatile, he is a very good person, he is very divine. The boys are the best. Seba Almada is also incredible, we didn’t know each other and I love him. They are all very cool, good people, relaxed, you feel very comfortable working with them.
News: In this musical experience, what is the most challenging? Dance, sing, do it all together?
from the Hill: I feel like I challenge myself in everything I do and this is no exception. I went through acting, through hosting, I was in “Masterchef”, in “Bailando”, now I am doing musical comedy. I love challenging myself and they are goals that I set ahead and say: “Well, I’m going to do this and I want to make it incredible,” and that fills me with life. I am very passionate about what I do and that amazes me, that adrenaline of having something ahead and going for it.
News: Your artistic career began with Cris Morena in “Casi Ángeles”, what remained of that school of Cris’s?
from the Hill: The discipline. After working with Cris, you go to any other production company and they tell you: “Oh, of course, you come from working with Cris”, she has a school that is the best. From a young age they let you know that it is a job, super enjoyable, but with the responsibility of a job. Cris leaves you with a lot of experience in every sense, not only the discipline but also working as a team, artistically, having the possibility of filling theaters, of going on tours throughout the country and the world, also with an amazing team. He has also left me a lot of friends, with whom despite the passage of time we continue to see each other, we continue to meet and we continue to have the same affection as always. For me, having made “Casi Ángeles” was a before and after. I also loved having made “Margarita” and having reunited with Cris after so many years from another place. I am very grateful that you have taken me into account again. We are in a country where not everyone is lucky enough to work in what they really like. I am always grateful for that.
News: Before you said that your daughters are going to see you on the Gran Rex stage, do you see them with an artistic profile? Would you like them to pursue an artistic career?
from the Hill: I would like them to really do what they want. Cala is still little, but Mila studies everything from piano, singing, musical comedy, dancing, so it may happen that she still likes that path. And it may happen that at some point she wants to go the other way and I will also bank and support whatever she wants.
News: What happened to you when you first saw yourself as Mrs. Bucket for “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory”?
from the Hill: It was very crazy. I was going to the photos and I still couldn’t imagine what the look was going to be like. They had sent me a photo, but I didn’t know what the wig and all the costumes would be like. And suddenly I saw myself in the mirror dressed up and I saw myself as a little girl. What happened to me was very crazy, I saw myself with a hair color that was very similar to my real hair color and I saw myself as very girlish. I also love playing this good Charlie’s mom who also presents the contrast between what Charlie’s world is and Willy Wonka’s world. It is a very tender story.
News: They are going to do up to three shows a day, how do they coordinate with family life?
from the Hill: I have a great partner, Meme, who is there a lot, we are both very present with Mila and Cala and the truth is that we also have very random job possibilities. Sometimes it can happen that we both have a lot of work and it is more complicated there, but we complement each other very well as a family, we accompany each other a lot and we always greatly support what the other wants to do. It seems to me that that is also a bit of the key to being together for 16 years, that is what life is a bit about, that each one can fulfill their individual dreams and also be able to fulfill them together. And we are going down that path a lot and I think that is a form of support as well. The girls already know that suddenly mom has to work for two months doing “Charlie” or “Margarita” and then it happens that I am full for them. They grew up a little with that dynamic and are quite used to it.
News: You talked about all the roles you played in your career, from modeling, acting, musicals, hosting, reality shows, is there something that you like the most? Is there anything you still have pending?
from the Hill: The truth is that it sounds very ambitious to say that I have something left to do because I have been lucky enough to do so many things and challenge myself in so many roles that if you ask me, the last thing I was saying was: “I would love to be in a musical.” And suddenly it was like I visualized it and that happened. When I slow down a little, I say: “Wow, I can’t believe everything I’ve accomplished.” My dream is to continue developing my acting side and continue doing very different things.
News: From that Mery who started in “SuperM” to this Mery who is now an adult, mother, what do you see about yourself from that path? Are you proud?
from the Hill: I am 100% proud of everything I am doing. I love that my daughters can see a mother who is fulfilling all her dreams and who enjoys it. That makes me feel proud because I like to be able to leave them that legacy. What matters most to me is that they can do what they want to do tomorrow, that they are free and that they have a partner by their side who supports and supports that freedom.
