Ep. 267: From Colombia to Netflix: Model, Actress & Beauty Queen Elisa's Incredible Journey
This week on Everything & Anything…and a Bit Gay, Zach sits down with Colombian actress, model, and former beauty queen Elisa — a woman who has done it all. From winning pageants in Barranquilla (the city that gave the world Shakira and Sofia Vergara), to earning a law degree she never used, to walking runways in Miami and eventually landing roles on Netflix and Starz's Black Mafia Family, Elisa's journey is one of grit, glamour, and genuine heart.
In this conversation, Elisa opens up about growing up in Colombia, the magic (and chaos) of Barranquilla's legendary four-day carnival, and how watching Burn Notice as a background extra made her decide she wanted to be the one with the microphone in front of the camera. She also shares the story of how a well-placed string of Spanish curse words in an audition landed her a role on a major Netflix series — and why the producers actually asked her to keep them in.
Plus: Hollywood diversity, teenage daughters and screen time, her Hands for Children Foundation that has served kids in Colombia for over 10 years, and her upcoming film RLC Backstage — a scripted drama set behind the scenes of LA's fashion world, premiering at the Chinese Theatre.
Topics covered:
- Growing up in Barranquilla, Colombia — the city of Shakira, Sofia Vergara, and carnival culture
- From child pageants to Miss World Colombia — and a law degree along the way
- Modeling in Miami with Elite, working on Burn Notice, and the moment she decided to become an actress
- Her first acting role: sweet-hearted Rosalita on Telemundo
- Playing the wife of a drug lord on Black Mafia Family
- The audition story: how Spanish curse words got her cast on Netflix
- Hollywood diversity for Latina and LGBTQ+ actors — progress and frustration
- Dream co-stars: Brad Pitt, Tom Cruise, and an honorable mention for Leonardo DiCaprio
- Raising a teenage daughter in the age of social media (and enforcing phone-free time)
- The Hands for Children Foundation — 10+ years of feeding, clothing, and supporting kids in Colombia
- RLC Backstage — her upcoming scripted film about the fashion world, premiering June 13 at the Chinese Theatre in Los Angeles
🔗 Follow Elisa: https://www.instagram.com/elisae.daily
https://www.elisaberdugoactress.com/
📲 Follow the show: @TheRealZachRE
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Podcast song by SIXFOOT 5: https://www.sixfoot5prod.com
Apple: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/sixfoot-5/1551774977
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5rHMzoU0G0fLhaBsrQiOOY?si=laSZ5hiKTYubJJyhrzf2JQ
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