Maria Canals-Barrera


Maria Pilar Canals-Barrera is an American actress. Canals-Barrera co-starred in a number of short-lived sitcoms and has appeared in several films.
She is best known for her role as Theresa Russo in the Disney Channel family sitcom Wizards of Waverly Place. She also played the role of Connie Torres in Camp Rock and and co-starred as Lala Pinedo in Larry Crowne. From 2014–15, Canals-Barrera starred as Daniela in the ABC comedy series Cristela.
She is known as Shayera Hol/Hawkgirl in Justice League and Justice League Unlimited. She also voiced Sunset Boulevardez in the Disney Channel show The Proud Family and Paulina in the Nickelodeon show Danny Phantom.

Early life

Canals-Barrera was born and raised in Miami, Florida, to Cuban parents of Catalan descent. Canals-Barrera also speaks Spanish and took drama classes in junior high.

Career

In her early years, Canals-Barrera worked extensively in theater in both Miami and Los Angeles. In 1992, she began starring on Telemundo Spanish-language telenovela Marielena. She later had the recurring role in the short-lived 1993 Fox comedy-drama series, Key West. During the 1990s, Canals-Barrera also guest starred in a number of television series, such as 21 Jump Street, Murder, She Wrote, Almost Perfect, and Caroline in the City. Her first regular role was on the short-lived NBC sitcom The Tony Danza Show in 1997.
In early 2000s, Canals-Barrera had supporting roles in films America's Sweethearts, The Master of Disguise and Imagining Argentina. She has gained much recognition with comic book fans in recent years for her role as Hawkgirl/Shayera Hol on Bruce Timm's Justice League and Justice League Unlimited series. She also had a recurring role in Static Shock as Shelly Sandoval, a news reporter, and in Danny Phantom as Danny Fenton/Phantom's high school crush, Paulina. She also performed the voice of Mercedes "Meche" Colomar in the 1998 video game Grim Fandango. Canals-Barrera also played incidental characters in two episodes on the TV series The Boondocks.
From 2007 to 2012, Canals-Barrera co-starred as Theresa Russo, the mother of lead character Alex Russo, in the Disney Channel family sitcom Wizards of Waverly Place. She also co-starred in ', a 2009 Disney Channel Original movie based on series. Canals-Barrera also appeared in the Disney Channel Original Movies Camp Rock and ', alongside Demi Lovato in the role of her mother, Connie Torres. In 2011 she appeared opposite Tom Hanks and Julia Roberts in the romantic comedy film Larry Crowne.
In 2014, Canals-Barrera was cast as Hilda, the house manager of the country club where most of the action takes place, in the ABC soapy comedy-drama series Members Only created by Susannah Grant. However, it got cancelled by the network before its premiere. Later in that year she joined the cast of ABC comedy series Cristela, as Cristela Alonzo's character sister.
On August 27, 2018, it was revealed by TVLine that Canals-Barrera was cast as the mother of Fernando Hernandez-Guerrero-Fernandez-Guerrero on the Netflix series Fuller House.

Personal life

Barrera has been married to actor David Barrera since 1999, with whom she has two daughters.

Filmography

Film

Television

Video games

Awards and nominations

YearAwardCategoryWorkResultRefs
1998Ovation AwardOutstanding ActressChanges of Heart
1998ALMA AwardOutstanding Actress in a Comedy SeriesThe Tony Danza Show
2002ALMA AwardOutstanding Supporting Actress in a Television SeriesThe Brothers Garcia
2008ALMA AwardOutstanding Female Performance in a Comedy Television SeriesWizards of Waverly Place
2008Imagen AwardBest Supporting Actress – TelevisionWizards of Waverly Place
2009Imagen AwardBest Supporting Actress/TelevisionWizards of Waverly Place
2009ALMA AwardActress in Television – ComedyWizards of Waverly Place
2010Imagen AwardBest Supporting Actress – Television
2011Imagen AwardBest Supporting Actress – TelevisionWizards of Waverly Place
2011ALMA AwardFavorite TV Actress – Supporting RoleWizards of Waverly Place
2013Behind the Voice Actors AwardsBest Vocal Ensemble in a TV Special/Direct-to-DVD Title or Theatrical ShortBatman: The Dark Knight Returns, Part 1
2014Behind the Voice Actors AwardsBest Vocal Ensemble in a TV Special/Direct-to-DVD Title or Theatrical ShortBatman: The Dark Knight Returns, Part 2
2015Imagen AwardBest Supporting Actress – TelevisionCristela