I actually just feel it like insulted sometimes. I’m like I sit in what I worked I mean, I work so hard. I love what I do. I love my job. I love talking about my job. There’s different facets of my job that I love talking about for different reasons. And when I sit down and I have to do press from, you know, starting at 8:00 a.m.
till, you know, whenever the night ends, it’s it’s frustrating. You want to spend that time talking about meaningful meaningful moments. And I just I wanted that to be in the documentary because I felt like I know that a lot of artists, maybe not everyone, but I know a lot of artists and people in my position feel that way.
And I hope that it will only you know, maybe shift that a bit and maybe stop asking people what word you associate with Marshmallow and maybe ask them how they’re doing. ; [laughter] ; Um, you know, maybe just having a bit of an inspiration to do more and be better and and yeah, it actually is pretty crazy cuz that that happens. It’s weird.
; Yeah, it is really weird and and it’s it’s interesting because I feel like there’s such a trend that’s been created about asking people click-baity, buzzy, you know, moment questions and then you think, well, but this is a human ; Totally. ; with with emotions and ideas and views and and I think often people think, oh, well, I’ve only got them for 10 minutes, I better just ask them all this stuff, but you you forget that that there’s a whole person behind that.
The documentary really humanizes you. What parts of you did you really want people to understand better or see more that you think they haven’t been able to see over time? ; Just I guess where I was meant to be. I in the beginning it really made me kind of sad. I I wanted it to be a documentary that was really fun and about me doing this big tour, and instead, I felt so bad cuz we were filming these really intense moments, and then I had to stop filming, and I think I really ultimately wanted people to realize that I’m not really
that put together. I I can be, and I feel much better now, but I don’t want people to ever look at me and think she has it all, and she’s figured it out, and she is, you know, perfect, or whatever. I I hope no one thinks that, but I I just don’t ever want to be that kind of public figure.
I want to be someone that hopefully could be a friend that could just de- disarm you from the celebrity-esque part of it. I just want to be someone that people can genuinely walk up to and say, “Hey, I kind of I understand what you walked through. I did, too.” and have a conversation with. ; Yeah, and why’s why’s that important? Why do you think it’s important that I guess for a long time you were people did consider celebrity to be perfect, or maybe it was portrayed that way sometimes, maybe it wasn’t, but why do you think it’s important for people to
see that no one in the world, including me, anyone we’re talking about, there’s no one who’s perfect, but why is that so important? ; It’s important to me because I felt like I had to be. When I was, you know, when I was going through relationships, I felt like I had to be a certain way.
That’s why in 2016, I was talking about my body, and talking about my appearance, and and talking about how, “Oh, everyone’s going to see me as this Disney kid. No one’s going to take me seriously. All of those moments, that’s kind of where Yeah, that’s where all the confusion came from for me. Yeah. ; Yeah. No, that does make sense.
That’s That’s a really fascinating answer because yeah, it’s almost like you’ve had to live that way. ; Yeah. ; And then you’re kind of unpacking it for everyone and and breaking down that image that’s created and I think that definitely comes across. One of the things that stood out to me in that unpacking of the perfection element that you’re talking about.
We’re so scared of imperfection because it reveals there’s parts of us that are not ideal by some external comparison or by some internal trigger or some past experience where we we have that feeling. How do you now deal with your imperfections? Like how do you feel about parts of you that that are not perfect? ; I’m okay with that.
I actually think a lot of who I am are just a few things that are not perfect. Even down to my laugh. Sometimes I used to be insecure about my laugh or you know, the fact that I’ll always talk during a movie or you know, I’ll always do something minuscule and I think little things like that make me happy because I feel like everybody else in the world you know, recent For example, a very small example, but this Halloween I was I was a banana and I and I and I genuinely just like got the cheapest outfit, put it on and roamed around
Times Square with my friends and had the best time. And everyone kept sending me these memes cuz every Everybody else kind of went all out and maybe I could have painted my face and done a little more, but everyone looked really sexy and fun and and literally I was a banana. ; [laughter] ; That’s basically sums up who I am to a T and it was that that to me means that I don’t have to be perfect all the time. I’d rather be that girl.
; Yeah, and how does that apply to work? Like how does that perfectionist mindset work in terms of like music or creation or acting like because that’s beautiful in your personal life. It sounds like there’s this acceptance of you know, we can be we can be more in flow, but then how does that apply to like writing or creating or building like ; Well, I think I I don’t I well, I always say this in any session.
There are no stupid questions. I always have to say that out loud because sometimes I genuinely will think, well, what does this mean and how can I unpack this and create a a song from this or how do I impact this scene and do the best I can? You know, there are mistakes that happen in the studio and on set that actually end up becoming a part of it.
You know, me messing up a line actually ended up being funny and we kept it in the show or you know, there’s something I said in a lyric that was wrong and it ends up being the biggest hook that we’ve got and I and I look for those moments. I crave I crave those moments. ; That’s a great example. I love all of those.
Yeah, and and it just that’s what feels like magic, right? Like it’s it’s when the imperfection can somehow become a part of the process. ; Yeah. ; Where you’re just like, wow, this this this actually feels like we got somewhere. And so I think when we start I love that idea applied both personally and professionally because I think even the parts of ourselves that we consider to be imperfect, the parts of ourselves that we consider to be broken, when you start seeing use in those, when you start seeing purpose in those, it’s ; I always say that there’s there’s
blessing in the breaking. And every moment that you encounter in your life, even if it’s just road rage, as simple as that to maybe losing someone that you love, ; Mhm. ; there there is no perfect way to heal. There is no perfect way of dealing with something. It’s more just how am I going to be a better person? How am I going to make the best choice for myself so that I don’t end up angry at that person on the highway? So that I don’t end up ruining my day because of what someone did to me on the 405. You know, I I want to also say
that how can I turn something like losing someone I so dearly love into Well, how can I celebrate that person and the great things that they’re that they provided me or that they gave me. That takes a lot of work, so I don’t say that lightly, but I try my hardest to do that and I try to have my friends hold me accountable to reminding me, “Hey, let’s try to flip this and try to turn it into something else.
” ; Yeah. Yeah, absolutely. I think what I what I’m gathering from listening to you is that again, it’s you’re not saying I’ve arrived and this is how I think now. You’re saying this is what I’m trying to practice. Like this is the this is the approach that I’m mining in my own life and ; Absolutely. This is practice.
Every day is practice. I I even said it last night at the premiere. I was saying, “I don’t I don’t have anything figured out. I’m definitely not. Like, I’m sold. I’m good. It It’s It’s more just this is a continuation. And my story is not done, and I can’t wait to find out what’s going to happen next. And doesn’t mean it’s going to be easy, and sure there’s going to be bumps that happen, but I’m going to learn how to live with them.
; Yeah. As someone who’s so committed to moving forward, what did it feel like going back to like your school and and all these old places? I won’t give away too many, but in the documentary you go and visit. You know, people like What’s Yeah, what what does that do? ; Well, going home is is like to me, it’s it’s untainted territory.
; Right. ; It is safe. It is simple and kind. Where I’m from, it is all about you know, being together, loving each other. I go home and people are like, “Welcome home, Ms. Gomez.” They’re not, you know, treating me any differently. And I enjoy and I enjoy visiting, you know, what made me who I am. And it always gives me that a good sense of of like, “Oh, I hope I can inspire people from where I’m from.
” Cuz there’s not a lot to do ; Mhm. ; where I’m from, but I hope I can inspire just one person to do something bigger than that. ; Yeah, was there any particular place that you went back that almost gave you a a a special feeling or a or something surprised you that you like, “Oh, I didn’t think this was going to be Yeah.
” ; Well, my snow cone place. So, I really I loved that place. I would go with my dad all the time and my cousin, and we would get the pickle snow cones with like, you know, grape in it. And it would just be so yummy and amazing. And it would just, you know, brought me back to when it would be so hot in Texas, and I was with my family, and we would just stop there and sit outside for an hour and just talk.
And it was just the best. ; Yeah. I love that Yeah, that’s that’s that’s great to hear. I think there’s always I I have this park in my hometown. It’s called Broomfield Park and it’s it’s still charming to me even though I don’t think if anyone else went there they’d find it that charming. They’d be like, “Okay.
” But but when I go back I know where I used to go and buy my my ice cream from and you know where the truck would be and there’s there’s all these special moments that you that almost but it it sounds like again like it sounds like it’s not like you’re like, “Oh, I miss that.” It’s almost like that was a part of me and it’s a beautiful thing.
But now I’m happy to be new and I was even today when we were just walking over here and we were talking about just you finding places that fuel you. And you it seems like you’ve become open to saying, “Okay, it’s okay that life is changing and transitioning and there’s new places that feel more like home than old places.” ; I hate change. I really do.
But I felt in the past year which is pretty just it’s pretty new. ; Yeah. ; I have really really embraced um the uncomfortableness of change. And I think it’s because I get so exhausted of the same thing over and over again. And it scares me but I did learn that my world can be bigger by being in a different destination.
I work on my show Only Murders in the Building. It’s in New York where I shoot and I never I’ve never spent more than a week or two in New York and I’m there for months and just that alone was an uncomfortable, you know, experience. But I loved it and I loved the friendships I made and the knowledge that I was gaining, the people I was around, the park and walking and just how like precious life is.
It’s celebrated. There’s culture. It just becomes addicting to to want to put yourself in these situations and see what happens. So, I will say in the past year I’ve felt more comfortable with change and I’m grateful for it and I just I’m going to continue to do that and I want that. ; How do you How did you get comfortable with that discomfort, I guess, in the first place if you’re someone who said, you know, like hate change, didn’t like change? ; Yeah.
; I guess obviously naturally work and everything like that, but was there something internally where you’re like, “Okay, now I need to” because you’ve done this You’ve done uncomfortable things your whole life, right? Like you’ve had to do so many difficult things, whether it’s going on tour when you’re young or transitioning careers.
You’ve constantly done uncomfortable things. ; Yeah, but I think I had always kind of returned to the same behavior and the same pattern of maybe well, I’m nervous of going out cuz I don’t want to be seen today or I’m going to just stay in because I feel anxious or I don’t want to go out to that event because I don’t want to get seen.
It just I was I was finding myself just being terrified of the world and that just isn’t a way of living. And it’s easy to go do a job because well, I I’m with a bunch of people. They help me look good. I do my job. I smile and I’m done. But taking spontaneous trips or you know, getting out and going to the Balboa Park, which is a very simple park.
And just doing that kind of stuff is necessary and I I noticed that New York really helped me. It just really opened me up. The show is really great and I think being around a bunch of New Yorkers, it does something to you, man. It’s good. ; Yeah. Well, one of the biggest changes in atmosphere that you talk about in the documentary is you go to Africa.
; Right. ; And like a That’s a big change. You know, even if it’s a shorter period of time, but you were still there for a considerable ; for a week, yes. But, I mean, that definitely wasn’t the first time that I had taken trips um in in the in the vein of wanting to go for a mission.
And it was one of the most beautiful moments of the film for me because we actually thought we were just going to make a quick little video about, you know, what we were there to do. And then we fell in love with the people, we fell in love with the story, and we started noticing that everywhere in the world mental health is very very real.
It’s very much something that’s affecting everyone. Um and then you kind of realize that the world is it’s it’s it’s a small place sometimes because you’re all kind of walking through pain, and you’re all looking at things in a different way, but ultimately you all want to be happy. And I felt like they inspired me more than I could have done anything for them.
It was a really beautiful trip, and yeah, it was one of my favorite moments of the film. ; People don’t always understand how mental health exists everywhere in the world. When you said that they were experiencing mental health, what was their experience of it compared to what we would understand as our experience in the US? So ; Yeah, well, I was I was talking to a woman named Betty, and she was, you know, basically kind of the person touring giving us the tour around the village and the schools, and she was lovely, but when we stopped to
have a conversation, we just were sitting down, and she she told me her story, and how she was dealing with suicidal thoughts. And that how she to a lake and sat there for 2 weeks contemplating. Not a day or an hour of moment, it was 2 weeks. And that was something that I felt floored by because that’s different.
Obviously, we can have those thoughts, but she dismissed herself from everyone and she had to find it with herself. And so many people don’t need to walk through that alone, but she did. And she did it well and she’s proud of it and now she is in an incredible school and she’s going to grow up to be the best influence for her village, for her sisters, for everyone that she’s around. That’s so so special.
And I I’m just having those conversations with someone from across the world, it’s mind-blowing. You don’t really know what people are walking through until you do stop and have a conversation. ; That 2 weeks, that ; I can’t imagine that feeling, what you must be walking through for 2 weeks to just be sitting there.
; And did she feel the same from your deeper conversation with her, did she feel the same feeling that a lot of people do here where it’s like I don’t know who to talk to and I don’t know who to open up to and who don’t know who to trust? ; She thought that she needed to be everything for her family and she felt like she was letting them down.
Same thing of not feeling good enough, not feeling like her being there would even be helpful. And you do find the similarities in in it and that’s how I felt like I bonded with her. ; It’s incredible, right? Across culture, ; Yeah. ; across world to have a human moment like that with someone. What what purpose have those missions played in your life in terms of like you said, this is not the first time you’ve been out and I’m I’m sure it’s not the last as well.
It’s something that you want to continue to do. I mean, there was a moment in the documentary where you don’t want to leave. ; Yeah, I don’t think I necessarily will always be broadcasting when I’m taking these trips or wanting to do more and help and travel. So, I think that I will probably have these quarterly or even just maybe once a year.
I kind of have to set time apart for that, and I make it a priority. Just because I feel, personally, that everyone is my brother and sister. We’re all here together, living being, and you know, wanting to navigate life together, and I want to continue to travel the world and and be able to spread some sort of message or bring change in some form.
I don’t know, something. You know, I want to be able to continue to always do something, and eventually I do believe my life will will end up being something along the lines of doing the things that you do, you know? I got a few more things to do first, [laughter] but eventually, yes. ; Well, you’re already doing them.
You don’t You’re already doing them. And And I Yeah, there’s that moment at There’s a moment in the documentary I think you’re asked through a mirror envelope question, uh what is the What is your greatest dream or your ultimate dream? I think is the word. And this is exactly what you say. You say, “I want to find a way to change lives.
” And And I want to find a way to impact lives. And I think when people think of their ultimate dream, that’s not the natural thing that comes to their mind. ; Right. ; When did serving When did helping others become such a big Understanding others as well, because it’s not just I know you feel you’re growing from these experiences.
When did that become a ultimate dream? Like, when did that What was your What was your dream as a a little girl and then, you know, how did that evolve? ; I think that I was just I was just going to say my mom. I mean, from a very young age, we we didn’t have a lot, but it didn’t matter. It was every Thanksgiving we were going to, you know, we would go and and help out in soup kitchens.
And my mom would talk to me about, you know, why we were there and explain to me the way of the world and we would, you know, see see really hard things. And Texas, you know, can be very, you know, very uh conservative. And my mom would just break those barriers for me and explain to me how beautiful people are and how complicated and complex things are about the world.
She never protected me in in a way of not showing me the bad things. She showed me everything. And that’s what has always been a part of my life. I mean, down to I’d be on set and I’d be talking to the director and someone would come give me a water. And if my mom noticed that I didn’t say thank you, she would just remind me gently in a way that was like, “Hey, next time be aware and be thankful.
” And it’s kind of like, “Oh, yeah, you’re right. Sorry, Mom.” But you’re you’re right. [laughter] You’re you are you got to be aware of of people and you have to be aware of what people are walking through.
The flashing red light of the studio camera was staring right at me, a silent witness to a lie I had been telling for a decade. My name is Maya, and for most of my twenties, I was the girl everyone thought they knew. The girl with the polished grin, the perfectly curated Instagram feed, and the schedule that spanned continents. But as I sat there, the weight of the “perfect” persona finally cracked. I didn’t just want to answer the interviewer’s shallow question about my favorite snacks; I wanted to scream. I was tired. I was exhausted from being the projection of everyone else’s expectations. “I’m not put together,” I finally blurted out, my voice trembling [02:20]. The studio went dead silent. That was the moment the mask fell off.
That confession wasn’t just a breakdown; it was a birth. You see, we live in a world that thrives on the highlight reel. We scroll through our phones, comparing our messy kitchens and late-night anxieties to a stranger’s curated vacation photos, and we feel… less. I used to be the one fueling that delusion. I spent years in 2016 terrified that if I showed a single crack in my armor, the world would realize I was just a girl from Texas who didn’t have a clue [03:43].
People ask me how I deal with imperfection now. Honestly? I stopped trying to hide the banana costume [05:31]. Literally. One Halloween, while everyone else was trying to look like a high-fashion icon, I threw on a cheap banana suit and wandered through Times Square. It was ridiculous. It was imperfect. It was the most fun I’d had in years. That’s the irony: the moment I embraced the absurdity of being a human, I felt more “seen” than when I was trying to look flawless on a red carpet.
I think we’re all terrified of imperfection because it reveals we’re vulnerable. We’re scared that if people see the parts of us that aren’t “ideal,” we lose our value. But there’s a blessing in the breaking [08:07]. Whether it’s losing someone you love or just getting stuck in soul-crushing traffic on the 405, there is no “perfect” way to navigate grief or anger [08:23]. I used to think there was a manual for healing. Spoiler alert: there isn’t. It’s just practice. Every day is just a messy, beautiful practice.
I remember visiting a village in Africa, a trip that was supposed to be a quick PR stop, but ended up changing the entire trajectory of my life [15:29]. I sat down with a woman named Betty [16:49]. She told me about how she had sat by a lake for two weeks, contemplating her own existence [17:12]. I looked at her, and for the first time, I didn’t see a “celebrity” meeting a “fan.” I saw a mirror. We were two people, thousands of miles apart, both struggling with the weight of feeling like we weren’t enough [18:41]. It was a humbling, jarring reality check. We are all just walking through pain, hoping someone stops to ask, “How are you?” instead of “What’s your favorite color?”
My mother taught me this from the time I was small [21:16]. We didn’t have much, but we spent our Thanksgivings in soup kitchens. She never shielded me from the world’s harsh edges; she pushed me right into them [22:01]. She taught me that if you’re not saying thank you to the person handing you a water on set, you’ve lost the plot [22:16]. You have to be aware of the people walking through life around you.
Looking ahead, I don’t think I’ll ever have it all “figured out.” The industry will always want me to be a static image, a brand, a commodity. But my story isn’t finished [09:42]. In five, ten years, I don’t want to be remembered for the records I sold or the scenes I stole. I want to be the friend who makes it okay to be broken. I want to continue taking those uncomfortable, spontaneous trips to places that force me to grow [13:29].
I see a future where I’m less concerned with being a public figure and more concerned with being a human resource. I’ll keep doing the work—acting, singing, creating—but the goal has shifted. It’s not about the applause anymore; it’s about the impact. It’s about the realization that my world gets bigger the more I step out of the comfort of being “perfect.”
If you take anything away from this, let it be this: you don’t need to be polished to be valuable. You don’t need to have the answer, the perfect career, or the perfectly curated life to be enough. Just keep showing up. Even if you’re just a girl in a banana suit, at least you’re showing up as you. And that? That’s the most revolutionary thing you can do in a world obsessed with plastic perfection. The journey isn’t meant to be easy, but it is meant to be yours. And honestly, that’s more than enough.
Disclaimer : This content may be created by AI for entertainment purposes. Any resemblance to real persons, events, or places is coincidental.
