Exclusive: How Nina Bloomgarden is Rooting Herself in Hollywood

Photo by Jonny Marlow

Nina Bloomgarden has been a star all her life.

The 24-year-old actress of Guatemalan descent, known for her roles in Fatherhood and Body of the Mined, made her streaming debut on Peacock on July 28 as "Violet" in the coming-of-age love story disguised as a thriller, The Resort, where she plays the focal point of the series' mystery.

The story puts a marriage (William Jackson Harper and Cristin Milioti) to the test when a couple finds themselves in the middle of an unsolved mystery that took place fifteen years before.

In an exclusive interview with People Chica, the actress gave us all the deets on her acting career, streaming debut and her best advice for aspiring actors.

Photo by Jonny Marlow

What inspired you to go into acting and performing from such a young age?

I come from a very creative family. On my mom's side, we have photographers, visual artists, builders, musicians, an author, and my mom is a classically trained singer. And on my dad's side, my grandma was an [actress], my grandfather a Broadway producer, and my dad had his fair share of jobs in the business eventually working as an editor. I grew up not realizing there were other jobs not related to the arts. So, I guess my family inspired me and continues to inspire me.

What's something about filming that has been a surprise to you?

What surprised me about filming is how different it is to theatre. They always say there's a difference, but you really don't feel it until you book a role and realize you're not going to get a four-week rehearsal process with the director and all the actors. Rehearsal is so vital to my process, so I worked with my acting coach, John Markland, to make sure Violet was as whole and complex as possible for when I showed up to my first day on set.

Photo by Jonny Marlow

What attracted you to The Resort and what was your favorite part of filming it?

The team behind The Resort is really what attracted me to the project. Seeing the names Andy Siara (Palm Springs), Ben Sinclair (High Maintenance), Sam Esmail and Chad Hamilton (Mr. Robot) all [in] one project really broke my brain. And as I got more and more audition sides, I saw just how complex Violet is and that really excited me. I also feel a closeness to Violet and a need to protect her as we are dealing with similar losses in our own lives.

My favorite part about filming The Resort was the cast and crew. We all got so close on and off set that every day felt like summer camp. I think it comes across beautifully on the screen as we all have rich chemistry. I learned so much from each of them.

What would be your best advice for young aspiring actresses?

My advice to aspiring actors is to take classes. Movement classes, voice classes, technique, clown, anything. I don't think drama school is necessary for everyone, but I think keeping up with your instrument is. It's extremely important for us to have a place to play, explore and work off other people. That's where most of the growth happens. And to people who want to do the drama school route like I did, learning doesn't stop after graduation! There's always something new to explore and that's what keeps performances fresh.

How do you bring your Guatemalan background into your career?

I bring my Guatemalan background into my career through my family. Again, I come from the most creative minds. My grandparents immigrated to Los Angeles in the 1950s. My grandma worked as a traveler's aid and my grandfather worked as a translator in court but that didn't stop them from drawing and writing and instilling a creative household for their six kids. Six kids who have each made a career in the arts in their own way and have passed that down to me, my siblings, and my cousins.