Marina Martini is a 33-year-old influencer, actress, and now producer. The Brazilian actress is juggling her pursue of Hollywood fame with her day job at a software design and development company.
For those people who have the TikTok account, Marina Martini does not need any introduction. More than 181k people follow her on the popular social media platform and she has gained more than 2.4 million likes. For those people that don’t know her, then check out her TikTok account as she is a star of the future.
When she was 25 her and her husband decided to move from Brazil to Perth, Western Australia. It was an adventure that was going to set her to the path of a future in acting, producing, and bringing fun to TikTok.
We decided to catch up with the busy influencer who is busy working on her next project, a film called Radio Man which she has been co-producing, to find out more about the future Hollywood star.
You moved from Brazil but now you live in Perth, Western Australia, why did you make such a move?
I was 25 when I moved to Perth, Western Australia. My husband and I were looking for a more peaceful lifestyle in line with who we are (we are super chilled and always avoid big crowds). We come from São Paulo, a super busy city with a population of around 23 million (which is similar to the population of the whole of Australia, to give you some perspective). We were living a very stressful life and were very lucky to have found Perth and being able to call it our home. We never take it for granted.
You have become a TikTok sensation, can you remember the first TikTok post you made?
It was actually quite recent, not even a year.
To be honest, I couldn’t quite work out how TikTok worked at first, which made me feel very old (haha). But then I decided to give it a go and my video completely flopped. It was a random video about makeup.
Why did you decide to turn to TikTok?
Whenever a new social media platform comes out I like to explore and analyse it. I try to understand how people are using it, why they are interacting with it, what their driver is, what is the most consumed content. I love observing and analysing human behaviour, it’s fascinating and it’s my secret hobby (I shouldn’t have shared this, should I? I sound like a creepy person now haha).
You have 181k followers and 2.4 million likes, how did you become so successful?
After my first video flopped, I decided to come back with a specific theme in mind, something that felt more like me. My Brazilian friends are constantly asking me about the cultural differences between countries. So I decided to make that my theme and use comedy to explain what the differences are and how the rest of the world perceives our culture. I’ve just listened to what people were asking for and added my own flavour to it (I can be quite dorky and for some reason that resonates with people, I don’t know why haha). In addition to that, the theme I chose has a high reach, because every Brazilian can relate to it (regardless of their gender, hobbies, preferences, age, etc).
What advice would you give to someone who wanted to achieve the same level of success?
I wouldn’t call myself successful, but what I can say is that the formula for success on all social media platforms is the same: you have to stick to an interesting and relatable theme, find a way to add your own flavour to your content and interact with people, create genuine connections (people will know when it’s fake). And most importantly: you need to love what you are doing and have fun! Don’t choose a theme just because it is generating a lot of engagement. I used to have a youtube channel with makeup tutorials and, although it was successful, I wasn’t feeling any sense of accomplishment. I couldn’t do it anymore, I had to stop and focus my energy on something that felt more like me.
You are not just a TikTok star, you are also an actress, how did you get into acting?
Acting has been a big passion of mine since I was a little kid (this is so cliche, but it is the honest truth). Whenever I was by myself I would pretend I was in a movie. And when I was with friends or cousins, I would force them to be in my made-up movie productions (haha). My favourite part of watching a film has always been the behind the scenes, I love seeing how movies are made, how the crew and cast interact with each other, the preparation for a character… I recall crying while watching one ‘behind the scenes’, because I wanted to be part of it so badly. Back in Brazil I did some acting when I was a teenager, but life happened and my full time job became my priority. Acting and filmmaking had always been in the back of my mind, but I was making a lot of excuses that prevented me from pursuing it. Maybe because I am a perfectionist and was scared that without proper time investment I would not succeed.
Gladly I left these fears aside and decided to give it a go, even with the time restrictions and all (I still work full time and have a busy life)!
You have been acting for just over two years and already you have casted as the lead actress in several short and feature films, how have you achieved so much success in such a short time?
Before getting back to acting, I went through some training here in Perth. I wanted to ensure I was equipped with the best tools. It was also an opportunity to start networking and understanding how the industry works. And I was glad to find that, like any industry, it is all about working hard, being professional, consistent and making connections. I’ve spent 14 years doing that with my other job, so I tried to apply the same logic. It doesn’t matter how talented you are if people don’t have a good time working with you.
After my acting training I applied to as many roles as I could find. You can’t have an ego. All productions – small or big, paid or unpaid – were an opportunity for me to practice my skills, learn from others and make connections. So that was it, just hard work and dedication. But I should confess I was actually quite surprised that I got most of the roles I auditioned for. I thought that my accent was going to be a blocker, but it has actually been what makes me unique (I am still going to see an accent coach this year, though! haha)
As well as appearing in front of the camera, you are now also working behind the camera and co-producing your first film. How different is acting to producing?
I love everything about filmmaking and bringing stories to life, my intention was never to just be in front of the camera. So after working with Brad Newland in Cloud City Chaos (I played Karlie Zanka), he mentioned he was going to produce a new feature film and I asked him if I could help. I was super grateful for the opportunity and Brad’s trust – I was thrilled when he asked me to be his co-producer and I am loving it. The big difference for me is that I get to focus more on the whole and work with more people, I feel even more connected with the story, more in control. I also just love being able to watch other actors perform, I believe I’ll end up learning a lot of acting skills by being the producer.
Can you tell me the name of the film that you are co-producing and what it is about?
The feature film is called Radio Man and it has been written by Brad Newland. It is about an unemployed down on his luck labourer guy from Perth (Jack) that acquires a unique skill of being able to transmit all types of radio waves in his mind after he spends a night asleep in a high-powered radio telescope dish.
Prior to this incident Jack is having a bad run, he has just broken up with his girlfriend, lost his job and has no money and is about to be kicked out of his house. So he will use his new super powers to gain control of his life (in a very funny way).
What first appealed to you about Radio Man?
The simple fact that it is a sci-fi and comedy film (I absolutely love that combination). When I first read the script I couldn’t stop laughing and I instantly saw how unique it was, it hasn’t been done before. Brad has a very creative mind and we are having a blast filming it!
When can people see your new film?
In 2023, but you can follow Newland Films Facebook Page (https://www.facebook.com/Newland-Films-106111435365622) or my Instagram account (https://www.instagram.com/marinamartini/) to follow the behind the scenes and updates.
Now you have done producing and acting, which one do you prefer, and which one do you get more excited about?
Both! And I am so excited that I’ll get to do both in Radio Man. I just love being on set, that’s it. It doesn’t matter if I am holding a light, acting or producing. There’s something about the environment that makes me feel at home. Even after an exhausting day filming I am always energised and fulfilled.
If you could have appeared in any film past or present what would it be, what character would you have played and why?
Oh, that’s a hard one!
Don’t laugh, but I would love to be in The Avengers (any character, even the male ones haha). Just because I love superhero movies. Or Harry Potter. Or Star Wars. Sorry, I always fail to pick just one. But most of the characters I’ve played so far are complex and deceiving, which is definitely the type of roles I want to keep going for.
Everyone talking about Will Smith and Chris Rock, what is your opinion on what happened?
I just feel bad and sorry for all the parties involved really, especially for Jada.
Will was visibly shaken by something that happened before the event. That moment was just a way for him to put it all out. It was sad that it happened that way.
It is so hard to get small films to the big screen due to trying to raise the finance, how would you like to see that change?
I think crypto is a great solution in supporting small and independent film productions. It is already happening in so many other areas, including film and music industries. There are many creative ways to use it to fund and produce projects by relying on the fans and community and rewarding them with tokens, NFTs.
If you had an unlimited budget and could have had any one actor in Radio Man, who would it be and why?
Chris Hemsworth, because in the film everyone has an Australian accent. That’s the only reason why 😉
What does the future hold for you?
I will continue to act in as many productions as I can and will hopefully direct my first film soon!
Media Contact
Company Name: Marina Martini Tomagnini
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Country: United States
Website: https://www.tiktok.com/@martinimarina