Victoria Vida is no shrinking violet. As one of the stars of Netflix's popular Emmy nominated series, Project MC2, Victoria is showing Hollywood that she is here to stay. At only 17 years old, Victoria is effortlessly confident, quotes Woody Allen like an old soul and is ready to conquer the world.

Born in Miami and raised in Brazil, Victoria knew she wanted to make singing and acting a career as early as three years old. By the time she was eight, she and her family moved to Los Angeles to embark on a journey that would land her on the small screen and inspire young girls everywhere to embrace their intelligence and foster an interest in STEM (science, technology, engineering & math) subjects. The acclaimed Netflix series revolves around the fields of STEM and the adventures of a group of girlfriends who work for a government organization called NOV8, a highly secretive group of female government operatives who are trying to protect the world.

Latinas are extremely underrepresented in STEM fields and most young girls lose interest in STEM-related subjects by middle school. Do you think your Netflix series helps to positively reach these young girls?

Most certainly. It’s important to show young girls the potential that lies within them. Project MC2 empowers girls and highlights the fact that smart is cool; it's always been cool.

You were homeschooled beginning in 9th grade and worked hard to learn English in a short amount of time. In past interviews, you touch upon being bullied growing up. Tell us about your struggles with bullying and what emotional tools you used to overcome it.

Family is really important to me, it serves as my anchor. My family really helped me through my experiences with bullying. Talking to my mom really helped me to express myself and to overcome it. But I know that not everyone has someone to talk to, so I wrote a song called “Shining Star” for those kids who are experiencing bullying and need some sort of support. Don’t stop being yourself, don’t stop being unique. What makes you different is what makes you special. Embrace every part of yourself.

“Don’t erase yourself, embrace yourself!”

Personally and professionally, who were your role models growing up?

Personally, my mom. She is so hard working and supportive. I strive to be like her. She's like Super Woman to me. Professionally, I look up to Sofia Vergara and JLo. They represent Latinas well and make us proud. I also LOVE Pitbull. I love how he embraces his Latino side; he’s a die-hard Latino and I love embracing that part of me.

Do you find being a Latina in Hollywood challenging?

Many people suggested that I learn to remove my accent, but that never felt right to me. It’s part of who I am, part of my identity. I figured if Sophia Vergara and Salma Hayek can have successful careers with their accents, so can I! But I feel that the industry is becoming more inclusive. When my manager sent me the audition for Project MC2 I thought he had sent it to the wrong person because the character's description was for the all-American girl with classic looks. Woody Allen once said, "80% of success is showing up," so I figured I would go to the audition and I went in with 100%. They loved my accent and the fact that I wasn't like the other all-American girls who had auditioned before me. My differences is what eventually landed me the job.

“I don’t believe in competition. The only competition we have is with ourselves. ”

As you evolve as an actor and singer, what genres do you see yourself working in?

I would love to do them both. It would be amazing to have a career like JLo. I just love telling stories, whether it's with singing or acting. There is a long list of things that I want to do and you better believe that I'm going to accomplish them all. As for acting, I would love to collaborate with Kevin Hart and do a movie with him. He has his own way of being funny and I think he's a genius. He's different from other comedians and that's what makes him great. As a singer, I would love to collaborate with Pitbull and Madonna. Both are amazing in their particular genres.

If you could have lunch with anyone (dead or alive) who would it be and what would you order?

I would have to choose Kevin Hart. I follow him on Instagram and it's amazing how motivating he is. I would order my favorite, crab cakes with spinach on the side!

Victoria is certainly a rising star and MBG can't wait to see where her journey takes her!

Make sure to check out Victoria on Project MC2 on Netflix. To get involved with an organization that is advancing Latinos in STEM fields, check out Great Minds in STEM and the amazing work that they do across the country, including scholarships and mentorship.

Images courtesy of: William Callan