Monica Barbaro on Portraying Joan Baez in ‘A Complete Unknown,’ Having a Mixed Identity in Hollywood and Being Mentored by Tom Cruise
Monica Barbaro is ready for her big spotlight. From flying high as a pilot in “Top Gun: Maverick” to embodying the iconic Joan Baez, Monica Barbaro is making her mark in Hollywood. With her latest role in the James Mangold-directed Bob Dylan biopic “A Complete Unknown,” Barbaro demonstrates her acting range and untethered ability to channel the essence of one of music’s most revered activists.
Barbaro’s casting as Joan Baez was a long journey, beginning with her audition in March 2020 — just as the COVID pandemic disrupted Hollywood. “My first audition was right before the world stopped,” she recalls during the Variety Awards Circuit Podcast. “I obsessed over Joan Baez, but I didn’t let myself prepare too much — it wasn’t my job yet, and I had to protect myself emotionally.”
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That changed in 2023 when James Mangold emailed her the subject line: “Joan is yours.”
“I froze, fell to the ground, and cried,” she remembers. “It was life-changing. I still have a screenshot of that email.”
Barbaro wasn’t a Baez superfan when she started, but that changed while prepping for the role. “When I heard “The Water Is Wide,” it was like time froze. Her voice has this spiritual quality — it’s otherworldly,” she says. Listen below!
Barbaro is a quarter Mexican, a heritage she shares with Joan Baez, whose father was also Mexican. She says her experience navigating a mixed identity in Hollywood has been both challenging and illuminating. “Every job I’ve booked has come with questions about my percentages — how Mexican or how white I am,” she explains. “I’ve never felt fully enough of either side.”
Growing up in San Francisco, Barbaro was acutely aware of how people categorized her. “It’s a common experience for mixed-race people: being ‘not enough’ for either group. My grandma, who was Mexican, wouldn’t even speak Spanish at home because she didn’t want people to judge us.”
That connection deepened her bond with Baez. “Reading Joan’s memoir, where she talks about not belonging, felt so personal. That duality of identity is something I want to explore more in my work.”
Barbaro’s breakout role as Lt. Natasha “Phoenix” Trace in “Top Gun: Maverick” (2022), which was nominated for best picture, thrust her into the global spotlight. But beyond the action and acclaim, Tom Cruise’s mentorship left the most resounding impact.
“He’s impossibly hardworking but also so generous,” Barbaro says. “He mentored all of us and still makes himself available. I can text him questions, and he always responds. His attention to safety and precision in his stunts is inspiring.”
Cruise’s faith in Barbaro extended beyond “Top Gun.” “He reached out to James Mangold and vouched for me,” she shares. “That kind of support means everything.”
Beyond “A Complete Unknown,” Barbaro is diving into new challenges. She’s currently filming “Crime 101,” a crime thriller starring Chris Pine and Mark Ruffalo, and is eager to explore roles incorporating her dance background.
“I’ve been itching to do a film where dance plays a central role,” she says. “Dance is such a huge part of who I am, and I want to find a project that integrates it before I get too ‘geriatric,’” she jokes.
Barbaro also hopes to produce stories reflecting her own identity and experiences of belonging. “I’m drawn to themes of otherness and navigating multiple identities. It’s such a universal feeling, and I want to give voice to that.”
With “A Complete Unknown” hitting theaters, she hopes young people can discover the love of Bob Dylan and Joan Baez, just as she did when she landed the role.
“I hope audiences who watch this film are inspired to dive into Joan Baez’s music and activism. She’s an icon, and it’s an honor to bring her story to life.”
Also on this episode, “Wicked” star Cynthia Erivo discusses filming the iconic musical, what to expect from “Wicked: For Good” and the upcoming release of her debut album.
Variety’s “Awards Circuit” podcast, hosted by Clayton Davis, Jazz Tangcay, Emily Longeretta, Jenelle Riley and Michael Schneider, who also produces, is your one-stop source for lively conversations about the best in film and television. Each episode, “Awards Circuit” features interviews with top film and TV talent and creatives, discussions and debates about awards races and industry headlines, and much more. Subscribe via Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify or anywhere you download podcasts.
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