It's true: If Instagram is any proof, the Miami native doesn't exactly parade around in her character's plunging nightclub-ready dresses, but she has a sense of unstudied, bohemian cool—coupled with free-spirited curls and incandescent skin. No doubt this was the X factor Luhrmann was looking for (along with camera-ready features and a voice that nailed Alicia Keys's "Fallin' " in the audition) for his 12-episode project, which is set in the turbulent Bronx of the late 1970s. The series follows a group of ambitious teens finding their voice, whether through the beats and rhymes of nascent hip-hop or, in the case of Guardiola's Mylene Cruz, the shimmering haze of disco.
In anticipation of a weekend spent plowing through the first six episodes (the next half will soon follow), we caught up with Guardiola to talk about her immersion into an era of dance-floor divas, her unexpected love of glitter, and the restorative power of reggae festivals.
To prepare for the role, did you give yourself a crash course in all things '70s? Actually, the cast and I had what we called the dojo—the place where we trained for a month before we started filming: learning the moves, the wardrobes, what happened in the '70s. Grandmaster Flash was around a lot, helping us learn how hip-hop was made, and I had a box of books and DVDs that Baz put together for all of us. I also did a lot of research on Donna Summer, to get to know what it was like to be a disco star, because I really didn't have much of a clue! I wanted to put into perspective what that dream must have been like for my character, Mylene.
What did you find most captivating about Donna Summer? I'm kind of a tomboy, so I had to learn how to be graceful and really girly. She's majestic in the way she moves and glides across the stage, and she just has this sexiness about her that I had to cultivate. I watched her documentary and a lot of her videos on YouTube. "Love to Love You Baby" was one of the songs I would play in my trailer when I was getting ready to put on a big dance number. I listened to a lot of Cher and Diana Ross as well.
Mylene comes from a strict, religious household, where disco's glamour has no place. How does that compare to your childhood?
The way I grew up, in a way, resonates with my character. I'm half Cuban and half Jamaican; my dad's a reggae musician and he was raised Cuban Catholic, and my mom was raised Baptist, but she's a Buddhist and a nutritionist and yoga instructor. When I was young, I would go from living with my hippie parents to my [extended] family's house, and I would have to put on the pearls and put my hair in a bow and dress really nice. That helped me with my character.
Did your parents have rules about makeup and hairstyles, or were they hands-off? Yeah, it used to be something my parents would argue about. I have two younger sisters, and my dad would always say, "The girls should grow their hair and get dreadlocks," and my mom was like, "No, let them be who they want to be." I'm glad that I have my crazy, curly hair.
And natural hair has such a moment in the show. All the boys, except for Jaden [Smith], I think, have their hair just picked out. It's a lot of beautiful, natural 'fros everywhere and Latina curls. I love it. I grew up with curly hair everywhere. My dad has dreads, my mom had dreads, and my sisters and I would wear our hair wild in the jungle of my backyard in Miami.
Your character goes through a big beauty transformation, from being a pastor's daughter to a disco queen. Did I hear that you wear a wig? Yeah, I was wearing a wig. They did a really good job with that. Mylene is pretty clean-faced—that's just who she is. And once she goes disco, there's a lot of really fun, beautiful makeup that I get to wear, like glamorous lashes. You have to watch to see exactly what it is—I don't want to ruin anything!
Your looks in the show are drawn from Halston and Diane von Furstenberg, with plunging V-necks and thigh-high slits. How did that feel?
There's a lot of skin in Miami! I mean, I'm Latina; I have it in me. I think I worked it. Sometimes it was uncomfortable, but for the most part, it was a lot of fun.
What are your beauty essentials in real life? Burt's Bees on my lips. I use a lot of sparkles: I just put glitter on my face, around my eyes, on my décolletage if it's showing. I like looking really tan, and I wear a lot of blush—sometimes I use lipstick, honestly!
You mentioned your mom is into wellness. Is that a big part of your life? I'm a vegetarian; I eat a lot of organic food. I do a lot of stretching and yoga, and I go on hikes—anywhere that is pretty. We go to Temescal a lot when we're in California. I just came back from a reggae festival; it's called Reggae on the River, and we were hiking all over the hills. I feel really healthy right now!