Overview of Not Skinny But Not Fat with Adria Arjona
Amanda Hirsch sits down with actress Adria Arjona for a fun, very candid conversation about her globe-trotting upbringing, her early hustle in New York, and the major roles that have made her a rising star. Adria opens up about growing up fast, learning to trust her instincts, and balancing action-heavy projects like A24’s Onslaught with big franchise work in Star Wars (Andor) and an upcoming secret James Gunn/DC project. The interview is equal parts career story, personal reflection, and behind-the-scenes chaos—from fake blood and tactical training to monster trucks and bad auditions.
Key Topics Discussed
Adria’s unconventional upbringing
- Born in Puerto Rico, she moved around a lot: Mexico City, Miami, Guatemala, and eventually New York.
- She says growing up on the move made her feel like a “mutt” in the best and most confusing way, with different Spanish slang and cultural references from each place.
- Adria shared that she had to grow up fast, partly because she helped care for her mom and younger brother while her mom was dealing with sobriety.
Moving to New York and hustling hard
- She moved to New York at 18/19 and lived in a tiny apartment in the city, even going through a situation where she was unknowingly renting someone else’s apartment and got kicked out in the middle of the night.
- She worked constantly and was determined to make acting happen.
- Her first manager sent her out, and she booked her first audition right away, which gave her momentum.
- When she felt stuck, she even organized her own showcase by asking classmates to contribute money so a publicist could bring in agents and managers.
Acting school, confidence, and accent pressure
- She attended Lee Strasberg after being pushed in that direction by an acting teacher who saw more potential in her than local soap work.
- Adria talked about the pressure actors face to change their accents, appearances, or “fit” a certain mold.
- She said early in her career she went along with a lot of that pressure, but now she’d be much more likely to push back.
Big roles and franchise worlds
- She discussed how each project has felt huge in the moment, from Emerald City and The Belko Experiment to Andor.
- She was already a Star Wars fan before joining Andor, which made the experience especially meaningful.
- She loved working with Diego Luna and noted that the cast often used Spanish on set to secretly decipher scenes and keep things moving.
- She also teased that she’s working with James Gunn again on a future DC project, but couldn’t share details.
Onslaught: blood, bangs, and badassery
- Adria described Onslaught as a slasher/action-horror movie with a big payoff in the final stretch.
- The shoot was physically intense: freezing cold, windy conditions in Albuquerque, and lots of screaming and stunt work.
- She revealed the “blood” was actually a KY jelly mixture designed for the camera.
- Her character’s bangs were a clip-on piece, and she kept the headband as a souvenir after burning the original on set in a symbolic “I’m done” moment.
- She loved the action-hero vibe and said her inspirations were Sarah Connor and Rambo.
- She also praised the child actress who played her daughter, saying they developed a sweet bond on set.
Premiere, monster truck, and personality quirks
- She showed up to the premiere in a monster truck, which was a suggestion from the filmmakers after she drove it during press.
- She also confirmed she’s a truck girl, driving a Ford F-150, and says that’s more her vibe than a tiny car.
- Adria joked about always lying about her height and about being “too tall” or “not Latina enough” for Hollywood—another example of the weird contradictions actors get told.
Personal life and current mindset
- She said she feels like she’s in the best phase of her life, both personally and professionally.
- She’s still very into boxing as her main workout, and she likes being active without overcomplicating fitness.
- She’s a fan of Bad Bunny and went to the Casita with her mom.
- She also spoke warmly about having a supportive partner who understands the industry and gives her a grounded perspective.
Notable Takeaways
- Adria is highly self-made: she hustled for every opportunity and wasn’t afraid to create her own.
- She’s instinct-driven now: instead of panicking about every yes/no decision, she leans more on intuition and accepts that not everything is meant for her.
- She thrives in genre roles: horror, sci-fi, and action let her play characters she wouldn’t normally be cast as.
- She loves staying playful: even with huge franchises and intense shoots, she keeps the vibe light, funny, and very “real person.”
Memorable Lines and Moments
- “I had to grow up fast.”
- “If it’s mine, it’s mine. If it’s not, it’s not.”
- “I just want to keep my job.”
- She described Onslaught as a project where she got to be a “badass,” which clearly delighted her.
Bottom Line
This episode is a lively, personality-filled conversation that highlights Adria Arjona’s mix of beauty, humor, hustle, and groundedness. She comes across as someone who has worked incredibly hard, learned to trust herself, and is now enjoying the fruits of that grind—while still being very much that girl with the truck, the boxing gloves, and the action-movie energy.