Monica Barbaro recently spoke with PORTER about the challenges of her growing career, her tendency towards perfectionism, and the personal anxieties she’s facing as she gets ready to make her stage debut in ‘Les Liaisons Dangereuses’ at London’s National Theatre. The interview was conducted by Ellie Robertson.
Monica Barbaro, famous for her roles in Top Gun: Maverick and as Joan Baez in A Complete Unknown (earning her an Oscar nomination), recently told PORTER magazine that making her stage debut is a thrilling but nerve-wracking experience. The interview shows she’s an actor focused on the personal challenges of pursuing her goals, rather than just seeking fame.
Looking back on her career, Barbaro acknowledges she used to find interviews and public attention very stressful. She says, “I used to get incredibly nervous before interviews. Now, I’m not sure if I’ve become too comfortable, or if I’ve just gone through enough challenging situations that everything feels manageable.”
The discussion centers on how her dance training still influences her work. She explains that learning to move helped her understand characters, noting, “Dance offered a unique path to understanding character – people express themselves through how they carry and move their bodies.”
The upcoming role is a significant one for PORTER, representing a personal and professional shift. Playing the emotionally vulnerable Madame de Tourvel requires Barbaro to examine her own reserved personality. She acknowledges the role resonates deeply, explaining, “I tend to be very guarded in relationships, so exploring this character feels particularly meaningful for me.”
Monica Barbaro photographed by Peter Joseph Smith for PORTER Magazine. 📷
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The interview also discusses the pressure Barbaro felt after the success of Top Gun: Maverick, a film she describes as a huge responsibility. She remembers being determined to accurately portray the real-life women who inspired the fighter pilot characters, explaining, “The women I met were truly remarkable, and I wanted to do justice to their strength and character.”
Being nominated for an Oscar for her role in A Complete Unknown was a significant achievement, but she doesn’t believe it changes the value of her work. As she explained to PORTER, “It’s a huge honor, but it doesn’t actually give my work more meaning.”
The interview focuses on how Barbaro’s relationship with perfectionism has changed. As she gets ready to perform in Britain with a British accent, she admits she puts a lot of pressure on herself. She explains that the accent needs to be perfect so it doesn’t distract from the main goal: delivering the story effectively.
The PORTER interview showcases an actress reconnecting with the fundamentals of her work while dealing with the pressures of fame, her own anxieties, and what others expect of her. Barbaro doesn’t see this point in her career as an overnight success, but rather the culmination of long-term dedication, explaining, “People call it a breakthrough, but it actually took years of hard work to reach this point.”
With her first stage performance approaching, Barbaro explains that she’s less focused on proving herself and more interested in being true to her art, even if it means taking risks and trying something new.
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2026-03-02 21:15