Some people dream of the spotlight, while others carry it with them. Carolla Parmejano has been doing the latter for more than twenty years, not just on stage and on screen, but in the way she lives, the communities she uplifts, and the message she stands behind. Carolla has always chased purpose, not glamor. As a young girl, she dreamed of becoming a superhero. That dream never left. While her path led her to acting, to award-winning roles and international recognition, she never stopped asking herself the hard questions: Why do I want the microphone? What message do I want to leave behind when I have people’s attention?
Her answers came through lived experience, red carpets, long hours training in archery and wire work, late nights navigating industry expectations, and also through the simple act of thrift. When she could not afford a new designer dress for every premiere, she turned to secondhand shops. What began as survival became her statement. Repeating outfits, reworking vintage pieces, and co-founding Love for Upcycling, a nonprofit organization dedicated to sustainability, turned necessity into a movement. Carolla had found her way of saving the world, one dress, one message, one community at a time.
To describe Carolla as just an actress would be to miss the full picture. She is also an activist, an entrepreneur, a producer, a director, and above all, a bridge-builder. Her work with We the Latin , another non-profit she also co-founded, reflects that perfectly. A platform created to affirm Brazilian identity within the larger Latin community, offering a home for voices that too often have been left on the margins. She doesn’t shy away from how difficult it has been to balance these identities. Instead, she treats each with precision. “When I’m networking as an actress, that’s who I am. When I’m representing Love for Upcycling, I speak from that place. When it’s We the Latin, I open doors and listen to people’s stories.”
It’s this ability to compartmentalize with clarity, while still weaving everything into the larger fabric of her purpose, that makes her journey so rare.
Even in her latest project as an actress, the Lifetime/Amazon feature film, “Secrets of an Influencer,” Carolla leans into storytelling as a vehicle for impact. Playing Jacqueline, a complicated character making bold and dangerous choices for her family, she found herself tapping into darker emotions. At the core, she saw the work as a way to sound an alarm for parents navigating the digital age. “Even though I’m representing an evil character, I am giving a message,” she explained. That is the throughline of her career: to perform, yes, but always to serve.
When asked about legacy, Carolla doesn’t speak about accolades or awards. Instead, she points to alignment: doing what wakes you up in the morning, what resonates with your soul, even if it takes years to discover. “Don’t rush,” she advises anyone looking for their purpose or starting their career.
“You’re not going to find your why in a book or in a video. You’ll find it in your own time, in your own moment. And when it comes, that’s when you’ll know what you came here to do.”
Carolla’s story is not about being just one thing, it’s about being everything she loves, without apology. Actress, activist, entrepreneur, community-builder, Latina. All of these things together are what make Carolla Parmejano, and it’s that wholeness truly inspired me. And if the universe is listening, don’t be surprised if the next chapter has her in a cape, finally landing that superhero role she dreamed about as a little girl. After all, she’s been playing one in real life all along.
Follow Carolla’s journey: @carollaparmejanoofficial
