Eva De Dominici tells us that her character’s internal monologue, as Nadia Morales in FOX’s The Cleaning Lady, says, “it’s just a matter of time, but the world will be mine.” Eva, like Nadia, finds a way to make different worlds her own whether it’s in turning her mother’s home dental office into her imaginary stage as she sang for patients, or in becoming a part of what she calls “a man’s world” in cigar lounges as she prepared for her role as Nadia. Eva’s childhood was nomadic as she moved across Buenos Aires. Even as she moved, the allure of acting and entertainment pulled her in, despite having not been surrounded by anyone even remotely in the industry. While dreams in stage lights led her under the industry’s circle of light, her hard work and dedication is the force that makes her stay. In Season 2 of The Cleaning Lady, we see Nadia, mob leader Arman’s wife who manages the exclusive cigar club, in a situation that is more unsteady than we see in Season 1. Nadia who is lured in by power, is able to remain steady through her own self-respect and independence. In our interview with Eva, we talk in-depth about Nadia, childhood memories, and her experience in the industry!
I know you have been acting since you were very young. How has your view of the industry most significantly changed over time?
I started working as a professional actress at the age of 9, one year after I convinced my parents to take me to acting classes. I think my approach to acting was very instinctive. I would go to plays for children with my parents and I would say to them that I didn’t want to just see the play, but I wanted to be on stage, or I would watch my favorite children’s TV show and sometimes when they would announce what they were doing I would ask my parents to take me to auditions. I felt a very strong connection with this artistic form of expression since I can remember, but I didn’t know exactly what it was, I just felt extremely attracted to it. Over the years, I started noticing that I really wanted to make this into my profession. I decided to be determined and work on my craft to look for new and more complex and challenging opportunities to honor this incredible job that I now have. So, it all started as a game until one day I said, ok, I thank life for the opportunities I have been given, now let’s be serious about it, now I will have to work hard, let’s make this into my profession.
I read in another interview that you said that you consider yourself an incurable dreamer, but that you are also very determined and pragmatic. That reminded me of the idea that success is 1% inspiration, 99% perspiration. Do you agree with this, or do you think there is a more even balance between hard work and aspiration?
I am definitely a crazy dreamer and I think that feeds my soul. Dreams, love and passion are a big source of energy, they are the engine that makes me get up every day and try to achieve goals. But in my experience, it’s definitely the hard work that makes a difference. I discovered how much I love my work because of the hours I spend on it every day. So, I think I agree.
Before getting deeper into your role as Nadia on The Cleaning Lady, I wanted to use one of her lines to relate to yourself. Nadia says, “a woman should never forget where she comes from,” when talking about her roots. How would you describe your roots?
I was born in a middle class, Italian descendent and dysfunctional family in Buenos Aires. Pasta was our thing; I’m made of pasta! I have a younger sister, Maria Candela, who is 5 years younger and who later in life moved with me to LA and now we live very close to each other. My grandma who had Alzheimer’s lived with us until her death. All my grandparents were very present in my life as well. None of my parents were actors. My mother is a dentist, and my father owns a corrugated cardboard factory in Argentina. My parents always encouraged me to study and work. That was something very important for them. We moved so many times among different parts of Buenos Aires, I changed schools so many times. We had a nomad life. But I still have one house stuck in my head – a house my parents built from nothing and where we had chickens, rabbits, and a couple of dogs. My mother had her dental office on the first floor of the house, and I would go there and play by imitating her patients or sometimes I would sing for them. I would invite the kids in the neighborhood to play in my house and we would play “mud wars.” I can still remember the voice of the ice cream man yelling on a speaker over the typical music of an ice cream truck to let the whole neighborhood know that he was around. Those are my roots. I am not a city girl, I was born and raised in a neighborhood.
Speaking of environments, the setting of the series is really visually interesting, and I read that you started going to cigar lounges and clubs to be involved in the universe. Was there a moment when you felt most immersed in The Cleaning Lady universe in real life?
Yes, that is true. After shooting the pilot, when the series got picked up, they decided that Nadia was going to manage a cigar lounge that would work as a money laundry for their real business, the contraband of guns. So, I decided to go to cigar lounges, and I met such cool people who helped me smoke the cigars, and I started going to those places to feel like I belonged there. It was actually super cool. Because cigar clubs are a man’s world, and I wanted to break the ice and embody Nadia, smoke cigars and have a chat with people from that world. My character moves in a man’s world as if she is not a fish out of water, and that gave me such a great confidence and it became part of my life for one month, because I would go there every week. There was also one scene where Nadia was shooting out in the desert. I think that scene said a lot about who she is, and how she operates in order to get deals closed. And we rehearsed for a couple of days before shooting. That made me feel super powerful.
In Season 1 of the series, we saw Nadia struggling with losing control over Arman as his involvement with Thony gets in the way. In Season 2, we see this really interesting dynamic between Nadia and Robert, her ex who is trying to drive a wedge between her and Arman. How would you describe Nadia’s relationship with control and power this season?
Nadia ended Season 1 being very disappointed with her husband, because he’s been pushing her away from his decision-making process and instead he started to trust Thony more and more. So, she starts the season in a state of desperation. Because she lost everything she’d worked so hard for. So, her capacity is going to be put to test this season and you are going to get to see what Nadia is capable of to recover her power and control. Robert’s relationship with Nadia is like cat and mouse. There’s an interesting game of power between them and you don’t know who’s going to win. It’s a dangerous dance and Nadia has to be very meticulous because she knows she’s playing with fire. And so does Robert…
One scene that really struck me was when Robert says to Nadia, “even when you had nothing, you always had this deep self-respect. You were born with it. I hope your husband appreciates this quality in you.” How would you describe Nadia’s internal monologue when Robert says this?
I think Nadia loves to hear that. In a vulnerable moment of Nadia’s life, to hear Robert’s validation matters to her. Nadia’s upbringing was not easy, and she wanted to become someone in the world. She hated when she was a little girl and was poor and she had no power at all because the world wasn’t that nice to her. So, she needs to have power, it’s her weapon. It’s like going to her past and saying to her younger self, ‘You were right, you are worth it, and someone saw that in you. You did good.’ But at the same time, she needs to make clear with Robert that she did not lose that power. And that this is just a temporary situation. So, she says to him, ‘My husband appreciates everything about me.’ Meaning, thank you for the compliment, but I don’t need you Robert to do good in life. I achieved everything by myself, and I have everything I need with me at this very right moment, it’s just a matter of time but the world will be mine.
Leather coat, Denim jacket, Turtle neck, Jeans & Heels: IRO Paris
I have to mention Nadia’s styling because the outfits, jewelry, and makeup are SO good! Her outfits make her stand out in every scene she’s in, almost like someone who wore red to a funeral. Is there an outfit in Season 2 that you think describes her best?
Yes, in episode 10 there’s going to be an outfit she chooses for a specific event. It’s a black tube dress with stilettos. She is wearing a Hollywood Golden Age actress’ style of hair, and red lips. I can’t spoil it. But it’s going to be intense. We have a great wardrobe team that thinks like Nadia when choosing every outfit.
I know you filmed in New Mexico. Do you have a favorite memory from filming there?
I love New Mexico. I was super glad when I knew we were going to shoot in Albuquerque because one of my favorite series in the world was shot there- Breaking Bad. I actually love the New Mexico crew. When I returned for Season 2 it was even better because I already knew them. I felt as if I was with my family right away. And I love the environment of respect and kindness that it’s been instilled from day one. It’s such a privilege shooting with such a nice environment.
Thank you for the interview! What can we look forward to next from you?
It’s such a pleasure for me! We are wrapping Season 2 in November and I am going to start shooting a movie in November as well, very soon, but I can’t tell anything about that one yet. I am super excited for all the opportunities to do what I love the most!