Martina Ortiz Luis: Singing, Acting, Soaring
- adriana
- Jun 3
- 5 min read
Image by Jordan Harvey
Canadian actress and singer Martina Ortiz Luis is ready to shine in the film world with her breakout role as Veronica in Juliet and Romeo, a modern musical reimagining of Shakespeare’s classic tragedy. Set to be released theatrically within the US May 9th, June 11th in the UK and making its Canadian premiere debut on June 28th at the Lavazza IncluCity Festival, this film features a star-studded cast, including Rebel Wilson, Derek Jacobi, and Jason Isaacs. Also known for her role as Rachel Valdez in Wynonna Earp, Martina brings her incredible vocal range to Juliet and Romeo, where she performs a powerful, original song written just for her. When she’s not working on the film or starring in The Lion King on stage in Toronto, Martina continues to captivate audiences with her music, including her new single “Mad At Myself.” We sat down with Martina to talk about her journey, her diverse career, and what’s next.
Miami Living (ML): Thank you for being with us today Martina. You’ve already worn so many creative hats - anthem singer, TV actress, stage performer, and now a movie musical lead. Was there a moment early on when you felt certain that this was the path you were meant to follow?
Martina: Thank you so much for having me! What a journey it’s been. I think I’ve just always known that I was meant to be storytelling. Whether it was through music or acting, it always felt like the right path for me. I started singing and performing at a very young age, and then I was lucky enough to attend an arts school from the age of 12 to 18 where I could nurture that passion. It’s always felt like this natural, undeniable path, and the more I explored different creative outlets the more I realized this is what I was meant to do for a living.
ML: “Juliet and Romeo” is set to be released on May 9th and offers a fresh, stylized take on a classic. What drew you to the role of Veronica, and what excited you most about playing her?
Martina: Veronica was a lot of fun. Since she’s not part of Shakespeare’s original work, it was a bit daunting to be given the responsibility of contributing to the creation of a completely new character, and thrilling to see how she’d fit into the story. To be honest, the songs are what got me especially excited. Even before we were off to Italy for rehearsals and filming, I had the chance to hear the soundtrack demos. I was instantly hooked by how catchy the tunes were. I just couldn’t wait to get started.
Image by Rodney Campos
ML: The film features a song written specifically for your character. What was it like performing something so tailored to you?
Martina: An honour, honestly. “Better Than This” was the first song that immediately got stuck in my head after I’d listened to the full soundtrack demo the first time. It’s just such a fun tune and so much work went into bringing it to life. We rehearsed the choreography with our incredible choreographers (the Kuperman brothers, Jordan Clark, and Daniele Sibilli) and our amazing dancers in Rome, recorded the music, then shot it over a couple of days in the fairytale-like town of Castell’Arquato, which was just so surreal and magical.
ML: You are well known for your role as Rachel Valdez in the People’s Choice Award-winning series “Wynonna Earp”. What was most memorable or meaningful about that experience for you?
Martina: So much of it has been so memorable and meaningful. Working on “Wynonna” was my first major TV/film gig and I couldn’t have asked for a better group of people to show me the ropes - from the cast and crew to the fans. The fandom, “Earpers” as we call them, are on a whole other level. I’ve been blessed to have gotten to travel around the world and meet them at cons. They stay supporting the cast and our careers and we’re all so appreciative of it. I mean, just a few days ago after a performance of “The Lion King” I was greeted by a group of them at the stage door who had flown into Toronto, from all over, to support. It was so incredibly kind of them. Such a special community they’ve created.
Image by Jordan Harvey
(You can listen to Wynonna Earp: Tales from Purgatory episode 4 “Another You” now available on Audible!)
ML: You're currently performing in eight shows a week in Disney’s The Lion King, at the historic Princess of Wales Theatre in Toronto. How do you stay grounded, focused, and energized with such a demanding schedule?
Martina: Definitely by finding my moments to recharge. Whether that means napping whenever and wherever I can, or replacing doom scrolling on my phone with reading a book, I find sneaking in physical and mental rest when you can is so important. Also, knowing when to say “no” is crucial. Every week or so, I like to write down a list of things I want to prioritize that week, whether it's something work-related, self-care, or needing to catch up with friends or family members - I just want to make sure I’m channeling my energy with intention and pacing myself. But also - I truly love what I do and I see being busy as a blessing. A huge thing I have to remind myself to do is just live in the moment and take it all in, especially in this industry where no one gig lasts forever and each job is so different. You have to be present. A huge plus is that we get to put on the most magical show in the world! And so, witnessing the magic it brings to the audiences who come to watch every night always reignites the excitement and energy within the cast.
ML: From singing national anthems in packed hockey arenas to starring in feature films, your career has grown quickly and impressively. What moment so far has felt the most creatively defining? And which environment feels most like home to you as a performer?
Martina: Oh wow, that’s a tough one! I’m super proud of everything I’ve done so far, but it still feels like I’m just at the beginning of this journey, always discovering new sides of myself as an artist. Film and TV have been the goal in recent years, and Juliet and Romeo felt like such a special project for me as I loved being able to combine my passion for singing and acting in my big screen debut! Now, doing “The Lion King” and performing onstage every night has opened up a whole new world and has sparked a completely different kind of hunger. So who’s to say? I just know that performing is what I love and therefore, feels like “home” in whatever form it takes. Every project teaches me something new, and I still feel like I’m just scratching the surface in these creative environments. I don’t think I’ll be able to settle in just one.
ML: Looking to the future, what exciting project or personal goal are you most eager to tackle next?
Martina: I’m really excited to do more musicals, movies, and movie-musicals. I’ve also been thinking about working on an EP soon. And honestly, a huge dream of mine is to voice an animated character or dive into the horror genre! There’s so much I want to do, I’m just excited to see where it all goes.
Image by Jordan Harvey
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