Maria Canals-Barrera

Maria Canals-Barrera

Keynote Speaker: Actress, Known for "Wizards of Waverly Place"

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Maria Canals-Barrera Biography

María Canals Barrera (born María Pilar Canals; September 28, 1966) is an American actress best known for her roles on television. Canals was born and raised in Miami, Florida. Barrera, who speaks Spanish and is of Cuban descent, took drama classes in junior high. She graduated from University of Miami in Coral Gables, Florida with a degree in theater.

In early years, Canals Barrera has worked extensively in theater in both Miami and Los Angeles. In 1992 she began starring on Telemundo Spanish-language telenovela “Marielena.” She later had the recurring role in the short-lived 1993 Fox comedy-drama series, “Key West.” In 1996 she was nominated for an Ovation Award for her performance in the stage play Changes of Heart. During 1990s, Canals also guest starred in a number of television series, such as “21 Jump Street,” “Murder,” “She Wrote,” “Almost Perfect,” and “Caroline in the City.” Her first regular role was on the short-lived NBC sitcom, “The Tony Danza Show” in 1997.

In early 2000s, Canals Barrera had supporting roles in films “America's Sweethearts,” “The Master of Disguise” and “Imagining Argentina.” She has gained much recognition with comic book fans in recent years for her role as Hawkgirl/Shayera Hol on Bruce Timm's “Justice League” (2001-04) and “Justice League Unlimited” (2005-06) series. She also had a recurring role in “Static Shock” as Shelly Sandoval, a news reporter, and in “Danny Phantom” as Danny Fenton/Phantom's high school crush, Paulina. She also performed the voice of Mercedes "Meche" Colomar in the 1998 video game Grim Fandango. Canals also played incidental characters in two episodes on the TV series “The Boondocks” ("Grandad's Fight" and "Home Alone").

From 2007 to 2012, Canals Barrera co-starred as Theresa Russo, the mother of lead character, in the Disney Channel family sitcom, “Wizards of Waverly Place.” She also co-starred in “Wizards of Waverly Place: The Movie,” a 2009 Disney Channel Original movie based on series. Canals Barrera also appeared in the Disney Channel Original Movies “Camp Rock” (2008) and “Camp Rock 2: The Final Jam (2010),” alongside Demi Lovato in the role of her mother, Connie Torres. In 2011 she appeared opposite Tom Hanks and Julia Roberts in the romantic comedy film “Larry Crowne.”

In 2014, Canals Barrera was cast as Hilda, the house manager of the country club where most of the action takes place, in the ABC soapy comedy-drama series, “Members Only” created by Susannah Grant. Later in that year she joined the cast of ABC comedy series, “Cristela,” as Cristela Alonzo's character sister.

Contact a speaker booking agent to check availability on Maria Canals-Barrera and other top speakers and celebrities.

Maria Canals-Barrera Videos

Maria Canals-Barrera Interview "God's Not Dead 2" Premiere Red ...
Maria Canals-Barrera Interview at "36th Annual Gracie Awards" Gala
Maria Canals-Barrera Interview - 2012 Creative Arts Emmys ...

How do I book Maria Canals-Barrera to speak at my event?

Our experienced booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure speakers like Maria Canals-Barrera for speaking engagements, personal appearances, product endorsements, or corporate entertainment since 2002. Click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page to check availability for Maria Canals-Barrera, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to discuss your upcoming event. One of our experienced agents will be happy to help you get speaking fee information and check availability for Maria Canals-Barrera or any other speaker of your choice.

How much does it cost to book Maria Canals-Barrera for a speaking engagement?

Speaking fees for Maria Canals-Barrera, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. The estimated fee for a live event is $10,000 - $20,000. For the most current speaking fee to hire Maria Canals-Barrera, click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to speak directly with an experienced booking agent.

What topics does Maria Canals-Barrera speak about?

Maria Canals-Barrera is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics such as Hispanic Heritage.

Who is the agent for Maria Canals-Barrera?

AAE Speakers Bureau has successfully secured keynote speakers like Maria Canals-Barrera for clients worldwide since 2002. As a full-service speaker booking agency, we have access to virtually any speaker or celebrity in the world. Our agents are happy and able to submit an offer to the speaker or celebrity of your choice, letting you benefit from our reputation and long-standing relationships in the industry. Please click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page including the details of your event, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536, and one of our agents will assist you to book Maria Canals-Barrera for your next private or corporate function.

What is a full-service speaker booking agency?

AAE Speakers Bureau is a full-service speaker booking agency, meaning we can completely manage the speaker’s or celebrity’s engagement with your organization from the time of booking your speaker through the event’s completion. We provide all of the services you need to host Maria Canals-Barrera or any other speaker of your choice, including offer negotiation, contractual assistance, accounting and billing, and event speaker travel and logistics services. When you book a speaker with us, we manage the process of hosting a speaker for you as an extension of your team. Our goal is to give our clients peace of mind and a best-in-class service experience when booking a speaker with us.

Why is AAE Speakers Bureau different from other booking agencies?

If you’re looking for the best speaker recommendations, paired with a top-notch customer service experience, you’re in the right place. At AAE Speakers Bureau, we exclusively represent the interests of our clients - professional organizations, companies, universities, and associations. We intentionally do not represent the speakers we feature or book. That is so we can present our clients with the broadest and best performing set of speaker options in the market today, and we can make these recommendations without any obligation to promote a specific speaker over another. This is why when our agents suggest a speaker for your event, you can be assured that they are of the highest quality with a history of proven success with our other clients.


Maria Canals-Barrera is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics including Hispanic Heritage. The estimated speaking fee range to book Maria Canals-Barrera for live events is $10,000 - $20,000. Please contact us for virtual event fees. Maria Canals-Barrera can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. Similar motivational celebrity speakers are Michelle Bernstein, Gaby Natale and Adassa. Contact All American Speakers for ratings, reviews, videos and information on scheduling Maria Canals-Barrera for an upcoming event.

Speaker profile last updated by AAE Talent Team on 14/07/2024.

Maria Canals-Barrera Videos

Maria Canals-Barrera Interview "God's Not Dead 2" Premiere Red ...
Maria Canals-Barrera Interview at "36th Annual Gracie Awards" Gala
Maria Canals-Barrera Interview - 2012 Creative Arts Emmys ...
Maria Canals-Barrera: Wizards of Waverly Place Interview - YouTube

Maria Canals-Barrera News

  • MARIA CANALS-BARRERA TALKS ‘CRISTELA,’ CHRISTMAS LECHON & LATINA SUPERHEROES

    Cristela has made it more and more difficult to hit the town and get turnt up on Friday nights. The sitcom, inspired and created by standup Cristela Alonzo, is amassing quite the following thanks in part to the cohesion and familiarity amongst the cast. Respected actress Maria Canals-Barrera portrays Cristela’s sister Daniela and in talking to the Cuban American actress its apparent the warmth she feels for her TV family. Here, she tells us about the family atmosphere on Cristela, her TV husband Carlos Ponce and her upcoming holiday plans.

  • MARIA CANALS-BARRERA GUSHES OVER 'WIZARDS OF WAVERLY PLACE' HIJA SELENA GOMEZ

    Maria Canals-Barrera, Gomez’s former on-screen mother on Wizards of Waverly Place, spoke to Fox News Latino about how proud she is for her TV hija. “She is so talented. She’s always been so talented,” Cannals-Barrera said.

  • Maria Canals-barrera | News, Photos and Videos | Contactmusic.com

    Maria Canals-Barrera - Eva Longoria Foundation Dinner held at her restaurant Beso in Hollywood at Beso Restaurant - Los Angeles, California, United States ...

  • How do I book Maria Canals-Barrera to speak at my event?

    Our experienced booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure speakers like Maria Canals-Barrera for speaking engagements, personal appearances, product endorsements, or corporate entertainment since 2002. Click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page to check availability for Maria Canals-Barrera, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to discuss your upcoming event. One of our experienced agents will be happy to help you get speaking fee information and check availability for Maria Canals-Barrera or any other speaker of your choice.
  • How much does it cost to book Maria Canals-Barrera for a speaking engagement?

    Speaking fees for Maria Canals-Barrera, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. The estimated fee for a live event is $10,000 - $20,000. For the most current speaking fee to hire Maria Canals-Barrera, click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to speak directly with an experienced booking agent.
  • What topics does Maria Canals-Barrera speak about?

    Maria Canals-Barrera is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics such as Hispanic Heritage.
  • Who is the agent for Maria Canals-Barrera?

    AAE Speakers Bureau has successfully secured keynote speakers like Maria Canals-Barrera for clients worldwide since 2002. As a full-service speaker booking agency, we have access to virtually any speaker or celebrity in the world. Our agents are happy and able to submit an offer to the speaker or celebrity of your choice, letting you benefit from our reputation and long-standing relationships in the industry. Please click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page including the details of your event, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536, and one of our agents will assist you to book Maria Canals-Barrera for your next private or corporate function.
  • What is a full-service speaker booking agency?

    AAE Speakers Bureau is a full-service speaker booking agency, meaning we can completely manage the speaker’s or celebrity’s engagement with your organization from the time of booking your speaker through the event’s completion. We provide all of the services you need to host Maria Canals-Barrera or any other speaker of your choice, including offer negotiation, contractual assistance, accounting and billing, and event speaker travel and logistics services. When you book a speaker with us, we manage the process of hosting a speaker for you as an extension of your team. Our goal is to give our clients peace of mind and a best-in-class service experience when booking a speaker with us.
  • Why is AAE Speakers Bureau different from other booking agencies?

    If you’re looking for the best speaker recommendations, paired with a top-notch customer service experience, you’re in the right place. At AAE Speakers Bureau, we exclusively represent the interests of our clients - professional organizations, companies, universities, and associations. We intentionally do not represent the speakers we feature or book. That is so we can present our clients with the broadest and best performing set of speaker options in the market today, and we can make these recommendations without any obligation to promote a specific speaker over another. This is why when our agents suggest a speaker for your event, you can be assured that they are of the highest quality with a history of proven success with our other clients.
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