After four decades on Sesame Street, Sonia Manzano launches kids series, ‘Alma’s Way’

Sonia Manzano talks about playing Maria on Sesame street for 44 years.

During her four decades as Maria on Sesame Street, Manzano also won 15 Emmys for writing scripts for the show. Her passion for children’s storytelling started when she was a kid in the Bronx — disappearing into her imagination in order to navigate her tumultuous home life and neighborhood. Those early experiences of exploring the inner workings of her own mind, inspired Manzano to create a new animated children's series called, Alma’s Way.

For Manzano, Maria and Alma are two characters that showcase how important representation is. She's tired of seeing the same old characters on TV, and during Latin Heritage Month, the actress and screenwriter encourages other creators to share their own original stories with the world.

“There just has to be more stories. Lena Waithe said this, ‘The doors open a little bit, they let a few people in, and then they close the door again. And we get one story," says Manzano.

"We just need a lot more, and people would be interested in a lot more stories.

Video transcript

- Hi, Maria.

- Well, hello, Elmo.

- Even though you don't speak Spanish and I do, there are many ways that we're the same.

BRITTANY JONES-COOPER: I'm so excited to be chatting with you. You know, you're my whole childhood, so this is an honor for me. You starred as Maria on "Sesame Street" for 44 years. What kept you in that role for so long?

SONIA MANZANO: I got cast in the third year as Maria. I didn't think it was gonna last at all. By the time I got on, it was on "Saturday Night Live." It was satirized on that show. The media, those were the top experiences you could have. I thought it was gonna be over. And it just went by so fast.

I remember the moment that I realized what my contribution was gonna be, I-- they put a lot of makeup on me, and I was like 20. So you know how young kids with makeup, they look like little dolls? So the producer came in, and he said, I go through all the trouble of hiring a real person, and you make her look like a Kewpie doll.

So I just-- I said, I got this. I understand this now. And stop straightening my hair, and stop trying to fit what I thought was, like, a nice little TV actor. And also I was allowed to age on the show, which was also unheard of on any other children's show.

BRITTANY JONES-COOPER: And your role as a Latina woman on that screen was also so important.

- [SPEAKING SPANISH]

- [SPEAKING SPANISH]

BRITTANY JONES-COOPER: How do you view the importance of representation in that role that you played?

SONIA MANZANO: I watched a lot of television when I was a kid, and I never saw anybody who looked like me. I watched "Father Knows Best," "Leave It To Beaver." The fact that you weren't reflected in the media or in the world made you feel invisible. I think I became what I needed to see myself when I was a kid, and I think that's why I was successful as Maria.

I was raised in the South Bronx, and I had never been to Puerto Rico. I'm Nuyorican. And when I first got on "Sesame Street," a writer wrote that I was born on the island. I said, oh, let me not say anything because they probably want-- you know, I'll be more authentic if I-- if they think I'm from the island.

And then I said, wait a minute, what is this about? What's wrong with saying you're Nuyorican? That's what you are. I mean, you know, you have to embrace yourself. Well, once I did that, I felt powerful. I could contribute to the show. I said, this is how it is in my neighborhood.

People ask me why it's important to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month, and I remember that if you don't accept who you are, you're gonna fail.

BRITTANY JONES-COOPER: And you created a new animated series called "Alma's Way." What's it about?

- Nobody's listening to each other. That doesn't feel good.

SONIA MANZANO: It's all about thinking. That's the main thing. But as it's seen through the lens of this family, their culture is revealed. Of course, so I made them Nuyorican Puerto Rican because that's what I am. [INAUDIBLE] Maybe one of the few times that people are going to see Afro-Latinos. Alma's father is Afro-Puerto Rican. Her grandfather is a little lighter. All of the characters, I want them to be like a bouquet of humanity.

BRITTANY JONES-COOPER: I love that I read that detail because I think in a lot of Black and brown families, there's a whole bunch of different shades. And you mentioned there is more Latino representation in media today, but how do you feel about the ways that you see Latinos represented?

SONIA MANZANO: Just not enough. It just has to be more story. Lena Waithe said this. The door is open a little bit. They've let a few people in, and then they close the door again. And we get one story. She's very funny. She said, white people are tired of white stories. [LAUGHS] But we just need a lot more, and people would be interested in a lot more stories.