Juliana Aidén Martinez
Juliana Aidén Martinez plays Detective Kate Silva the newest member of Captain Olivia Bensen’s aka Mariska Hargitay’s squad on Law and Order: Special Victims Unit. Mark down February 13th in your calendar for a special episode starring this beautiful rising star. Scroll on down and find out more about Juliana as we capture her cool personal style in our photo diary and a chat on all things Law and Order: SVU, self-care, her beloved freckles, style, and her bare essentials including that must-have sense of humor!
The Bare Magazine: without giving too much away, what can we look forward to seeing in some episodes ahead?
Juliana Aidén Martinez: There is going to be some powerful, thrilling, and nuanced conflicts for our main characters in our upcoming episodes. SVU is so attuned to capturing current events and societal hot topics, ills and fears. For instance, you’ll see my character Kate come to grips with what it means to be a part of SVU and a part of this team. Kate is someone who has worked homicide before and is accustomed working in an analytical way and dealing with the darkness of the world. We will see outright injustices. Can we be bystanders?
Bare: can you describe in what way you've evolved personally and professionally since being on the show?
JAM: I think about this question a lot! The first few months were difficult because I couldn't shake off some of the stories we were working on. Many of them were true. I was also new to joining an established legacy, so I was rightfully nervous. However, castmates like Ice-T and Octavio Pisano are constantly reminding me of my greatness and to honor and embrace it. Plus, seeing Mariska as a consummate example of this every day on set is inspiring. Overall, I feel much more brave and powerful as a creative and an individual. I'm grateful for that.
Bare: what are some dream different genre's or projects you'd love to work on?
JAM: I would love to work on a video game series in some capacity. I recently binged the show Arcane on Netflix and fell in love with the voice acting on that. I felt the same when I saw "The Last of Us" on HBO and I'm obsessed with this type of genre. I'm overall interested in working on projects that have unique perspectives and are venturing to do something daring. Whether it's a TV show like Severance on Apple TV+ or a film like The Favourite by Yorgos Lanthimos, I'm interested in a strong and original point of view with purpose.
Bare: what do you love about filming in NYC? if you weren't working here where would you live?
JAM: NYC is a character in itself; I really believe that. Before this, I was filming Griselda in different exterior locations in LA. There were never really crowds or anything along those lines. However, my first episode of SVU was partially filmed in Washington Square Park with Ice-T, and that was mayhem. It was also incredibly fun. People would walk in the middle of the scenes, sell fruit, yell at us and so on. I felt immediately present. Overall, I've been enjoying working in NYC so far. If I wasn't working here, I would want to live in nature, somewhere with sunlight and trees.
Bare: can you share your favorite self care treats and escapes?
JAM: I'm a lover of self-care. I can easily lean toward burn-out and overworking myself and I don't think creativity can flourish from that state, so I've come to deeply appreciate some self-care tricks. Currently, I love to put my hands on my stomach as soon as I wake up and feel my belly swell up with breath. This reminds me to be grateful that I woke up today. I drink a tall glass of water with electrolytes, make coffee, neti pot, and feel my feet on the rug. All of these things remind me to come back to the body and to come back to myself. I've found this to be so important because of the insane amount of distractions we deal with on a day-to-day basis. These self-care rituals safeguard my attention and energy. Some of my escapes are hot yoga, reading a fantasy novel, watching anime, a sensory deprivation tank – anything that brings me joy.
Bare: how would you describe your personal style? on our shoot you brought some favorite outfits there seemed to be a range to suit different moods.
JAM: I've always had people tell me I have style, but I don't know how I would articulate it. I’ve always loved the Hollywood classiness and architectural design of the 1940s-1960s era. I grew up watching those films and would look up to people like Ava Gardner, Elizabeth Taylor, or Marlene Dietrich as these iconic powerhouses. However, I was also a major tomboy, and I love Japanese street wear, baggy pants, thick hoops and anything that makes me feel comfortable and sexy. I like to explore the dynamic between masculinity and femininity through clothing.
Bare: what is something you love about yourself now that took a journey to get to?
JAM: Honestly, my freckles. I remember feeling so different from the other kids because I had so many freckles as a little girl. Kids would make jokes and there would be weird pick-up lines like "let's play Connect-the-Dots on your face" and the list goes on. Now, I love them. They make me feel like me.
Bare: please share your top 6 Bare Essentials.
JAM:
I always have my AirPods. I think if I was stranded on an island, I would bring water, AirPods and my phone to listen to music.
La Roche Posay tinted SPF.
Alastin Restorative Eye cream.
Kosas Brow Pop Pencil.
A notebook and a pen. I'm constantly writing ideas, thoughts, etc.
A sense of humor.
My childhood photo album (that's 7, I know!) .
Photos/Makeup: Tina Turnbow
Hair: Peter Butler
Juliana wears her own clothing
Shot in Brooklyn bare studio
Founder & Editor in Chief - The Bare Magazine
