Why Solana From Pretty Smart Looks So Familiar

On the 2021 Netflix series, "Pretty Smart" — a sitcom about a Harvard graduate forced to move in with her sister and her roommates — one of the most interesting friends that populate the show is Solana, a crystal-loving vegan healer, who, surprisingly enough, happens to have once been a lawyer. Solana is the one who the other characters often turn to for advice, but it turns out that she's got a few more surprises up her sleeve — including a real name that nobody knows, and some unfortunate reasons that she turned away from her legal career in the first place.

The talented actor who brings this "Pretty Smart" character to life is Miami native Cinthya Carmona. She discussed why she appreciates playing her character during an October 2021 interview with Entertainment Studios, alongside her co-stars Gregg Sulkin and Michael Hsu Rosen. "What I loved about her was that she is just really bohemian, she was real spiritual, and like the first thing that comes out of her mouth is her talking about her crystals," she said. "She's got a real strong personality and I loved that right away. And then you learn that she used to be a lawyer. That dichotomy, that dynamic, that juxtapositions of professions, I thought that was so fun and quirky."

Solana is hard to miss on "Pretty Smart," and while watching the series, some viewers may be curious why she looks so familiar. Well, there's a good reason for this, as the 30-year-old has been in the entertainment industry for over a decade, per IMDb. Here are a few of her most recognizable roles.

After starring in a number short films, Carmona got her big break on the television series, "East Los High," where she played Brandie on the show's fourth and final season. The teen drama, which aired on Hulu from 2013 to 2017, focuses on Latinx high school students from Los Angeles, and was recognized for being the streamer's first series created with an all-Latinx cast and crew. Over its run, "East Los High" was nominated for multiple Daytime Emmy awards, in categories related to acting, directing, and even a 2016 nomination for outstanding digital daytime drama series (per IMDb).

These exact details were aspects that Carmona said she was proud of in a 2021 interview with Isaac Meiszner, explaining that it was "a big deal. What does that say? And it's the same message I'm trying to continue to just shout from the rooftops, Latinos, we can carry projects. Latinos, we get the job done," asserted the young performer. She went on to say that she would like to see more projects created by and starring members of the Latinx community.

Starting in 2017, Carmona starred in another program geared towards teenagers. In the series, "Greenhouse Academy," the actress portrayed Sophie Cardona, who attends the prestigious Southern California school, Greenhouse. The actress discussed the show during an October 2019 interview with "Good Morning Lala Land," where she explained the plot revolves around Greenhouse students, who are "divided between two houses," the Eagles and the Ravens. She also compared the school to Hogwarts from the "Harry Potter" series. Carmona shared that students who are Eagles — including her character, Sophie, the captain — were essentially the "jocks," and noted that Ravens tended to be more serious "academics."

"You're watching these teens kind of just deal with life. But there are also some sci-fi elements to the show, kind of just thrown in there and it's just how the kids of the Greenhouse just handle it," explained Carmona. The series ended in 2020.

Cinthya Carmona starred on the big screen in the 2020 film "The Tax Collector." In the film, her character Alexis is a devoted wife to David Cuevas (Bobby Soto), a man who has a dangerous job. David is a tax collector who runs an organized mob in Los Angeles, and partners with "Creeper," a violent character played by Shia LaBeouf.

In a July 2021 interview, Carmona pointed out that, while the film is a thriller, it also focuses on family relationships. "We do get to see a different side of [David's] life when we take a look at his family life and that's where I come in. So the Cuevas family live the Mexican-American dream. I play his wife, Alexis Cuevas, and we have two adorable little kids," said Carmona. She explained that Alexis and David have a strong bond, as they started dating when they were teenagers. She noted that her character is proud of the life she and her husband have built together.

"It's very important for her to just keep up this image of this perfect lifestyle. Everything is just pristine," said Carmona.