She used to teach drama to Miami middle schoolers. Now she’s acting with Vince Vaughn
Madelin Marchant never expected the callback.
Back in early March 2022, the actress’ agent phoned saying there was a role coming up for a Latina mom.
“She gave me very little information, just that I had to talk in a Spanish accent,” recounted Marchant, who was working as theater arts director at South Miami Middle School at the time. “I submitted my tape, sent it off and thought nothing of it.”
Six weeks later, the agent had news: The 64-year-old Cuba native had clinched the role, but details were still scarce.
By the time Marchant received the script, the Apple TV+ project had a title: “Bad Monkey,” based on Carl Hiaasen’s bestselling book. She began scanning who was in the streaming black comedy; Vince Vaughn’s name popped up as both actor and producer.
“I was like, ‘Wow, wait a second,’” said the Kendall resident. “This is big.”
Marchant was playing Ines, the overprotective mother of Rosa Campesino, a medical examiner played by fellow Miami native Natalie Martinez. Rosa helps Vaughn’s character, former cop Andrew Yancy, investigate a random arm discovered in the Florida Keys, and they become tight.
So tight that in one episode Yancy ends up staying at Rosa’s family home, leading to a hilarious run-in with Ines, who demands that the guayabera-wearing jokester help her in the kitchen.
“He’s so funny, he just makes you laugh,” the FSU alum said of the “Wedding Crashers” star. “He’s just so wonderful and carefree and quirky and smart.”
After their on (and off) screen banter, Marchant went back to her trailer and had a real pinch-me moment.
“Talk about a dream come true in my own backyard,” said the mom of two, who resigned from her teacher’s post of two decades shortly after her big break.
The longtime educator had also just wrapped a run as Consuelo, Gloria Estefan’s beloved grandmother in the biographical Broadway musical “On Your Feet!” in Washington, D.C.
“Who would think that life begins after 60?” said Marchant. “I took a leap of faith and it paid off. I feel validated, with no regrets.”
These days you can also see her as a cougar abuela in the play “Sweet 15,” about a quinceañera gone wrong, through Sept. 22 at the Hub in Miami.
“Every day I wake up and it’s like I’m a little girl again writing in my diary,” she said. “I’m doing everything I dreamed of. I tell everyone: It’s never too late!”
This story was originally published September 13, 2024 at 12:04 PM.
