Monica Barbaro is ready for her big spotlight. From flying high as a pilot in “Top Gun: Maverick” to portraying the legendary Joan Baez, Monica Barbaro leaves a lasting impression in Hollywood. With her latest role in the James Mangold-directed Bob Dylan biopic A Complete Unknown, Barbaro demonstrates her acting range and unfettered ability to channel the essence of one of music’s most revered activists.

Barbaro’s casting as Joan Baez was a long journey that began with her audition in March 2020 — just as the COVID pandemic was rocking Hollywood. “My first audition was right before the end of the world,” she recalled during the event diversity Awards Circuit Podcast. “I was obsessed with Joan Baez, but I didn’t let myself get too prepared – it wasn’t my job yet and I had to protect myself emotionally.”

That changed in 2023, when James Mangold sent her an email with the subject line: “Joan is yours.”

“I froze, fell to the ground and cried,” she remembers. “It was life-changing. I still have a screenshot of that email.”

When she started, Barbaro wasn’t a Baez superfan, but that changed as she prepared for the role. “When I heard “The Water Is Wide,” it was like time stood still. Her voice has this spiritual quality – it’s otherworldly,” she says. Listen below!

Barbaro is one-quarter Mexican, an ancestry she shares with Joan Baez, whose father was also Mexican. She says her experience navigating a mixed identity in Hollywood has been both challenging and enlightening. “Every job I booked came with questions about my percentages—how Mexican or how white I was,” she explains. “I never felt full enough from either side.”

Growing up in San Francisco, Barbaro was acutely aware of how people categorized her. “It’s a common experience for people of mixed race: being ‘not enough’ for both groups. My grandma, who is Mexican, didn’t even speak Spanish at home because she didn’t want people to judge us.”

This connection deepened her bond with Baez. “Reading Joan’s memoir, where she talks about not fitting in, felt so personal. I would like to explore this duality of identity more in my work.”

Barbaro’s breakthrough role as Lt. Natasha “Phoenix” Trace’s Best Picture nomination in “Top Gun: Maverick” (2022) brought her into the global spotlight. But beyond the action and acclaim, it was Tom Cruise’s mentorship that made the most resounding impression.

“He’s incredibly hard-working, but also so generous,” Barbaro says. “He was the mentor for all of us and is still available. I can text him questions and he always responds. His attention to safety and precision in his stunts is inspiring.”

Cruise’s trust in Barbaro went beyond Top Gun. “He reached out to James Mangold and vouched for me,” she shares. “This kind of support means everything.”

Beyond “A Complete Unknown,” Barbaro plunges into new challenges. She is currently filming Crime 101, a crime thriller starring Chris Pine and Mark Ruffalo, and is excited to try out roles that incorporate her dance background.

“I really wanted to make a film in which dance played a central role,” she says. “Dance is such a big part of me, and I want to find a project that incorporates it before I get too ‘geriatric,'” she jokes.

Barbaro also hopes to produce stories that reflect her own identity and experiences of belonging. “I am interested in topics such as being different and dealing with multiple identities. It’s such a universal feeling and I want to express that.”

With “A Complete Unknown” coming to theaters, she hopes young people can discover the love of Bob Dylan and Joan Baez, just as she did when she got the role.

“I hope that audiences who see this film will be inspired to immerse themselves in the music and activism of Joan Baez. She is an icon and it is an honor to bring her story to life.”

Also in this episode, “Wicked” star Cynthia Erivo talks about filming the iconic musical, what to expect from “Wicked: For Good” and the upcoming release of her debut album.

Variety’s Awards Circuit podcast, hosted and produced by Clayton Davis, Jazz Tangcay, Emily Longeretta, Jenelle Riley and Michael Schneider, is your one-stop shop for lively conversations about the best in film and television. In each episode, Awards Circuit features interviews with top talent and creatives from film and television, discussions and debates about awards shows and industry headlines, and much more. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, or wherever you download podcasts.