The perception of a Barbie doll – with blonde hair, a perfect waist, and an image that sells – was something that occurred to Candice Fernandez after thinking about misconceptions of beauty that are sold to young girls.
Fernandez, 14, of North Bergen, was sitting in her room a few weeks ago, brainstorming for a monologue she could write for “Girl Power: Voices of a Generation,” a program produced by two women.
The show had been performed months earlier, and teenage girls had written their own monologues and poems. When the show was chosen to be apart of New York’s prestigious International Fringe Festival, the largest multi-arts festival in North America, Fernandez decided to rewrite her monologue.
“I have this one Barbie doll in my room, one of the Worldwide Barbie Dolls, and it was really nice and pretty compared to the other ones,” said Fernandez. “I started noticing how every little girl wants to be a Barbie, wants to be nice and pretty and beautiful and popular and perfect. I did. Not any more.”
Fernandez’s monologue hints of the irony that plastic skin, fake tattoos, and an unrealistic image were made attractive to young girls. She said that if someone wanted perfection, all one needed to do is buy an $8 Barbie doll.
“It’s beautiful.” – Douglas Cohn
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“Not all girls think they are beautiful,” said Fernandez. “They think they have to go through Botox and surgery just to look beautiful, and in the end they wind up unhappy because they don’t look like they wanted to look.”
She said that her monologue and the show were largely focused on self-esteem.
Creative from the start
Fernandez moved with her parents to North Bergen from the Bronx when she was 8. She went to Robert Fulton School and first started dabbling in acting when she was around 12.
She said her father helped her with auditioning. Her brother Jeremy, 11, has also been featured at the Fringe.
She completed a few acting classes, including the New Jersey Schools of Dramatic Arts and Acteen, a class designing for acting in film, improvisation and movement.
Fernandez also completed ballet, tap, and flamenco classes and J&L Dance Center in North Bergen.
She has taken a piano master class and is on the national roll of American College of Musicians.
Fernandez said that she doesn’t mind waking up early for film shoots as long as she has her sketchbook. She is also an anime fan.
Her creativity doesn’t stop there; she is an avid reader and writer who says that Edgar Allen Poe is one of her favorite authors.
“I’m good for the arts,” said Fernandez.
Has starred in films
Other than making her largest theatre performance to date, Fernandez has starred in films and television.
She was featured as the character “Sonia” in “Nueva York” on the Discovery Channel and has been in eight films. Her last three short films will be screened at international film festivals.
In the film “Burners,” she plays the older version of a daughter who is separated from her father after he is framed for her mother’s murder.
Her last film was “Sisters” in which she was the lead character.
Of course, there are auditions, memorization, and constant takes of the same scene, but Fernandez’s favorite part about acting is that she gets to meet interesting new people and constantly learn.
“It’s a good way to learn about acting and some things you might not know,” said Fernandez.
More than anything, she appreciates the transformation it takes to create something, whether it is a sentence or a persona.
“I mean directors are the ones there to guide you, but they can’t tell you exactly what you’re supposed to think…even out of acting…you are supposed to make it seem organic,” said Fernandez.
Tricia Tirella may be reached at TriciaT@hudsonreporter.com.