January 04, 2026
Marisa Abela shared how acting often affected her emotions more deeply than people might expect.
The 29 year old actress said she gave everything to the roles she played, which sometimes made the work very tiring on an emotional level.
Speaking to The Sunday Times, Marisa explained that acting meant opening herself up completely, which also brought self doubt when things did not go as planned.
She said, "You're putting yourself on the line, so every time you don't get a job or a film doesn't work out the way you think it will, you're wrestling with your own sense of, do I deserve to be here?"
The Back to Black actress admitted emotions were never something she avoided, which made it hard to separate work from real life.
Marisa continued, "Emotions have never been something I've been afraid of, which makes it difficult to separate from work."
The actress also spoke about the mixed reaction to Back to Black, the Amy Winehouse biopic where she played the late singer.
The Black Bag star went on to add that the criticism was painful, adding, "I poured my heart and soul into it and took everything incredibly personally."
Marisa said she has learned not to take praise or criticism too seriously.
She also talked about her role in Industry, where she played banker Yasmin Kara Hanani.
After speaking to women in finance, she said the real world trading floor felt too harsh for her.
While she noted that Hollywood still has macho attitudes, Marisa said her own experience on set felt more respectful.