The Fall of the House of Usher Star Paola Nuñez Shares Swimsuit Photo of “Pura Vida”

1. Strong Woman

Nuñez loves lifting weights and using resistance training machines. “I am naturally really skinny and because of that I was bullied in high school, so I started doing weight training since I was 16 years old,” she says. “I mean, I got really obsessed with muscles. I wanted to grow. Actually, I worked as an aerobics instructor for a couple of years in my hometown Tecate, Mexico. After a lot of hard work I finally accomplished the body that I wanted. I was ripped!! Funny enough, when I moved to LA, 4 years ago, my muscles were being a little bit of an obstacle. I was not booking and my managers told me to lose muscle mass. I did, and started booking after that.”

2. She’s a Runner

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Nuñez’s athletic prowess served her well on set. “I still workout of course but I don’t kill myself at the gym,” she says. “I stay in good shape, I run a lot now. In Bad Boys I had a scene in which I had to run really fast to catch up to a moving camera that was moving in front of me. After the first take everyone came to see if I was ok, if I needed oxygen or something. They couldn’t believe that I could run that fast and that I was not even out of breath. They were so surprised, that I was surprised too at their reaction. I guess I AM in good shape, better than I thought. We had a lot of fun action scenes that I really enjoyed.”

3. Lara Croft Dreams

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Nuñez loves playing tough female characters. “I’ve always been inspired by strong, independent women,” she says. “Usually women are represented as submissive victims, especially in Spanish Telenovelas, so I am encouraged to become a strong woman and take on more bold roles. I want to see more super women! I would love to play an action heroine, like Lara Croft. This is the perfect strong and powerful woman archetype that I admire and aspire to be, both professionally and personally. I love the high intensity and physical element that action roles demand.”

4. Politics and The Purge

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Nuñez says her role on The Purge reminds her of how intolerant society has become. “I think the theme of this decade is intolerance in general, and I think that’s why The Purge is so important right now,” she says. “It’s such an interesting movie, such a subject to touch, like how intolerant we are, feeling so much separation between us that we can’t even sit down and say, ‘I don’t understand but I get it.’ But now you can’t sit down with friends and have a normal conversation without it being super-heated up…politics, right?”

5. Advice For Actors

Nuñez has advice for those trying to break into the entertainment industry. “I love being able to create something and see it on screen as a finished work,” she says. “After all the stress and obstacles you face, being able to capture magical moments while filming then relive them after it’s all said and done, by watching them. It’s an incredible feeling of achievement. You have to be strong in this business. A career in Hollywood will tempt your insecurities and emotions. You will be forced to confront yourself like never before. All that you don’t like about yourself will be brought to the surface, so that you can change, improve, and grow as a person and as an artist.”

Danna Paola, the actress and singer, is best known for her role on Netflix’s Elite. She’s also known for her unique style, and incredible beauty. Paola has never been afraid to post revealing photos on her Instagram. Paola recently performed at Tecate Emblema in Foro Sol. She posted a new set of photos on Instagram, where she wore a black bikini top and red and black workout pants on stage. She captioned the post, “I didn't dream it... but explain to me!??? Yesterday more than 45 thousand souls were there connected with the highest and most incredible energy!! It was a UNIQUE experience at @tecate_emblema. THANK YOU INFINITE THANK YOU yesterday once again, I was able to confirm in my heart that I want to continue on stage for the rest of my life enjoying with each one of you!! NO ONE LET US DOWN NOW!” Read on to see 5 ways Danna Paola stays in shape and the photos that prove they work—and to get beach-ready yourself, don't miss these essential 30 Best-Ever Celebrity Bathing Suit Photos!

1. She Goes To The Beach

Paola loves to go to the beach. She posted this set of photos on Instagram of herself going for a walk on the shore as the sun set. She captioned the post, “Feeling so blessed. I could live on the beach, the girl was very happy.”

2. She Standup Paddles

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When Paola goes to the beach, she likes to do certain activities there. One thing she likes to do is standup paddle in the water. She posted this set of photos and videos on Instagram of herself standup paddling in gorgeous Ibiza. She captioned the post, “I took a pill in Ibiza,” referencing the popular Mike Posner song.

3. She Dances

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Being a singer means that Paola has to do a lot of dancing. She has to learn choreography for her performances and music videos. Paola likes to post videos and photos of rehearsals on Instagram. She posted this set of photos of herself in the studio, captioning it, “Rehearsals.” She also posted this video from the same day, captioning it, “11 days.”

4. She Takes Care Of Her Skin

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Paola revealed her wellness and life secrets in this interview with Standard.co. In it, she says that skincare is extremely important to her. Paola says that she always does her skincare before she goes to bed each night. “I can’t sleep without removing my make up and washing my face well. I love serums and particularly the creams for the dark circles.” Paola’s skin is gorgeous, so her routine is clearly working.

5. She Stays Hydrated

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Paola says to Standard.co that she makes sure to stay hydrated each day. She says that getting enough to drink is one of her biggest wellness secrets. “I also love to hydrate myself,” she says. “I drink lots of water, chlorophyll, and green tea.”

1. Acting As Therapy

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Nuñez found acting to be a great outlet in dealing with shyness. “When I was young I was very awkward and shy, but I started copying characters that I saw on television,” she says. “By doing this, I realized I could be the person I always wanted to be while in character; I could be outgoing and confident. So I became more and more comfortable in that place, in character. I did this throughout my childhood, then when I got older, I decided I wanted to go to acting class, and it was there that I found where I truly belonged; with other creatures, called actors.”

2. Strong Female Characters

Nuñez is proud to portray strong female characters on screen. “We are accused of seeing stories of love, in which the female figure is fragile, vulnerable and always victimized by their circumstances,” she says. “That's why I think it's worth changing the paradigm and representing women with personality, independent and interesting. The current woman has a lot to say.”

3. Learning English

Nuñez learned how to speak English from TV shows, further cementing her ambition to one day act herself. “I’m from a border town in Mexico called Tecate, which is a little town next to Tijuana,” she says. “When I was a kid, I used to see a lot of TV in English, and that’s how I learned how to speak English. I’ve always had a lot of influences, like sitcoms from the States. I always wanted to do a series when I was a kid. But, when I moved to Mexico City to become an actor… I did lots of telenovelas. You only had telenovelas or movies, but series, they didn’t do that. It didn’t exist in Mexico. Now they do. I always wanted to come here just to do something like that.”

4. Earning Her Stripes

Nuñez learned from experience how important it is not to give up. “I was just auditioning and I was not getting anything. Then my accent was getting in the way,” she says. “I was getting super nervous in the room. I was getting so nervous sometimes I was forgetting my lines. I was crying every time after an audition. I had so many embarrassing moments. I was calling my agents: ‘Oh my god. Don’t send me another audition because I did so bad!’ And they were like, ‘No, don’t worry. It’s fine. You’re going to get better at this!’ Then I did.”

5. Living Her Dream

Nuñez worked hard and dealt with endless rejection before achieving success in Los Angeles. “It’s not easy, and if you come thinking that you’re going to make it, you probably won’t, or the opposite: You think you’re not going to make it, and you do,” she says. “I believe in hard work, that’s the only thing. For me, that’s the only thing I can control. Even though I was crying every day, I never thought, I’m going to go back to Mexico, this is not going to work for me. I was like, ‘This is what I chose and I have to keep going. It’s the way it is.’”