Actress Stephanie Arcila plays Cal Fire paramedic and firefighter Gabriela Perez on CBS' Fire Country.
Currently in its third season (with Fire Country Season 1 streaming on Netflix), Fire Country follows Bode Leone/Donovan (Max Thieriot), an inmate who volunteers for Cal Fire and is assigned to his Northern California hometown.
Thirty-four-year-old Stephanie Arcila has played Gabriela, Bode's love interest and Manny's daughter, since Season 1 and remains a main character in Fire Country's Season 3 cast.
Meet Stephanie Arcila - Biography Details
Stephanie Grew up in Miami
Born March 8, 1990, Stephanie grew up in Miami, Florida (via Daily News) but moved to Los Angeles in 2012 for her career.
With Spanish being her first language, Stephanie landed roles on HBO's Here and Now and Jenni Rivera: Mariposa de Barrio.
When asked by Miami Living about how her background contributed to her portrayal of Fire Country's Gabriela Perez, Stephanie credits her "comfortability in the water:"
"Most Miami natives (like myself) begin swimming at a very young age. In my role as Gabriella, I have found my comfortability in the water to be very helpful as she has quite a few scenes/ stunts which involve swimming."
In terms of how her Miami roots have helped her navigate the industry, the CBS star explained, "It's helped me in bringing out authenticity in my roles" and is why "I love playing Gabriela in 'Fire Country':"
"As a Miami native, I have developed a deep appreciation for different cultures, perspectives, and experiences. As an actress it’s helped me in bringing out authenticity in my roles. With Miami being such a melting pot, it has taught me the importance of inclusivity and representation in storytelling which is why I love playing Gabriela in Fire Country so much. There’s a resilience, adaptability, and work ethic I believe growing up in Miami gives you."
Stephanie Used to Star in Telenovelas
Before starring in Fire Country, Stephanie Arcila starred in telenovelas, her longest stint being as Rosie Rivera in Jenni Rivera: Mariposa de Barrio.
Stephanie reflected on her rigorous telenovela experience with Parade, describing her soap opera tenure as an acting boot camp as some days required shooting over 50 scenes.
Stephanie Previously Starred in Penny Dreadful: City of Angels
Stephanie Arcila's other previous roles include playing Bernadette Romero in Penny Dreadful: City of Angels.
The audition process for this particular role was emotional and "overwhelming" for Stephanie. She explained to LRM Online how, after finishing a five-week acting workshop and auditioning for a different show, she finally got the call and "started crying:"
"Thank goodness I was sitting in my car because I was so excited. I started crying."
The actress shared the reason for her tears, noting how actors "get so many no's before we get yes's:"
"As artists and actors, we’ve worked so hard to get so many no’s before we get yes’s. Even after we get yes’s, we go through seasons when we get no’s again–a ton of nos. I had gone through that season, also though I was getting close to things."
Stephanie Is Grateful for the Latin Representation on Fire Country
In Fire Country Season 2, Stephanie's Gabriella reunites with her mother, Roberta, who abandoned the family years ago and is played by veteran telenovela star Paola Núñez.
Season 2, Episode 8 was particularly special for the Fire Country star due to its broad representation. In addition to herself and Paola Núñez, co-stars Kevin Alejandro (Manny) and Rafael de la Fuente (Diego) were also Latino and being directed by Gonzalo Amat, who hails from Mexico.
Stephanie shared with Parade how filming the episode with such a diverse cast and crew "was a gift:"
'"t's so beautiful that CBS is giving us this opportunity to be able to have this much diversity. We never get to be in the same room as this many Latinos on set. So the fact that this is happening was a gift for all of us. It felt like home."
The actress has expressed her appreciation for diversity before, even though she says she's been told (via Daily News) that she's "not Latina enough."
But in talking about Penny Dreadful and representation, Stephanie explained, "We come in all colors, shapes and sizes:"
"We come in all colors, shapes and sizes. To be able to represent Latinos with the cast, we have and to be able to educate people, too, is so amazing. I’m ecstatic about it."
How To Follow Stephanie Arcila Online
Fans can follow Stephanie on Instagram, X (formerly Twitter), and Facebook.
New Fire Country Season 3 episodes debut on Fridays at 9 p.m. ET on CBS and are streaming on Paramount+. Season 1 is streaming on Netflix.
Read more about when Fire Country Season 2 may begin streaming on Netflix.
