Glumica, aktivistkinja i snažan novi glas svoje generacije, Marissa Bode predstavlja pomak u načinu na koji danas doživljavamo ljepotu, talent i autentičnost u suvremenoj pop-kulturi

Poznata po svojoj breakthrough ulozi mlade Nesse u filmovima “Wicked” i “Wicked: For Good”, u kojima je glumila uz Arianu Grande i Cynthiju Erivo, te beskompromisno iskrenoj prisutnosti na društvenim mrežama, izaziva ustaljene norme industrije, pritom ostajući čvrsto svoja. U ovom intervjuu Marissa govori o osobnom stilu, životu izvan reflektora, važnosti reprezentacije i zašto autentičnost za nju ostaje najveći luksuz.

Vaša priča iznimno je inspirativna. Možete li ukratko podijeliti svoj put i ključne trenutke koji su oblikovali osobu kakva ste danas?

Velik dio mog puta vezan je za zajednicu. Koliko je god internet donio lošega, donio je i puno dobroga. Odrastajući u malom gradu na američkom Srednjem zapadu, gotovo da nije bilo ljudi koji su izgledali poput mene. Biti crna, queer osoba s invaliditetom često je bilo vrlo izolirajuće iskustvo. Vidjeti druge ljude na internetu koji ne samo da izgledaju poput mene nego i žive potpuno neopterećeno i autentično… to mi je uvelike pomoglo da prihvatim samu sebe.

“Vidjeti druge ljude na internetu koji ne samo da izgledaju poput mene nego i žive potpuno neopterećeno i autentično… to mi je uvelike pomoglo da prihvatim samu sebe.”

Osim toga, naučila sam – i trudim se – ići dalje od same vidljivosti i reprezentacije. To je puno više od toga. Radi se o borbi za to da SVE zajednice imaju zadovoljene osnovne potrebe i da budu aktivno uključene. Posebno cijenim ljude koji, naravno, u razumnoj mjeri, ne uljepšavaju stvarnost – osobito kad govore o vlastitim iskustvima i bore se za ono što je ispravno.

Kako biste opisali svoj životni stil izvan glume, što Vaš svakodnevni život čini ispunjenim?

Izvan glume, kronično sam online djevojka koja se trenutačno trudi to biti malo manje. Sredinom prošle godine počela sam se baviti scrapbookom i to mi je postao sjajan način kako da budem kreativna i osjećam se produktivno bez prevelikog mentalnog napora. Kad mi socijalna baterija to dopušta, obožavam provoditi vrijeme sa svojom partnericom i prijateljima. To je moja najjača zajednica i volim ih neizmjerno.

Kako balansirate privatni život i javnu prisutnost na društvenim mrežama?

Zbog parasocijalnih odnosa, taj balans može biti izazovan. Mnogi poznati ljudi ne dijele previše online kako bi sačuvali vlastiti mir. No zbog toga se često gubi osjećaj njihove ljudskosti – ljudi ih počnu doživljavati kao udaljene, gotovo mitske proizvode, a ne kao stvarne osobe. S druge strane, kad je netko vrlo autentičan i “stvaran” na internetu, granica između neznanca na ekranu i osobnog prijatelja lako se zamagli.

Utišavati samu sebe bilo bi neautentično za mene. Zato dijelim stvari koje su mi važne, ali ponekad objavim i neki glupi, luckasti video – doslovno ono što mi padne na pamet. Često govorim i o parasocijalnim odnosima na TikToku te mislim da samo razgovaranje o tome pomaže postaviti granice.

Koliko Vam je moda važna kao alat izražavanja identiteta?

I prije nego što sam to bila svjesna, moda je bila alat mog samoizražavanja. Prošla sam kroz brojne modne faze, što ima smisla jer sam prolazila i kroz mnoge životne faze. U svojoj angsty preteen eri moj je stil to itekako odražavao.

Danas sam shvatila da se ne želim stavljati u jedan modni okvir. Volim eksperimentirati i isprobavati različite stvari – u modi, ali i u životu. Sviđa mi se ono što mi se sviđa i ne trebam uvijek imati razloga za to. Za mene moda nema pravila i upravo je zato toliko volim.

Koju poruku želite prenositi kroz svoju online prisutnost?

U konačnici, želim potaknuti ljude na to da gledaju dalje od konteksta koji im je serviran. Postoji puno više od jedne osobe ili jedne zajednice nego što stane u jedan naslov. Potičem ljude da ne donose brze zaključke, da imaju više razumijevanja prema strancima i da ne pretpostavljaju odmah najgore – a posebno ne na internetu.

Važno mi je poticati provjeravanje više izvora, propitivanje vlastitih predrasuda i otvorenost za razgovor. Da, botovi postoje, ali vidim način na koji ljudi razgovaraju jedni s drugima online. Često se zaboravlja da se s druge strane ekrana nalazi stvarna, živa osoba. Nijanse i kontekst postoje – i važno je uvijek kopati malo dublje.

Što za Vas znači dobivati uloge koje nisu definirane invaliditetom?

Povijesno gledano, manjine su na ekranu često bile prikazivane kao karikature, a ne kao slojeviti likovi, ponajviše zato što ih nisu pisali niti savjetovali ljudi iz tih zajednica. Postoje situacije u kojima je identitet važan dio priče i tada je autentičan casting iznimno važan.

No život često imitira umjetnost i obrnuto. Ako se glumci manjina stalno svode isključivo na uloge koje se vrte oko njihova identiteta, stereotipi se rijetko dovode u pitanje. Zato mi je važno dobivati uloge koje nemaju nikakve ili gotovo nikakve veze s mojim invaliditetom. To pomaže u razbijanju predrasuda i, nadam se, utječe na to kako ljudi doživljavaju osobe s invaliditetom u svakodnevnom životu.

Što Vam pomaže da se opustite i napunite baterije nakon zahtjevnog dana?

Doslovno osjećam koliko mi se skratio raspon pažnje i to me frustrira. Ulazeći u 2026., trudim se manje skrolati i manje gledati brain rot sadržaj, a više se posvetiti scrapbookingu i čitanju. To zasad ide ok. Dajem si prostora i razumijevanja jer su navike i ovisnosti teške za promijeniti, ali to ne znači da odustajem od tih ciljeva.

Imate li modni ili lifestyle ritual koji Vam uvijek popravi raspoloženje?

Imam faze u kojima sam dosljedna skincare rutini i faze u kojima nisam. No kad sam redovita, osjećam se znatno bolje. Uz umivanje i hidraciju dvaput dnevno, obožavam i masku za lice nekoliko puta tjedno, kad god stignem.

Kako se nosite s pritiscima koji dolaze s javnim životom?

Ne postoji jedan jedini način. Trudim se ostati čvrsto vezana za svoje vrijednosti – one su mi najvažnije i drže me prizemljenom u industriji koja ponekad može djelovati površno ili iluzorno.

Kako izgleda sljedeće poglavlje za Vas, privatno ili profesionalno?

Puna sam nade. Voljela bih stvarati više vlastite umjetnosti – možda napisati kratki scenarij, obrisati ga jer se previše zapletem u vlastite misli pa ga ponovno napisati. Voljela bih raditi više coming-of-age i znanstveno-fantastičnih projekata te nastaviti koristiti svoj glas što više mogu.

Koji Vam je bio najdraži trenutak na setu filma “Wicked”?

Upoznavanje mlađe Nesse zauvijek će mi ostati najdraža uspomena. Upoznavanje njezine obitelji veza je na kojoj ću uvijek biti zahvalna. Osjećam se jako sretno što mogu gledati kako ona i njezina mlađa sestra odrastaju.

S kojim se humanitarnim organizacijama poistovjećujete i zašto?

Teško mi je izdvojiti samo jednu. Redovito dijelim poveznice prema raznim inicijativama i fondovima koji su mi važni. PCRF (Palestinski fond za pomoć djeci) jedan je od njih. Riječi ne mogu opisati nehumane i neustavne zločine koji se događaju u Palestini. Dijeliti i podržavati organizaciju koja pomaže djeci koja pate najmanje je što mogu učiniti.

“Korištenje moga glasa, platforme i doniranje kad god mogu izuzetno mi je važno.”

Također dijelim GoFundMe kampanje koje idu izravno osobama kojima je pomoć potrebna – bilo da se radi o Palestini, Sudanu, ljudima pogođenima uraganom Melissa ili onima koji trpe posljedice brutalnih i pohlepnih postupaka ICE-a. Korištenje moga glasa, platforme i doniranje kad god mogu izuzetno mi je važno.

Opišite trenutak kada ste shvatili da ste dio glumačke postave filma “Wicked”.

To je bio Zoom poziv na kojem su mi rekli da sam dobila ulogu – nakon što su se prethodno našalili i rekli da je riječ samo o callbacku. Volim male spačke, pogotovo one koje završe dobrim vijestima.

Koji Vam je bio najupečatljiviji trenutak posljednjeg dana snimanja?

Jon je održao govor na dan kad sam završila snimanje. Govorio je o mom putu do uloge i o tome gdje sam se tada nalazila u životu. Bio je to izuzetno topao i promišljen trenutak. Tog dana su bili prisutni i moja partnerica i moj prijatelj Channing, što mi je sve dodatno uljepšalo.

Koji biste savjet dali mladim glumcima – i mladim glumcima s invaliditetom?

Stvarajte vlastite priče. Nijedna priča nije premala ni nevažna. Možda pritom i otvorite neke umove. I zapamtite – moguće je stvarati kvalitetnu umjetnost bez odricanja od vlastitih uvjerenja.

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Living Freely and Authentically: Marissa Bode on Fashion, Life Beyond the Camera and Changing Hollywood

Actress, activist and a powerful new voice of her generation, Marissa Bode represents a shift in how we see beauty, talent and authenticity in today’s pop culture landscape.

Known for her breakthrough role as young Nessa in the films Wicked and Wicked: For Good, where she starred alongside Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo, and her unapologetically honest presence on social media, she challenges industry norms while staying deeply grounded in who she is. In this interview, Marissa opens up about personal style, life beyond the spotlight, the importance of representation and why authenticity remains her greatest luxury.

Your story is deeply inspiring — could you briefly share your journey and the key moments that shaped who you are today?

A lot of my journey involves community. As much bad that the internet has brought, there is also a lot of good. Growing up in a small, Midwest town there were little to no people that looked like me. Being black, queer and disabled often felt isolating. Seeing other people online that not only looked like me, but also existed so unapologetically… it helped me embrace myself so much more.

“Seeing other people online that not only looked like me, but also existed so unapologetically… it helped me embrace myself so much more.”

Furthermore, I’ve learned and try my best to extend far beyond just the optics of representation. It’s so much more than that. It’s fighting to make sure ALL communities have their basic needs met and are actively being included/accommodated. I’ve grown to really look up to people who – within reason, of course – don’t sugar-coat things, especially when it comes to speaking on their own experiences and fighting for what is right.

How would you describe your lifestyle outside of acting — what makes your everyday life feel fulfilling?

Outside of acting, I am a chronically online girl who is currently trying not to be so chronically online. I picked up scrapbooking mid last year and it’s been a great way to be creative and feel productive without having to overextend too much brain power. Whenever my social battery allows, I also love hanging out with my partner and friends. That is my strongest community, whom I love dearly.

How do you balance your private life with your public presence on social media

With parasociality, it can be tricky to balance personal and private life. A lot of celebrities don’t say too much online as a means to preserve their own peace. But because of that, people can become detached from the humanity of said celebrities. They see them as a distant, mythical product rather than an actual person. At the same time, when someone feels very real and authentic online, the line between a stranger on a screen and a personal friend can become blurred.

Quieting myself down would feel inauthentic to who I am, so I do my best to share things that matter. I also post silly, goofy videos here and there — truly whatever jumps into my noggin. I often talk about parasocial relationships on my TikTok, and I think addressing it directly helps set that boundary.

How important is fashion to you as a tool for expressing identity?

Even before I really knew it, fashion was a tool for my own self-expression. I’ve been through many fashion phases, which makes sense given the many phases of my life. When I was in my angsty preteen era, my style reflected that.

Where I’m at now, I’ve learned that putting myself in a singular fashion box isn’t part of my style at all. I love experimenting and trying different things — both in fashion and in life. I like what I like and don’t always have a reason for it. To me, fashion doesn’t have rules, and that’s why I enjoy it so much.

What message do you hope to communicate through your online presence

Ultimately, I hope to encourage people to look beyond the context they’re given. There’s more to a person than a single headline. I try to encourage giving strangers grace, not jumping to conclusions, and questioning assumptions — especially online.

I encourage people to check multiple sources, challenge their biases, and stay open to conversation. Yes, bots exist, but the way people speak to each other online often ignores the fact that there’s a living, breathing human on the other side of the screen. Nuance and context exist, and it’s important to always dig a little deeper.

What does it mean to you to be offered roles that are not defined by disability

Historically, minorities on screen have often been portrayed as caricatures rather than fully fleshed-out characters, largely because they weren’t written or consulted by people within those communities. There are cases where identity is an important and meaningful part of a story, and in those situations, authentic casting truly matters.

However, when minority actors are constantly tokenized into roles defined solely by their identity, stereotypes are rarely challenged. That’s why being offered roles that have little to nothing to do with my disability is important to me. It helps challenge preconceived notions and, hopefully, influences how people view disabled individuals in everyday life.

What helps you unwind and recharge after a demanding day?

I can physically feel how much shorter my attention span has gotten, and it frustrates me. Going into 2026, I’m trying to scroll less and engage more in activities like scrapbooking and reading. It’s going okay. I’m giving myself grace while still holding myself accountable.

Do you have a fashion or lifestyle ritual that always lifts your mood?

I go in and out of having a consistent skincare routine, but when I’m on top of it, I feel so much better. Along with my daily routine, I love doing a face mask a few times a week when I can.

How do you cope with the pressures that come with public life?

There isn’t one singular way. I try to ground myself in my morals — they’re what matter most to me and help me stay centered in an industry that can sometimes feel superficial.

What does the next chapter look like for you, personally or professionally?

I’m hopeful. I want to create more of my own art — maybe write a short script, delete it, rewrite it, and repeat the process. I’d love to explore more coming-of-age and sci-fi projects and continue using my voice as much as possible.

What was your favorite moment on the WICKED set?

Meeting younger Nessa will always stand out. Getting to know her family is something I’ll forever be grateful for, and watching her and her sister grow has been incredibly special.

What charities do you align with and why?

I support many causes and regularly share links on social media. PCRF (Palestinian Children’s Relief Fund) is one of them. The atrocities being committed in Palestine are beyond words, and supporting children who are suffering is the least I can do.

“Using my platform and donating whenever possible is incredibly important to me.”

I also share GoFundMe campaigns for people affected by crises in Palestine, Sudan, Hurricane Melissa, and those impacted by the actions of ICE. Using my platform and donating whenever possible is incredibly important to me.

Describe the moment when you realized you were part of the WICKED cast.

It was during the Zoom call when they told me I got the part — after pretending it was just a callback. I love a prank, especially one that comes with news like that.

What was your most memorable moment on the last day of filming?

Jon gave a speech when I wrapped, reflecting on my casting journey and where I was at that moment in my life. It was incredibly thoughtful. Having my partner and my friend Channing there made it even more special.

What advice do you have for young actors — and for young disabled actors

Create your own stories. No story is too small to matter, and you might open some minds along the way. It’s possible to create meaningful art without compromising what you believe in.

Credits:

Talent: Marissa Bode at Authentic Management
Photographer: Tom Marvel
Creative Director: Cannon at Atelier Management
Lighting Director: Murat Ozdemir
Production: Winnie Noan
Fashion Team Lead: Max Reid at She Is Maia
Digital Tech: Jonathan Pivovar
Lighting Director’s Assistant: Hector Adalid
Photographer’s Team: Michele Swain, Eric Wallace & Helen Chi
Grip: George Pepe
Hair Stylist: Linh Nguyen at See Management using Amika
Make Up Artist: Brian Duprey at Judy Casey Inc using Make Up For Ever, Viseart & Covergirl 
Manicurist: Casey at The Wall Group using Kiss Nails
Fashion Team: Mario Rubino, Alice Chan, Sofia Sinzmeyer, Hailey Hendershot, Mijael Gormes Pinchanski
Shot at The Splashlight Studios

Special Thanks to Gabriela Aguilar, Alissa Goodman, Tessa Robinson, Hayley Syrett, Tanner, Fiona Winch, Lauren Auslander

Special Thanks to Beatrice and Benoit and everyone at Spalshlight Studios