At just 22 years old, Paulina Chávez has already become one of the most visible Latina faces on television. The career of this Mexican-American actress, born in El Paso and raised in San Antonio, took off with The Expanding Universe of Ashley Garcia on Netflix and has now been solidified in Landman , the series about the oil industry in Texas on the Paramount+ platform.
In an interview with Latin Times and ENSTARZ, Chávez explained how she built her character Adriana, drawing inspiration from the Latina women in her life and the songs of Selena Quintanilla.
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Chávez, who charmed fans as Ashley García in the Netflix series created by Mario López and Seth Kurland, the youngest Latina scientist on television, has continued to build a career marked by complex and culturally significant characters, from Fate: The Winx Saga to independent productions that have established her as a versatile performer committed to representation.
Her arrival on Landman, created by Taylor Sheridan, opened a new chapter in her life. Her character, Adriana, is a young widow grappling with grief, motherhood, and an unexpected emotional rebirth alongside Jacob, played by Cooper Norris. The previous season left audiences deeply captivated by this love story that speaks of second chances. On social media, the conversation was so intense that it even surprised the actress.
"There's something very beautiful about her story," the artist said. "In the midst of grief, there is always hope, and there is also love. We wanted to be very sensitive to her process and tell her story in the right way."
The relationship between Adriana and Cooper became one of the most talked-about in Sheridan's television universe, where romances often have a harsh tone, marked by emotional intensity. Adriana, however, arrived with a different light. "Elvio (Medina, her late husband) was her first love," Chávez said, "but what she finds with Cooper is something very rare, very special."
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As a Latina lead in a cast dominated by Anglo characters, Chávez acknowledges the symbolic weight of her role. "I always have my community in mind," she stated. "I'm a strong advocate for representation, and I want the characters I play to reflect my grandmother, my mother, all the resilient Latina women I know." The audience's reaction has strengthened that conviction. She says she has received messages from Latina fans and also from widows who have identified with Adriana's emotional journey.
Taylor Sheridan, creator of Yellowstone, 1883, and Mayor of Kingstown, is known for writing female characters of immense inner strength. Chávez recognizes that hallmark. "Taylor writes all his characters with incredible depth," she commented. "There's a huge responsibility in his story, and seeing it resonate with so many women fills me with awe."
Meanwhile, music, her other artistic facet, continues to accompany her acting process. That connection is intimate and very personal. To bring Adriana to life, Chávez sought out songs that reflected vulnerability, nostalgia, and absolute love. That's where Selena came in. "It's one of those songs that I listen to and it instantly transports me," she said about "Dreaming of You. " She also used "My Heart Will Go On," although Selena's influence was always the most powerful. "Selena was definitely always in the mix."
In the second season of Landman, Chávez reveals that Adriana will demonstrate even greater resilience. Her story continues to explore how a life is rebuilt after loss while opening the door to new relationships. "She is an extension of all the strong Latinas I know," she stated.
For now, her path seems to be on the rise. From Netflix teen star to key figure in Sheridan's dramatic universe, Chávez represents a new generation of Latino talent in Hollywood, one that is building its place without sacrificing its identity.
Or, as she herself would say, remembering the Queen of Tex-Mex: Anything for Selena.
