#‘In the Heights’ Star Melissa Barrera Heads Up Netflix Survival Drama Series ‘Breathe’

Mexican actress and singer Melissa Barrera will star in the lead role in Netflix’s upcoming drama series, Breathe.

Written and executive produced by Martin Gero and Brendan Gall (Blindspot), the series follows Barrera’s Liv, a whipsmart Manhattan attorney who finds herself profoundly out of her comfort zone when her small plane crashes in the Canadian wilderness. On her own, Liv must battle the elements and odds in order to survive.

Barrera got her first break in her native Mexico when she appeared as a contestant on the reality musical talent show La Academia in 2011. From there, she went on to star in many Mexican telenovelas, including recurring roles in La mujer de Judas and La otra cara del alma and main roles in Siempre tuya Acapulco and Tanto amor.

In 2018, Barrera was cast as co-lead Lyn in the critically-acclaimed series Vida, which ran for three seasons on Starz. The show was about two Mexican-American sisters who move back to their childhood home in Los Angeles after their mother dies. Next, she stars in In the Heights, the upcoming movie adaptation of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Tony Award-winning musical, and has a key role in Scream 5. She has also been cast in the titular role of Carmen, an updated retelling of the classic opera and novella.

Following the announcement of her role in the new Netflix series, Barrera took to social media to share her excitement. “Cannot tell you how excited I am for this one,” she wrote on Instagram. “Thank you @martingero and @brendanscgall for dreaming up this beautiful show and trusting me with Liv. I’m so looking forward to this journey together.”

Netflix has ordered six one-hour episodes of Breathe, which will be produced by Warner Bros. Television.