El Paso actress lands major Hollywood role

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) -- Christina Villa grew up in El Paso's Lower Valley with dreams of making it in Hollywood.

Now, she is celebrating her first leading role alongside some famous co-stars.

Villa -- and her El Paso-born pup, Timber -- sat down with ABC-7's Crista Mack to talk about her journey.

"Keeping that, that faith inside,' says Villa. "That like tells you this is what you're meant to do."

Villa held on to that faith in times of doubt.

"You have your days where you wake up and you're like...maybe I should just get a regular nine to five, says Villa."

She never gave up on her dream of acting on the silver screen.

It all started with her mom, Angela. She was a country music singer who was known in the El Paso area.

Angela saw what Villa hadn't seen: raw talent.

Too shy to act during her high school years, Villa chose cheerleading at Bel Air High.

"Once that was over," Villa says. "I didn't really have an outlet anymore. I think that actually had a lot to do with me being like, ok, I want to try this."

After a stint at the El Paso Times, Villa decided to make her move. She moved to New York to study acting, then moved to Los Angeles in 2021.

Two weeks later, she got a part in "Wanted Man".

Villa says, "I don't think it really sunk in until I was actually on set. I think it still hasn't sunk in."

Villa co-stars with Kelsey Grammer and Dolph Lundgren.

"When I say that I was nervous, like when Kelsey got to set," says Villa. "I'm like, what? What do I do?"

Those jitters disappeared when she recalls how she go there: her mom.

"She kind of knew that this is what I should be doing. So I appreciate that a lot."

The film "Wanted Man" is available on Amazon Prime, On Demand and Apple TV.