Maribel Martinez, mom of two, has become a TikTok sensation. Her uncanny likeness to the character Luisa from the popular Disney film Encanto has everyone abuzz. That isn’t the only reason, though. Martinez has also been inspiring the masses with her deeply felt connection to the character.
@maribelspiritualjourney #luisa #encanto #cosplay #surfacepressure #goddessenergy #grateful #momsoftiktok #bigsister original sound – encanto movie
Friends informed Martinez how much she looked like the film’s character, so she gave it a watch. Her likeness to the “feminine but yet masculine woman” touched her. So, she began posting scene recreations to the social media platform.
How Disney Film Encanto Inspired Martinez
@maribelspiritualjourney #luisa #encanto #cosplay #sometimeicry #knowmyworth #surfacepressure original sound – queeragendar
In a scene from Encanto, the character of Luisa shows her vulnerability despite superhuman strength. All of the pressure that comes along with being the backbone of her community weighs upon her. She opens up about its mental burden via the song, “Surface Pressure.”
“People kept commenting that I looked like Luisa, so I saw one of her songs on TikTok,” Martinez explained to TODAY. “I was like, wow, she’s strong and masculine, but yet has feminine features.”
“I’ve never seen any cartoon character, or Disney character, ever look like a feminine but yet masculine woman. It’s not a normal thing you see every day,” she further explained.
Wishing to inspire her daughter, Martinez decided to watch the film with her. She found herself inspired and “shocked,” instead. She could see herself “in somebody else.”
@maribelspiritualjourney #luisa #encanto #roadto100k #cosplay #loveallthesupport #goddess #bodypositivity #womenwholift just eldest daughter and family therapist things – persephone
How Martinez Is Now Inspiring Others
From there, Martinez decided to try and inspire others, most importantly her daughter. She started creating body-positive TikTok posts, recreating fan-favorite scenes from Encanto. One such clip has accumulated over 10 million views.
“I was raised as the oldest but I am the middle child out of seven of us altogether,” Martinez shared, explaining her connection to the character further. “I’m the fourth one. And my older siblings were adopted out and I was raised as the oldest. So I had a lot of pressure on me growing up.”
Recently, she’s even taken to costume. And those inspired by her efforts have flooded the page with over 9 million likes. Martinez is “surprised and grateful” for the outpouring of support. She told TODAY that a few users have even reached out to share their own experiences and traumas.
@maribelspiritualjourney original sound – Pierce Westbrook
While Martinez feels emotional over being considered a role model to so many, her primary hope is just to be one for her own daughter.
“For my daughter, I just want her to always find a way to love herself the way she is. To know it doesn’t matter if she’s different.”
What do you think of Maribel Martinez’s recreations from the Disney film Encanto? Do you find them inspiring, as well? Let us know in the comments below.
