Adria Arjona Isn’t Afraid of a Little Danger

You’re known for starring in the Star Wars spin-off series Andor, as well as for your roles in rom-coms like Hit Man and Splitsville. Your movie, Onslaught, found you in a different kind of leading role: You play Celeste, a traumatized Army vet with a young child who has to fight three genetically engineered soldiers who have escaped a secret military facility. What drew you to the movie?

The script has this conspiracy theory element that always sparks conversation. I was also really scared of Celeste; I thought it was interesting to see a female character take on the absentee-father archetype. To be a good mom, Celeste needs to be in the right headspace, and I find that to be quite real. There are moms like that, and we tend to judge them much more than we judge absentee fathers.

You spend most of the film fighting with one eye bandaged. What was that like?

It was one of the hardest things. In training, I started working out with the eye patch on, and my other eye would hurt because I was forcing it so much. You get used to it, but when I had to do stunts with Blake [Kennedy, Arjona’s onscreen daughter], it was terrifying. I would get really dizzy. I’m pretty sure I did some damage to my sight.

You’re starring in The Thomas Crown Affair, coming out next year and directed by Michael B. Jordan. It’s a remake of the iconic 1968 and 1999 films, which follow the cat-and-mouse dynamic between a billionaire who pulls off a heist and the insurance investigator trying to catch him. You’ll be playing the investigator. What was it like working with Jordan as a director?

What surprised me is that I never saw him break. We filmed for, like, five months, and there were some long days, but Michael was always relaxed. It didn’t feel like an actor was directing a movie. It felt like a director was directing his masterpiece.

Behind the scenes, you’ve also worked with executive producer credits on Los Frikis, Splitsville, and Onslaught. Has that made you a better actor?

It’s changed the way that I approach acting. I was so used to showing up, going to my trailer, knowing my lines, doing my work, and then going home. As a producer, you stay in it: You’re involved in every element of making the movie. For example, there’s a burrito scene in Onslaught that I pitched to the director [Adam Wingard], and he loved it so much he put it in the trailer. Certain ideas work, other ideas don’t, and that’s okay.

Splitsville, a 2025 romantic comedy about open relationships, was a hit. What has it been like seeing the film’s impact?

I remember reading the first 10 pages of the script and going, “This is insanity.” Sometimes romantic comedies don’t get the respect they deserve. They’re really hard to make, and we’re still trying to figure out what the genre is in today’s day and age. If we were to replicate the ’90s rom-com formula now, I don’t think it would work. There was an overcorrection of the genre a couple years ago, and now it’s like, “Wait, what is our era’s romantic comedy?”

You’re the 2026 recipient of the WIF [Women in Film] Max Mara Face of the Future Award, which recognizes a female actor who not only excels in her craft but also values community building.

I take that really seriously. I’ve worked with underprivileged women in Downtown Los Angeles for the past 12 or 13 years, and underprivileged kids in Guatemala for 15 years. I made a promise that I would go back every year, and I will always, always go back.

Part of this award celebrates you as an emblem of style, grace, and timelessness. How do you define these qualities?

We throw the word “genuine” around, but staying really true to yourself is incredibly difficult. When a person can be themselves unapologetically, I think that’s what makes them timeless.

It’s been more than a decade since you first started in the industry. If you could go back and tell your younger self anything, what would it be?

To chill the fuck out. Every audition was life or death. I was really hard on myself because I wanted to do a good job. But now I’m like, It’s okay. You’re enough.

What do you do to unwind?

I love going on motorcycle rides with my partner [Jason Momoa]. I love boxing, seeing my family, and skydiving.

Do you skydive often?

I do. I started years ago. When I didn’t get a role that I really wanted, I just went skydiving, and I left that rejection on the plane. I jumped, and when I got on the ground, I was like, Okay, on to the next.

Hair by Irinel de León for dyson beauty at Highlight Artists; makeup by Emily Cheng at The Wall Group; manicure by Jessica Lee for OPI; Produced by The Morrison Group; Production Coordinator: David Miller-Robinson; Lighting Director: Steven Perilloux; Photo Assistant: Alex De la Hidalga; Digital Technician: Rick Rose; Fashion Assistant: Jesus Herrera; Makeup Assistant: Jessica Chu; Special Thanks to LA Film Lab and Hubble Studio.