la vita è bella.

full name:  mariëlla tatiana winters

nickname(s):  mari, maya, ella

age:  forty-two  (  42  ) .

birthdate:  november 25th, 1975 .

sexual orientation:  bisexual .

occupation:  actress / film producer / writer .

mariëlla was born to dutch-american parents, and raised, in washington, d.c. winters didn’t come from a privileged, wealthy family. her parents, constantin & thea, traveled and practically chose to live their new life in america and to start a family. in the years to come, her older brother, mariëlla, and their younger sister/daughter were born and they couldn't have been more delighted with their family of five.

she grew to have become very family-oriented because of her family, and extended family in the netherlands / holland.  which included traveling to visit them during the holidays, or every chance they could possibly get to do so if and whenever they had the money. her parents were hard-working, hence rarely having the chance to travel to europe and could only send 1, or two, of their children to stay with their relatives. but they wouldn't have changed it for anything else as long as they knew their dutch heritage, and they worked hard for almost just that.

although having hard-working parents, they both dedicated one hundred % of their time for family whenever they weren’t working. they raised / taught their children by acknowledging humility, recognizing their own weaknesses, & that it was okay to be the best that they can be  —  as well as having the FREEDOM of deciding who they wanted to be, the path they wanted to take; old enough to make their own decisions as a legal adult, basically.  * which is how mariëlla chose to raise her kids and thanks her parents for setting an example when she was growing up; passing it on as a mom herself, hoping that it works out smoothly and parenting as best she can.

when she was in middle & high school, she gained a keen interest in acting because of the plays, musicals, and whatnot. the more she got herself involved in them and at a local theater, the reason she instantly made her decision of becoming an ACTRESS became clearer. she set her mind to it, looking forward to the day she’d graduate and study film & drama at the univeristy of south california in los angeles. if anyone asked personally, it was the best decision she ever made; she would completely agree and tell you herself with pride and joy.

she always tried her best, and somehow, did explicitly well in school because she forced herself. even if she wasn’t too bad of a student, mariëlla struggled/stressed out easily, as she tends to be somewhat of a perfectionist still & almost everything had to be organized and in order. fast forward to 4 years later & as a ucla graduate; ëlla has graduated as a student that was given opportunities to act onscreen when she was in school studying. as weirdly as it might sound, taking into consideration mariëlla’s chosen profession, is incredibly meticulous when it comes to auditioning for a role and be given the job for said character.

she spends a lot of her time and energy by supporting a lot of what she believes in and whatnot. she is quite often a zealous worker for charity and brings attention to causes, et cetera. i find it better to describe as a passionate artist/actress but most importantly: a human being with a lot of compassion towards the less fortunate and will likely pay for something rather expensive— i.e. an engagement ring for a couple, anonymously  (  what paul w*lker did for a couple without revealing his identity; true story  ) . mariëlla does show a very unselfish concern for the well-being of others & it’s obvious; altruistic; even if people don’t like it or might think it’s invasive. that is never her intention; will know when to back off though. but does genuinely care a lot about others; is someone that puts the needs of another person before her own without questioning it. all in all, an easygoing humanitarian and philanthropist.

people might think it’s a bit concerning, but she can be quite stubborn as well when it comes to certain things. she means well though. don’t mind her sometimes. unless it’s for her own good or regarding anything job-wise. over the years, she has become very anxious. she believes it’s because of all the stress and the overwhelming, hectic schedule of tour promotions and whatnot. she’s committed to them but by popping a little pill called xanax. she can control her anxiety but there are days when she cannot and it’s not pretty. hence why she is her - introverted - self at times, but in the public eye is seen as an enigmatic soul. she has her reasons.

the only reason why she is hard to interpret in the public eye, especially the media, is because she only wants her close family and friends to know who she truly is behind closed doors. she could care less about the rumors that are being said about her, but it won’t mean that her anxiety won’t get to the best of her. it’ll eat ëlla up alive but will not make that obvious, of course, as she perseveres through her struggle with anxiety. it’s a bitch.

genuinely believes in “money doesn’t buy happiness.” as an a-list celebrity, she has a difficult time understanding it and ends up contemplating if it’s all really worth it ..... if she deserves the success she’s had throughout her career ? don’t get mariëlla wrong but is sometimes self-critical of herself and will not allow any special treatment. she’s an odd one but grateful at the same time. this messy business can be quite fickle and doesn’t want to disappoint anyone with her performances.

ever since she became a mom, mari grew to being quite nurturing. growing up she’d be the type of person to lean away when being hugged and avoid friendly kisses but as time passed on, she grew out of that. the love she has for her kids, she has a big heart and loves the heck out of anybody that would show her any affection, because she will definitely give it in return to anyone that needs it.

she won’t consider taking anyone’s  “ side ”  whenever it gets to that chance/point in time— neutral— like, she is on the fence about/doesn’t know a lot about politics and religion. she will sometimes avoid conversing of such but is open to talking. she is not that close-minded and hopes to not seem that way. either way, she isn’t very judgy and will only give out advice; straightforward and honest opinions if asked.

prefers to give rather than receive, although she’s grateful for such intentions and will gladly keep whatever present is given. she is NOT materialistic but loves doing some shopping often; controls herself by setting a budget on how much she could possibly spend and save.  yes, that’s how organized she is. her inner monica geller but not to the extent, of course. she thinks she gives the best whatever gift she finds and won’t brag about having the money either. enjoys the holidays  ….. — -  this was supposed be an attempt at writing a couple of headcanons, but i’ve obviously failed ?  yikes !  i’m just babbling at this point because i wanna get this posted. and it’s posted now.