Against all odds, 37-year-old Marta Cross has managed to establish herself as an actress in Hollywood. She’s starred in several high-profile feature films, had guest roles in over a dozen TV shows, and has produced, directed and starred in her own films. But unlike the glitz and glamour of daily red carpets, her life looks like what some might say most working actors’ lives look like: She runs from audition to audition, hosts screen parties, manages an Airbnb with her husband on the side, and is working on developing a TV pilot with her friends. To say her life is hectic is an understatement — and on top of all this, Marta is also a new mother to a two-year-old boy named Maxwell.

To get to her stable, albeit busy, career, Marta has had to hustle, and she’s had her own share of Hollywood’s ups and downs. When she first moved to Los Angeles from Austin, TX, she was on the tail of two movies she starred in, 2006’s Believe In Me and Red Ridge. But Marta quickly discovered that those credits weren’t a guarantee. Shortly after her arrival, Marta was up for the lead role in a big TV movie. And though they initially told her she got the part, they later changed their mind. “They told me, ‘Oh you’re gonna love [shooting in] Montreal,’” Marta said, “and then I got a call saying they went with the other girl.”

Marta had to start from square one in the new city, taking on two waitressing jobs to support herself and her acting career. And despite everything Hollywood threw at her, Marta persisted and managed to create a fruitful career for herself. And have a family to boot.

So exactly how is Marta able to do this? (Note: She does not have super powers.)

Watch the video above to see what a day in the life of Marta is like, as she balances motherhood with Hollywood.