The team behind Street Smart: Lessons From a TV Icon will present a special sneak peek screening and panel at San Diego Comic-Con, which runs from July 24 to July 27, 2025. (The official date and time of the sneak peek will be announced by Comic-Con in July.)
Audiences grew up with “Maria” from Sesame Street. Now, Comic-Con audiences will get a first look at the woman behind the character.
Directed by Emmy-nominated filmmaker Ernie Bustamante, Street Smart traces Sonia Manzano’s inspiring journey from her roots in the South Bronx to becoming a television pioneer — and how she continues to shape culture. Through rare interviews, original animation, and reenactments, the film goes beyond Sesame Street to reveal the struggles, triumphs, and defining moments that shaped the real Sonia.
The Comic-Con event will feature never-before-seen clips from the film, behind-the-scenes stories, and a conversation with the creative team.
Panelists include:
- Ernie Bustamante, director
- Steven Canals, producer (Pose)
- Jeffrey Aviles, illustrator
- Grisselle Escotto, the actress who portrays Sonia Manzano in the film
- Misty Espinoza, moderator & impact producer
Director Ernie Bustamante states,” This film is a coming-of-age story, a masterclass in resilience, and a testament to the power of television. Sonia has spent her entire life making television that educates and entertains. This documentary gives us the chance to learn from her once again. And I’m so excited to share it with Comic-Con audiences.”
Sonia Manzano as seen in “Street Smart: Lessons from a TV Icon”. Photo credit: Renee Cafaro.
About Ernie Bustamante
Ernie Bustamante is an Emmy-nominated TV writer, filmmaker, and educator. He served as the creator/showrunner of the award-winning satirical web series Border Patrol. His stories center on Latino characters and are deeply influenced by his upbringing in the Arizona desert. Street Smart: Lessons From a TV Icon is his debut feature film.
About Sonia Manzano
Sonia Manzano was raised in the South Bronx. Her love of performing led her to the High School of Performing Arts, followed by a drama scholarship to Carnegie Mellon University. She soon joined the groundbreaking off-Broadway production of Godspell.
At just 21 years old, Sonia landed the iconic role of “Maria” on Sesame Street, becoming the first Latina to appear on national television in a regular role—a role she would embody for 44 years. Sonia quickly became a standout on the revolutionary children’s show, known for her comic timing and honest, heartfelt performances. “Maria” became a source of comfort and joy for millions of children, especially those who had never seen themselves represented on screen.
She also became a trailblazer behind the scenes, joining the writing team on Sesame Street, earning 15 Emmy Awards, and receiving the Emmy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2016.
She is also a prolific author, with books such as The Revolution of Evelyn Serrano (which received the Pura Belpré Author Honor in 2013), Coming Up Cuban (2022), and her critically acclaimed memoir Becoming Maria: Love and Chaos in the South Bronx (2015).
In 2021, she launched the animated PBS series Alma’s Way with Fred Rogers Productions, a show designed to empower the next generation of kids to think for themselves.
Sonia Manzano. Photo credit: Sonia Manzano/Facebook.
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