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In the latest episode of Portrait of a Fangirl podcast, host Jenna Wrenn spoke with social media influencer, Amanda Castrillo.
Portrait of a Fangirl Podcast
The Portrait of a Fangirl Podcast is a series from the team at the Temple of Geek. Portrait of a Fangirl initially began as a web series and has now expanded into a podcast series as well. You can watch and listen to the series both here and on our YouTube channel. The podcast is currently in its second season.
Hosted by Jenna Wrenn, at the core of the project is the importance of telling the stories of women who have found inspiration, growth, and power through fandom.
You can listen to the Portrait of a Fangirl Podcast directly on this page or stream it on Apple Podcasts / Google Podcast / iHeart Radio / Spotify and wherever you stream your podcast. You can even watch it on our YouTube channel. You can also find us on social media on Instagram and TikTok.
From Retail to Red Carpet
Amanda Castrillo started her career in the retail industry, but like so many others, her world was turned upside down during the pandemic. While stuck at home, Amanda picked up her phone and started talking about her favorite pieces of media online. Her voice resonated with fangirls everywhere, propelling her into a a career in entertainment that she dreamed about. Now with hundreds of thousands of followers on social media, Amanda uses her platform to entertain and educate.
@amandajustvibin
Unfortunately, a larger following means an increase of negativity from internet trolls. Amanda addressed the way she deals with such people in our interveiw.
Jenna: You have a very big social media following, and a lot of times, the bigger your presence is on social media, the more trolls you come across and the more toxicity you see. So how do you personally handle these negative impacts on social media?
Amanda: I won’t lie, they used to kind of get to me more, especially when I first started doing it, because I wasn’t used to it. I wasn’t used to having thousands of people, sometimes millions of people, listening to me all at once. And it just wasn’t it wasn’t something I had any experience with before. So it used to hit me a lot harder.
But nowadays, especially now –I’m so old–I will so quickly block somebody or just delete it. And it’s not something as little as maybe we have differing opinions. It’s not like things like that. If you’re coming at me, insulting my parents or insulting something that has nothing to do with the task at hand or just coming in to break dishes. I just go, okay, this is not relevant to the plot. And I just don’t give them access anymore.
On Amanda’s website, she describes herself as follows:
As a Latina and a woman of color, I strive to make more room for voices like mine. We deserve to be seen, heard, and represented in the media we consume. I advocate for positive and accurate representation for BIPOC communities, femme-presenting people, and the LGBTQIA community.
You can follow Amanda on Instagram and TikTok.
About our Host
Host and executive producer of the Portrait of a Fangirl Podcast, Jenna Wrenn, is also an entertainment correspondent for Temple of Geek. Jenna has conducted interviews with talent such as Max Brooks, Christopher Paolini, Rachel Smythe, and Ashley Eckstein and has written several articles for Temple of Geek covering conventions, anime, pop culture, and much more.
A historian by trade, a writer by passion, and a cat mom by birthright. Jenna loves to travel, forge new connections, and cosplay. Jenna is excited to bring more fascinating interviews to viewers/listeners of the Portrait of a Fangirl podcast.
More episodes from season two of the Portrait of a Fangirl Podcast
- Episode 3: The Evolutions of Fangirling with Tara Sands (4/16/2024)
- Episode 2: Fandom as a Window to the World with Alice Fanchiang (3/29/20214)
- Episode 1: Fandom in Academia With Dr. Sabrina Mittermeier (3/15/2024)
Check out season one of the Portrait of a Fangirl Podcast
- A Conversation With Author EK Johnston (11/10/2023)
- Rachel Smythe Roundtable Interview at New York Comic Con 2023 (10/19/2023)
- Inclusivity and the Authentic Self in Content Creating (10/3/2023)
- Emily Zemler on “The Nightmare Before Christmas: Beyond Halloween Town” (9/8/2023)
- Kayleigh McKee on Creativity, Industry, and Personal Growth (9/1/2023)
- A look at Fandom From Behind the Scenes – POAFG Podcast (8/15/2023)
- Discussion With Graphic Novelist Ghezal Omar (7/20/2023)
- The Art of Fangirling With “Let’s Play” Creator Leeanne Krecic (7/19/2023)
- Interview with Ashley Eckstein – Her Universe Fashion Show (6/28/2023)
