Marina Marcondes de Barros – Below Deck Down Under

By starrymag | April 21, 2025

By: Jamie Steinberg

 

 

Q) It was touched on a bit during the show, but how did you get your start working on yachts?

A) I started working on yachts in 2021. I literally, in the middle of COVID, just decided to change my whole career. I put my degree in the drawer, closed [it] and never looked back. I got my first job in a boat in the states. I told my family, “I think I’m going to work on boats,” and the next month I was already flying. So, my dad and my mom were shocked, and they didn’t understand what it was about, but they were full supportive. And now I’ve been four years in the industry. I’m the boss of my own team, so I’m quite happy.

Q) Had you been a fan of the show or familiar with it before joining?

A) Yes, I love “Below Deck.” It was the first contact with yachts I ever got because I never heard about these. We didn’t have information about yachting in Portuguese, so I found out online that it was a reality show broadcasting exactly what I was about to enter, and I had to binge watch before getting my first job because I didn’t want to embarrass myself. It was the best decision I made. I felt way more prepared for what to do and what not to do.

Q) What initially made you want to be a part of the show?

A) I think my work ethic is really strong and I feel like a lot of people could use a good example because I’ve been dealing with some really bad workers nowadays and I just felt like it was a good time for me to just show how strong and great workers Brazilians were. I’m very happy with how I performed and what I got to offer everybody on the show.

Q) Were there any parts of your life that you deemed off limits to the camera?

A) No, I’m a very open book. I show exactly who I am and how I normally act on the show. Unfortunately, a lot of people don’t get my humor, which is okay. I just had to deal with the comments later, but at the time I felt so welcome. I had such a great time with everybody on board and it was lovely.

Q) It was so sweet to hear you wanting to look after your grandmother. How did she feel hearing you say that you had this mission?

A) My grandma knows how much I love her and how I want to provide for our family and change our life. I’ve been doing that since I’m young. We’ve been selling candies in school to help pay rent and I’ve been working three or four jobs, walking dogs and everything in Europe and sending money home. So, it’s not news, but she’s very proud of me that I’m taking it to another level and I’m really close to achieving my goal. So, I think proud is the word that I would say she’s feeling right now.

Q) We saw you and Captain Jason [Chambers] sort of butt heads during the season which it seemed you regretted. Was it friendly teasing that made you talk back or were you feeling frustrated?

A) Me and Captain Jason, we had a great relationship. We were very close. I felt like he was a friend of mine instead of my boss a lot of times. And, unfortunately, that kind of intimacy sometimes can be bad for you because you don’t notice that the person is in charge, and you just cross the line sometimes. He addressed it and I immediately apologized because it wasn’t my intention. We are still really good friends and we totally just talked this morning. He wished me good luck with all the media today. It was a great time. I cherish our friendship a lot and as I said, he’s a mentor and I hope to take that for life.

Q) There was quite the love triangle with Wihan [Du Toit.] Was it all good looks and charm that drew you all into him?

A) No, I don’t care that much for appearance. I’m more into personality and that’s what attracted me when I talk to him. He’s a really smart guy. He’s very interested in real estate and has a really good portfolio. He wants to have a business. He traveled the world. He did amazing things and that was really interesting. I got really interested in his charisma, about his personality and, of course, he was great to look at. So, that wasn’t bad, but it was a little deeper and, unfortunately, I didn’t dig deep enough and I found out the bad things later.

Q) Lara [Rigby] seemed to keep you in laundry. We love seeing Captain Jason advocate to get you on service. What did it mean to see him speaking up on your behalf?

A) It’s really nice to see somebody speaking on your behalf when you feel like you don’t have a voice anymore. I’m not a confrontational person. I don’t want to have fights, and I said what I had to say and unfortunately it wasn’t well received. So, seeing somebody not giving up on the fight and helping me achieve my goal to grow and do better, it was really moving and I’m very thankful for him for that. And that’s how it should be in yachting and in other jobs, with people trying to put each other higher and higher instead of holding them down. So, I’m really thankful for him.

Q) With Wihan and Johnny [Arvanitis] departing, how did Nicolas [Cattelan] and Nate [Salmon] change the energy on the boat?

A) Oh my God, it was instant. They were so nice, so full of energy. Their charisma is amazing in how polite and kind they were. It was exactly what we needed to get that extra boost to finish up the season. I’m so happy they joined our team at the right time.

Q) What were some of your most memorable moments from filming this season? We hope you had a chance to explore your time in the Seychelles.

A) Definitely I had a great time onboard. We didn’t have a lot of time off because we were working, but we got an amazing day at the private beach and the Church of Sanctuary, which was incredible. I was able to be at the ocean, which I love and go diving. So, I’m very thankful for that unique day that we had in the Seychelles.

Q) Lastly, what do you want to be sure fans know about you and your time on the show?

A) I hope the people watching the show know that even though I was on the show, my first priority was the job because this is my career – this is my life. Even though there were cameras following us around, I tried my best to make it work and have the guests have the best experience on board and I took a lot for the team, and I was quite burned out in the end of it. I just take what I say with a pinch of salt and just understand that I’m a twenty-seven year old girl, just trying my best, far from home and in a very under pressure environment, but I try to make the most out of it and I just hope that I could represent the hard work and resilience and other women out there that just give it a go and trying to make their family proud.

 

 

Below Deck Down Under airs Mondays at 8pm ET/PT on Bravo next day on Peacock