Kristen has the kind of drive, ambition and fast turnaround skills that make other creators look like they’re napping on the job. – Den of Geek

A New York-native, Kristen Maldonado is a jack of all trades with a deep rooted passion for the world of entertainment. She is an award-winning TV and film critic, entertainment journalist, on-camera host, writer, producer, and social media and digital content strategist with a proven history of creating impactful and engaging content that connects with fans on a personal level. Kristen is also a Rotten Tomatoes approved critic, a member of the Critics Choice Association, Latino Entertainment Journalists Association, and the Television Academy, and a two-time Shorty Award winner. Additionally, she has a background in musical theatre and vocal performance.

Kristen is the founder of the entertainment outlet Pop Culture Planet, as well as the host of its inclusion-based video podcast of the same name. She is an enthusiastic, relatable, well-researched, and honest journalist, as well as a champion for representation and diversity in all forms. In fact, Pop Culture Planet was inspired by the lack of diversity she was seeing within the entertainment space. Since launching, she’s spoken to a wide range of entertainment experts from diverse backgrounds on topics including the female lens vs the male gaze, LGBTQ+ experiences on screen, the model minority, women in film, superhero culture, and the importance of representation on screen, behind the scenes, and in criticism. Additionally, Kristen is known for her engaging and in-depth interviews with rising talent in the industry. Exploring their impressive resumes, the power of representation and community within Hollywood, and what keeps them positive in this tough industry, Kristen has had uniquely personal, eye-opening, and educational conversations with Stargirl’s Yvette Monreal, Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies‘ Ari Notartomaso, and On My Block star Jessica Marie Garcia, among others.

A notable queen of deep dives. – Den of Geek

Kristen has vast experience covering red carpets, junkets, and film festivals, including Sundance, SXSW, TIFF, and Tribeca, and interviewing talent, including Winston Duke, Trixie Mattel, and Karen Gillan, just to name a few. She is a professional moderator, leading Q&As and panels with creatives and talent for Oscilloscope’s Sirens and Searchlight Pictures’ Flamin’ Hot. Kristen has been featured on New York Live, Den Of Geek, Rotten Tomatoes, Marvel, TRL, and Glamour Magazine, appeared on podcasts like Becoming An Icon, Pro Socials Podcast, Diva Dailies, and This Week In Marvel, and partnered with a variety of companies for sponsored opportunities, including Quibi, Prime Video, Shudder, AMC+, Turner Classic Movies, and Sola Look Cosmetics. 

Maldonado’s inspiring journey shows how having the ability to self-start can help creatives build a legendary career—one that begins by pulling the trigger themselves. – NWN Magazine

Previously, Kristen worked at MTV for over a decade, launching and growing the social and digital footprints of over 40 original shows (including Girl Code, Catfish, Faking It, True Life, the Teen Mom franchises, Wild ‘N Out, MTV Fresh Out), relaunching both TRL and MTV Books, and working on tentpoles like the Movie and TV Awards and Video Music Awards. Dubbed the “content capture queen,” she is known for her ability to work quickly and easily in any situation to capture original content with talent.

She even hosted, wrote, and produced two original digital series for MTV: All The Feels, a digital recap show for Faking It giving a deeper look into each episode featuring cast interviews, and It Was All A Stream, a digital series breaking down what you need to be streaming each week in music, movies, and television. She was also featured as a music expert on TRL’s Fresh Out Friday panel discussing Shawn Mendes’ self-titled third album.

What draws Kristen to entertainment is the chance to dive deeper into the projects that she loves and then discuss it with other passionate fans. She has a diverse journalistic background, having worked in television, social media, radio, podcasts, writing, and online video, both on-screen and behind-the-scenes.

In the past, Kristen has also worked with TheCelebrityCafe.com, celebrity blogger and TV personality Micah Jesse, News 12 Long Island, Marvel Entertainment, Fan TV, and TeenNick.com and Nicktoons.com.