Today we’d like to introduce you to Sofía Bragar.
Sofía, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I am 20 years old and I was born and raised in Chile. My parents have always supported me on everything that I liked and thought that was productive for me. My family comes from two not-that-different but complex worlds. My dad’s side is from Russia and they are Jewish, while my mum’s side is from Palestine and they are Catholic. As you can imagine, the cultural differences could have made a big impact in the relationship but it did not because they loved each other and we’re stronger than social constructed hate. This strong bond brought my brother and I to this amazing world. If there is something that inspires me about this, is that even when society is telling you no, you have to always go for what you want; which takes me to my next point… what brought me to L.A.
Since very young, I have been particularly interested in the arts. I have taken different dance classes throughout my childhood. I was not very constant in staying in one discipline but I would always go back to dancing. Something I was more constant in was singing. I started taking singing lessons at the age of 13 and I loved it. I struggled a lot thinking that I did not sing good enough or that I did not know what I was doing but I kept going and I have enormously grown ever since then; I never stopped taking singing lessons.
I have always had an inclination towards acting but did not really experience it until 2017. I heard through my music teacher back at High School that there were auditions for a city musical. I went with hopes of getting in and ended up getting the leading role, Carmen from the musical Fame. This opportunity opened my eyes, it made me feel what it was to have a community that loved the same thing that I did, and made me want to pursue something related to it. That same year, I found out that Musical Theatre was actually a thing! I know right? It might seem pretty obvious for some people but since I did not have a big Musical Theatre cultural background, I did not know that I could study it.
I started a long research looking for Musical Theatre programs and ended up realizing that my future might not be in Chile. I decided that I wanted to go to the United States of America and pursue my dreams. After a long process, I ended up getting accepted with a scholarship to do my BFA in Performing Arts: Musical Theatre at AMDA! Wow, AMDA, Hollywood, Musical Theatre, a new country, a new culture, a new life, by myself. It was a dream come true. So in Summer 2018, I came. I came to accomplish my dreams in the city of stars.
I am about to start my 3rd year of studies at AMDA, with a lot of improvement and excitement. I love it here, I love having the opportunity of doing what fulfills me. I have done some shows at AMDA, some non-paid photoshoots and I have had great opportunities of getting involved little by little in the industry.
I have many goals in life. Other than the personal ones, I would love to be a film actress. I have discovered a big passion towards it these past couple of years here. I would also love to be a well-recognized singer, theatre/musical theatre actress, screenwriter, director and model. I know I am dreaming big, but I am trying to accomplish big things in life. And I know that I eventually will because I believe in my capacities, myself and the training that I am being put at. I aim big because where I am today was my eight years old self dream.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
It was not a smooth road at all. I constantly struggled believing in my capacities when growing up. I did not have many friends throughout my early childhood years so it was hard to believe that I could be liked and be good at something.
I also changed from one performing academy to another once in a while to learn and accomplish what I wanted other than school. Unfortunately, Chile does not have a big performing arts background and it was hard for me to train in what I wanted. But I learned a lot from all of them, of course.
When I started to look at Musical Theatre programs and how to apply that is when things got harder. Chile and the U.S.A have total different educational systems and trying to understand and send all the paperwork and applications was rough. Other than that, remember that I did not have a musical theatre background, so when it came to auditions, I did not know exactly how to do them. I was not accepted in the first programs that I applied to due to that.
We’d love to hear more about your work and what you are currently focused on. What else should we know?
I am proud of what I have achieved as a performer. I have more confidence on stage, I have built a good work ethic, I have learned how to work with others and I am always willing to learn more.
I believe that something that sets me apart of others, not only as a performer but also as a person, is my eagerness of wanting to know more, learn more, experience more. I enjoy learning from others and getting to know different people, cultures, etc. I am also very friendly and that is always a good facet to have!
Has luck played a meaningful role in your life and business?
Good luck has always been by my side. Though everything I have accomplished as a person and as a performer has been because of my effort, luck has always been there too. I believe that my effort, in every aspect of my life, has given me the gift of luck. I believe that the more one works for what one desires, the more gifts life gives us.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sofiabragar/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sofibragar/?ref=bookmarks
- Other: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_qxhHAjecxk3LzCQI444sw
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