Conversations with Gabriela Amerth

Today we’d like to introduce you to Gabriela Amerth.

Hi Gabriela, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I was a kid of big feelings. My laughter was loud and my tears were heavy. I’ve always felt a little different. I remember watching Barbie as Rapunzel (or in the 12 Dancing Princesses), Harry Potter, Narnia, and wanting so deeply to go into a magical world other than what mine was. I didn’t have a bad childhood.

Both my mother and father worked, we didn’t have a grand life, but it was always comfortable, with a few trips here and there– which, especially in the context of Brazil, says a lot. I grew up in the suburbs of Rio de Janeiro. I think that’s important for you to picture the proper context when I say I’ve always felt a lot. Immersed in my warm culture, I still felt like an outsider. That is, partially, because I’ve always fluctuated in weight. My first nutritionist consultation happened when I was 9, or 10, I can’t recall exactly, but I know my parents were still together, and they divorced when I was 11. The bullying came from in and outside my home, so I desperately wanted for a magical world to exist. That’s where acting came in. During their divorce, I begged my mother to please enroll me in acting classes. Looking back, I know how much that cost her financially, but she prioritized that for me. I think she knew, somehow, that it would save my life. I don’t mean to be dramatic, it really did save my life. I fell into depression really early on, and the stage became the portal to that other world I’ve been desperately seeking. It was the only place where reality didn’t matter. I could travel to a paradisiacal island, explore a jungle, see the gates of heaven, all with my imagination.

Theater was also the first place where I felt like I belonged. Everyone in my class was welcoming, diversity was championed. Kudos to my incredible teacher, Maira Graber, who created the best environment for any kid to thrive. I had the luck to study acting on the stage of a 455-seat theater (Teatro Miguel Falabella) for 5 years, and perform a play a year on that same stage, for a full house. All I’ve ever wanted was to continue to do that forever. I then started to seek local agencies, unsuccessfully. I’ve studied with more professionals, known theater directors and TV casting producers. I got a scholarship at an acting program for professional actors (Casa de Cultura Laura Alvim) in a richer and more cultural area in the city, and performed in a couple of plays there with established names, but nothing seemed to stick.

When it was time for college, because I had 6 years of acting at that point, I decided to take the test to study Filmmaking at a very competitive federal school (UFF). I barely got in, but did it. It was a hike. Living in Engenho de Dentro, I had to take 2 buses and a ferry to get there, and sometimes the trip back would total 3h. The buses were packed and I’d, most likely than not, just stand, glued to another person, sweating, often at peak 106°F. Maybe I’m not resilient enough, but once I heard that a very popular acting conservatory (CAL) had just started a Bachelors program, I progressively quit the first one. I tried to maintain both schedules for 2 semesters, building Filmmaking credits at night, but it eventually got too tiring, especially if you consider how physically demanding an acting Bachelors can be. My mother’s reasoning for enrolling me in a private college was that she didn’t have to pay for my High School, since I got approved in a federal one (Colégio Pedro II). Our finances were volatile, some months were great, some were terrible, and I can now imagine how much pressure was on her shoulders. I didn’t appreciate that enough at the time.

In any case, I graduated as the lead in our final play, performed at Teatro Ipanema. During that period, we had showcases for industry folks, and I’ve exchanged contacts with some, but nothing came of it. I tried to audition for everything I had access to for 6 months. I almost got a few big things, but ultimately, a rejection after the last round of auditions to play my dream role (Mrs. Lovett) was the push I needed to come study abroad. I was always fascinated by different sounds, different languages. I remember sitting in front of my TV to watch Phantom of the Opera with closed captions on to try and memorize the lyrics and intonation. United States TV and film products are very present in latino cultures. I grew up wanting to live here. Referring back to that internal state of otheredness, the US felt like the ultimate fantasy– to have a cold Christmas, see deer and squirrels on the streets… Indeed, a completely different world. So when time came and opportunity presented itself, in the form of an international partnership my school had with NYFA, I worked hospitality jobs, started a crowdfunding, sang on the streets, sold wellness products and finished funding my 6-week winter program in New York. My grandfather is a very simple man. He worked as a tailor his entire life and lived happily with simple things. Him and my grandma always believed in me, truly my biggest fans. I think because both were artists at heart. My grandma sang on the radio when she was younger, before becoming a seamstress, and grandpa still has boxes and boxes of lyrics he wrote. When I asked him if he could help me in any way, he offered to pay for the $3,200 tuition (R$10,000 at the time). The money that came from me and my friends totalled $2,000 (R$6,400), and that’s what I had coming here, November 28 of 2016. I just didn’t know how radical of a decision that was, how my life would never be the same, how I would never be the same. And how, by immigrating, I wasn’t stepping into a fantasy, but choosing to be an outcast.

After that first acting program ended, I realized my English wasn’t the best and I transferred my visa to the cheapest language school I could find in the city. My first 4 years were dedicated to building a life from scratch. I was a nanny for over 3 years, I dog walked, I was a host at restaurants for $11/h, I was a salesperson at holiday fairs, Grand Central market, the Oculus and so on. Every once in a while I would do background work for free in small productions. In 2018, at the peak of my anxiety, I created a micro-short film about what I was currently living. Initially, I just wanted to express myself and create something for social media, so my video had to be 1-minute long. What I didn’t know, and a random ad made sure to show me, was that there are festivals dedicated to micro-shorts. The video had great feedback online, so I submitted it to a few that offered free entry, or charged $10 max. A N X I E T Y ended up winning the grand jury prize at the Zeal Reel Micro Short Film Competition, and it was the first time my art generated any money here: $2,500. I’m eternally grateful for them.

With that prize, I was able to buy a new camera body and lenses package, as well as a gimbal and a used, but better, laptop. Simultaneously pursuing photography and content creation, I was finally able to start auditioning in early 2020. After 70 self-tapes, my first big yes came: I landed a significant role in the indie film Brownsville Bred, which went on to win SXSW 2022 as a pilot. The full feature had a theatrical release at AMC and Regal theaters nationwide this year (2025), and you can watch it now on AppleTV+ and Prime Video. I also landed a small supporting role in Música (2024), an Amazon Studios film directed by Rudy Mancuso, and spent 20 days on set for Succession– as a background actor, but wow, was it important for me to feel belonging in this industry. I am now in the process of finding US representation, which has been the toughest challenge so far. But I am so proud of what I have accomplished. Life as an actor is a rollercoaster, a journey full of doubts, uncertainty and rejection, but I no longer feel othered.

These 9 years taught me that no matter the place– here, in Brazil or anywhere in the world, I am a human of big feelings, my laughter is loud and my tears are heavy, but not because I’m a little different, because I am an artist. And I think that’s a gift.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
To summarize the answer above: I think the biggest challenge of the immigrant artist life choice is to balance your dreams and bills. We spend so much money trying to improve ourselves, be seen, stay up to date with our craft, look, etc. I believe that juggling time, finances, and a steady (but flexible) job, is the biggest challenge for all of us.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I’m a character actress, a singer, I write poetry, songs, and I love to dance. In acting, I love transforming. I’m proud of my voice work, I love physical theater, I think down to finger movements. Give me the complex characters and I’ll thrive. And if you read my story so far, you know I love tuning out from the real world. Being present, in the moment, is truly my favorite place to be. When I’m on set or on stage, nothing else matters.

While I have a long list of directors, writers, actors and actresses I’d love to work with, my ultimate dreams are to be part of a fantasy franchise, of a sitcom, to play a really great villain, and be in the cast of a Shakespeare play at The Globe. And I’d love to move people in the process. To ease a pain by making them dive into it, or distracting them from it, is the dream. I’ve leaned towards drama for most of my life, but I really enjoy comedy, and have been seeking it more lately. Laughter is so valuable in moments of crisis.

I think what, hopefully, sets me apart, is that I’m a fast learner and I live for a challenge, I love new things. With the proper guidance, I can learn instruments with easy, languages, accents, sports… I love this profession because it allows you to live many lives in one.

As a person, I like to think I know the value of life, and the value of people. My mantra is “nobody here matters, and everybody does.” That is to say, life is so much bigger than us as individuals, but we all hold a precious universe of feelings inside. Hopefully that makes sense to you.

Alright so before we go can you talk to us a bit about how people can work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
You can watch Brownsville Bred on AppleTV+ and Prime Video, directed by Elaine Del Valle. I play Titi Elizabeth.

If you’re a talent manager or agent, you can contact me via [email protected]

If you just want to follow along and support the journey, you can follow me on social media @amerthgabriela

THANK YOU, obrigada!

Contact Info:

• Website: http;//amerth.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amerthgabriela/?hl=en

Image Credits
Caiano Midam for all photos except red carpets and headshot with golden earrings

Patricia Colmenero for red carpet photo with Black dress.