Today we’d like to introduce you to Viandka Carrillo.
Hi Viandka, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
Well, it’s been a journey! I come from a small city in Colombia called Cúcuta, I grew up surrounded by very artistic people, one of them being my abuelo Alonso Cerón, who was an insanely talented painter. I started singing and painting from a very young age, but it was until I was 16 that I started acting and I fell in love with it. I used to hold so many feelings inside, acting was the perfect way to let it all out in such a beautiful way. Luckily I have very supportive parents, they’re the reason I was able to move to Los Angeles all by myself and do my BFA in Acting for Film at the New York Film Academy. I’m so grateful for the supportive system I have! Since then I’ve been here, in Los Angeles, such an inspiring place full of dreamers and I’m proud to say I’m one of them!
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Oh no, there’s been a few bumps and a lot of lessons to learn along the road. The first one was being away from home and having no one here, it’s tough sometimes. Gladly, I would say I’ve found my little family here but it did take a while! I also chose a very competitive career in a very competitive city, it takes a lot of strength to accept rejection and not giving up. I never expected it to go smoothly but sometimes it is a bit overwhelming. I try to keep a positive mindset, trust the process and at the end of the day, I am doing what makes me the happiest, I believe in my potential and it’s encouraging to have the support of my family and friends! I’m always grateful for being here and open to learning through complications and growing as a person.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I’m an actress! It’s a career that I’d say requires a lot of vulnerability, self-knowledge, empathy, courage and an open mind. I’ve learned so much from every character I’ve done, each one is such a different experience. I always thought I would be great doing comedy but turns out I can be very dramatic! I consider myself to be very empathetic, I feel deeply, which goes hand in hand with acting. I’m able to understand my characters, the reasons they are who they are, where do their decisions come from; acknowledging those things helps me to naturally step into my character. I’m also very artistic in general, I love expressing myself with dance, music, singing, painting, writing… It’s so exciting to know that all those things together can create such beautiful things, I love the creative world, I’m proud to feel part of it and knowing that I can contribute my little grain of sand.
What was your favorite childhood memory?
One of my favorite childhood memories, that funnily I was telling a friend about just a few days ago, is with one of my younger brothers, Daniel. We used to live in a house that was surrounded by a hill, you could climb it and get on the ceiling of the house. Whenever our mom was mad at us, we would quickly run outside and climb the hill so she wouldn’t ground us, clearly not the smartest technique. It’s a memory that always makes me laugh!
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/viandkaa/
Image Credits
Forrest Leo (1 and 6)
