Conversations with Sandra Beatrice

Today we’d like to introduce you to Sandra Beatrice.

Sandra, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
My Story. I could not imagine myself doing anything other than entertain people for as long as I can remember. However, after the age of six, I noticed that on stage performances had, all of a sudden, made me very nervous. This hadn’t been the case prior. As I got older, I noticed it continued to affect me. I was unable to recite or rehearse anything on a stage, sometimes even in front of my own class. I would freeze. I recall my last shot at this. I was seventeen years old. I drove myself to a casting office in Burbank, CA and I failed! Miserably. It was that moment when I realized that I needed to figure out what to do with my life because this clearly was not going to happen for me.

After high school, I went to school to pursue a career in health care. It was very fulfilling and led to continuing my education again. However, just like so many others, during that last month of schooling, I came to the realization that the degree I had been working on earning is in a field that I do not want to be in anymore. This feeling started to eat away at me. I felt restless and ready for a massive change in my life. I was at a point where my own fears were becoming a frustration. I remember thinking to myself that I am too old to let my own self stand in my own way of doing anything I’d want to do and live my life to its full potential.

Shortly after this realization in 2019, I am on a plane ride home from New York to California where I met a new friend who talked to me about her friends that worked in the entertainment industry. We talked the entire plane ride back home and exchanged information so we can keep in touch and so that she can invite me to upcoming events. I truly thought nothing much of it other than a fun socializing opportunity. The first event I could go to was days away from my birthday and I met so many amazing people. In the casual chit-chat, I was asked why I haven’t pursued anything in entertainment and I replied with my stage fright challenge. I was then advised to try things in comedy. This led to my start in improv comedy with Kent Skov at LA Connection Comedy Theatre which I was a part of for about 6 months or so. This helped so much so that I came to another realization. I was ready to take the next step. I started looking for acting classes and right at the end of 2020, alongside a “great conjunction” of two beautiful planets in our sky (I’ll explain more as we continue), I had the pleasure of virtually meeting my acting coach Mark Tillman-Briggle through Green Room Acting Studio which is based out of Florida. I have been studying under Mark since then.

I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
The biggest hurdle I faced was definitely the stage fright. Although I have come so far with that obstacle, I still do find myself getting nervous. However, I use it in my work now and it has become a bit of a thrill. I would hate to become numb to my work where I would not feel nervous or anxious ever again. My first year as an actor was actually amazing! I learned so many things very quickly and made so many wonderful connections right away. Headshots, a guest role on a TV series, lead in a music video, small parts in short films; these wonderful things all happened for me within my first 7 months of being an actor (hmm maybe that sky thing I mentioned earlier?). Since that amazing first year, I have continued to submit myself for auditions, audition, stay active with my study, performed in a showcase and helped produce and lead in a short film that I am very excited for. But the reality is that it can get quiet and it may seem like not much is happening. That really awesome start made things a bit tricky because it set a high expectation. I know, for so many artists/ creatives, these downtimes can weigh heavy and make you question everything, but I have learned to enjoy these times and use the time to review and revise myself and my craft.

A mind trick that helps me stay focused on the joy of this journey is I imagine things working behind the scenes. Maybe I can’t see anything in front of me happening (a booking, etc.), but there are things happening behind the scenes making things work out some way or another. Very much like this interview here. I did not see this coming and was ecstatic when I received the news of being featured here for you all on Vogue LA!

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
As an actor, I help make imagination a reality. Some of the things that help me in my work are my life experiences, my adaptability and versatility and my imagination for all that I have not experienced. There are many things I can touch on with life experiences, but my favorite one is that I am a mom to two young boys. They are my biggest supporters and love being a part of this journey with me.

I get asked what my favorite genre to play in is, but I can never pick one. I know I started in comedy and people who know me personally see me as a comedic person. However, when it comes to acting, I do love all genres. I love playing in a space that allows me to be happy, then angry, sad, excited, annoyed, confident then timid. The fun comes in playing these emotions as truthfully as possible all while creating a person (or character) that is me, yet outside of me at the same time. This art is truly a dance between realms that then makes them all realities at once.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.flowcode.com/page/sandrabeatrice
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/sandrabeatrice333?igshid=ZDdkNTZiNTM=

Image Credits
Professional Headshot Photo taken by Dash Kolos