Today we’d like to introduce you to Sandisiwe Simka.
Hi Sandisiwe, so excited to have you on the platform. So, before we get into questions about your work life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today.
My story started in South Africa. I had just graduated from high school during the peak of Covid. I was at a crossroads in my life at that time. I knew I had a passion for acting, but I wasn’t sure if I should pursue it or instead pursue a more stable career. Surprisingly it was my mother who pushed me to apply to a film school in Los Angeles. So, I took a gap year to work and me, and my mother saved up as much as we could for my move. And then April 2022, I did it! I made the big move to LA; it was so exciting yet so scary at the same time. I had moved across the world on my own. And now, two years later, I have been able to build myself a beautiful life here and have started building a fruitful career in acting.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
It has definitely not been a smooth road for me. Along the way, I’ve struggled with a lot of financial issues, which only ignited a lot of emotional and mental issues as well. And as I try to work through that, I graduated from my from my film school and applied for an OPT on my student visa, which would allow me to work in my field of study for a year here in the US. But just as I started my OPT year, the writer and Actor strikes happened. But I have come to realize that that was a major setback for me to realize that needed to happen. The industry needed to change, and I knew that. Would that change happening right now delay my career a bit? Yes, but it’s for the betterment of my career and the career of every filmmaker. So, I tried to make the best out of my situation and work.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I am an actor with a deep love of the genre of drama. I know that I thrive the most in dramatic acting, but I would love to 1 day have the opportunity to explore more comedic roles and maybe even explore horrors and thrillers. This year I’m very excited about finally being able to see a few of the films that I’ve been in coming out. Namely “Trigger,” directed by R.P. Patnaik (which recently qualified for Oscars 2024), and “Strong Black Woman” by Shania Kelly, to name a few.
Before we let you go, we’ve got to ask if you have any advice for those who are just starting out.
I myself I’m just starting out, but I can tell you what I’ve learnt so far. I would say never take rejection as a failure because we are one door closes, another one opens. And also, I would say as an actor, consistency is definitely keen, tried to be very consistent in everything you do.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://m.imdb.com/name/nm14404718/?ref_=ext_shr_lnk
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sandisiweeee?igsh=YzVkODRmOTdmMw%3D%3D&utm_source=qr
- Youtube: https://youtu.be/NJtJfaP5pmA?si=QMNTZ6Ae6pYVB-AP
