Check Out Sophie Steele’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Sophie Steele.

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
Originally from southwest Virginia, I’ll always be a lover of small town things, outdoor activities, and green bean casserole. I actually went to school for criminal justice/criminal psychology in hopes of being a secret agent super cool spy girl. In the midst of going through the hoops and background checks to work for the government, covid happened and like the rest of the world – I actually had some time to self-reflect. I had that beautiful *quarter life crisis* moment of like what am I doing and what is life and happiness. Full 180 haha and I said actually I don’t want the security, money, and status – I’m gonna go be happy. I am the least financially secure I’ve ever been in my life with absolutely no ‘career’ but I’m the happiest I’ve ever been. While I wish sometimes I was a child actor, I’m thankful for that whole little ‘precursor’ if you will, as I feel like this gave me a unique outlook.
Since coming to LA, I’ve been fortunate to find a community I love to create things with. We just had a short film go through the rounds at LA Shorts International and just wrapped shooting a pilot. I’m looking to film a short the first week of October where I’m VERY excited for the fits I’ll be wearing for it: look out.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Is an artist’s road ever smooth ?
there’s the constant pang of missing. I miss my family. I miss Virginia. I miss the fall. the slow goings. small town living. I’ve finally started to feel like LA is home, but I think my heart will always be a little split.

I knew very little about anything upon moving out here (do not recommend haha) but I expected to be told ‘no’ a lot. What I didn’t expect was not getting the opportunity to even be told no. That’s a struggle where you can at least tell yourself you tried but not getting to try suckssssss.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
Whenever my parents ask ‘how’s it going out there?’ I tell them I’m just out here live laugh loving. My ‘specialty’ I’d would say is creating. If I can contribute in the tiniest way to the world’s collection of art and beauty, I’ll consider my life a success.

I’m honestly most proud of my community and team of creatives. When things get tough – I can look to these like-minded people who also are driven just for the love of creating and I feel motivated and encouraged again.

Upon moving out here, I had to start from scratch of knowing nothing about the industry. (once again, I do not recommend haha) I also learned that I can write and I’m good at it. I’m proud of how much I’ve learned and how far I’ve come as well as developing this skill I didn’t know I had.

Something most recently is this summer I got to be Babe in Crimes of the Heart by Beth Henley. This was reaffirming in how ‘right’ it felt. I learned so much about myself as an actor and remembering thinking again, “yeah, this is what I want to do forever.” (I need to be reminded of that sometimes when I’m crashing out)

Is there something surprising that you feel even people who know you might not know about?
Probably my background in the government and all the knowledge and skills that afforded me. Also the fact that I was raised adjacent to an amish community so grew up very homegrown, very simplistic. There was a summer I learned how to make chapstick and deodorant.
Also I just started a podcast with by lifelong best friend called Soph and Ans Chit the Chat!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://pro.imdb.com/name/nm14618597?ref_=nm_nv_usr_profile
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sophiesteele__/
• Other: https://open.spotify.com/show/7yPNwQQAHavanNxGQbZ1Av?si=69ae22d8e47b44b0

Image Credits
the Clean Slate shot was taken by Grant Terzakis
knife photo was taken by Janelle Sumera
the one where I’m on the road with the purple scarf was taken by Liam Steifel