Today we’d like to introduce you to Sandra De Sousa.
Hi Sandra, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I’ve been very passionate about art and acting since I was around five years old. I’d convince my cousins to help me put on little plays and sing songs for our parents. They were surprisingly encouraging despite our ropy performances! I grew up in South and West London in the UK, with Portuguese parents, so it was definitely a very lively household due to some of that fun and fiery European temperament. This definitely helped me with passion and drama in my work! I took drama classes at the Actor’s Studio in London and also trained as a Fine Artist at the prestigious Slade School of Fine Art, where I performed in shows at the Bloomsbury Theatre, Theatre Studio, and met the director Christopher Nolan who I interviewed for Film Society fully clothed in an empty bathtub! I also performed in shows at the Battersea Arts Centre, Hackney Empire Theatre, and Edinburgh Festival in Scotland, where I shot my first feature film. My acting training was completed at a number of highly respected schools including the Central School of Speech and Drama, The Actor’s Temple, and The Poor School.
But It wasn’t until I, by complete chance, entered an International Acting Competition (created by Johnson and Johnson) with Casting Director Jeremy Zimmerman, called the “International Stopping Power” competition that I was fortunate enough to win the British finalist category and meet the renowned acting coach Bernard Hiller who changed the trajectory of my life! I trained and worked with him as a teacher and organizer and he encouraged me to come to Los Angeles to expand my acting career and hone my talent. So over 11 years ago, that’s exactly what I did and have never looked back. I absolutely love Los Angeles, the weather (you probably know that It’s grey and rains a lot in the UK), the amazing opportunities, positivity, and genuine encouragement I’ve received out here. We have a wonderful community of artists through the Bernard Hiller Studio where are I am based and I’m so grateful to be part of our student’s growth and be able to create the passion projects that move me emotionally and spiritually. I’ve learned that uplifting and imaginative stories have the capacity to empower and change lives and that’s really what true artistry and giving back to others is all about.
I’ve been very blessed to work successfully as an actress and creator, being paid to do what I love is really an artist’s dream.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Oh my goodness no! Leaving my beloved family, friends, and my boyfriend at the time to pursue my goals was definitely hard at the beginning and the industry certainly has its fair share of challenges. Of course, I expected this because it’s very competitive and there are definitely fewer roles for women who are older than 25! There were also a lot of cultural differences and work practices from the UK that I needed to get used to and unfortunately, there are rather frustrating restrictions on my US Work Visa, which lost me a few high-level jobs. However, this just made me more determined to succeed and stay the course. I really believe that these difficulties are a test to really see how serious you are about fulfilling your dreams and using your God-given gifts. Overcoming obstacles along the way is an essential part of our growth and undeniably character and confidence building! If it’s all too easy, then you also don’t really appreciate or value what you’ve achieved. Having said that, sometimes it’s a very welcome relief to have something come along for you which you don’t have to bust your gut to achieve. Lol. It’s still thrilling to be offered an acting role or voiceover job, which you didn’t have to audition for.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I’m an actress, voiceover artist, writer, director, and acting/life coach, so my work takes many forms, and this varied experience and my training are, I believe, what really sets me apart. And I’ve been incredibly fortuitous to have worked on some brilliant roles with incredible actors and directors. I had the supporting female lead role alongside Edward Burns, Ving Rhames, and Shane West on the Feature Film “Echelon Conspiracy.” And was directed and worked opposite actor/director Kevin McKidd and James Pickens Jr, on the spinoff to “Grey’s Anatomy” called “Seattle Grace: Message of Hope.” I had lead roles in European production “Intruder” as an enchanting but deadly extra-terrestrial being and roles in the award-winning psychological drama “Modern American Nightmare” and TV Mini-Series “To the Bitter End: Behind Closed Doors”, which were both written, produced, directed and starred in by the multi-talented actor Robert Michael. Both are showcasing on Amazon Prime UK and will be on Amazon US at a later date. Other critical roles followed in the feature film “Happiness” with Darrin Dewitt Henson, which was selected to open the Pan African Film Festival, “The Untold Story” playing a compassionate police officer opposite Barry Van Dyke, Nia Peeples, and Jordan Ladd, directed by the brilliant Shane Stanley, International co-production “Interlocked,” as the charming Southern American Doctor who reveals the latest on the global pandemic, aspiring British musician in the true-crime story “6.38: The Death of Ronni Chasen” about the mysterious murder of the respected Hollywood publicist and the hilarious and very kooky love matchmaker in the TV Series “Girl Chill” also written, produced and directed by Robert Michael.
I also had the pleasure of being invited to walk the red carpet with my acting mentor Bernard Hiller and attend the 92nd Academy Awards Oscar Ceremony at the Dolby Theater in 2020, including the very prestigious Governors Ball. What an amazing honor and thrill that was!
However, I’m particularly delighted about my most recent production, the comedy TV Series “SuperZeroes” (set in the 1970s) in which I star as the mysterious, ‘tea drinking’ British therapist ‘Dr. Petunia Pepper.’ Not only is a woman in the title role, but I was also the Executive and Line producer on the show, and the script was written and directed by another talented female, Emilia Lindgren (originally from Sweden), she recently won a Sci-Fi Gold award from Indiedance Film Festival for her first short film “DL54-079.“ We also cast another culturally diverse and strong female actress in the supporting role of ‘Pheromona’ played by Marilyn Camacho from Puerto Rican and Afro-Indigenous roots. The plot revolves around the curious and very classy English psychiatrist Dr. Pepper and the three ‘average’ Superheroes who seek therapy from her for their very unusual and challenging superpowers, which turn out to be a very risky business indeed. We recently wrapped on Season 1, Episodes 1 to 6 and we plan for it to be released by the end of this year or the beginning of next, but we are already scheduling a shoot date for Season 2 which is very exciting!
Since then I’ve been booked to play the lead in a romantic sci-fi feature “Something Beautiful” and in the Musical Drama, ‘Redemption Song” for Shire Productions and I’m shooting three other female-led productions, the TV action series “The Cypher” about two Russian CIA operatives, the comedy TV series “Two Cooks in the Mix,” and the TV movie “Gals Night In.” So, feeling very grateful to continue riding this exhilarating wave!
Where we are in life is often partly because of others. Who/what else deserves credit for how your story turned out?
All of my beloved friends and family, which are too many to name. However, I would particularly like to thank my inspirational mentor and dear friend, Bernard Hiller, the wonderful casting director, April Webster, my agent Lisandra Pinuelas (2020 Talent and Lit), the brilliant director Shane Stanley, and Robert Michael for the amazing opportunities.
My earliest inspirations, Tennessee Williams, Anton Chekhov, Sam Shepard, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Kate Bush, and River Phoenix and most importantly my creator, God for setting me on this remarkable path.
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: https://sandra-de-sousa.wixsite.com/mysite
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SandraDeSousaActor
- Other: https://www.imdb.me/SandraDeSousa
Image Credits:
1) Sandra as Adrasteia on “Intruder” Poster.
2) Sandra as Mallory in “Girl Chill.”
3) Sandra on set for “SuperZeroes” with writer/director Emilia Lindgren
4) Amazon poster for “To the Bitter End: Behind Closed Doors.”
5) Sandra as Officer Smith on location with the cast of “The Untold Story.”
6) Sandra as “Dr. Petunia Pepper on “SuperZeroes” Poster.
7) Sandra as Dr. Petunia Pepper on set for “SuperZeroes” with production manager Jahmela Dubuc.
8) Sandra on the Oscars Red Carpet 2020.
