Today we’d like to introduce you to Katarina Lopez.
Hi Katarina, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
Growing up, I always knew I was going to be a performer. As a kid, music was my life. My earliest memories all consist of my mother singing me to sleep or belting off-key renditions of No Doubt songs on all of our car rides. Music helped heal both my father and I when he returned home from his final years of incarceration and it reunited us in a way that words couldn’t. Music rang all throughout my life. I sang at any moment I deemed appropriate, ranging from church choir performances to my tio’s bathroom in the middle of a crowded Thanksgiving family dinner. I took piano lessons at age 8, taught myself how to play the guitar in high school, and joined a band for a brief moment. I was in the middle of confirming my top college music program choices my sophomore when my plans were changed for the better.
During my sophomore year of high school, I decided to join my school’s academic decathlon team, a decision that I immediately regretted, I quit the team a week before the beginning of my junior year, which left me scrambling to fill in my 6th period. Out of desperation, I joined drama with the intention of dropping the class second semester to train with the swim team instead. I walked into that carpeted classroom with a scuffed stage and immediately felt at home. I was able to express feelings I had repressed for years on that stage. The safe space created by wonderful people lead by our fearless leader, the eclectic but loving Bennett Berkowitz became my home. I earned the supporting role of Norah Muldoon in the play Auntie Mame in my first semester and decided to stay in drama the rest of the school year. I was cast in the leading role of Maria for our spring production of West Side Story and immediately knew that acting was what I was meant to do. I fell in love with storytelling and found myself constantly craving the welcoming community that only theatre and acting could offer. I later received a musical theatre scholarship at California Lutheran University.
It was at California Lutheran University that I truly discovered myself both as an artist and as a person. Growing up in Pacoima and witnessing the harm that incarceration inflicted upon not only my family but the community around me, criminology and criminal justice seemed like the natural fit. But I couldn’t say goodbye to theatre. I continued to perform in mainstage productions, took all of the acting courses provided, and auditioned for any and every theatre production offered. I ultimately decided to pursue both Theatre Arts and Criminology and Criminal Justice, excelling in both throughout my four years of college. I eventually discovered a way to combine both my passions for criminology and theatre arts by utilizing theatre arts as a form of crime prevention and rehabilitation for juvenile offenders and youth in underserved communities. After graduating from California Lutheran University with my BA in Theatre Arts and my BS in Criminology and Criminal Justice in the Spring of 2021, I committed my time to both pursuing acting and obtaining my Master’s degree in criminal justice from USC. I graduated from USC in the Summer of 2022 with a 4.0 GPA and my Masters of Science in Criminal Justice.
I now dedicate my time to acting by auditioning for any project I can, specifically projects created by Latine crews and those that highlight and emphasize the Latino experience. In addition to acting, I am also a teaching artist. I work with various non-profit organizations and schools across the San Fernando Valley to bring theatre arts programs to underserved communities like the one I called home.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
This road has been anything but smooth. There have been a lot of challenges along the way. That’s often the price that comes with taking up spaces not created for me. People often expected less of me when they heard I was from Pacoima or learned that my father was previously incarcerated. I was just a statistic to most. I had to fight to prove my worth. People questioned whether or not I belonged in honors classes, so I took all AP classes in my final two years of high school. My college counselor told me that people “with my background” don’t succeed in private universities. So I got three degrees from two private universities by the age of 23. Even though I got into college, the experience itself did not come without its own set of challenges. I worked two jobs while being a full-time student. I took six classes every semester and spent my nights in the theatre building for rehearsal almost every night. My days started at 6am and ended at 12am. Not only was it physically exhausting, but it was emotionally exhausting as well.
Ever since I was younger, I was conditioned to be as “white” as possible in order to assimilate with the people I went to school with. The further along I went in my educational journey, the more I consumed Euro-centric literature, philosophy, and art. I realized that I knew more about Western cultures than I did about my own culture. I was isolated from my Chicano/Latino heritage. Nothing made me aware of this more than going to a predominantly white institution and stepping into the entertainment industry. I was constantly trying to prove myself and believed that assimilating to Euro-centric culture was the best way to be accepted. If I was “white” enough, then my goals would be recognized for what they were. People wouldn’t believe that I was “smart for a Latina” or “talented for a Chicana” I would just be smart and talented. But I didn’t realize that hiding my identity was exactly what they wanted. I embraced my Chicano heritage. I learned more about my history. And I made it my mission as an artist to tell OUR stories.
Being in the acting industry is still incredibly difficult as a Chicana. The roles made for us are not always by us. Well-written roles made for Latinas are sparce. This industry is uncomfortable with different. We are in the year 2023 and there has yet to be a Latina who has won an Oscar for best leading actress in a feature film. When roles are made for us, they can sometimes make way for microaggressions. When I was in college, my mentor, the amazing Michael J. Arndt, decided to produce the classic show Fuenteovejuna by Lope de Vega as our mainstage production. This show is about a small Spanish village that overthrows a corrupt leader and reclaims their freedom. Before the auditions, I was asked by a classmate how it felt to know that I would have a “guaranteed role” in the production, seeing as I was one of the only Latinas in the department. I was cast in the lead role of Laurencia, not because I was just Latina but because I had the emotional depth, talent, skill, and vulnerability needed to portray this role. But the comment made by my classmate made me doubt myself. A part of me worried that I was only cast because I was Latina, even though I knew that wasn’t the case. That is a challenge that a lot of us Latinos in film know incredibly well. And it is a feeling I hope to get rid of for all of us Chicanos and Latinos in this industry.
This road has been difficult, but I truly believe that I would not be the person I am today without my parents. My dad is my hero. Despite the limitations life placed on him and the hardships he encountered, he never backed down. He changed his life. He took the circumstances life gave him and decided that he wanted more for himself and for his family. He created a better life for himself and always made sure we controlled our own lives. My mom is my biggest inspiration. She gave us unconditional love when we needed it the most and fought for us endlessly. She continued to pursue her dreams despite the obstacles life has thrown at her. Not once have I ever seen her back down from a challenge and despite what she has faced, she continues to love and support everyone in her life to the best of her ability; she is truly a superhero. Both of my parents always reminded my siblings and I that we can do anything we put our minds to, regardless of what others believe. I have achieved everything that I have because my parents supported me in every adventure I embarked on. They are my rocks. My successes are due to their sacrifices. I am the first in my family to go to college and I am also part of the 8% of Latinas in the US to hold a Master’s Degree because of them. All of my the challenges along the way are endurable if it means I can make my parents proud and show them that all of their sacrifices have been worth it.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I specialize in storytelling and human connection. Storytelling is the most basic form of communication. Our ancestors have been telling stories, acting, and passing down folktales for years. That is what I do. Acting is a vessel for connection. When I’m working on a character, I build psychological profiles that also help me connect with my emotions and processing centers. When I am performing, I am connecting with my fellow actors and with the audience present. I always try to make my work as human as possible. Because that’s all acting is. It’s taking the human experience and sharing it with those around us. It’s humanity in its most basic form. As an educator, I always try to bring this philosophy to my students. Theatre can help us find ourselves in ways that other mediums can not. It is an art form that should be taught in every school. I make it my mission to bring this practice to those who need it the most, kids in juvenile detention camps youth in under-resourced neighborhoods, and first-generation kids.
How can people work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
I’m always looking for ways to collaborate in film, television, and theatre! The best way to reach me is through my email or through my profiles on Actors Access and Backstage.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://katarina-lopez.webnode.page/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kanta.lope/
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@katarinalopez5142
- Other: Backstage: https://www.backstage.com/u/katarinalopez/ Actors Access: https://resumes.actorsaccess.com/katarinalopez
Image Credits
Sean Kara Olí Cohen Megan Rackley
