Today we’d like to introduce you to Siena Solinda.
Hi Siena, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I was born and raised in Orange County, CA. I was rather sporty growing up with glimmers of performing artistry in the mix. I’d drop-in to the occasional dance class or randomly attend a theater camp, but my focus didn’t fully shift to performing until my sophomore year in high school. At that time, my drama teacher recognized how much I enjoyed his class and asked me to join his “varsity” class. I was honored but if I accepted, it meant I would have to drop sports. It was a tough choice. The tipping point for me was realizing that if I attended University, I’d want to major in theater, not volleyball. I made the right decision!
After High School, I attended San Diego State University where I earned my Bachelor’s in Theatre performance. After college, I moved home to save money and was mainly modeling. When the pandemic hit was such a confusing time and I began questioning if I still desired an acting career. I met with a childhood friend who had also been living in LA and suggested that I join Mark McPherson’s class Studio 24Seven on zoom not only for additional training but also to help build a good community of actors to help guide me. Within a few months of enrolling, I was inspired to move to Los Angeles.
Once I was in Los Angeles, I decided to give film, television, even modeling a try. I had only done a few shorts in college and a couple of print ads, so I was still very green. I’ve now lived in LA for 2 1/2 years and I absolutely love it. I have modeled for brands such as HOKA, Corona, and Michelob Ultra. I’ve done countless music videos for bands such as Mayday Parade (which younger Siena would not BELIEVE), Thousand Below, Doja Cat, and G Flip. I just wrapped on my second horror feature film and have found my true appreciation for the horror genre. I have met incredibly talented, driven, compassionate people in LA and in my Studio 24Seven community who inspire and support me. This community has helped me truly discover my love of acting and the arts.
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?
In my opinion, pursuing a sustainable career in the arts can be very challenging. We are constantly faced with rejection, which breeds a lot of self-doubt and many mental highs and lows. To compound this wave of emotions, I suffer from anxiety, so I also fight an additional layer of turmoil from my perfectionist inner voice. I often fight the tendency to believe I am not good enough. Pursuing this career path has not been easy, and it has taken a lot of self-reflection and inner healing to keep moving forward. Acting in Los Angeles provides a constant reminder that giving 110% is worth it because of that 10% pay off. That 10% can be our agent informing us of an offer, or sitting in the makeup chair reading lines, or standing at your 1 with your heart racing, waiting for your director to say action. Those moments are a constant reminder why we as actors and artists should keep going. Why? Because that 10% feels so damn good.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I am drawn toward drama and horror. I’m probably most known for my ability to cry and scream in scenes. I don’t flinch when it comes to looking disheveled or scary when it’s for storytelling. There’s a movie called “Like Water For Chocolate” directed by Alfonso Arau where the lead girl Tita, feels her emotions so powerfully, that they begin to show in fantastical ways through her cooking. Whoever eats her cooking then begins to feel how she felt. That is how I want to portray my emotions while acting. I’m most proud of how I can take a role, a line, or a scene and turn it into something so real that the audience feels it with me. My goal is to make it real and make it mine.
Is there any advice you’d like to share with our readers who might just be starting out?
Give it time. Take time to understand who you are as a person, as an artist, and as a business. Be clear on what you want to do and what you stand for as an actor and build your foundation off these principles.
I consider myself new to the industry, yet I’ve already had some amazing wins. Overall, I am very proud of how far I’ve come, even knowing I still have so much to learn. Things do not happen overnight; be patient with yourself. Find solace in knowing that everyone experiences strings of losses and that it is common to reexamine your path, but I encourage you to stay focused and to continue moving ahead. The lows are not permanent and make the high moments ever more beautiful.
Contact Info:
- Website: http://www.sienasolinda.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/siena_solinda/
Image Credits
Emerson Niemchick Constantine Photography Alex Bemis Bram Jay Cassie Fuertez
