Today we’d like to introduce you to Yuli Zorrilla.
Hi Yuli, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
For me, it all started after I graduated college, which at the time, I thought was late. Prior to that, it wasn’t something I expressed interest vocally, but it was always in some hidden part of my body. I remember thinking about my “master plan”, that I would move to California after high school and be this big-time actor. Of course, my parents strongly disagreed; they did not go along with this plan; they were very adamant about me getting a degree, so I did. I graduated College, handed over my diploma, and that’s when it all began. I later enrolled in acting classes and when my classmate asked me to move to California with her, I immediately said YES! Moving from New York to Los Angeles, other than the weather, was not glamorous by any means. I worked part-time jobs to sustain my living while taking acting classes and figuring out how to get all the things a working actor would need; headshots, reel, an agent, a SAG card, the list goes on and on. I would say I got to where I am today by a lot of trial and error. I would try one thing that wouldn’t work, so I’d try something else. Eventually, I realized that it was about consistency, if I woke up every day and did one thing that would move my career forward then I was in a good place. I was able to start building my resume and getting experience under my belt and slowly started laying the groundwork so that casting directors would get to know me and I would be looked at as an actor who could not only show up but deliver.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Oh gosh! It’s been an interesting road; I wouldn’t describe it as smooth. There have been many twists and turns, bumps, dips, and major potholes. Every now and then, when you think you have things figured out, you get knocked off track again. I would say It was a struggle to find my bearings. I didn’t know the city; I didn’t know anyone in the business, so it made it really difficult to know where to start but the biggest struggle was staying positive despite all of it, especially with the rejection. I constantly tell myself that things happen for a reason and despite whatever I’m going through, I try to keep faith and hope that whatever is meant for me will be, even if it’s not in my timing or how I would like it.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
Yes, of course. I’m an actor. I have been acting for about 12 years now. I have done everything from student films to commercials to film and television. It’s been an ever-growing process for me; initially, as an actor you want to be taken very seriously and you want to show your range and how you can play everything. I have let that go a bit. Thankfully, I am in a place in my career where I am having so much fun with the roles I get to play. I get to stretch my wings more now whether it be dabbling with comedy or playing with Shakespeare and really finding myself as a performer through the process. I have learned to be freer in my work, which has taken a huge amount of stress and anxiety off; it allows me to be present vs focusing on the outcome and most importantly, I get to play! I am extremely proud of how far I have come as an artist but also as a person and my goal is to continue to build, grow, and challenge myself both in my work and in my life. Unfortunately, I can’t say the works I’m known for because my union, SAG-AFTRA, is currently on strike but if you look at my IMDB you can get more information on projects I have worked on.
What quality or characteristic do you feel is most important to your success?
This is a difficult question because there isn’t ONE quality that stands out; it’s more of a mix of many. But in this business resilience and, as I said before, consistency are everything. Hearing no, after no, after no can get really debilitating. You begin to question everything from your beliefs to your day-to-day choices. For me, staying on the horse after I’ve been thrown off more times than I can count has been the key to my success thus far. And it’s hard to shake it off and go at it again with the same energy and fearlessness and confidence that you had when you first started, but when pursuing anything that means something to you it’s so important to have that grit. I try to see what I can learn, shift, and go again. I think this is only the beginning for me, in my opinion I have only scratched the surface. There is still so much I want to accomplish, and I have lofty goals and I’m still learning but I continue to stay on my horse, and I continue to show up. In that sense, technically, I have already won half the battle.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm6347323/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0_tt_1_nm_7_q_yuli%2520
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yulidzorrilla/
