Rising Stars: Meet Jade Santana

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jade Santana.

Hi Jade, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today.
I can firmly say that my journey has been quite a ride. I first moved to LA from Brazil in 2016 after I realized that Architecture wasn’t doing it for me. I quit my job, decided to give acting a fair try, and started my studies at The American Academy Of Dramatic Arts. It changed me as a person, I was finally where I wanted to be, doing what I love and good at it. I did some awesome work after graduating, including an ad for The United Nations and a play that earned the whole cast awards and nominations.

At the end of 2019, my visa expired and I was able to gather enough material to apply for my next one. I went back home to go through the whole process and suddenly COVID hit. I was stuck in Brazil. I lost my apartment, I lost my job, I lost the future projects I was going to be in. What was meant to be a 3 months wait for a visa renewal, ended up being two very, very long years? The pandemic did a number on me.

As we all know, acting was one of the businesses that stopped during that time, so it’s not like I could find myself a job back home in the area. My visa ended up getting approved, but I could not get the stamp on my passport to fly back because of the travel ban. Here’s a little detail, though: those things didn’t matter, my clock started ticking anyway and my visa period started even though I couldn’t even get my hands on it.

We all know that acting is a very long road, there’s no such thing as becoming a star or a successful actor overnight. You hear people’s stories and it takes them about 10 years to get somewhere. When you’re given only three to prove yourself, it is already overwhelming, but when you see that short time already running and you simply cannot make any use of it after all the investment and effort, and hard work, it’s a slap on your face.

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?
Not. Those two years were filled with anxiety. I didn’t know what to do with myself… The waiting, the hope that the borders would open, not being able to act even back home, knowing that you’re disappointing people around you who decided to dive into this madness with you… The funny thing is, even though I was surrounded by doubt and uncertainty, I never for a second considered giving up Acting.

So I took one day at a time, one battle. I was finally able to come back beginning of this year, with basically one year and a half left on my visa. But I can’t change that or my circumstances. It happened and it was not my fault. I owe it to myself to make the most of it. And I am. I am immensely proud of all that I was able to accomplish in my little time back in LA.

In six months I was able to update my whole resume! Two commercials, two voice-overs, two shorts (Courage and The Stitch), two features (Lady Parts and I Watched You Become Death), a weekly sketch show (This Week at Open Fist Theatre Company) and I am two weeks away from opening Lend Me A Tenor by Ken Ludwig at The International City Theatre. I mean, I need to give myself credit when credit is due too!

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
So far, I believe that one of my proudest moments was when I was nominated for the Broadway World Regional Awards for Best Featured Actress. It just felt really good and it was proof that I am going in the right direction. But I am also really proud of all my future work that will be coming out soon, too!

I feel like I was fortunate to act in really awesome projects that tell stories that should be talked about. And what sets me apart from others? Honestly, I think that the knowledge that this is what I want without a doubt gives me the drive, hunger, and focus that is needed in this career. There’s a huge difference between the actor I was before the pandemic and the actor I am now. Having it taken away from you, even if temporarily, is hard, but it made me go back to it with a different force and approach.

Talent is nothing without hard work. Being given only a limited time to make it work also lights a fire under you that makes a huge difference. You’re on a clock, you know? You can’t stop, you have to keep going even when you feel like you can’t anymore. You push yourself in ways that others don’t have to worry about. It ends up taking you places.

What was your favorite childhood memory?
Family trips. It’s a collection of all of them. My whole family having fun in a big house by the beach, all my cousins, my uncles, my grandma… Everyone is just happy. Drinks, cards, music, dinner, laughs, togetherness. I miss those trips.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.jadesantana.org/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jadesantanacortes/

Image Credits
Bison Heard, Melanie Ojwang, Celso Junior, and Carlos Rosas