Member since 2010
What has been your favorite role?
I love all the characters I have played and always give my all in bringing them to life. However, I loved playing Kathy Longo in the film “She Could Be You.” It was based on a true story and the family was involved in the making of the film, so that made it a more profound experience. Kathy was a loving mother whose daughter was kidnapped and to this day is still looking for her. The scenes in the film were very intense and emotional and I was honoured to be cast to portray this real story of love, loss, agony and bravery this woman endures throughout the film. I also loved playing Gina in the short film “The Choice” I just shot where I was also one of the writers and producers. When you create a character and are part of the process from the beginning, you get a deeper understanding and love for them. Both of these women are strong and fight for what they believe in.
What do you do when you are not performing?
These days I’m spending time writing and exploring more about all aspects of filmmaking behind the camera. Writing characters I am interested in. I’m currently writing my next film “El Hablador,” a dark story of a CIA agent torn between her duty to country and oneself when her world starts to fray on all sides.
What organization / activity are you involved with or passionate about that people would find interesting?
I’m also an educator and work in literacy intervention, assisting children who struggle with reading and writing. I am a firm believer that everyone needs to be given the opportunity to learn how to read as it provides the freedom to gain knowledge and grow in various aspects of life. We should all be lifelong learners!
What Director would you like to work with?
I would love to work with Paul Haggis! While he’s been primarily recognized for his writing, I love his outstanding work as a director especially in the movie “Crash.” I would also love to work with my fellow Italian, the extraordinarily talented Martin Scorsese. His film, “The Departed” remains one of my favourites.
What is your favorite movie and/or TV show?
There are a many amazing shows that I love from Friends to Madmen…but two stand out the most for me: Sons of Anarchy (SOA) and Battlestar Galactica (BSG). SOA is so tragic and well written that I find myself immersed in the characters’ pain, suffering, and struggle to find inner peace, the pull of the ‘biker life’ and consequences they cannot escape. BSG is so poignant. These flawed humans (and cylons), their grief, vulnerability, and quest for survival are backed by rich mythology and religious tones. They are both very dark shows in nature, but at their core, they both manifest the struggles of the human heart, and questions what humans will do to survive. I’m deeply drawn to complex characters who are in conflict with themselves and the world that surrounds them.
As a Performer, what is one thing you wish you would have known sooner?
I wish I had learned earlier to be more confident and surround myself with people with whom you can have open conversations. To have people who believe in you and want to see you succeed, and help you thrive as an artist rather than bring you down. Especially as women in this business, we should elevate each other! Sometimes you’ll make mistakes but that is part of your story, and you should enjoy the journey, and as famed tv writer Joseph Straczynski once said – “Never surrender dreams!”