We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Bledar Gashi a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Bledar, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Can you open up about a risk you’ve taken – what it was like taking that risk, why you took the risk and how it turned out?
Leaving everything I knew in Belgium behind to pursue an uncertain future in California was the biggest risk I’ve ever taken. I am Albanian, born and raised in a small town near the coast of Belgium, and I came to California when I was 20 years old to play college tennis.
I was on a path to become a professional tennis player and worked hard every day with that goal in mind, but during my last years of high school, something started to shift. I made a short video for a school assignment with some friends, and I ended up loving the process—producing, filming, editing. That project lit a spark in me, and I think that’s when my passion for film first began to grow.
After graduating from high school, I took a year off to focus on going pro in tennis. During that time, my tennis coach, Cesar, gave me homework to work on my mental toughness. He told me to watch movies like Whiplash, Rush, Any Given Sunday, Rocky, Coach Carter, and The Last Samurai. Films that showed what it takes to be a champion. While those movies did motivate me, they also had an unexpected effect: I became more interested in storytelling than in sharpening my mindset for tennis. That’s when I started to question whether tennis was still the right path for me.
Deciding to move toward the arts was exciting but also a little scary—especially coming from a traditional immigrant family where creative careers aren’t usually seen as the “safe” choice. I felt burned out and less motivated to go pro, and during Covid I had a lot of time to reflect and plan. I started researching how to study in California while still playing tennis. It’s common for European athletes to come to the U.S. for college sports, so I reached out to some agents and eventually signed a contract to play tennis and study Theater at Ventura College.
The move wasn’t easy. As an international student, I wasn’t allowed to work, so I’ve always had to rely on financial support from my parents. That’s been one of the hardest parts—managing money while also being away from family and friends. I came here alone, not knowing anyone, and it was tough in the beginning, but being part of the college tennis team helped me build strong friendships, and I had two of the best years of my life there. I trained hard as an actor and fulfilled my responsibilities as a student-athlete. I then transferred to California State University Long Beach, where I’ll be graduating this May with a Bachelor of Arts in Theater.
As I prepare to step into the professional world and build a career in film, I’m incredibly grateful I took that risk. These past four years have helped me grow in ways I never imagined and taught me valuable lessons about life that I could have never learned back home.. I’ve grown so much, made amazing friends, and found my true passion. I’m excited for what’s next, and I have no regrets.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.
I’m a professional actor based in California, about to complete my Bachelor of Arts in Theater at California State University Long Beach. My journey into acting wasn’t a straight line—it started through my years as a dedicated tennis player aiming for a professional career, but along the way, I discovered a deeper passion for storytelling and the human experience, which ultimately led me to the world of acting.
As an actor, I’m passionate about dramatic work and exploring the emotional truth behind every character. I’m drawn to stories that dive deep into human experiences, the struggles, the joy, the pain, and I always aim to approach my roles with honesty and vulnerability. My own life experiences, for example, leaving home at a young age, facing uncertainty, and starting over in a new country have helped me connect more deeply with those emotions and bring them to my work. Whether it’s for film, television, or theater, I want my performances to leave people feeling something real and meaningful.
What sets me apart is the life experience I bring to my work. Coming from a small town in Belgium, growing up in a traditional immigrant household, and taking the risk to start over alone on the other side of the world has taught me so much about life. These experiences have given me a deep understanding of sacrifice, ambition, and resilience, which are all qualities I carry into my craft.
I’m most proud of the growth I’ve achieved, both personally and professionally, over the past few years. From navigating the challenges of being an international student to building a new life and pursuing my dreams, I’ve learned that everything in life can be achieved with hard work, humility, dedication, and being nice to everyone.
As I continue to build my career, I want future collaborators and audiences to know that I bring dedication, humility, discipline, and heart to everything I do. I’m excited for the opportunities ahead and look forward to telling stories!
How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?
The biggest pivot in my life so far was when I shifted my focus from becoming a professional tennis player to following my passion for acting. Growing up, I was obsessed with playing tennis. I was convinced that this was the right path for me, and becoming a professional tennis player was my destiny. However, towards the end of high school, I started feeling a little unsure about my destiny. I started feeling burned out and less motivated to keep pushing toward that path. At the same time, I discovered a real passion for storytelling through a simple school project, and that passion kept growing stronger.
Even though it was scary to walk away from something I had dedicated years of my life to, I knew I had to follow what truly inspired me. That’s when I made the decision to study in California, combining my remaining years of playing college tennis with studying Theater. It was a major life change, filled with uncertainty, but it allowed me to rediscover myself, explore my creativity, and work toward building the career I really want. Looking back, that pivot was the turning point that set me on the path I’m on today.
Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?
Resilience is one of the qualities I’m most grateful to have developed. During my teenage years, I was fully committed to becoming a professional tennis player. I trained every single day for hours, but tennis is an expensive sport. Lessons, gear, tournament fees, and travel costs add up quickly. My parents were regular working-class people and couldn’t afford to fully support this lifestyle, so at just 15 years old, I started teaching tennis to help pay for my own training.
In the beginning, I balanced school with a few hours of coaching each week, but after I graduated high school, it became a full-time routine. I would spend the entire day on the tennis court, teaching for four to five hours and then practicing for another four or five. From 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., most days of the week.
It wasn’t easy. I remember coming home completely exhausted, with barely any energy left. But at the time, it all felt worth it because I believed so strongly in my goals. Looking back now, I realize how much that period shaped me. It taught me discipline, hard work, and the ability to keep going even when things get tough. Qualities that I now carry with me into my acting career and everything I do in life.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://bledargashi.carrd.co/
- Instagram: bledargashi0708
