We were lucky to catch up with Sara Oliva recently and have shared our conversation below.

Sara, 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?

Right after graduating college, I moved to Chicago. I had no job, I didn’t know anyone, I went alone. But I wanted to be where the best actors were, the best companies; that’s where they were, so that’s where I went. I trained and performed and absorbed as much as possible. After a few years there, I decided to attend grad school. It felt like a risk to leave – I was breaking up a momentum, the connections I had made, leaving behind friends and relationships I cultivated over the years. But I knew there was so much more I had to learn. So I moved to Boston and got an MFA in Acting. After three years in Boston, I moved to New York. Raising a baby while trying to work as an actor was very challenging. It was just her and I, mostly. I was lucky I had friends that were there to help and directors who let me bring her to rehearsal, but it was hard. The most overflowing with love, happiest, and difficult time. I do what feels right in my gut, my heart, and worry about consequences later. I know that can seem reckless, but sometimes you need to be a bit feral in your decision making and really embrace the “this is what I want, this is what I love”, and leave it at that. Sitting too hard on choices is a great way to suffocate the magic and opportunity that lives inside of them. I think the universe follows your lead, and ultimately, it wants what you want. I didn’t have an exact direction, but I wasn’t directionless. Ending relationships, industry related, even friendships because of damaging behavior- it can feel like a risk to cut those people out, but it’s not- that’s self-preservation of your sacred spirit. You are too vital, so act accordingly. My favorite quote is “A ship in harbor is safe, but that’s not what ships were built for.” I take that to heart. As actors, risks are a part of our livelihood, our lifeblood. If we aren’t taking risks, are we really doing our job?

“Lioness”, a short film I produced, wrote and acted in, felt like a risk. It was partially inspired when I volunteered at a safehouse. It was crucial to celebrate and honor these colossal lionesses and acknowledge their trauma and pain, as well as their tremendous strength and vulnerability. I put my everything into it and had no idea what I was doing. I literally had to google “what does a producer do?” I was lucky to have people whom I could call and ask for advice, a great director who led with a lot of assurance, an amazing young actress to work with, and a strong team, most of whom I met the first day of filming. We used household props, shot in one room, and had a crew of five. Thankfully, I hired people smarter than me and that knew exactly what they were doing. I learned a lot. I was too nervous (and impatient) to raise funds beforehand, to ask people to invest in it – which was a lack of confidence on my part. I won’t ever make that mistake again. Invest in me, take a chance on me. If I didn’t one day say “Fuck it, I’m doing this.”, I would’ve stayed immobile, thinking about it, waiting for an opening, procrastinating. . “I don’t know if I can do this” turned into “We did it”. And no one can take that away.

Sara, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I was born in Milwaukee, my parents emigrated here from Sicily. I always knew I wanted to be an actor. My mother wanted to be an actress, and is very supportive. I’m sure my father would rather I become a doctor or lawyer, but never tried to dissuade me. I know how fortunate I am to have had their love and support. I could never, ever have accomplished most of what I have done without my mother. It takes a village, and she is the village, city, continent, universe personified. I was a competitive swimmer until I was about 16 years old, but left my high school sophomore year to attend a performance arts high school. In college I studied at the National Theater Institute at the Eugene O’Neill Theater Center in Connecticut. We ate and breathed theater. It was intense, challenging, all encompassing, so fun and I loved it. I wanted that all the time. So my journey has been Wisconsin, Chicago, Boston, New York, and now I am in Orlando. For now.

Any resources you can share with us that might be helpful to other creatives?

Create your own work. No one will advocate for you more than you. No one will care as much and have as much invested in you as you. Have deep empathy for others, and practice profound self care. Selfishness is not an ugly word- you can be selfish and have integrity and empathy. I live my life with tenderness and ruthlessness. Allow yourself to fail, not because you don’t care, but because you care so passionately. No one thinks about you as much as you think they do. Travel. See, connect, experience. Write what’s hard, and for me, it’s those midnight fears that keep me up at night, twist my organs and wounds my heart. “Higher ups” in the industry aren’t gods; we belong in the room. Take up space, take up air. It’s the same oxygen, so don’t act as if theirs is spun gold and you need permission to breathe it in or that it’s better than yours. You belong there. Find a way, or make your own. Shape shift in roles, but not as a person so you can fit in to make yourself palatable. Don’t water yourself down, you’re not orange juice. There comes a time to pause the dreaming and start doing. Every car has an engine, but unless you turn the ignition, it won’t move. Same with dreams. Speaking it out to the universe is important, but unless you actively ignite it, it will just stay a beautiful dream that lives in suspension. Time itself can’t will something to fruition. Lead with your heart and will and guts and stay wild. Take a chance. On others and more importantly, on yourself. Move through the world as though you are the greatest chance anyone in the world would take. Because you are.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

My first year of college, the head of the acting department called me into their office, sat me down, and told me I didn’t have “it”. Whatever that meant. I didn’t try to change his mind; his opinion didn’t matter. I remember leaving his office, not feeling defeated, but invigorated. At the time, I didn’t question if he was right, I knew in my gut he wasn’t. My unwavering belief in what I was meant to do overthrew anything he had to say about me. I was still young, beginning to learn my craft. His words could have cut me off at the knees.. I think of that nineteen year old me who believed in herself so strongly, in her deepest marrow, despite those deep insecurities and I just want to embrace her. When I hear other artists speaking about difficult people in their lives with almost reverence, I want to say, don’t thank them, thank yourself. Thank yourself for having the strength to overcome and persevere, not because of their unacceptable behavior, but in spite of it. Thank your will and your glorious heart for not being crushed by the weight of someone else’s words. You can’t control others’ opinions of you. But what we can learn, practice and teach, is perseverance, confidence and self-respect. Which reminds me of my other favorite quote – ‘take a deep breath, and remember who the fuck you are.’

Contact Info:

• Website: www.saraoliva.com
• Instagram: @Sara_antoinette
• Other: www.filmlioness.com
• Watch Lioness: http://omeleto.com/259897/

Image Credits
Ashleigh Gardner Beverly Brosius Eli Dreyfus Priscilla Wyatt Tom Hurst American Stage