We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Anna Subia a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Anna, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Do you feel you or your work has ever been misunderstood or mischaracterized? If so, tell us the story and how/why it happened and if there are any interesting learnings or insights you took from the experience?

Growing up in an environment with a creative deficit, I have often felt that either I or my work has been completely misunderstood. My biggest challenge with mischaracterization comes with casting. Often, due to my tattoos and piercings, I can come off as intimidating or edgy, which is understandable due to the style of my tattoos; yet, one of my greatest strengths is my vulnerability. As an actor, I crave transformation. While it can be beneficial to play into the archetypes casting pushes me towards due to my everyday style, I aspire to show that, although my body may not be a blank canvas, my performances can be. Plus, makeup exists, and piercings are removable! Another way I’ve experienced feeling misunderstood is in my art projects and the messages they convey. I have a very gory art style, and often the meaning of each piece is overlooked due to the initial shock at first glance. What some people don’t understand is that when I make art, it comes from a powerful set of emotions I am experiencing during that moment in time. Every image represents the bodily sensations I feel while processing my thoughts and life experiences. Having many ups and downs with mental health during my upbringing, I’ve found that the way I create art is the healthiest avenue to express sensations that I had once found unmanageable or scary. Art has been one of the most rewarding coping skills I introduced into my life, and I hope each piece can be admired for their deeper, intentional meanings.

Anna, 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 am an actress and artist currently based in LA! I was born and raised in Arizona, but from a very young age, I knew I wanted to become a performer. I started doing plays for my school in Kindergarten, and in middle school, I had the opportunity to work on a film set as a zombie, which was perfect for me because I was obsessed with The Walking Dead at the time. This solidified the dreams I always had of becoming an actress, and suddenly it felt obtainable. By the time I went into high school, I chose a school in my area that focused on theatre. Although I switched schools a few times, I remained with that Thespian troupe for the majority of my high school career, and in 2019, we performed at the Arizona Thespian Festival. At the time, I was 16, when I came across the booths for colleges and saw one for a school I had my heart set on for years. I set an audition date and fast forward: even though I was still a junior in high school, I had early acceptance with amazing scholarships and was planning to fast-track my graduation to move to LA within the next 8 months. Unfortunately, that’s not my happy ending quite yet.

A few months before I was supposed to leave for college, COVID hit, and my family was simultaneously dealing with an intense stalker. Our lives were uprooted multiple times, having to relocate due to safety concerns, and my college fund was used to do so. After this, I had lost faith in going to college to pursue any higher education in relation to my passion because I was in such a state of paranoia and self-doubt. I tried to find happiness and a sense of purpose within each small, dusty city we had to relocate to, but nothing made me feel the way acting does. I started to prioritize myself; going to EMDR therapy multiple times a week, working full-time, and finally starting to go out again. And after a while, it seemed like I could almost stomach the thought of living like this, not following my dreams. Then our address got leaked again. That day, I realized that no matter what I tried to build in the state that once was my home, it wasn’t meant for me anymore, and I was left with a choice. I felt so deeply that even if I left and nothing worked out, it would still be better than living in constant fear. I knew I would never forgive myself if I didn’t at least give my dreams of being an actress a chance. So, instead of relocating a fourth time with my family, I reapplied to AMDA and moved to NYC all alone with my cat and $200 in June 2022. This was the hardest and most rewarding decision I have ever made. Not only was I able to focus on my passion, but for the first time in a long time, I felt like a normal kid, even though I was 19. I had a fresh start, and even through my struggles, I found a community that appreciated and accepted me for who I was. I continued my journey over to the AMDA LA campus, and in June 2025, I received my Bachelor’s degree in Acting for Camera.

Through everything I have faced in my 22 years of life, the one thing that has stayed consistent within me is my passion for storytelling and performance. Acting has brought meaning, love, and vulnerability back into my life, because before I could understand how to be a professional performer, I had to understand how to be comfortable being vulnerable again. I truly believe no tool other than acting could have restored that in me after all I had gone through, and I’m grateful I had the opportunity to change my life. If I’m proud of anything, it’s my resilience.
Through everything I have faced in my 22 years of life, the one thing that has stayed consistent within me is my passion for storytelling and performance. Acting has brought meaning, love, and vulnerability back into my life, because before I could understand how to be a professional performer, I had to understand how to be comfortable being vulnerable again. I truly believe no tool other than acting could have restored that in me after all I had gone through, and I’m grateful I had the opportunity to change my life. If I’m proud of anything, it’s my resilience.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

Personally, the most rewarding aspect of being a creative is the self-exploration and connections I’ve built. Over the years, I’ve received a lot of feedback on my art, whether it be positive or negative, it has always taught me the power of my work and the emotions it can invoke within an audience. When people feel connected to my performances or projects, it feels extra special because they are identifying with a physical display of my raw, unfiltered emotions. I feel the people who understand my art understand who I am as a person in a very genuine and intimate way. Being an artist and actor has given me the ability to bring light to some of my darkest moments and has helped me release the shame I once held for being so emotional.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

The mission that is driving my creative journey is to connect with other creatives and build a safe and supportive community. My favorite part of being a performer has been the people I’ve met along the way and being able to see their visions come to life! The freedom, acceptance, and pure love I’ve found within individual artists inspires me every day to not only keep creating, but to remember why I’m creating: to connect. While I do strive for a future where my creativity is my career and eventually my main source of income, I also hope to get to a place where what I’m creating, (whether it be art or film), is from of a place of pure passion and isn’t held back by budgets, limitation, or judgement. Overall, I hope to show others they aren’t alone in the struggles they face, and if done healthily, pain can help us tell beautiful stories.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/digitalbratt/
• Other: Backstage: https://www.backstage.com/u/anna-subia/
  Actor’s Access: https://resumes.actorsaccess.com/anna_subia

Image Credits

Sean Kara
Flanagan Brassfield