Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Claudia Zie. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Claudia, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Can you talk to us about a project that’s meant a lot to you?

I have developed and written a TV series called Dr. Wunderkind, with Philipp Maximilian – my creative partner in crime.
It’s about two German con-artists who couldn’t make it in Germany but are now making it in America.
They are scamming their way to the top of the American Healthcare system, which unlike healthcare in Europe, is entirely commercialized. It is a dark comedy, with a satirical take on wealth and class. While they despise and envy the upper class, they secretly hope to become a part of it.
As an immigrant in Hollywood, I quickly learned that ‘fake it until you make it’ is a real part of the culture here. Navigating whether I should hide my immigrant background in order to blend in and be more ‘American’ or stay true to myself has been a part of my daily life. Should I try to hide my accent or not? Ever since moving here, I have learned to code switch in that regard.

We are incredibly excited to share that we’ll be presenting our series pitch at the Cannes Film Festival this year, as a part of Canneseries. Getting the opportunity to share our Wunderkind with the global film community is a dream come true. It’s our goal to turn it into a transatlantic production and Cannes will be a major step towards accomplishing that goal.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I started filmmaking and acting as a teenager in Germany, having grown up in a Polish family in an immigrant neighborhood. There were almost no Germans where I grew up, so I am used to navigating the world as a foreigner and taking on different identities. What started out as shooting short films with my friends in project housing, soon became a professional career.

I was cast as a leading voice actress in ‘STAR WARS – The Old Republic’, which later opened the door for me to become a Voice Over Director in the United States. Ever since, I have directed dozens of voice over projects for clients such as Netflix, Amazon, HBO, Paramount and Disney. Along the way, several agents and casting directors told me to lose my accent and embrace my blonde valley girl look. Yet ultimately, being trilingual and foreign turned out to be my secret weapon, that set me apart in a highly competitive field. I found my niche and embraced it.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

The beauty of working in an artistic field, is that you get rewarded for never fully growing up. Childlike wonder helps you stay on your toes creatively. Sometimes I cannot believe that I get to have so much fun at work and get paid for it. At the same time, the business itself can be brutal and unfair, which also means that it doesn’t get boring. Being an artist comes at a high price, but I am willing to pay it.

Are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?

I wish I had known about the organization Women in Film earlier (shout out at this point!). Last year, I finally joined, and I have been amazed at how supportive and powerful this network is. There is a genuine community of artists and business women, who understand that we are stronger together. I believe in collaboration over competition – and Women In Film embodies that.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.claudiazie.com
• Instagram: @claudiaziezie
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/claudiazie
• Other: https://imdb.me/claudiazie

Image Credits

Logan Fahey