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

Lara, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today It’s always helpful to hear about times when someone’s had to take a risk – how did they think through the decision, why did they take the risk, and what ended up happening. We’d love to hear about a risk you’ve taken.

I believe playing things safe is a form of self-protection, which sometimes – of course – is necessary. However, I don’t think I’ve ever achieved anything by playing it safe, especially not as an actress in this industry. Taking risks requires courage because, as artists, we are our product, and everything is based on vulnerability, which, in my experience, equals power.

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

I was brought up in a Swiss-Iranian household. I was born in Tehran and raised in Zurich as an only child. No one in my family practiced any religion, and therefore, I wasn’t baptized – my parents wanted me to make my own decisions when I was old enough to make them. Healthy and colorful Persian food and music, specifically Bob Dylan or my pops playing the guitar, were predominant in our home. My mom and grandma made sure I spoke Farsi and, at the same time, enrolled me in kindergarten a year too early as they were afraid I would miss out on learning Swiss German. While Zurich is a beautiful place regarding education, insurance, living standards, and fair opportunities (and yes, it is clean too), where everyone can become a lawyer or doctor regardless of their social class, it’s also the reason why Zurich is a rigidly structured meritocracy. As a result, childhood dreams of becoming a singer, dancer, or actress quickly get buried under the wheel of educational pressure and, at best, turn into a hobby. ‘The problem’ was that I was an artistic and athletic kid; I couldn’t sit still unless I was painting, playing the violin, singing, or watching cartoons. When I was about 6 years old, I discovered the stage for the first time in a children’s play at school, and it was magical to me, probably because I was so shy otherwise. I jumped on every opportunity that the school provided to perform. Everything was lovely until I was about 13 years old and experienced several traumatic events, which, unbeknownst to me, set me on a new path. But at 13, I wasn’t prepared for suicides or fatal car crashes, which involved losing my first love. And neither was anyone around me. The school system didn’t allow space for any kind of ’emotional deviation’ – you simply dropped out. Everyone, aside from my parents, seemed to be waiting for me to do just that. So I needed to prove them wrong, and I powered through, got accepted at the University of Zurich, and ended up studying psychology. Studying may have also been a great distraction from the pain and anger I was carrying. But of course, these things don’t just disappear into thin air, and in my case, I had developed an eating disorder and self-harming behavior that lasted from the ages of 13 to 21. Music and films had a soothing quality for me. At around 17, I decided to pick up a childhood passion, singing lessons. I was fortunate to study with this fabulous (American) teacher who introduced me to the world of Billy Holiday, Nina Simone, and Chaka Khan. Each week, I couldn’t wait for that one 45-minute lesson that grounded me and allowed me to use my voice as a vessel for emotional release. The self-destructive tendencies began to lose their power over me. I quickly collaborated with other musicians and performed in bars and events. It felt like my life was speeding up, and I was on the right path. Late at night, after studying for my exams, I watched films, everything from Iranian and Danish Cinema to American classics, listened to Radiohead and Joy Division, Thelonious Monk…really anything I could get my hands on, and slowly, this inner voice became louder and louder until I couldn’t disregard it anymore: I needed to be in the arts! I wanted to tell stories, to be on that stage, in front of that camera – anything that allowed me to channel my anger and sadness away from self-harm and stagnation and toward something beautiful that could help someone else to heal.
While completing my bachelor’s, I worked several side jobs to ensure I would have the funds to travel to the mecca of the arts to pursue. I landed in New York City a year later to study at the Lee Strasberg Institute for Theatre and Film. Upon graduation, I continued studying with different teachers and booked my first few jobs on network television; I was accepted into a theater company called Primitive Grace, founded by Paul Calderon and David Zayas, where we write, act, and produce. And I’ve continued to collaborate with musicians to sing and write music. My self-destructive tendencies evaporated.
Ultimately, my early life endowed me with discipline, a work mentality, and, most importantly, a significant portion of empathy and a need to express and inspire. I firmly believe that traumatic experiences can be transformed into art. And I think that’s the goal. At least, that’s where I find meaning.
And I love that after years of hard work and rejections, slowly, the roles I’m getting align with that inner voice that sparked this whole journey.
I’m proud of films like Reading Lolita In Tehran, directed by Eran Riklis, which is based on the NYC Times best-steller novel by Azar Nafisi and which we shot in Rome during the Women-Life-Freedom protests that happened in Iran recently. In the Performance (dir. by Shira Piven), I played a singer in the 1930ies in Nazy-occupied Germany. Singing live in a film was a dream come true! You will see me in my first action role in Six Hours Away (dir. by Nicolas DiBlasi). Learning the fight choreographies and doing all the stunts was empowering, and I can’t deny that I’m just waiting for the next action role! Last but not least, I was cast in a dream role in an epic (!) Peacock original series. Stay tuned!

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

Despite its competitive nature, I love that our industry brings together like-minded people. Creating something relevant together with others is incredibly rewarding. You will share a bond forever.
Our job as artists is to be truthful. By doing that, hopefully, someone else will get inspired and get in touch with their feelings. That is probably the most rewarding aspect of being an actress, singer, and storyteller.

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

Honestly, I wish I had known about relaxation and meditation earlier. I have a restless mind that constantly tries to find perfect solutions, and sometimes it just causes a blockage. When I learned that relaxation and meditation are part of the creative process, and I permitted myself to relax, it not only helped me to breathe correctly and release a lot of back pain but also gave me the freedom to explore without attaching myself to the ‘one right way’ to approach a character, a song or a story.

Contact Info:

• Website: iamlarawolf.com
• Instagram: @laradwolf
• Other: http://www.imdb.me/larawolf

Image Credits
Karen di Paola HYATT/ANDAZ – VOGUE / RONEWYORK Greg Jones Sharon Daniels Paul Weinfield