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

Sarah, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Can you talk to us about a project that’s meant a lot to you?

Meaningful Projects

Sarah, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I am a professionally trained British actress working mainly in film and TV, both in the UK and US (I have an O1 Visa to work in the US). I love inhabiting different characters and telling their stories and I was fortunate to be given the opportunity to train as an actor at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts (RADA) and Drama Studio in London. This training gave me a fantastic grounding, as well as teaching me many different acting techniques and methods, which are still the foundation of my work today.

I am very lucky to have always worked in the film and TV industry in some capacity. I started-off working my way up through the ranks behind the camera, to become a TV Director for the BBC for several years, before I made the big decision to follow my heart and focus purely on acting. (Who knows, I may return to directing again, one day – that knowledge and particular skill never leaves you!)

Being an actress and a former TV director, has given me a very broad range of skills and life experiences and has made me committed, reliable and professional in every job I do. I have also undertaken a variety of different jobs as an actor, including training with the Serious Crimes Unit of the Metropolitan Police in London and various medical institutions. Having worked for the BBC for many years as a TV Director, I am renowned for working under pressure and to tight deadlines, whilst maintaining high standards. I have been described as “highly experienced, very creative, professional, talented and always a pleasure to work with.”

I am proud of all I have achieved so far and will continue to take these qualities into everything I do in the future.

Can you talk to us about a project that’s meant a lot to you?

The role I am most proud of so far, was playing the leading role of Emily Hobhouse in “Inside Out” an award winning BBC TV series. Emily was a human rights activist who uncovered the grim secrets of concentration camps run by the British during the Boer War in South Africa. At the time, she was both celebrated as a heroine in South Africa and forgotten by the UK. It was fascinating to research and play such a controversial and inspiring woman. Her courage saved thousands of lives – mostly of women and children – at the cost of her health, fortune and reputation. The more challenging the role, the more exciting it is to play. I love characters that undergo an intense personal journey and experience change in some way, which makes them a different person by the end of the production.

It is my greatest pleasure to bring stories and characters to life – off the page and onto the screen!

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

The most rewarding aspect for me of being an actress, is the honor and privilege of being able to tell other people’s stories and bring characters to life. Acting is a creative and collaborative process which thrives from working with a talented and supportive team, both in front of and behind the camera.

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

I love working on projects that try to create and promote a world where there is potentially more humanity, compassion and kindness. In my opinion, art is an escapist reflection of life and I want the audience to have the opportunity to escape to somewhere positive, even if only briefly. There will always be challenges and obstacles to overcome on the journey and how that is achieved, I believe, is the object and talent of good storytelling. I would love an audience to leave feeling uplifted and inspired – that is my ultimate mission.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarahmaddocks.actor/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/SarahMaddocks1
• Other: http://www.imdb.me/sarahmaddocks

Image Credits
Natasha Merchant, Paul Archuleta/Getty Images, Andrew Ricketts, Alan Cross