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

Sofia, 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?

Moving to a new city fresh out of college with my life packed up in a truck and a dream in my heart, I had no idea what I was getting myself into. What I did know, however, was the feeling of regret that would haunt me for the rest of my life if I never took that risk. I always knew I wanted to be an actor, but starting my journey on the road with my mother in early 2020 was single-handedly the most terrifying and exciting beginning of an entirely new chapter of my life. That’s just the life of an artist: equal parts thrilling and terrifying yet we absolutely love it.

I grew up moving around quite a bit, so I developed a certain level of adaptability and a worldliness for which I am so grateful. I think that has allowed me to make anywhere feel like home to a certain degree. Now, four years later, with a career trajectory I am proud of, LA is most definitely my home and I wouldn’t have it any other way. Thankfully, I took that leap of faith and I encourage all to listen to that burning desire and, as cliché as it may sound, follow your dream.

Sofia, 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 Brazilian-American actress currently living in Los Angeles. The journey, however, began with the little girl dancing in the living room and singing the national anthem in the shower a hundred times, driving everyone in my household crazy.

I explored many facets of the performing arts: I trained as a dancer for many years at the Alvin Ailey School in New York City and performed as a singer and violinist at Carnegie Hall. I also worked on my first international feature film in Europe as an assistant costumer. I’m so grateful for these experiences as they have undoubtedly contributed to the artist I am today.

Performing is in my DNA and I always knew I would pursue this path. From middle school plays to student films in high school, my love for the arts only continued to strengthen over the course of my high school and college years, which led to my undergrad degree in Theatre and World Cinema at McGill University in Montreal.

My professional career began in 2020 when I moved to the City of Angels. Since then, I have been involved in numerous projects and have had the opportunity to work on films in exciting, international settings. Recently I was awarded Best Actress by the American Golden Picture International Film Festival for my work on “Every Day,” an independent feature film I starred in with Vivica A Fox, which will be streaming on Amazon Prime this fall. I have a few projects coming out this summer, which I can’t talk about yet!

I am proud of my tenacity. I moved to LA right before a pandemic and then shortly after, the writers and actors strikes hit Hollywood, yet I continue to work on my craft and love what I do. I wouldn’t have it any other way.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

I love being a part of a project that resonates with viewers who may feel unrepresented in some way. I recently played a survivor of sexual assault and after a private screening of the film, an audience member approached me and told me how she felt so seen and how much she appreciated the story I told. This was an unbelievably rewarding moment.

On another note, traveling and seeing the world for work is quite rewarding as well. The unpredictability of the artist’s life is scary, yet exhilarating. I like to call artists creative nomads because we never know where we’re going next.

This year, I had the opportunity to travel internationally for work, which is one of the most exciting aspects of the job. Living in Mexico City for a month to work on one of the most challenging projects of my career to date, was a life-changing experience. I love immersing myself in a new environment when working: it helps me drop into the world and into the character I’m creating.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

Having spent many years in the world of academia, my life was always very structured and hard work usually yielded strong results. My life now has taken on an entirely different shape. While I try to create some form of a consistent routine, my days vary drastically depending on what I’m working on. Also, the entertainment industry is not a meritocracy and there is so much out of my control, therefore, focusing my energy on what is within my control, such as my work, building my community, maintaining my health and wellbeing, etc, is far more productive. This took me some time to understand and I continue to embrace these challenges.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://sofiamasson.com
• Instagram: @sofia_masson_

Image Credits

Portraits by Eamonn Courtney and Jasmine Vega
Film stills — courtesy of Charlie Cole, DP, UTA.