We recently connected with Yasmin De Paula and have shared our conversation below.

Yasmin, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Can you talk to us about how you learned to do what you do?

I believe that as an actor, you are never done learning, just like in life. As a former AMDA Musical Theatre student, I received intensive training in acting, singing, and dance, which gave me a strong foundation in acting technique. However, some of the greatest lessons I’ve learned have come from life and self-discovery.

If you think about it, we are all acting in our daily lives, even if we are not aware of it. My strongest growth as an actor has come from being present and introspective. Understanding human behavior and instinct is what makes acting so exciting to me, and I see it as an homage to life itself.

Looking back, I wish I had understood sooner the importance of curiosity. Curiosity allows us to explore even our darkest or most uncomfortable parts with compassion and openness. As actors, our job is to illuminate and expose our vulnerabilities, the very things we often try to hide in our personal lives, in order to move and transform an audience and help them feel seen.

The biggest obstacle in my learning process was fear of failure. Once I learned that acting is a practice of trial and error, I was able to surrender to the process and grow more freely.

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

I’m Yasmin De Paula, a Brazilian actor, residing in New York City. I’ve always loved performing, ever since I was little I always knew I wanted to do it, whether I was singing, dancing, or acting. I was born in São Paulo, Brazil, but I grew up in South Florida. I moved to New York to persue Musical Theater training at AMDA, probably one of the scariest things and proudest thing I’ve done.

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

The most rewarding aspect of being an artist is the ability to heal and transform people. Art is a way of expressing our internal world, the parts of ourselves we often hide, including our vulnerabilities and deepest truths. Through acting, I have the opportunity to portray characters whose journeys may deeply resonate with someone in the audience, making them feel seen and understood. That connection has the power to transform lives and even potentially heal from their own shadows and pasts, allowing them to believe it is possible to improve themselves and their lives.

Do you think there is something that non-creatives might struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can shed some light?

People who don’t see themselves as creatives often underestimate how much resilience, consistency, and dedication being an artist requires. In acting, for example, most of the work is auditioning and trying to get your foot in the door. It’s easy to focus on the glamorous side and overlook the effort behind the scenes, especially since it’s not talked about much. For newer actors, simply being seen or given a chance can be one of the biggest challenges.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://yasmindepaulaofficial.com/
• Instagram: yasminstoeterau

Image Credits

Photographers:
1st photo: Graeme Roan ( instagram: graeme_roan)
2nd, 3rd, 4th photo: Neil ( instagram: portraitart.nyc )
3rd: Evan Eugene Davis (Instagram: Evandavisphotography)
4th: Mike Petrie Jr (instagram: petriephotos)