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

Yasmin, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Are you happy as a creative professional? Do you sometimes wonder what it would be like to work for someone else?

I’m extremely happy as an artist. It’s a fact that you don’t just flow in this stream of certainty. When it comes to your finances, insecurities, it’s a big thing – it’s a current challenge, trying to approach and try new things, and sometimes feeling discouraged. The constant comparison to others, the pressure to be doing a lot and booking a lot all the time. I think every artist has, at one point, wondered how much easier it would be to have a 9-5 job, a stable job. But I honestly wouldn’t change a thing about my life, I love what I do, I love how much it makes me grow as a person, I getting to connect with new creatives and all the things I get to learn about myself in the process.

Yasmin, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I started acting 8 years ago, in 2015. I’m from a smaller town in Brazil, called Cuiaba, the capital of the state Mato Grosso. Where I grew up there wasn’t a lot of opportunity for actors, or really anything in the arts. I was taking singing lessons since I was 9 years old, and I also took guitar lessons and piano as well. I would participate in music festivals, sing with bands, perform at recitals, model at events, but acting wasn’t something I considered growing up mostly because there wasn’t the incentive or the space for it. It wasn’t until 1 year before moving to the United States that I started realizing how that was what I always wanted to do. I’ve always been extremely creative, expressive, outgoing and loved interpreting characters and watching movies. In 2015 I went to the theater to watch Wicked and that was when I realized I wanted to focus more on acting, and go to school for it. So in 2016 I moved to West Palm Beach, Florida, where I finished high school and a year later moved to LA for college at AMDA (American Musical and Dramatic Academy). For about 5 years I mainly focused on mastering the acting craft, but in 2021 I decided to get back to modeling, and also got the opportunity to be a Portuguese News Anchor at Hollywire. This year, I also interviewed guests at a Red Carpet for them as well. What I’m most proud about myself working in this industry is how devoted I am. I’m authentic, genuine, and I’ll never settle for doing an “okay” job, I have to be at my best at all times. I want people to get to know the real me and, when doing that, they will feel my passion and that will spark something in them too.
As an actress, I’ve always gotten what I consider to be one of the best compliments of all – I’m able to be vulnerable and dig deep in my character and what I’m portraying. I’m not scared to go the extra mile, more on the contrary – I’m eager for it.
As a model, I think what sets me apart is how comfortable I am in front of the camera, I don’t get intimated, I’m ready for it at all times. I’m expressive, can take direction really well and am very adaptive. I’m also just always willing and open for creative ideas, different projects and challenging myself in any way I can.

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

The main resource I wish I knew earlier was meditation. Because of my mom, I started meditating 4 years ago, but it wasn’t necessarily with the intention for it to help me in my career, it was just to help me overall. And I understand now how much has changed. Most of my life, I’ve been a perfectionist and that by itself doesn’t sound like it was “so bad”, but it really was. It was to the point where I couldn’t do anything, I couldn’t sing in front of my own family, I was scared to be criticized for anything, I didn’t want to post any of my jobs and would get extremely insecure with anything. Therapy played a big part in me overcoming all of that, but meditating was the main thing that helped me connect with myself and start manifesting what I wanted for my life, and not letting the negativity take over.

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

The most rewarding thing is seeing how it has made me a more empathetic, genuine, and happy person. I think at the end of the day, it’s really amazing to feel like you did a great job, and be acknowledged for it. That was always my biggest goal with acting. It wasn’t to be famous, or to be a millionaire, it was just to be recognized for my hard work, and a lot of that has to do with myself and feeling like I’m getting better every time – I’m trying, I’m putting myself out there, I’m getting out of my comfort zone. That is the most rewarding thing – and it has nothing to do with anyone else but me.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: www.instagram.com/yaslacerdax
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/YasLacerda?mibextid=LQQJ4d
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_cpi9ROz_DM

Image Credits
Getty Images, Zack Alphonso, Simon Vallejo, David Regoso