Sophia Watson on her award-winning short film #SLUT [podcast]

00:00:02
I’m a lifelong Southerner married to an Indian man who grew up in South Africa during apartheid and I am fiercely proud about. If you don’t like that Well bless your heart. I’m Cheryl Prabhu and this is southern life Indian wife.

00:00:20
All right. So today I’ve got Sophia Watson in the room with me. How are you Sophia. I’m fine. How are you. Awesome.

00:00:26
Thank you so much for being here. Thank you for having me. So let me tell you a little bit about Sophia. Sophia is an actress writer and model in Atlanta whom I have known for a very long time since you were maybe five.

00:00:40
Yeah yeah yeah.

00:00:42
She’s got a slew of acting credits to her name including appearances in ten films. This young lady wrote starred in and produced the award winning short film hashtag slut which tells a story of bullying social media and the abuse of power that young people can fall prey to. With all of these accomplishments you’re not going to believe how old Miss Sophia is.

00:01:06
She’s only 19 19 for so long.

00:01:11
Yes. Happy birthday to you.

00:01:14
Yes so I’m really really excited to have you here. Have you here to talk about your movie. Because I’ve known you since you were in kindergarten.

00:01:20
I know very little.

00:01:22
So this little girl in her plaid skirt uniform going to school. So it’s been exciting to see all the stuff that you’ve done over the years. Thank you. And this film that you’ve done I mean it sounds incredible. And I’m sure it’s had a huge impact on people.

00:01:39
Yeah I I would like to think it did. Yeah it does.

00:01:44
Yeah I had probably one of the let’s say the top two like things that made me realize it’s really impacting people which is you know the goal but one guy came up to me who was a filmmaker who made a phenomenal film with phenomenal film. It was like a full length documentary and reenactment thing of preset got murdered. It was awesome I had to watch on this and another and everything I did. But yeah.

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So it was just phenomenal so impactful and amazing and he came on to me and he was like Hey I haven’t cried at a movie in a very long time and your movie made me cry was like oh cry you’re gonna make me cry.

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Like a little bit even. I was like Oh God that’s it that’s it all.

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And then one she was in middle school a dad came up to me and was like hey we’ve been here through this entire film festival to film festivals all week long. And he came up to me was like hey my son said that yours was his favorite. It’s like he could really relate to everything going on just cause of how it happens in schools and like the social media bullying and all that kind of thing. The people that are in high school and middle school can really see it because they live it you know. I mean right. So that was like Oh I’m glad you like he could watch it and realize that it was like something was happening and he really liked it.

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And I think that’s amazing. So you’ve really you’ve been on a really long journey from the time that you started acting until the time when you decided to write this movie. Yeah.

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So let’s kind of back up.

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Let’s talk about where you began who you really are. OK. Yeah. Now let’s dig into the real Sofia Gary now right.

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This is like taking the makeup of the hair goes down. This is the real you. OK. So you and I met when you were in kindergarten.

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Are you born here in Atlanta. Yes in Gwinnett in Gwinnett. OK. OK. Gwinnett medical center. Yeah that sounds familiar. I was I was. All right. So are your parents both from the south. They’re not my mom’s from New York and my dad’s from New Jersey. Oh I didn’t know.

00:03:49
That’s why I don’t like Sweetie I think they like I didn’t. Oh OK. But they’re from the north so I got that North streak of not liking tea. Yeah. So it’s what I said Jean. Yeah. Yeah. So you’ve.

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OK so you’ve grown up kind of between two worlds you’ve got these. I’m going to say it Yankee parents.

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Yes. And you grew up here. Yeah. You know in the deep Deep South. Yes and of course my parents have lived here for you know a very long time. Absolutely. Like almost 40 years 30 years something like that. OK. Yeah. Parents are delighted. So it’s like you know essentially right. No no never. Never. No you’d never say never. Yeah but I’m from here and my little brothers from here too. OK. So you’ve got one brother. I do. OK. What’s your name. Where. Well he was two I guess when we met.

00:04:37
Yeah I remember he was in a little just a little bitty blond little toddler. He was yeah. Now he’s in high school is. I know. I saw two. Right. Yeah. He’s actually doing very well as well.

00:04:48
He’s doing he’s doing great. Awesome. It’s exciting. Booked a recurring role on a TV show I don’t know how much I can say about that.

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We really would. I know right. OK. You did do that. So that’ll be out at some point. Awesome. Well I don’t want to get you in trouble. Suck you into saying too much. It’s like I don’t know if I could say well about that right. But you do have a brother that’s an actor that’s doing well. I do. I do. Yes. He joined because of me I take credit for all his stuff. Of course he’s gonna give you some of the money too. Oh really. Right. Absolutely. Yeah. So. OK.

00:05:21
So you’re the southern belle and your Yankee family but you don’t really have a southern accent. So I don’t. But I mean a lot of us here down there are so many transplants. It’s true unless you come from some far out podunk county. So OK. Do you consider yourself a southern girl because I know you’ve been to L.A. a lot doing work.

00:05:43
I do yeah. I mean I was born here. I mean I’m from here. I’ve lived through my entire life. So I guess I do I consider myself you know Southern girl. OK.

00:05:51
So like when you go out to L.A. do they like look at shows a little bit different like oh that Georgia girl do they just choose where she came from.

00:06:02
I don’t know if it’s necessarily. I don’t really like. I’m not sure if a lot of people know. I mean they know from like from out of town we could don’t live there. Yeah. So but I don’t know if like everyone there knows exactly where I’m from. Yeah me. So it’s not yeah.

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It’s not like you’re showing up with a piece of strong cowboy hat and boots like right. Yeah. Like really hillbillies or something like that. What’s this on from Miley Cyrus party in the USA right. Yeah.

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Right. What’s a good thing because that might hurt your chances. Doesn’t work out there.

00:06:36
Yeah. No I have no accent and I could do an accent if I really need to. It’s like it takes it takes me some practice to get Atlanta down. Right. So it’s like there’s like no accent which they say in a lot of the auditions I’m like oh perfect great perfect I have that you know neutral accent anyway.

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Yeah. You know Adam my son he’s he’s in the theater program and my you and he’s excited because I think next year he gets to do this class that’s just all about doing different accents. Of that is so fun and I think if I were to ever be crazy and be an actor like I would need an entire class. Oh yeah. It’s hard. Yeah yeah. I could not do it now. OK. So. OK. You started acting it when you were five.

00:07:21
Yes. Well probably six or seven. I didn’t know modeling when I was younger my mom did like just like modeling stuff. I was pretty like I got successful in it it’s like a child. Yeah I.

00:07:35
I did. I was on the cover of a Macy’s magazine. Oh I’m so that when I was little I think I was like for Carrie when I did that. But I switched agencies. Yes or I might have went on a commercial audition first and then switched agencies but I went on a commercial audition and I booked it when they were. Yeah. The very first one I ever went on the very first audition for anything acting I went on it and I was like I like this so much better than I imagined.

00:08:04
I like modeling it’s fun. It’s like you know you get the cool pictures.

00:08:07
You get to like advertise products. But it’s it’s different. Like boring.

00:08:13
Necessarily boring but there’s more expression in acting. Right. Because in modeling you’re modeling something you’re doing it to get to the end goal of advertising something else usually. Ok gotcha usually unless it’s you’re advertising yourself you’re like you know like an Instagram influencer or whatever than that would be you’re advertising yourself and your social media but still advertising. Right. Acting is more in my opinion I guess expressive.

00:08:42
Yeah that makes sense. Yeah yeah. Because you get to talk. You get to move on tattling your you’re just moving.

00:08:48
Yeah. And as you can see I talk a lot. This is what I like it is for you.

00:08:53
Yeah. My oldest son I don’t know if you know Nick. He did one modeling job. He had decided when he was in sixth grade he wanted to be an actor I guess because he had heard about all the cool stuff that you were doing. So we went through an agency that got him this Frito Lay commercial or non-commercial ad. And he spent the two days at the location doing all the filming on a skateboard and really cool stuff. And he he got his check and he said I’m never freakin doing that again. Why. It was boring to him because he wanted to talk. He wanted to run around and just to like stand there he thought it was the most ridiculous thing ever.

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But I was like Do you see how much money you got paid for these two days of college.

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But I did one job when I was little.

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I think I was probably maybe four maybe five. I was little. There was an ad for a little cookies. No no it was really cookies. Something like that. I’m not really I don’t really remember but I was really a little. I would like had to smile and posing with the cookie so close to my face and they wouldn’t let me eat the cookie. How many between takes out just like lean over a nibble like a little piece off of it and then go back and my mom was like I see you know it’s like I can’t just not eat it and then let me eat at the end or something. Yeah that would be torture for a little kid. Wow that’s funny. Yeah. I guess that took a little nibbles. Did you. So I guess it didn’t show up in the show. No. Very small nibbles like bunny nibbles. Yeah. OK good. You didn’t lose your job. No. No I wouldn’t risk it. Yeah.

00:10:26
So OK. So you’re this little kid you’re doing these modeling jobs and then you start to get into these acting jobs. Yes. So OK. You’re I know you’re close to your parents Sam and your mom is probably the sweetest person in this entire world. Absolutely. And I know that people who don’t know actors you know child actors always think that you know the parents are these super controlling people that live vicariously through their kids.

00:10:51
But what was your mom like. I know I know the answer but oh yeah. Let’s talk about your job. Oh my God. She she’s the best. Yeah. I really couldn’t have done any of this without her. Like honestly like you know a lot of people like I kind of feel like she literally is like yes. She’s like absolutely your cheerleader is she totally. Yeah. And she will push for you to be the best that I can be. But she’s not like you know like how some of stage moms I get. It’s like exactly what you were just describing. No. She just is so encouraging and helpful and everything I do I really owe it all to her to be honest. That’s awesome. That is like the nicest thing any kid can say about their mom huh. Well I love her. She’s the best. So OK.

00:11:33
So you were growing up doing all this acting and you’re traveling and I know that our kids went to school with you for a while but you kind of were in and out of school. Right. So I always wondered about that. How do you keep up. Were you homeschooled or were you in school part time. Like I was that wow this little girl has this double life.

00:11:54
Just like a secret agent. So what was that like.

00:11:58
You know it has its struggles kind of missing that much school. You know my parents are always saying they’re like Yep like your health is the most important thing of course. And then school and then acting like that’s kind of the order. They always told me when I was little.

00:12:11
Yeah. So you know school is always top priority. You know for nothing else if you know a backup plan acting extension business isn’t reliable. Right. And of course it’s important anyway. And so I did miss a lot when I was in elementary school I guess the workload was not that hard.

00:12:35
Yeah you can take your little readers.

00:12:38
But in middle school I did mostly online school.

00:12:45
OK school and then private school. But it was a very small private school and it was specifically for kids who had careers in things other than school. Oh so it went three days a week and they were half days was not a lot of in school time and they gave you work for like the other two days that you were not there but it was specifically for like if like some of the kids did Tena some of them did you know like other things like that where you miss a lot of school. So it’s called Rivers Academy it’s here in Atlanta. They have two locations now I think. OK. I didn’t even know such a thing existed. No it’s pretty cool. It’s pretty cool. And one of the girls is actually in my agency I’ve known her for a while. She teaches there now. I think it’s kind of cool. It’s really cool.

00:13:28
But she did. I’m not sure if she’s still there. She definitely did.

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And so she did acting and then she just decided that teaching was for her.

00:13:37
Yeah I think she still does acting like I think but she’s still in the agency and all that kind of stuff. But she does teach there and of course it’s you know it’s like for I think it was three and a half four hours for three days a week so it wasn’t like a lot of time in school and school and then I left there and was did online school for another year or two. OK. And then I went to public school my senior year.

00:14:08
Yes. And I actually was a teacher at your school. Yes I was. Would you teach. I taught ESL well so I taught the new immigrant kids. Yeah. But I was I was there two years before you got there. You’re a sophomore junior. Yeah after I said hi.

00:14:27
So that’s it’s like. Yeah it’s kind of a small world.

00:14:31
Yeah. So I want to get to that later and just kind of ask you what you know public school experience. Yes like missing school. Usually it’s to answer your questions.

00:14:40
Kind of got off track and do.

00:14:44
But yeah it’s it’s you know it’s helpful when the teachers understand huh. Because if they don’t really understand they’re not supportive of it it’s much harder. It’s kind of like the make or break thing. Yeah. So yeah my senior year the principal was on my side for it I guess. So he Chandler Riggs who did the walking dead. Yeah we are. I’ve known him for ever. Like six or seven when we met.

00:15:14
OK. Yeah. I just had his mom on a podcast a week ago. Yeah. Gina and I love her. Yes it’s wonderful to. It is also one of the best moms in the world. Yes true. Yeah. Chandler kind of started the whole thing in this county because he went to another school in the same county as I did huh. And I want to name one school right. Yeah. So she kind of went through the superintendent and all that kind of thing. Yeah. And they kind of made like helped him with it. And then another person that was on the walking dead went through that school too and so it was kind of like the county kind of knew about it already. And that was kind of very helpful with them. You know when I kind of brought it out they’re like OK that’s is. Yeah. So he kind of paved the way for that one but it was it was very helpful.

00:16:00
Yeah. Yeah. Because our county it’s very rural really. I mean we have like a little pocket of suburbia. Yeah. You know USA here. But it’s very very very rural. Yeah but not right after all.

00:16:12
Oh yeah. When I where I went to school is very um there’s a lot of rural area. Yeah yeah yeah I’m sure you know people just don’t know what to do with that. Yeah yeah. Yeah w you know he’s been missing quite a bit of school this semester I guess because of the liberal book twists it’s reoccurring and so he. Yeah they’ve been pretty good about it. He’s you know he gets a little bit behind but he’ll catch up and he is doing well. So I was good. That that’s kind of hard especially in high school. Oh yeah. High school was the hardest part. I went to Cassie last semester I took the first semester last year I guess off and then I like the fall off to work on this kind of the more fun stuff.

00:16:53
Oh yeah.

00:16:55
And then I went back part time. The next semester classes at class got so yes. OK. And. Yeah. And so I missed I think maybe six weeks of maybe you five I’m not sure.

00:17:16
Spring break was in there so I don’t know for catnap but yes I missed a lot of school last semester for the film festivals for the film. How were the professors about that. One of my professors my art in society professor. She was awesome I love her. She was so supportive she goes that’s exciting as hell. What’s the word. That’s what she said and I was like Thank you. That’s so great. Like this is an art in society class like I think that’s great that you’re doing that a lot. She was I just email me when you’re out there and she counted attendance towards the grade and I was gone obviously for a very long time yeah. And she told me she was like oh I’ll just count your president like don’t worry about it. Well well I had to do when I got back was makeup to one paragraph writing assignments and then do the two tests I missed elements one the next one was the next class I came back finals week which was kind of oh my gosh that’s like a nightmare that I’ve had before.

00:18:09
I mean once you’re done with college you’re gonna be able to relate to this.

00:18:12
I would have these nightmares you know 10 years after I graduated from college that I’d sign up for these classes and not even go until the final exam.

00:18:20
And I’m like oh no I’ve been sleeping through this whole time what am I going to do. So stressful.

00:18:27
Stressful so stressful but you know we get through these things. Yeah well she was super supportive about it my other teacher was not as supportive as she was but still supportive. And you know there’s more work for his class than I had for the other class to do but I did it and did well in the class. So that’s good.

00:18:43
That’s good. You know these professors really need to be kind to you because since you’re a writer you can turn them into like a really ugly character in a new movie or something.

00:18:54
You know it’s possible I better watch out. Yeah. Well anything in the short film is actually something that happened in real life to one of my best friends. So how you know writers pull stuff from real life. That’s right.

00:19:08
And I like to write about everything that anyone tells me obviously. And I wouldn’t throw anyone under the bus ever. But you can’t use real names. Oh no never. Numero uno rule No.

00:19:19
But I’ve definitely met some people and be like you would be such an interesting character.

00:19:23
Write that down. No no I’m like Okay yeah. File that away for later.

00:19:29
OK. So describe this for me. I.

00:19:34
I’ve never been to L.A. My kids have never done anything super exciting like this like the most exciting thing that we’ve had is Adam going to New York and that’s way different from L.A.. So I’ve lived in the south all my life and I just want to know from a kid’s perspective when you are going from your little neighborhood here in Georgia to L.A. to do this work like what was that like for you.

00:19:58
Did you make friends out there. You just kind of tell me what the whole lifestyle was like.

00:20:04
Yeah I knew a lot of a lot of people because well now I know quite a few people in L.A. just because a lot of the people in Atlanta go back and forth L.A. and Atlanta.

00:20:17
Just because those are kind of like where the entertainment business is kind of settling for now. Of course L.A. is always L.A. and then Atlanta. It’s you know it’s growing in Atlanta.

00:20:25
And so I know a few people out in L.A. just from from doing that. But yeah yeah. When I went out there like when I used to spend like months and months out there at the time it was you know there weren’t like a lot of people I knew out there like especially around my age.

00:20:41
I really didn’t. But of course I had West. Yeah. So I made it a little you know not only but right just place wise. I love L.A. do I love L.A.. I would love to live out there sometime. I mean of course Georgia always has a piece of my heart.

00:20:58
I have to say that you do it too.

00:21:01
I do. I love big cities. I just do like I love being in Atlanta. I love. I’ve been in New York. It’s great. New York is different New York than Atlanta.

00:21:12
Holy crap it’s different. Oh yeah. Oh yeah. I can spend about three days there and then I’m exhausted from the just the sensory overload of sounds and smells and the summer.

00:21:23
Yeah yeah I’m.

00:21:25
I get my my mom once read this thing where it’s like introvert vs. extrovert kind of thing huh. And it was like introverts charge up by themselves and then released energy when they’re with people and extroverts are the opposite where they get energy from being around people.

00:21:39
And I just like I’m so accurate. Are you really. Oh yeah. I will talk to anybody at any time.

00:21:46
And so I think being in City Hall there’s lots of people around is like something I enjoy. Okay. So I really love L.A.. L.A. has such a a unique feel to it. I guess it’s very artsy in L.A. and there’s kind of a solidarity I guess because everyone is there to do the same thing which of course creates a lot of. I know some people that are out there that live out there that are having a hard time like finding genuine people and stuff like that because everyone is pretty much your competition. Oh wow. That would be tough. Yeah. So it’s I haven’t lived out there so I can’t really speak on that. But I mean for long island a few months time. But I’ve heard that’s kind of hard with that. Sure. And if you watch any YouTube there’s a live out there. Like anything like that they’ll kind of say it they say the same thing. But just the feel of the city itself I really like. OK. OK. So was it weird for you to go back and forth as a little kid or was it like was it just totally normal because that’s how you grew up. You know I recognized that it was a little weird but it was like Okay now doing this I know if I went out to L.A. to I’m up to Santa Barbara.

00:23:00
That was the first place I went California. I think OK. And then I think it’s probably about ten or eleven where I did that OK. And then I took the first I think I spent time time time in L.A. was when I was probably twelve or thirteen OK. I did travelling before that though for other acting things. I was in Louisiana for a little bit.

00:23:26
New Orleans I was the first place I went I was the first movie role I think I booked it was playing Harry Connick Junior’s daughter and crew. Super fun. He’s great. There’s a. Oh yeah I mean I haven’t seen him since I was six.

00:23:40
He was he was great. Yeah. Was he like a like a dad figure even.

00:23:44
Oh yeah. Eyes were. Oh yeah. King. That’s awesome. She was so sweet.

00:23:49
He was always talking to me like we were on the shuttle to set from location or whatever and you know camp and he would sit next to our shuttle and talk to me.

00:24:00
No sex was like Oh cool I didn’t really know it was I was like Oh cool yeah nice guy but that really. Yeah. Overhand Yeah.

00:24:07
And he was he was talking to me about LA. He was like oh where are you from. And I was like Atlanta. And he was like oh a part of Atlanta. And I looked at my mom. My mom had always told me Don’t tell anyone where you live. So I looked at my mom and I was like What do I do.

00:24:22
And she was like you can tell him where we live. That’s OK. You will come. I. Was like you can tell Harry Connick Junior where we live. So yeah I think he’s safe.

00:24:30
So I was like OK I told him you know but he was super super sweet. You know a couple of scenes together and it was just a good experience was awesome and cool. That was the first time I really traveled like a child I guess for acting purposes first that I can remember. Yes. Yeah. That was super good experience. I love traveling I still do. I did then. So this is kind of fun. I like to see like as many places as possible and just to kind of get an idea of what’s going on right. How other places are and stuff like that.

00:25:02
Well yeah that’s that’s the cool thing is when you travel you really get to meet different kinds of people. Oh yeah. Because like if you just stayed in Atlanta I mean there’s a certain demographic demographic of people that are in your neighborhood and then a little bit wider out in your city. And it’s great to be able to meet so many different kinds of people. Oh yeah yeah I like her. You know I keep going back to New York New York New York because I’m a mom and I’m always talking about my kids. Adam you know he is half Indian half white. And where he went to school he was he and his siblings were like the only ones like that. Yeah I mean he got up to New York and he’s like Mom on the whitest kid I know. So it’s cool to get out of your little comfort zone.

00:25:41
Yeah it really is. And you know cities are the melting pot. I think it’s the most kind of cities are usually like where it’s like the most diverse I guess. Right. Which is awesome I love that too yeah.

00:25:56
So very cool so you’re in the right industry for to make that happen.

00:26:02
So you want to talk about any of the cool movies that you’ve done any super famous people that you’ve met.

00:26:09
I’d say I’m trying to I have to live vicariously.

00:26:13
Yeah I know. Every time someone asked me this question I blanked like literally every day yeah cause you were probably young.

00:26:19
Yeah. And I’m like you know and it’s like okay well is this. Yeah let’s see the most recent. I don’t know if this is like I it’s over now. I went to a private showing literally Saturday. So two days ago I can’t go. Yeah. For Avengers and game no cause someone that’s with my agency and the same publicist I have is plays Morgan Stark. So wow I a man’s daughter Lexie Rabe and she is just the sweetest and cutest little girl ever.

00:26:59
So I got to go hang out with her. The private showing and talk to her and she’s so so cute.

00:27:05
And you know that’s like the coolest role ever. Sure to me like there will never be a cooler role probably to be honest with just like to be around literally every superhero from Marvel because at the 0 0 I almost came from Oh yeah I met her. I haven’t seen it man. There’d be a lot of people out in the world that would kill Oh my God I almost said it better stop. Yeah. Anyway there’s a scene where she has like literally every person in the movie there and she was in it. And so she just got to just pictures of all of them. She has to have all of them and she’s just the cute little girl. And one of the most famous lines of the movie is one of her lines. It like Carrie’s throughout the thing. And she actually improved that line and they were about that when we were there on Saturday. It was just it’s so cool. So that’s kind of the most recent experience I guess hanging out her but.

00:27:55
Yeah.

00:27:56
So. So I mean how do you feel when you’re around people that you know are that high up in the industry. Like have you been in it so long that you’re just kind of like this is great. But you know I’m not going to kowtow to them or do you still like do you get starstruck.

00:28:12
I don’t really get starstruck. They’re like you know like the people that I like are usually not like I wouldn’t necessarily get star struck by like I I did get star struck when I was like 15 but this is not from the entertainment business I had a meet and greet with like my favorite band.

00:28:30
Oh who was it. 5 Seconds of Summer. I love them I still love them and to all day this.

00:28:36
Is a boy band. OK. I was like obsessed with them at this time. I was star struck then. But like if I was like on set it’s such like a separate professional atmosphere that I don’t really know if I would have even been star struck with them I would be like OK like we’re doing the same thing here you know. I mean yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I met probably one of my favorite shows is or maybe my fair up there for sure is Lucifer. I don’t know if you’ve heard of it. I have not.

00:29:07
I know sounds good. It is. I know it’s kind of has an off putting me attention grabbing what you know. But yeah I liked the attention grabbing names. I do my things called Hashtag slut right. Yeah it’s about basically the devil came to L.A. and is a nightclub owner and join the LAPD and like his romance with this detective and like I don’t know it’s just a really good show. This is such a good show and it got cancelled I think actually and Netflix picked it back up. So excited about. I’ve been I’ve been catching up on it today. But yeah when I was at the last film festival I was out in L.A. I was like and one of the stars of Lucifer was there. Like I know like I’m going to watch another film. I was like.

00:29:56
Hey like I was with my dad and I was like Oh my God. I was like freaking out on the inside.

00:30:03
And I had to go like a lot of the film festivals stuff is marketing stuff. So I was going through the line anyway and be like hey if you wanna come see my film this is the day it is no. And I went up to her and I was like Hi Sofia to introduce herself. And I of course knew who she was I was like Go you when I go see my film I think she actually ended up coming with one of her friends so that’s really cool. I was super excited but of course I didn’t like. I wasn’t like freaking out angrily to her. I was just like you know because in that case I’m like it’s different setting for me. It’s like that’s my job like the professional side of me. So I would never like kind of explode on someone like. Yeah that’s like really it’s like it’s taking you not on the same level as them right. And you have to kind of you happy making tension over like like you’re seeing something in this film festival my films in this film festival. So like comes you know and it’s like it’s kind of you have to keep that level of professionalism right. So yeah that makes sense. So yeah I gave her my wild card and you know it’s like hey I’d love you to come. I’m like This is my film I wrote it and I was in and I was like Oh that’s so cool. We talked for a little bit. That is super sweet. Yeah. So you’re so you’re 19 and you’re so professional. It’s just something kind of blows me away. I do. It’s something that you know is learned Mila even as a child like I grew up around adults like sets are pretty much exclusively adults. There’s no children working on the set unless they’re actors. And you know so I grew up around adults and I know how to handle myself on the set. I grew up like I grew up doing it. I mean right. So I mean that’s part of why I can keep my cool.

00:31:41
Excellent. This makes perfect.

00:31:43
Well in that kind of brings me to another thing I wanted to talk about is so since you were around adults so much on set and then when you did come home and you were doing online school so it must have been a huge adjustment to go to your senior year in high school.

00:32:01
Oh yeah yeah it was crazy. So OK everybody probably knew what you do right.

00:32:07
Everybody knew you were an actress and they know you know you’re this beautiful blonde girl that just walked down the hallways of this 60 year old school building as an old school building. Yes very. And it was very crowded. They have the elementary school building next to it now. They expanded it to another building but they didn’t have that they did that the year after I left.

00:32:26
Right. So it was crowded at that school.

00:32:29
Yes I remember when I was teaching there that one year I didn’t have my own classroom because I was a co teacher and taught my immigrant students in you know within each class. So I was traveling and there would be times when I’d nearly get trampled to go away. Oh yeah. And I can’t imagine you’re like a tiny little bit of a girl.

00:32:48
I can’t imagine what that would be like for you.

00:32:50
Yeah it is. It was crazy it was crazy for sure. Yeah. You gotta you gotta walk with a lot of like don’t mess with me right. Go to those mall like Hi.

00:33:00
Yeah. So. So what was it like. Did people accept you or did they kind of put you at arm’s length because maybe they were jealous.

00:33:09
You know both both for sure. I knew some of the people that went to school before I went in. I’m you know appreciative for just because I lived in the zone for that school so I knew a lot of people from other things that lived around there. That went to that school. So it wasn’t too hard to. And also I’m like really outgoing.

00:33:30
So anybody anytime.

00:33:32
And granted some people don’t like that they’re like okay stop talking to me now but yeah I have a friend group in the summer before I went to charity that went to charity. OK so it was or most of them did a couple of them have graduated already but. Yeah. So I had that little friend group going in and like that kind of thing. Yeah. So I did that I definitely had some people that did not want did not treat me very nice. I guess that was it.

00:34:05
I have to ask because this is a mom they always like my claws come out when it comes to my kids. Was it mean girls.

00:34:12
Yeah. Yeah. There was.

00:34:18
Yeah. So this is this is the story tell. That’s like oh this is here’s here’s the biggest example of the things you did. This is it in a nutshell. Oh yeah. I. One of my friends convinced me to run for homecoming court the night before votes won. Oh OK. So I was like. So I text one friends say Hey. Well I mean how come a quarter of the year is like yeah. OK. So we ran that night. I was like Oh twelve hours before everyone has to vote. And you know everything like that. And so I was like because I don’t want to do before that. I was like No I was going to do what I want to do right. I was like I should do it I’ll be following you to do all the pretty dresses and dress up and like that kind of thing. Once in a lifetime. Yeah exactly. That’s my senior year first in public school and I usually do it and I’m like maybe my friend was like I’m doing it you should do it and I was like OK. So I ran. And when we were all voting you go to like your homeroom class or whatever. And this one girl stood up in her class stood up and said do not vote for so Watson like she bubble volleyball like I did it better like Pol I was just standing up in her class and telling people not to vote for me. Wow. And one of the girls in that class was good friends with my best friend at the time. And so she texted my best friend who didn’t go to school and she texted me and so I knew that it was happening when it was happening. So I was like Oh that’s so ridiculous.

00:35:42
And so I said to her after I was like What are you doing. Like what are you doing. I really really did that. That’s such a weird thing to do.

00:35:52
So you had you had the nerve to confront her. Yes I talked to her about it. I am proud of you.

00:35:58
Thank you. Yeah. So I talked to her about it. It’s just like I’m sorry. Like I was just jealous. I was like Yeah. Like I don’t know why else you would do it like right. It’s very weird is really weird experience. I got on homecoming court. So I mean I love you. I think enough people didn’t like her that they were like oh well if she decides that she doesn’t want me to vote for that I’m gonna go do it. I don’t like her.

00:36:19
So how did it work out for you with this girl like you talking to her did it end up smoothing things out a little bit for now.

00:36:25
No she’s to her then. Yes but she. Yeah I don’t wanna give her too much time but she she she and her little friend group have also given me some problems recently. Not recently recently but probably you know like right after high school and whatever I was like OK. It’s like it’s not really like concerning to me though just because like I have other things to do than sit there and like deal with her I’m just like okay I’m not going I’m going I’ll follow you I can talk to you again. Like yeah that’s what you have to do. Yeah. It’s like high school is over now. Like why are you still doing this.

00:37:01
Unfortunately I think a lot of the time the mean girls stay mean girls even into their 40s. I’ve run into some of that I’m on now. And you know you can’t change people but I think what you did was great. You know approaching her and you know not stooping to that level.

00:37:18
Oh yeah. And it sounds like you know like how important it is to connect with people. Mm hmm. It sounds like you just kind of a natural thing for you. I like I like talking to people but I’m sure because you and my mom are both like beautiful women and like I’m sure it like my mom talks to me about it sometimes with people like still the mean girls are still there they are. Yeah. So you can’t change that.

00:37:41
This is like yeah yeah like like you said you just have to block on follow them on social media. It’s like oh right I’m done with this part now.

00:37:49
Yeah yeah yeah. So that kind of brings us to the whole social media thing the bullying with your movie. So talk about what the movie is about a little bit. So people that are listening can kind of get an idea.

00:38:01
Of course. Basically it’s about this writer who’s writing this story about this girl OK. And she’s writing he’s writing about this girl who’s being bullied on social media and and in real life but you know social media is where it started and everything. And because she’s vulnerable because she’s being bullied this guy in a position of power takes advantage of her. And at the end of the story it kind of ties the rider story and her story together and kind of like a plot twist ending. OK. And it’s kind of a story about cyber bullying and just you know how you need to watch what you say to people who don’t know where how it’s going to end up and regret and abuse of power those kind of themes. Yes and it is that set in high school. It is. Yeah I mean it goes back and forth between the writer’s life and her life. It doesn’t more actually wrote the fifth the feature length first which was I think was a 98 page. Wow. So it was like a full length movie. Aha. And so there was a lot more going back and forth between the writer and her story in the movie just cause there was more time to do so. Aha. I think I was probably about a third the writer and two thirds her story.

00:39:15
OK. Let’s see now kind of the fraction I would give. OK. Got to. Yeah. So it’s kind of both stories. So well they take place at a different time.

00:39:26
Like a few years apart I guess. OK. And so but yeah it’s most of it is centered in this high school that shoot that Greece is going to.

00:39:34
OK and how old were you when you started writing this.

00:39:37
Seventeen. Seventeen. So senior year. Yes I wrote it for my senior project. OK.

00:39:42
So it’s like actually I kind of like this. I’m about to do something I don’t get it. I want to. I want to do something I’m going to keep using this. Yeah.

00:39:50
And I actually had to shorten it down to a short film which was hard. That was probably one of the hardest parts of the entire thing just because I had to cut out so many characters that I loved and so many scenes that I love and stuff like that and get the story across and you know 10 pages. Wow.

00:40:05
So can’t even imagine. So does any of what goes on in the film have a basis and maybe things that you saw or experienced when you were in high school.

00:40:19
Yeah absolutely. I mean you said earlier like one of the scenes like one of the bullying scenes I guess actually happened to one of my best friends. Like the teen. Like exactly happened to one of my best friends. And she told me about it and I was like actually the girl that did that to her is in the same friend group of the one that stood up and told everyone not to vote for me.

00:40:37
Shockingly an outright shocker.

00:40:41
Yeah. She’s like you know and of course the whole rest of the story did not happen to my best friend obvious. But it could have. You know what I mean like and that’s what I think is important about telling this story. It’s you know it’s like you have to you know you don’t know what you’re saying is what is going to end up hurting someone. Well it’s going to end up doing to them or what’s going to end up happening to them because of that.

00:41:09
And yeah because I think you know kids your age you just grew up with all of this social media.

00:41:15
So I think some people have this delusion that there’s not a real person on the other end of it. Oh yeah. Is that how you see it.

00:41:24
Oh for sure. It’s like the people feel so brave behind the screen. You know and people some people are like cyber bullying is a real like just turn the computer off but it’s really not like that. Because I mean once to a once you’ve seen someone say something like that to you it sticks with you. Sure. I mean just be like All right. Well you know boot them like it sticks with you and people say things like that especially if like in the short film it picks up and people like it brings it into your real life. And like it’s just it’s a bigger deal than I think people make it out to be.

00:41:57
Yeah they’re screenshots. I mean anything that’s out there is always out there.

00:42:01
Oh for sure. And I think that’s another thing people don’t realize how permanent on the Internet everything is moving you know with like all the different accounts everyone has now and like all the different social media and things that disappear on snapchat like nothing’s really ever gone. No nothing really ever done. So yeah there’s kind of that dangerous aspect of it that people don’t really understand.

00:42:23
But I think it’s really great that at your age when you are still in that pool of everything going on that you had the I guess the wherewithal to kind of be able to still step back and see everything for the big picture.

00:42:37
And it’s kind of funny because when I first started public school at the first day I went like the first day my senior year I came home and I was like Mom this is just like the movie is like with the little clicks and like I saw it like like a movie. My mom was like. Sophia. I could see you I’m like this literally just like like mean girls like we’re the little clicks happen and like all that kind of thing and I like you know I hadn’t had any experience in a public school before. And so I think people that like don’t just come in in the middle I think it’s harder to kind of take yourself out of it and be like Oh that’s right. Like that’s just them being a mean girl you know. I mean I think it’s I was lucky in that aspect that I got to just go in the middle.

00:43:18
Yeah that’s true. Yeah. Because you could see it that way. And you also have the background where you can turn that around into something that you can make an impact on other people with your message. Yeah. So that’s it. I just think that you’re just such a phenomenal young woman to be able to do that.

00:43:34
Oh thank you. Thank you. You’re welcome.

00:43:38
So you’ve put it into you’ve submitted it to film festivals. And how do you see that being received by people I know you’ve won a lot of awards too. Are you getting feedback from viewers that have said thank you for putting this out there.

00:43:55
Yes I have. Which is like you know why I do it. I like the best thing for like as a writer to see and of course I did not do this by myself. I could not have done it by myself. It would not be what it is today if it was if I didn’t have our amazing director and my mom and cinematographer and the producers and literally everyone that was on the set had such an important role in it it would not be where it is today in how much I love it. It wouldn’t be as great as I think it is.

00:44:28
Yeah. And I think a lot of people think it’s great. Judging from how many awards it’s won. I hope so but it wouldn’t be there without everyone’s help.

00:44:36
Like one scene I wasn’t in I was watching on the monitor and it was so perfectly how I imagined it. You know writing in my room at 3 a.m.. Wow. And I would urge Wednesday and started sobbing and my mom was like Are you okay.

00:44:49
I was like it just looks so good. It’s exactly what I wanted.

00:44:52
And you know that was all Janet canal who was our director. She’s phenomenal. Oh it was you know all her framed that shot that did die like it was you know it wouldn’t be where it is without you. Right. But yeah it’s I think it’s making differences in people’s lives. I had the one guy that came up after and told me you know you made me cry and all that kind of thing like those are the ones that matter to me.

00:45:20
But why do you think it’s going to make an impact on young people. Do you think it’s going to make them see what they do and how it affects other people beyond walking out of the theater maybe.

00:45:33
Yeah I I would hope so. I would hope so. I know. A lot of people that have come up to me and talk to me after they’ve seen it in festivals have been like hey. Like that was you know really impactful like that’s really like no I want to give too much away right.

00:45:54
We want people related. Yeah.

00:45:56
But it was I’ve had a lot of people come up to me and say I’m like I really didn’t like think of things like that. Like how could like a snowball effect. Like we’re like one thing happens and it will grow and grow and other things will happen because of it. Right. And the butterfly effect I guess both I guess. Yeah. But yes I had a few people come up to me and talk about how impactful it’s been and how it makes them think and how people been like Oh I’ve been like that then the festivals or people will message me on Facebook and Instagram be like Hey look I like thought about your film for days like it was like really like this and that. So I was like Thank you.

00:46:39
So that’s what it’s all about for you.

00:46:41
Oh yeah. It’s yeah it’s a tool to make a difference. Yeah. I want people to realize that they should just be nice to people and like that. Would you say impacts people and makes differences and things like that and so if that’s the message I can get across and if anyone even half the people who see it can get that message. That’s why I do it. That’s awesome. Yeah.

00:47:07
So do you think that you’re going to continue writing or acting because it seems like that’s really your passion and that’s how you reach out to people. Yes it is. So what’s what. What does the future hold for Miss so feel.

00:47:21
So right now there’s been interest in it being an episodic instead of a feature length film. OK. I’ve been working on that kind of thing right now I’ve been working with some producers in L.A. and say So explain that to a suburban mom who has no experience and what you’re talking about.

00:47:37
OK. So I wrote the movie first the full length movie and instead of turning it into that movie it’s been there’s been more interest doing it as a TV show. OK. Now you’re talking about Tara’s TV. Yeah. Got a TV show instead of a you know a feature film which is which is cool. Then you can like have more storylines and it’s more things like I always pictured it as this movie. And then once someone was like You know you should do this as an episodic. I was like You’re right. Then you can like explore the different characters and like different episodes can focus more different characters and different plots and things like that. Sure. It’s more writing and you know and more acting but a lot more writing for me.

00:48:20
So you would be able to have an active role in that it wouldn’t just get turned over to you.

00:48:24
Well I mean I could sell it probably OK and not have a role in it but it’s just you know this is this is my child that’s your baby you deserve to be old and so I think part of how we’re going to I guess sell it to the producers and executives and whatever whoever wants to is interested in it. Once we look at that when I go I’m telling you you know do the conferences and whatever. It’ll be kind of the package deal or I’m like yeah I’m going to play this character you can cast the rest of the characters however you want but balance me.

00:48:59
I created me.

00:49:01
So yeah. And I love to you know stay on writing with it as well. That’s one of the things I’d really like to do if we sell it or anything like that but a lot of times TV shows are not just written by one person. So that’s how going next year I’ll do that. But weirdly enough I’m not going to college for that. Oh so are you going to college for now. I’ve been thinking about like getting like a minor double majoring in like you know writing or something with entertainment business.

00:49:27
But I’m actually going to cause for elementary education. Wow. So kind of a completely different thing. Yeah that’s kind of what I would want to do if this does not pan out which I hope it does. But I think it probably sounds like you. I would love to do both. I just I love little kids so much. And you know I just love that kind of thing so yeah. So that’s what I’m going to do. OK. Next semester I get to take my first look specifically for that major class so I get to go shadow a teacher for 15 hours. Oh wow. Super excited about it.

00:50:05
And I did that when I was in go in my degree program for teaching and that is one of those moments where you’re it’s either makes or breaks. Yeah exactly. It’s like OK you’re thrown in the deep end. Can’t stand to be around all of these kids I love being around all these. Yeah yeah yeah. And you’ve had that kind of experience with acting so you know it’s like trial by fire right your whole life. Yeah. So you definitely need to have that with teaching too.

00:50:31
Yeah I’m good under pressure I think. Sounds like it. Yeah. So I’m excited about that. That is very exciting. Well I hope that everything works out with with the film. And you have another film festival coming up. We do yes. And the beginning of August I believe is the first through four is the Marietta International Film Festival. OK so so hashtags slut will be one of those it will it will. Hopefully everyone can come see us. Yes. And then will we be able to see the film after the film festivals are done. How does that work with a short film. So festivals don’t really like you to put it online just cause they want more people to come see it there instead of just looking at it online. Sure. So we can’t put it online yet because of the festivals. Hopefully by the end of this year we should have it online. If I’m not at the beginning of next year probably but awesome unless something happens in L.A. I really liked it. Okay yeah. I guess if you get that TV show deal maybe they’ll say don’t do it. Maybe. I’m sure it’s kind of it depends on the thing because there’s a show on end of the effing world on Netflix right now. Now what it’s called. OK. It’s it’s it’s as catchy as hashtags and it is it is and it’s a it’s a good show.

00:51:47
They have to have one season out now and they’re filming the second now. But it was originally a short film. Oh wow. So I know that you can go online and probably find that short film and you know what’s a short film there are lots of articles on it and stuff. So I think it just kind of depends.

00:52:02
OK OK well it sounds like you have lots of opportunities to keep reaching out to people and to make an impact. Yeah. I think you’re definitely somebody that can build bridges.

00:52:13
Thank you. Thank you so much for being here with me. Thank you. Best of luck to you and I’ll be crossing my fingers film festival thank you. Thank you.

00:52:30
If you like this podcast so far please continue following along by tapping the subscribe button wherever you listen to podcasts. If you really liked it go on the awesome and leave a rating and a review. Find me on all social media too by searching Sheryl with an S.. Parr boo. That’s p a r b h. Oh. Thanks for listening to Southern life. Indian wife.