Meet Sonia Balcazar | Actor and Leader

We had the good fortune of connecting with Sonia Balcazar and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Sonia, we’d love to hear what makes you happy.
This is tricky for people who do not know me to understand. I simply make myself happy. I choose to be happy. It’s the perspective I choose. I am living my purpose, learning, growing, loving unconditionally, and becoming the best version of myself. Because I am an actor, most people try to define what they think happiness means to me or what happiness should mean to an actor and often make the terrible assumption that fame and money would be it. However, if people take the time to understand me and what drives me, they soon realize that fame and money are far from anything that drives my happiness. I am happy now, as I am, and as I grow and evolve. I am happy because I made that conscious choice and I enjoy the journey, but don’t be mistaken; just because I choose happiness doesn’t mean I don’t have low days either. Instead, it means I can appreciate the good days and look at the bright side of situations with perspective. I make mistakes, and I walk away with lessons learned. If I fail at something or experience rejection, I walk away appreciating the redirection. If I have a dark day it gives me perspective and more reasons to be grateful for the happy days.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?

I am an actor. My passion is acting, and my purpose is to tell stories of the human condition. I am most excited about Executive Producing and starring in a film called ADDICTED TO YOU, which is based on what I went through in a relationship I was in for many years. This film is highly personal to me and will be a legacy of art that I was able to create with all the pain I had inside. The theme of the film touches on generational cycles of addiction and codependency. It is ultimately a love story.

It took me a long time to get to where I am today in my professional and artistic career, and it was never easy. However, every challenge, setback, detour, or failure I experienced along the way helped shape the person I am today. Those experiences strengthened my character and built resilience and grit to face the more significant challenges as my career continues to flourish. My purpose is clear to me: to help tell these stories, no matter how visceral they may be, so that I can reach people and help them feel seen. Our stories must be told.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
If my best friend were visiting the area, I would take them on a Taco tour of LA. I would start with Angel’s Tijuana Tacos in North Hollywood on Victory Blvd. I would order everything on the menu because it’s ALL that great! The line is always long but worth the wait. The next day we would go to the Santa Fe Springs Swap Meet to chill, walk, shop, drink and eat. The day after we would have to stop at Villas Tacos in Highland Park. The line would be long here, too but again, well worth the wait for some of the best tacos in LA. Since my Bestie isn’t from around here, I would make sure we take a horseback riding sunset tour of the Hollywood sign. That is a must to be able to see some of the most beautiful views of LA as the sun goes down. I would then make sure we made time to park and walk the new 6th street bridge. This beautiful new bridge attracts a lot of people, and you will always always always see something crazy to go home and tell your friends about.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I’m grateful to be surrounded by supportive human beings in my journey. All my family and my close friends are very supportive of my career and the things that make me happy. However, I do lean a lot on my Brother, who I call “BrotherLove,” for all those moments I need encouragement or some extra motivation. My Brother is like my very own coach. He says things simplest but impacts me in the most significant ways. He makes me laugh and puts things into perspective when I need guidance. He pumps me up when I am feeling down. He knows me more than almost anyone and will always give me the best advice, even if it’s what I don’t want to hear. I can trust him, and that means the world to me. So shout out to my BrotherLove! I love you Bro! Thank you for being the best Brother a girl can have.

Website: www.imdb.me/soniabalcazar

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/soniabalcazar

Twitter: https://twitter.com/soniabalcazar

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SoniaBalcazarActress/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/SoniaBalcazar

Image Credits
Alexander G. Seyum, Carnival Pictures Stills, Heidi Sandoval, Jesse Borrego, Berenice Valle, Chris “LV” Leyva, Blanca Ordaz, Anthony L. Fernandez, Ben De Jesus, Laura Patalano, Mariah Rangel and Sonia Balcazar.