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

Hi Amy, what role has risk played in your life or career?

I think risk is the most important part of life, even though it’s scary for many people, the reality is that we can’t experience our full potential if we never decide on taking risks.

The biggest one I’ve taken was in 2015 when I relocated to the USA. I sold everything I owned in Mexico and my whole life was reduced to 3 suitcases. I was 29 and had to start all over with no credit score and no social security. Just a bunch of dreams and the hope of achieving better opportunities.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?

I always wanted to be a creative, I had a natural talent with my voice, I sing, love doing impersonations and had a great skill to pick up accents and languages easily. However, I didn’t understand how to make a career out of it. Living in Mexico, the idea of being able to support myself with a creative career was not even an option.

I went to school for Industrial Design and started building a career in Marketing, even though I dreamed in becoming a singer, or something related to being an artist, I never gave myself permission to try until 2011 when I accidentally collaborated in an animated productions to do scratch voices for timing purposes on an animatic. This was back in Mexico by the way, I remember the director mentioning that I had some talent and should think about doing VoiceOver. I was so ignorant about the topic that I just gave him a nervous laugh and smiled. Sadly, the project ran out of funds and never made it to production so that was the end of that ride! Or that was what I thoughts at least…

Years passed by, I married an animation artist and took a risk by selling everything I owned in México, in 2014 I left family, friends, traditions, everything I knew to start a new life in the USA, during that time I had to learn how to sell myself as a professional, rebrand and reinvent myself, and took the obvious choice to get a “stable” and dreadful corporate job. However, we needed to relocate to Los Angeles for his job so he could have a better shot at creative opportunities, so we drove down from Minnesota and arrived to Glendale on October 19th. 2016

I still worked my corporate job but being in LA just inspired me and motivated me to get acting clases, I researched more about VO and took coaching lessons. And the magic moment when I stood behind a mic for the first time was precious! I felt that this was the creative outlet that I have been looking for years. I fell in love with the VO industry, I dived into learning everything I could about the business… I was hooked.

When COVID 19 hit, my corporate job was reducing their staff and I decided that it was time to make the jump and start this Voice Over business thing, so I quit my job and just decided that I needed the VO business to work.

In 4 months I was able to make the same as my old paycheck, on month 7, I was able to get agency representation in LA, In July 2021 of this year I submitted to be considered for the One Voice Awards and  got nominated in 3 categories and won my first Voice Over Award for Outstanding Live Event Announcer – Voice of God. And this week I got the news that I also got nominated for the Society of Voice Arts Awards for Outstanding Mobile App Best Voiceover.  It’s been such a ride!! I can’t believe the outcome.

This journey has been far from easy, the late nights, countless rejections, the steep learning curve, to be able to critique your failures and pushing yourself hard to be a better actor is painful. This has been such a humbling process, I’m constantly running a marathon that is far from done. However, it’s been the most exciting and exhilarating experience ever!

Coming from a small little town in the middle of the Caribbean tropical jungle in México, I just want to share that it’s never too late to pursue your dreams, it’s never too late to give your inner child a chance to do what you’ve always dreamed of. We are our own biggest barrier when it comes to accomplishing our dreams. Even though it sounds cliché, If you are willing to pay the price with dedication, commitment and faith, you can accomplish ANYTHING.

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?

I’ve only been in LA for 5 years and 2 of them don’t count as we were in lockdown during the pandemic, so don’t take my advise so seriously please… I’m still a new by to the city!

I would first take a drive to Palos Verdes and go visit the Korean Bell of friendship
stop by Home to have a bite, Drive up to Griffith Park and see the beautiful LA lights at dawn.
Take a stroll at The Americana at Brand and enjoy the dancing waters while also eating some amazing Italian food at Amici Trattoria.

I really enjoy road tripping around California as well, I just love to take the car and not have a plan. Some of my favorite places to visit are Carpinteria, Solvang, Morro Bay and Carmel.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?

I would love to give a Shoutout to my husband Nico Selma, he is an amazing artist that always puts the attention on others and not himself, and he is so humble about his work. He is really talented and has so much knowledge about storytelling, story boarding and directing he has a lot to contribute!  I’m also so grateful for his support as I could have never been able to get where I am without him.

Website: www.amyselma.com

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

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amyselmavo

Twitter: https://twitter.com/amyselmaVO

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

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutLA is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.