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

Hi Fernanda, what role has risk played in your life or career?
I believe risks are inevitable for a successful career and achieving your dreams. I would even say that taking risks is what makes dreams come true.
I have always wanted to be an actress, and that’s a risk by itself if you decide to follow this path. The uncertainty of the industry, all the challenges that come with it, and mainly the fact that this career is not based on meritocracy make it very risky to even try to pursue it. It feels like jumping into an abyss, not knowing if there is a net to hold you at the bottom of it. However, if you are certain that that’s what makes you happy, then it’s a risk you must take.
I feel like I take risks every time I decide to do something creative. It can be writing a short film or making a bold choice for a character in a self-tape. The risk factor is there, mainly because in this business, there is no “right or wrong;” it is all subjective. Half of the people might like what you do; the other half might not, and you never know which half is watching you. But I also think that this is what keeps things exciting, and that’s what gives me the energy and adrenalin to keep doing what I do.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I just have this massive drive inside every cell in my body haha . I’m a VERY competitive person. I love playing board games and puzzles, which helps me a lot in my career.
Every time something happens to me, I see it as all part of a game or a puzzle; for example, if it’s something bad or if I feel stuck, then I’m just in the most challenging part and need to step back to organize myself and change tactics to win and get back on to be my best version. If it’s something good, I am in the reward of all the hard work phase. It might sound crazy to many people, but seeing things like that helps me deal with rejection and rough phases, which is something all actors go through. It keeps me on my toes and things exciting (there is always more I can do or try). Treating this career like an endless game/puzzle has helped me a lot and has made me more resilient. It was either that or depression to me, hahaha.
Career-wise, I’m very proud of how much ambition I have shown lately. I used to think I was a dreamer, not a “doer”, and I am VERY PROUD to have proven myself wrong and to have been able to move past that perspective I had of myself. Now, the sky is the limit,, and I 100% believe I can and will reach it.
This journey has not been easy at all. I have definitely faced a lot of bumps, whether personal or exterior. I had to grow so much personally to face the exterior challenges better. I had a lot of people who were supposed to be my supporters not believe in me, saying I was never going to make it; I had people not taking me seriously or thinking I was dumb because of my accent, disregarding every single choice and ideas I had made for my characters, just because they thought my opinions and visions were not worth being listened to; I had people trying to scam me and manipulate me; racism; and more. It has been crazy, and this has definitely impacted how I see the world now, but it has also taught me great qualities that I didn’t know I had in me. With every challenge comes a great personal discovery and growth, and that’s how I learned to approach things to keep myself mentally healthy. Something that also helped me face all that was having a very good sense of the values that formed the base of who I am. A lot of things about me changed, but that base is still the same; I know who I am at my core, and I know what I think is right and wrong in such a strong way that I am okay going against the crowd if that’s what I need to do.
And something I would like people to know about me and my work is that this is just the beginning. I can’t wait to see where the winds of change will take me next.

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?
My favorite places in town/near town are:
El Matador.
Any Karaoke bar.
I love Geeky and Tea.
Mama Por Dios, the restaurant.
I love going to Barnes and Noble at the Grove and then to the movies there.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
OH MY GOD, YES!!
I want to thank all my teachers and mentors who believed in me and helped me find the strength and passion to keep going regardless of the outside factors.
I also want to give a shoutout to all my friends who have been by my side at my best and worst, who are always here to offer me a kind hand, especially Maria Jimena and Johanna Thur, who never hesitate to help me when I need them. Without them, I wouldn’t be the person I am today; I have grown so much just by being around them that I cannot even imagine how I would be if I hadn’t met them.
Last but not least, the most essential shoutout goes to my family. They are the people I always go to for everything. They are the people I want to tell good news to first and, at the same time, search for help whenever something bad happens. Especially during the process of creating Amentalio (my first time producing, writing, and acting in a short film) and with all the struggles of living abroad alone, they have shown me so much love and support that I will never be able to put it into words.

Instagram: fernanda_vilela23 @amentalio.shortfilm

Image Credits
The first three pictures (on set ones) were taken by @mateogamero123

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