Meet Sarafina Ludlow | Comedian, Writer, Director, and Actor

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

Hi Sarafina, how do you think about risk?
Everything is a risk, in some form or another, so you may as well take risks for things that you love and are passionate about. Not doing so welcomes the risk of regret. I have a tattoo of “11:30” on my forearm that is a reminder of the Lorne Micheals (SNL creator) quote, “We don’t go on because we’re ready, we go on because it’s 11:30.” To me, this means that we may not ever feel perfectly ready or prepared for something, there will always be some sort of road block or reason not to do it, but at some point you have to jump in, with both feet, ready or not. Any success or fulfillment I’ve had so far, personal or professional, has come from jumping in and taking the risk. It doesn’t always work out, but when it does, there’s no better feeling.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I’ll try to keep this brief, to make sure I don’t seem (too) self indulgent. I’ll start by saying that I’m still in the process of getting where I want to be professionally–I’m not there yet, but I try my best to be present in and grateful for my current achievements. I’m having a difficult time summing up my “art,” not because it’s anything so unique that there are no words for it, but because I’m long winded and have never been good at summarizing. Remember when I said I’d try to keep this brief? Fat chance. Anyway, I’m going to lean on Kurt Vonnegut to give the skinny, “I want to stay as close to the edge as I can without going over. Out on the edge you see all kinds of things you can’t see from the center.” So that’s that. When things get tough, which they regularly do because that’s life and life can be hard and no one is immune to that, I take stock of all the good. I remind myself that I’m still be breathing and will be tomorrow; that there are people who love me and people who I love; and to again quote Vonnegut, “We are put on earth to fart around, don’t let anyone tell you any different.” The only amendment I’d make is to “fart around” with intentionality, and when you can’t be intentional, be kind–always be kind.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
For food: – The birthday cake from Alcove. This is a must. If you think you don’t like cake, try this cake and then try and say you don’t like cake.
– Funfetti cake from Susie Cakes
– Funfetti pie (or any slice) from Winston Pies.
*If you haven’t gathered, I love sweets.
– Breakfast burritos from Cofax
– Bagels from Courage Bagels
– Rainbow brioche toast from Sqirl

For sites/entertainment:
– A comedy show at The Groundlings or The Elysian
– A hike and picnic at Griffith Park
– An outdoor movie w/ Cinespia
– Candi Pop dance party on Friday nights at The Virgil. This is a must.

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?
Sometimes when I drive alone I pretend I’m giving an Oscar’s acceptance speech but then quickly stop on account of anxious sweats from thinking about all the people I want to thank in such a short amount of time. This question is causing the same reaction. I am very grateful to have SO many people in my corner–encouraging, cheering me on, coming to my shows, reading scripts and giving notes, letting me rant, giving advice and reality checks when needed, etc. So many people that make life beautiful and in turn inspire me to do what I’m doing. That sounded so waspy…please forgive me. I would be remiss if I didn’t specifically “shoutout” my dad and my older sister. I don’t write a sketch or perform a set before first brainstorming with my dad. We share a love for comedy and story telling, and our long chats have been invaluable. His ideas are often dated and ridiculous (he knows this), but they always end up leading to something of use. No one is more excited about what I’m doing than my dad. My older sister (who also happens to be my roommate and best friend) has been integral in the maintenance of my sanity. Knowing that there is someone who knows me completely, the good and the bad and the less than shiny parts, and still loves me and encourages me…well, that knowledge has gotten me through many a rough patch. She also brings me back to earth when I anxious spiral and lets me know when I’m being a shit AND let’s me know how great I am when I forget. Everyone deserves a person like that.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fina_ludlow/?hl=en

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sara.ludlow.9/

Image Credits
Matt Block