Meet Soraya Garré

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

Hi Soraya, we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking.
I approach risk taking as an exciting adventure, a way to push myself forward, overcome fears and grow. It gives me the adrenaline I sometimes need to go the extra mile towards my goals. Further is the limit! Pursuing acting/filmmaking is a gamble in itself and I don’t think you can embrace this career without accepting the uncertainty that goes with it and learning to manage stress. Taking chances teaches you to live outside your comfort zone and keep learning, evolving and widen your horizon. You jump, you fall, you get back up and hopefully you get to experience life to the fullest doing what you love!

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I’d say that what sets me apart is my determination, energy, and sensitivity. I am relentless! lol Because I absolutely love acting and storytelling. It allows me to better understand myself and others, the world we live in, which I believe is key to living a fulfilling life. Filmmaking is such an intrinsically human experience! And the learning process is never ending! All that keeps me excited about “the work”.

But it definitely has not been an easy path! It has actually been extremely challenging at times, for various different reasons. First, I used to have no self-confidence whatsoever. But since acting was my passion and ambition, I had to overcome my doubts and make changes! I worked hard on my craft and on myself, analyzing the tricky situations I got myself into, dealing with my moods and negative thoughts. Little by little, one step at a time, I changed my attitude and thought patterns in a way that has allowed me to be freer. It has given me a strong sense of integrity, serenity and… confidence. About time!

One of the things I’ve learned is that you can’t control everything in life. Learning to let go has been an important part of the process for me. And then you cannot please everybody! It may seem like an obvious thing to say but it’s taken me a long time to integrate.

I’d love it if my story and fictions could inspire others, encourage them to connect, talk more about certain issues too. Make the world a better place! Why not?!

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
This is a tough one! There is so much to do in L.A.! Ok, let’s see what we could do in a week… First, we would go to Universal Studios to spend the whole day and have dinner there, of course!
The next morning, we would be off to the Warner Brothers Lot. We’d have lunch there, at Central Perk Café and in the afternoon we would drive to Griffith Park, visit the Observatory and take photos of the Hollywood sign. In the evening, dinner at Yamashiro Hollywood! Such a beautiful place overlooking the city!
The following day, we would go to Hollywood Boulevard, take pictures on the Walk of Fame and in front of the Chinese Theater. We could stop at the Roosevelt Hotel for lunch, at the Rosy Café, next to the pool. After that, we could hang out at the Grove and have a informal dinner at the Farmer’s Market.
In the morning, we would explore a different part of the city: the coast! We could start with a brunch at Gjusta, in Venice, one of my favorite places! We would then hang out on Abbot Kinney, maybe roller blade on Venice Beach and up to Santa Monica, stop for a little shopping there. End of day: dinner at the Barefoot Café in Malibu!
The next day, we could have a morning stroll in Beverly Hills, lunch at Il Pastaio, and a bit of shopping in the area and in the Century City Westfield Mall later. There is a really nice Sushi place there, outdoors, perfect to finish a fun day!
Finally, we could spend the last day in Malibu: have brunch on the pier, hang out at the country mart, check out the Adamson House, and go for a relaxing walk on Zuma Beach. Back in town for dinner at the Little Door!
I also love going for hikes. My favorite is the Los Leones one in Pacific Palisades. And then of course, Runyon Canyon in Hollywood. Jazz nights are also very fun!

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?
I’ll start with Eckard Tolle’s Power of the Present Moment, which is a book I read when I was in my mid-20s in Paris, training to become an actress. At the time, that book made me realize how little I lived in the present and how acting systematically brought me back into it, thus creating a sense of well being and empowerment.

Then, when I first arrived in Los Angeles, I trained with Bobbie, Larry and Richie Chance, at Expressions Unlimited, in Sherman Oaks. I made my first steps in the acting community at that studio and mingled with some very talented and inspiring people there.

Next, I trained with Richard Lawson, who taught me a lot about the business, allowed me to be part of a very supportive group of artists and also become a more autonomous actress by learning how to use an editing software in particular. I started to create my own film projects at his Studios.

Later on, I met my long time friend and mentor, Jon Amiel, director of Entrapment, Copycat and many other films and TV shows. Jon has played a very important part in my development as an artist – as an actress and as a screenwriter in particular. We recently co-wrote a short film, “Haunted”, which Jon also directed and I produced and starred in. It is a very emotional drama/mystery that addresses a difficult topic: teen suicide. It is a story we both hold close to our hearts. The film is currently doing the festival round with upcoming screenings at the Madrid International Film Festival and at the Catalina Island Film Festival in September.

And last but not least, I have a couple of really close friends whom I have known for a very long time and who have been supporting me from the very beginning. I don’t see them often as they are in different parts of the world, but we talk regularly and they play a very important role in my life.

Website: https://www.sorayagarre.com

Instagram: https://www.sorayagarre.com

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/soraya-garre-sag-aftra-french-actress-acting/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/soraya.garre/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/sorayagarre

Other: https://www.imdb.me/sorayagarre 

Image Credits
Personal photo by Marcos Daniel Ferreira Last headshot (blue sweater) by Robin Emtage.