Meet Sylva Kelegian | Actress/Author/Animal Activist

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

Hi Sylva, what led you to pursuing a creative path professionally?
I pursued an artistic/creative career after I spent some years behind a desk and realized it was not the path that I was meant for. It was stifling and I was much happier when I quit my job to become an actress in my early 20’s. After years of acting and expressing myself in different roles, I was led to my next creative journey of writing. Though I still very much love to act, when I sit down to write and there is nothing to rely on besides myself, I find that to be the most difficult, yet powerful form of creativity. I also inherited the gift of home decorating from my mother, so when I’m not acting or writing, I love to re-decorate my house and have helped friends with their homes as well.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I spent ten years as a waitress, while studying acting and doing off-off broadway plays, which was a difficult, yet exciting time in New York. My faith has gotten me through everything in life. I always believed it was meant to happen so it made the journey easier. I landed my first big TV job on Law & Order and continued with more wonderful television and film roles through the years, as well as theatre, in New York and Los Angeles. There came a time when I felt a pull to give back, as acting can be very self focused. That’s when I adopted my first dog, Sammy, who led me into the world of dog rescue. I have spent years balancing my acting career with my rescue life. To date I have rescued or found homes for almost 600 dogs. I then wrote an award winning book called, GOD SPELLED BACKWARDS: The Journey of an Actress into the World of Dog Rescue, to raise awareness and at the same time, finished my award winning children’s book, The Dolphin Princess. I’m now trying not to rescue, but I do help others find homes for animals in need. My focus at the present time is to get the show I co-created about Hollywood and the dog rescue world, called, BONED: Where Everyone Needs to get…Rescued, on the air. It’s been challenging but I’m keeping the faith we will find the right partner/network soon. I’ve also had a passion for Africa for most of my life and finally made the journey there in 2018. My book, RWANDA, RWANDA!, about the amazing people and animals I met, will be out this summer.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I always give friends and family who come to visit, a tour around Hollywood to see the walk of fame and the Hollywood sign, and then I drive into the hills for them to look at homes of celebrities they fancy. Next stop, down the PCH to Malibu, where we have lunch at Paradise Cove, one of my favorite spots in LA. Followed by a walk on the beautiful beach.

Universal Studios and Warner Bros. are the studio tours I like to take them on, so they can see how and where the Hollywood magic happens.

For those who like to try to catch a glimpse of a celebrity, The Ivy on Robertson is a good place to go for lunch. And Dinner at La Boheme in West Hollywood is always a fun, funky, people watching place to eat.

But my favorite place to take tourists is the Self-Realization Fellowship Lake Shrine. The most peaceful place in Los Angeles because of their meditation gardens surrounding the lake.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Shoutout to my partners, Steve Spiro, Alison Eastwood and David Weisman on our show BONED: Where Everyone Needs to get….Rescued. It’s a half-hour dramedy about Hollywood and the Dog Rescue World. We’ve shot the pilot and have the first season written. Currently it’s being shopped around and we’re hoping to have it on the air soon.

Website: www.sylvakelegian.com

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

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

Image Credits
God Spelled Backwards cover: Michael Brian