Meet Viviane Angélique Ortega | Actor

We had the good fortune of connecting with Viviane Angélique Ortega and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Viviane Angélique, what led you to pursuing a creative path professionally?
First of all, I feel incredibly privileged and grateful to have been able to pursue an artistic career with a level of comfort that some other artists definitely do not have. Although my family have shown some scepticism about my desire to pursue acting, they have been very supportive and without their support, it would have been a lot harder for me to be where I am now.
But to answer that question, I believe there is nothing more honest to say than “I had to”. Ever since I reached the age in which I started thinking about what I could make of my life, being an actor or some kind of performer had to be the answer. I actually think I have never seriously considered any other field. I think that when something calls for you, denying it would be denying a part of yourself. Therefore, I just abandoned myself to this feeling I had that being an artist was what I am supposed to do, and I haven’t looked back since.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
As an Actor, my art is myself. My body, my mind, my heart and to what extent I can lend those to the purpose of making art.
I have had a somewhat unconventional lifestyle, in which I moved around a lot and lived in very different places in the world. I think that sets me apart in terms of life experience and adaptability. Because of that kind of lifestyle and my family’s background, I also speak multiple language, my native tongue being French, and then Italian, Spanish and of course English. I feel very lucky to have been able to learn those languages, which I believe make up such a big part of who I am today. Knowing a few languages definitely broadened my understanding of certain concepts and obviously cultures, which I have found to be helpful in my craft. Some languages have specific words or expressions dedicated to unique feelings or concepts, and having that tool where, if i can’t understand something in one language, I can try and see if it makes sense in another, has been really fun to play around in terms of acting.
I am Swiss of nationality, and while I think Switzerland is an amazing country, it definitely is not known for its flourishing entertaining industry. It has definitely been hard to deal with my desire to be an actor and at the same time to be from a place with very little opportunity in that field. I was kind of “forced” to look at other horizons where those opportunities are more present. The US presented itself as the most logical choice for me. Ever since I was a teen I had always dreamed of moving to New York. Knowing how obsessed I was with that city, my Mom took me there on vacation for a few days. It was one of the happiest times of my life. A dream come true. When we left, I remember sobbing at the airport, thinking I still had a long way to go before ever coming back there. But in 2022, right when was about to finish college and decide where to pursue my acting career, I had the opportunity to visit LA. I was starry eyed and in love, so I packed my bags and moved to LA. Cut to, arriving in LA a few months later, with my two suitcases, broken up with, and having to navigate that weird city by myself. I stayed at a hostel on Hollywood boulevard for a while, which thinking back on it now, was a scary experience, and yet I was enthusiastic.
Long story short, the path to LA and through LA was definitely not an easy one, but I pushed through and I’m happy I did. A couple of lessons I’ve learned are to try to find the best in whatever weird situation you’re in, to find people who genuinely want to help and to not leave your food in the common fridge of your hostel. Just don’t.

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.
My absolute favourite place in the city is the Hollywood Forever cemetery. Yes, it’s a cemetery, I’m aware. But as a good European, when I first got here, I right away craved a good park. Somewhere to walk to and chill, and well, LA is not the best for that. I moved to LA from Rome, Italy, where you can find gorgeous parks within a mile, or just hang on a nice “piazza”, which I think the translation would be “a square”?
But after moving from my sketchy hostel to a room I found in Hollywood, I started walking around, exploring the area and finding this cemetery was such a refreshing moment. It’s beautiful, peaceful, it has cats, squirrels and peacocks running around. I finally felt like home again.

Huntington gardens was also a place that I loved going to and that I would take any visitor I have.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
The very first shout out I want to give is to my Mom. I know a lot of fellow actors and artists who have the same answer and there’s definitely a reason why haha.
My mom has been my role model since the beginning. She has fed me with art in so many different ways that I simply could not avoid it. Although she is not an artist as her profession, she definitely is one in her heart. She is incredibly creative, exuberant and has a kind of sensibility that I think is rare to find in people. She is a lover of beauty and sees beauty in very unique and sophisticated ways, which might be hard to fully understand, but easy to admire. My childhood best friends, Zoe and Daisy, have been the lights of my life while growing up. We met when we were 10 years old are best friends ever since. They are both uniquely creative and wonderful women, and I still can’t believe we managed to find each other in this world. They are some of the only people who “see” me. And being seen is the most precious gift one can get, as an artist, and as a person.
Aside from them, definitely a couple of literature, history and drama teachers have had a big impact on my self esteem and my desire to be creative. If those teachers had not encouraged me in my sometimes peculiar ways of doing things, it might have been more difficult for me to embrace my artistic side.
Lastly, the Art of Acting Studio, and all the people I have met there since I started my training. Being surrounded by other artists who share very similar aspirations is so damn inspiring. I think it is pretty easy to get inspired by people who are themselves inspired. It makes me want to be the best version of myself, as an artist, but also as a person, which to me are the same.

Instagram: @vivianeangeliqueo

Image Credits
Gregory wallace photography
Hullis beautiful photography