If I Could Give My Younger Self One Piece of Advice as an Actress

If I could go back and tell my younger self one thing about acting, it would be this:

At every opportunity, practice not seeking perfection and not seeking approval. Instead—practice playing, experimenting, and being completely open to failing.

When you walk into an acting class, it’s so easy to carry this pressure:

• You want to impress the other actors.

• You want the teacher you admire to see you as “worthy.”

• Or maybe you’re just so focused on “doing it right” that you choke the creativity out of yourself.

But here’s the truth: none of that matters.

Instead, use every class as an opportunity to show up with a solid idea of your scene—and then be completely ready to throw it out the window. Be ready to try new things. Be ready to be bad. Yes, give yourself permission to be a “bad” actor.

The more you practice that, the more relaxed you’ll become in situations where the pressure is real—like callbacks or being on set with strangers. The more you allow yourself to fail in a safe space, the more you’ll master the art of not giving a damn.

And when that happens… magic shows up.

You’ll suddenly feel free. You’ll start to play. You’ll listen to your instincts instead of the voice in your head that tells you to “do it right.” You’ll walk into the room with this subtle energy of I don’t give a f**—but without the arrogance.* And that? That’s irresistible.

That’s the energy that makes people lean in and say, “There’s something about that guy…” or “That girl has something special.”

When you master this, you won’t just see changes in your acting—you’ll see changes in your entire life.

So if I could whisper one piece of advice to my younger self, it would be this: stop trying to be perfect, stop trying to be impressive—just play, risk, and let yourself be free.

Because that’s where the magic lives.

Sending you a big hug!

Natalia

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