Welcome back to The Code of Style, and today, I want to share with you this exclusive interview with Brazilian actress, Priscilla Avila.
Priscilla Avila is a Brazilian actress and writer. She had her debut in the world of theatre when she was only 12 years old, and she has since appeared in numerous Brazilian plays, films, and TV shows, most notably as Stefani in 2017’s “171 Negocio de Familia” at Universal Channel Brazil.
In 2012, she traveled to Paris and appeared on TV in a famous music video from the movie “Les Kairas”. She was also a part of a short film with the French Actress, Esther Garrel. However, her visa status in France obliged her to return to Brazil, where she pursued her career in cinema.
While continuing her career in Brazil, Avila earned a degree in Cinema from a Brazilian University in Sao Paulo. She also won a scholarship for the Summer Art Course at Santa Fe University, NM in 2014 and this was her first time in the US.
Earlier this year, Avila made her debut in an Indian movie “Mosagallu“, which was also released in theatres in the United States.
She’s now all set to make her powerful debut in Hollywood after signing with a very prestigious Management Boutique in 2020.
Priscilla Avila recently opened up about her sexuality. She describes herself as a demisexual woman. Demisexuality describes people who only experience sexual attraction to others that they have close, emotional connections with. According to specialists, demisexuality falls under the asexual banner because it describes a situation where you only experience sexual attraction in limited circumstances.
Take a read and find out what inspires Priscilla and what her next projects are:
Exclusive Interview with Brazilian actress, Priscilla Avila
Thank you so much for joining us! Can you tell us a little more about your ‘backstory’?
Thank you for having me. I was born in a small town in Brazil, and I started my career in theatre very young, and I began selling paintings at the age of 15 and my desire to make movies happened naturally. The willingness to pursue my career internationally was also something that I felt when I was a teenager. Besides my theatre training I also have a degree in Foreign Languages applied to International Negotiations and a Master in Cinema because my goal always was to be an international creator.
What first inspired you to consider an acting career and how did you first get your start ?
Since I was 5 years old, I was performing in concerts and events as a dancer, and I remember being 8 years old creating music and live performances for my family’s friends in parties and events. I was also kind of a nerd in school, and I was wondering if acting could help me with socializing more and my Art Teacher told me there was an Acting Course starting in the local Theatre, so I decided to join it. After I joined the local group Theatre and all of the members were 30ish. I grew up a lot being surrounded by adults.
Who or what was your greatest inspiration in pursuing a career in acting?
My inspiration at the time was the willingness to perform. I didn’t have an idol in an acting career. I was a huge fan of the Spice Girls and Ricky Martin only. (LOL). But when I joined the Theatre Group, I got very serious about the craft because I could not disappoint the group expectations and all our plays were meant to be professional.
Can you tell us a little about how you are working to dispel preconceived notions about the LGBTQ+ community and why this is so important to you?
We still live in a world where differences are not well accepted and as a demisexual woman I feel myself as part of the LGBTQA+ community and as an artist I feel an obligation of exposing the prejudice and misconception in the subjects related to the LGBTQA+.
I started to write professionally in 2017 and since then I am creating opportunities to show our issues in my work because I understand people are only stopping being judgmental if they see and experience the unknown.
Is there an achievement or contribution that you are most proud of in the fight for awareness of female stereotyping and cultural diversity?
I think I still have a lot to do to try to break down stereotypes in this matter. But I am making sure right now that any project I am working on I will try to show women as less objectified. It’s very hard to fight against all those matters because beauty and female sensuality is still being seen as a commodity in capitalism.
I think one of my best achievements so far was to be praised as a successful woman in industry in the United States. I had an emotional breakdown in Brazil and got very depressed for a while when all my work was related to a desire of a man having my body. In the United States I had the chance of getting seen only for my talent and I was chosen by Erika Monroe Williams to be part of her management clients and she introduced me to another amazing woman, Heather Bragg, who is my representation now in America.
How do you rise above the pressures of the industry when it comes to the acceptance of certain jobs and staying true to your image?
It is very hard because I know I was born with features that society now thinks is very appealing and sexy and as a Latina my body is always put in this place of sexy roles. But I am writing roles for myself now where I can be a beautiful and intelligent woman who has way more things to do than finding a partner.
This series is all about representing and empowering dynamic women everywhere; can you recall a particular moment in the last year that influenced your growth and evolution as a woman?
I think the last year was one of the hardest in my life. I finally got my working visa in the United States and two months later Covid came with the lockdown and made my dream of working there vanish.
I came back to Brazil and when I got there my sister found out her 2,5 year old son had a very deadly stage 4 BCOR sarcoma (cancer). All my family was devastated. My nephew was always like a son for me because my sister is a single mother of two babies. I just had to forget all my life drama and silly preoccupations and work hard to try to help them to find a cure for him in the middle of a pandemic, and I had also to act as a mom for the youngest child (only 5 months old at the time). I have learned so much with this motherhood experience and I think I now have the strength to fight for others and for my dreams in a way I didn’t know I could have before.
The Covid-19 pandemic has affected nearly every aspect of our lives today. Can you tell us what are the biggest challenges you are facing in your career during this pandemic? And how are you overcoming them?
One of my biggest challenges was not having any luck during this period. After not being able to return to America (my type of working Visa is not allowed to enter the US yet) and all the problems with my family, I got invited to go to India because I am in a Indian movie “Mosagallu”, which was released in March this year in the US And Indian theatres, but Covid hit hard there and all the country is still in lockdown.
So, I had to understand I can’t have control of life circumstances and try to let go. I am working hard on my mental health and trying to help others to understand the power of a healthy mental state.
On a more personal level, can you share your strategies about how to stay calm and sane during these difficult times?
As I said before, my mental health is very important to me now and understanding the importance of meditation was crucial. Meditation is not just standing still in a place without thinking, it is understanding you are not your thoughts, so if you have a negative thought, you can switch it and not believe in it. That helped me a lot to get through all the bad circumstances.
What has been the biggest challenge/ hurdle you have faced so far?
Even although I was sexually abused many times in my life since I was a kid, my nephew’s treatment was something that really changed my life.
What has been your biggest milestone / achievement so far?
I’m proud of my achievements in my career so far, it’s not so easy to try to have an international career coming from a very small town in Brazil and also coming from a family that is not so wealthy and with no background in the artistic world.
What do you want to be known for in your life and career?
I want to be known as a person who really tried to change this world in a peaceful place and had some great ideas that can inspire the evolution of society.
I’m working on a novel about science and the future of society, and I hope I can inspire some new ‘Elon Musk’ kind of kids. That will be a dream come true.
What are your aspirations for the future? Where would you like to see yourself 5 years from now and are there any imminent plans that you’d like to share?
I hope I can succeed in America as an actress, and I hope I’ll have my career as a director and writer-creator more developed. I would also love to finish my novel. Right now, I’m shooting a new movie in Brazil and I have some projects for this year in India.
What advice do you have for other women, who are aspiring to launch a creative career?
Although the industry is still male-dominated, I want to tell them to trust their judgement and that no man can teach them what is wrong and right in this field. Work hard on your craft and be strong because the lions are out there to try to eat you.
Is there anything else you would like to share with us today, Priscilla?
I am so glad to be interviewed by such a great woman who also believes in woman power. I am very proud to live this moment in time where women are rising stronger than ever and fighting against a society that has always tried to make them as a fragile human being.
I hope you enjoyed this inspiring interview with Brazilian actress, Priscilla Avila, and you can find out more about her here and/ or follow her on Instagram.
I’ll be back to share some more articles with you again soon! In the meantime, you can see our other features here.
Julia x
Website: The Velvet Runway : Instagram: @julia.rees_
Credits:
Photo Credit : Stephen Spencer from Los Angeles. (Instagram : @stephenspncr)
