Actress, dancer and producer.
COULD YOU TELL US A BIT ABOUT YOUR STORY, WHERE DO YOU COME FROM AND WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO WORK ON WHAT YOU DO NOW?: Hola! I'm Daniela Azuaje, actress, dancer and producer from Venezuela. As a kid, I was always surrounded by vibrant people, my colorful culture and family. It has truly served me as inspiration to become who I am today, and I'm still growing, it's a constant work in progress. I've always been attracted to the Entertainment Industry. My passion for dancing and music was born as a five year old and then acting emerged naturally. When I spent a year in Rhode Island, I got to play Miss Hannigan in ANNIE The Musical, my very first role, I was just a kid. I will never forget how empowered I felt. I was in my element. My dad always reminded me that some of the audience members came up to me to say: "From here to Hollywood". I never really saw myself in Hollywood, I lived in NYC and that was my dream. Years later, I find myself in Hollywood, working next to Mia Maestro in the tv show Mayans M.C., participating in The L Word: Generation Q, working as the lead role in "DeMonica" (Festival Circuit) next to the talented actor Francisco Denis (Narcos, Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan). Through my creative performances, I've always liked to leave my mark, my roots, hope and freedom and continuing to seek new heights in my ever-growing career.
HOW DO YOU THINK ABOUT CREATIVITY, WHAT ROLE HAS CREATIVITY PLAYED IN YOUR LIFE / CAREER?: Without creativity, there's no life. For me, at least. We all have a spark for creativity. Some more developed than others, but we all do. Films, tv shows, performances in general are keen to encourage creativity. When I was on set for the the TV show Mayans M.C. (FX/Hulu), the director Elgin James gave me freedom to make my own creative choices so we could build on that, in order to get an extraordinary performance, next to actors of the stature like Mia Maestro. I think creativity holds space for imagination, original ideas, team work, your uniqueness, listening to each other and building something new, it's simply magical. Plus, working in the Film Industry has been such an incredible and unforgettable experience. Precisely, because theres always creativity involved. Throughout my life, I've been exposed to creative people, in many artistic areas, like music, dance, acting, sports , technology and I have the ability of connecting with them.
WHAT DAILY PRACTICES HELP YOU IMPROVE YOUR WORK THAT YOU CAN RECOMMEND TO SOMEONE IN YOUR PROFESSION?: As soon as I wake up I give thanks for having another opportunity in life. Gratitude is crucial, it keeps me grounded and appreciative. I have air in my lungs, I'm healthy. In the mornings I meditate, I do yoga, weights, I keep myself active. Mental health is very important, especially if you need to embody a character that is part of who you are. Acting is make believe, and in order to portray and become it, you need to believe you're That character, without ever judging it. In the end we're all human, with our virtues and flaws, so it's beautiful to add it to my characters, helping the story thrive, it gives it a more deep level of understanding and that is what audiences want to see in the big screen / on stage. I like to constantly create, learning a monologue, studying and analyzing a scene from a film that truly
impacted me and why, character work, painting, playing an instrument, dancing to music, a rhythm, a beat, it's so empowering to me. Also, having been in classes with a group of creatives, is very encouraging, there are endless possibilities and you can do anything you want to achieve your goals and dreams.. lights, camera and ACTION!
PLEASE TELL US MORE ABOUT YOUR WORK. WE’D LOVE TO HEAR WHAT SETS YOU APART FROM OTHERS, WHAT YOU ARE MOST PROUD OF OR EXCITED ABOUT. HOW DID YOU GET TO WHERE YOU ARE TODAY PROFESSIONALLY. WHAT DO YOU WANT PEOPLE TO REMEMBER ABOUT YOU?: My work as an actress has taught me many things and it's helped me become who I am today. It's getting to know yourself every single day, in such deep levels of your soul that in order to transform and become a better artist, you have to know who you are. Invest time in yourself. It's a constant work in progress, thats the beauty of being human. It's fully embracing who you are. There's no one like you! And this is what I believe sets me apart from others. My individualism, my culture, my uniqueness. My identity is a responsibility and a superpower. I always like to bring my flavor to the screen/ on stage. Once you're aware of it, nobody can take that away from you. I would like people to remember me for how special I made them feel, how loved they are, how happy and passionate I've always been. Most importantly, to keep going, no matter how many times you fall, pick yourself up, don't ever stop and give it ALL! Have fear and do it anyways!
Photo by Gabriela Azuaje and Nina Papalote.
You can find more about Daniela in
Facebook: Daniela Azuaje
Instagram: DaniAzu