Sonya Macari shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.
Hi Sonya , thank you for taking the time to reflect back on your journey with us. I think our readers are in for a real treat. There is so much we can all learn from each other and so thank you again for opening up with us. Let’s get into it: What do the first 90 minutes of your day look like?
As soon as my alarm goes off at 6am, my glasses go on and I’m in motion. I grab my phone, head downstairs, and call the kids up for school. Coffee is brewing, breakfast and lunches are being made, and I’ve usually got the news or some motivating morning music playing to get my 11- and 8-year-old up and moving. My husband handles school drop-off, so by 8am I’m in front of my computer, checking emails, especially the ones that have come in overnight from international contacts.
Then I map out my priorities for the day for my company, Creative Action Studios, and check if any auditions have come in for me. By 8:30, I’m out the door and heading to the gym for an hour, usually with a script or notes in hand and a banana or granola bar in the other. Hectic? Definitely. And that’s just the first 90 minutes, the rest of my day doesn’t slow down much either!
I started my business four years ago, and while it’s not easy, it’s been insanely rewarding. Let’s just say sleep is a luxury… but coffee and purpose keep me going!
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My name is Sonya Macari. I was born in Dublin, Ireland, to Italian parents, and I grew up between Ireland and Italy. At 19, I moved to New York to study acting.
I’m a mother, a wife, an actor, and the founder of Creative Acting Studios (CAS), an online platform that offers masterclasses and workshops for actors with renowned casting directors from Los Angeles and beyond. I personally moderate all of our workshops, and from time to time, we host free industry talks featuring special guests.
Our actors join from all around the world and have the unique opportunity to showcase their talent, read live for top casting offices, and sometimes even share their self-tapes during sessions.
As an actor, I recently worked on the American TV series The Rainmaker, playing the role of an attorney, filmed right here in Ireland. I still self-tape for roles when opportunities arise, though as we all know, they can sometimes be few and far between!
At the moment, I’m preparing to moderate a special talk with legendary Australian casting director Gregg Apps. He’s known for casting iconic films and for giving some of Australia’s most beloved stars their first big break.
Outside of work, I’m a proud mom to Evie (11) and Leo (8) , two bright, happy kids who keep us constantly on our toes! And speaking of “us,” I’m married to the incredibly talented Colin Devlin, of The Devlins. Colin is a Grammy-nominated lyricist and a gifted musician and producer who writes some of the most beautiful music I’ve ever heard. I like to think I’ve inspired a lyric or two over the years! … 🙂
Great, so let’s dive into your journey a bit more. Who were you before the world told you who you had to be?
Before the world told me who I had to be, I was a shy kid. I was always the youngest in the class by a mile, quiet, observant, and often lost in my own imagination. I finished school at a very young age, which made me feel both ahead and behind all at once.
I was the kid who loved storytelling, who felt things deeply, and who found comfort in watching movies. I’d put on plays, watch people closely, and daydream endlessly. Even though I was reserved, I had this deep curiosity about traveling, the world and a strong pull toward acting, I just hadn’t quite found my voice yet.
For a long time, I stepped away from acting. Like many of us, I had to focus on other work, and take on whatever jobs came my way. But that creative spark never left, it just waited patiently until I was ready to come back to it.
What’s something you changed your mind about after failing hard?
As an actor, I’m constantly not getting jobs. It’s the nature of the work, an art form built on vulnerability and the pursuit of perfection… which, of course, doesn’t actually exist.
I used to think that failing meant I wasn’t good enough, or that I had to fix something in myself. But over time, I’ve completely shifted that mindset. I fail all the time, and today, I’m genuinely okay with that. I take constructive criticism with an open heart, because I’ve learned so much more from my failures than I ever have from my successes.
The truth is, failure is part of the process. It doesn’t mean stop, it means keep going, but with more awareness. I’ve made peace with the fact that I’ll probably keep failing… which is fine, as long as I fail forward. haha,
So a lot of these questions go deep, but if you are open to it, we’ve got a few more questions that we’d love to get your take on. Is the public version of you the real you?
To a degree, yes, but it’s definitely just one side of me. In public or professional settings, I tend to lead with a more composed, version of myself. But in truth, I’m actually quite goofy, I just don’t always show that side unless I feel really comfortable. It’s not about hiding it, it’s more that I’m selective about where that part of me comes out.
I also don’t really identify as an extrovert or an introvert , I sit somewhere in the middle. I think the term is “ambivert.” I genuinely enjoy socializing and being around people, especially in creative or collaborative spaces, but I equally need time alone to recharge. It’s a balance I’ve learned to respect in myself over the years.
So, the public version of me is real, it’s just curated. The fuller picture includes both the quiet and the playful sides, and they’re both equally me.
Okay, we’ve made it essentially to the end. One last question before you go. Could you give everything your best, even if no one ever praised you for it?
Yes, and in many ways, that’s the job. I work with actors every day, running a company that supports them, so I see firsthand what it takes to keep showing up without constant validation. And while I also tape from time to time as an actor myself, I bring the same energy, focus, and commitment to every audition, even when I know I might never hear a word back.
That’s just the nature of the industry. It’s often thankless. You pour your heart into a scene, submit the tape, and… silence. Most actors never hear anything after sending in a self-tape, not even a “no.” One person gets the job, and for everyone else, it’s just another moment that disappears into the ether. And yet, we keep doing it.
I’ve been fortunate to work on many sets , get callbacks, go to producers, and be pinned for roles, and while that’s encouraging, it’s not the thing that fuels me. What keeps me going is the process itself. Each audition is a chance to stretch, play, and grow , and I treat it with respect, regardless of the outcome.
At the end of the day, praise is nice, but it can’t be the reason you do the work. The commitment has to come from you. And that’s something I try to remind the actors I work with every day: we don’t do this for applause. We do it because we love the craft, because we believe in the story, and because we’re artists. Whether anyone says “well done” or not, it’s still worth giving your best.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.creativeactingstudios.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/creativeactingstudios/ and also https://www.instagram.com/sonya.macari/
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
