Meet Paola Salvador

We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Paola Salvador a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Paola, thanks so much for taking the time to share your insights and lessons with us today. We’re particularly interested in hearing about how you became such a resilient person. Where do you get your resilience from?

Acting is basically a sea of rejections, between failed auditions, or callbacks, castings where they don’t even bother to see your self-tape and many more. Resilience is not an option, it’s a must in order to survive in the industry.

Personally, whenever I send an audition, I try to forget about it immediately, as if it never happened. That way I’m not spiraling waiting for a reply or a callback. If good news comes, it’s a pleasant surprise. If it doesn’t, I have to move on.

I remind myself it’s not personal. Not booking a role doesn’t mean I’m not talented or that I lack something, it just means that specific part wasn’t mine. Of course, it’s not always easy. With intrusive thoughts like “was it my looks?” “was my acting bad?” “did I make the wrong choice?” Those thoughts can be destructive if you let them spiral.

What keeps me going is the passion I have for acting. I think about what I want to achieve, the work I’ve already put in, the sacrifices I’ve made, the goals I’m still chasing. Keeping my mind focused on that, that’s where my resilience comes from.

Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?

I’m an actress and a writer and what excites me the most about what I do is the stories I can create through my acting or the scripts I write. How it can connect and resonate with people through emotions.

With acting I can step into different personas, lives, perspectives and yeah, it’s challenging, but it can also be very fun and vulnerable. This last one is something that can be beautiful and painful. Digging deep in your emotions brings out a lot of things, even trauma or thoughts you had buried. But, you can take advantage of that and turn it into something beutiful, using it for a character or a motive. What I find special about my work is that I carry my experiences, cultural background, and love for character creation into every role, which helps me bring authenticity to the screen.

Lately, I’ve been working on expanding my art, not only acting in film and theater, but also exploring writing, music and performance projects that combine my artistic passions. I can’t wait to share more, especially some scripts I’ve been working on for over a year.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

Creativity has been key in my journey. Not only in acting but also in writing, music, music production, and other artistic hobbies that have deeply enriched my performances. I often use music as a tool for both acting and writing. Songs that help me tap into the mood of a scene or evoke the emotions my character needs to feel. I highly recommend using music this way.

Networking has also been fundamental. It’s what truly expands your opportunities. During my time in the academy where I studied, I met actors, filmmakers, cinematographers, screenwriters, and many other creatives. These connections have led me to collaborate with them on scripts, ideas, and projects, and have also introduced me to opportunities outside of this circle. Networking is not only about getting work, it’s also about learning from the experiences, successes, and even failures of others.

Staying humble. This one is also key. It’s totally fair to be proud of all your achievements or talent. But trust me when I say not a lot of people want to work with a “diva”. No matter how big you are, there’s always more to learn, more to improve, and new perspectives to consider. Humility keeps you approachable, open to feedback, and adaptable on set. The entertainment industry is a collaborative space, and the best results come when everyone feels respected and valued.

Alright so to wrap up, who deserves credit for helping you overcome challenges or build some of the essential skills you’ve needed?

I’ll never stop manetioning and being grateful to the people who have shaped my journey and believed in me when I needed it most. My dad, Francisco Salvador, has shown me through his own example that discipline and perseverance can take you further than anything else. My mom, Mary Loly Saro, has been a great source of strength, her unconditional love and encouragement have helped on my confidence. And my two older brothers, Jose and Francisco, whose influence and support have helped shape the person I am today.

I’m also deeply grateful for to my best friend, Montserrat Contreras, who has been by my side for almost half my life, offering me daily support and a safe place to fall back on. My friends, Avril, Perla, Janah, Nahomy, Fernanda, Felipe, who are always there in both the highs and the lows, even with the long distance they have never stop reminding me and supporting my goals.

Also a special thanks to Gael Garduño, an amazing filmmaker, actor, producer and close friend of mine who has been there during very difficult times during the beginnings of my career in LA. He not only brings me lots of support but also lots of advice. I’ve learnt so much from him and look up to him.

Finally, my first acting teacher, Jimena Merodio, deserves a special mention. Til this day I’ll always remember her advice: ‘It’s a career full of no’s, you have to be strong, resist, and endure, because it is possible.’ Those words have been my compass whenever rejection comes my way, reminding me that while this path isn’t easy, it’s far from impossible.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm16592985/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/paoosalvador/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paola-salvador-0702a6309/