Today we’d like to introduce you to Angie Sandoval.
Hi Angie, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
Hello! First off, thank you so much for the opportunity to be featured in Voyage Houston; it truly means so much to me! My name is Angie Sandoval, I am an actress, I was born and raised in Houston, Texas and for as long as I can remember I have always loved movies. I was about five years old when I realized I wanted to be in movies. I would constantly recite commercials, movie scenes and musical numbers all throughout my youth. If you’d ask my family, they will tell you how it was a nightmare to watch TV with me since I knew every single word to a commercial or TV/Movie scene.
But as a kid, I was really shy and had very little confidence and didn’t think I was capable of acting because I wasn’t pretty enough or tall enough etc. Growing up, I never really saw anyone that looked like me on screen. If I would watch the American channels, there was little to no Hispanic representation. And when I would watch the Latin channels, I would see these beautiful tan Latin women and thought, “I don’t look like that either.” lol and living in Houston, I didn’t think it was capable for me to even try acting, I thought I’d have to live in Hollywood to do that! So, I always kept acting in the back of my mind as a literal dream.
My brother also had the same love and fascination with movies as I did and would always ask my family and I to be in his short films. Which basically grew my love for acting.
As I got to high school, I joined my Audio/Video production classes and started to make my own videos and always put myself on camera. I loved it! But I still didn’t know where to start to be an actor?! I was scared of being scammed and just didn’t know where to go.
Years later I enrolled in college at the University of Houston, where I was majoring in Media and Film Production. However, I was getting to study what I loved: Movies! I still felt like I was missing something.
So, one day as I was lying in bed, I asked the universe to “give me a sign.” I asked, “If I should pursue acting, or if I should even try/start acting, give me a sign.” The next day, I went to school, and something told me to check the bulletin board in the courtyard. I went over and I saw a flyer that read “Casting Call: Student Short Film Seeking Actors.” I immediately started crying, I still get chills and emotional every time I tell that story.
I got the information, I auditioned, and although I didn’t get the part, I kept going. I started reaching out to other student short films and got my first acting gig. The rest is history.
After graduating from the university in 2020, I started acting full-time, starring in local short films and commercials. And in 2022, I was able to get representation by Pastorini-Bosby Talent Agency! Since then, I have starred in a number of short films around Houston, as well commercials all throughout Texas!
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
It has definitely been a rollercoaster ride! I’ve learned so many things about acting, the business of acting, as well as learning so many things about myself along the way.
Jumping straight into acting was definitely one of the “fun” struggles. In the sense that I was learning how to slate, how to audition, how to make an acting resume, where and how to take headshots. After A LOT of research, it was definitely a fun process getting to learn what and what NOT to do. Google, YouTube, and social media were my best friends! hahaha
Auditions can be so unpredictable! There have been times where you just don’t fit the casting criteria, and it goes very quiet with little to no auditions. Or times when you were really counting on a certain role, but you just don’t book it. Having to face rejection is one of the biggest lessons you have to learn as an actor.
Balancing my personal life and acting life has also been a struggle. There have been times I had to miss a special occasion because I had to go out of town for a project. Or missing the opportunity on a project because of a special occasion. And finding people who have supported that, and me, along the way was a major struggle. When I first started telling people I wanted to be an actor, they would say,”… Good luck with that,” or they would make a face, look at me, and laugh. I quickly learned I did not want these types of people in my life. I have been lucky to have my family, boyfriend, and so many talented friends I have met along the way that support me and are always hyping me up!
One of the biggest struggles I think everyone faces is not thinking you are good enough. I can’t tell you how many auditions I thought I nailed and did not end up booking. Although there could be a number of reasons as to why, you will always think it’s because you aren’t enough. We can really be our own worst critics!
Thanks – so, what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
Acting is one of my biggest passions! And being able to act in commercials and short films is definitely a dream come true. Especially when people I know tell me they saw me on their screen!
I was very fortunate to be a part of a political ad titled “Whose Choice,” which discussed abortion laws in Texas. The Ad quickly went viral, reaching over 100k views on YouTube while being spread across all social media platforms and news outlets. Many people reached out and told me they saw me on the news, TikTok, or Instagram. It was everywhere! The entire crew and I were very pleased that it was getting the coverage it deserved. And as a woman, I could not have been proud to represent hundreds of people who would be affected by the outcome in taking away one’s right.
Film has always been my first love, and I am extremely proud to have been a part of a short film titled “Cass” directed by Sarah Ontiveros. It is about “A young girl that is secretly sent aboard the Cassini spacecraft to observe and report findings on Titan, Saturn’s largest moon. After being abandoned on the distant moon with her AI companion, she endeavors to return to Earth and discovers the meaning of home along the way. ” This short was a finalist in the CineSpace Short Film competition, and I am happy to announce that it also got accepted in the Latino Film Festival here in Houston! This film has been one of my biggest blessings and one of the biggest highlights in my career. It was a joy getting to work with the amazing cast, crew, and, of course, Sarah, our director! I have so many fond memories working on that set. For instance, during the filming for our final scene in Galveston, we arrived at 4 am and we were able to witness a meteor shower! It was definitely a perfect ending on the production of a beautiful film.
What matters most to you? Why?
What matters most to me is my family! They are one of my biggest supporters and definitely my biggest inspiration to keep moving forward in my career. They have done so much for me during my transition into acting full-time. I couldn’t be more thankful for them, and I don’t know what I would do without them.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://app.castingnetworks.com/talent/public-profile/b664ec36-939a-11ec-ade4-77d7cabe2530
- Instagram: _angie.sandoval_
Image Credits
Wakeup.rafa
Sarah Ontiveros
