.jpg "Drew Sidora")
Drew’s
angelic personality, bright smile, and dedication to her work has awarded her countless
opportunities to work with Hollywood’s elite and establish a strong resume. Drew
Sidora is an example for women, especially those of color that good women can
win as well as be successful in the entertainment business with strong faith, a supporting
family, self-confidence, a great team, and big dreams.
The
actress recently landed another starring role with VH1, in its new scripted
series “Hindsight.” Following under the mentorship of the Wayans, Martin
Lawrence and Vanessa Bell Calloway to name a few, the best is yet to come for
Drew Sidora. The twenty-nine year old triple threat hails from Chicago, IL, a
home she shares with many greats in this business. She is dreamer, believer,
and go-getter that won’t stop at the first no, and is determined to make the
path easier for those following her footsteps.
"My goal being from Chicago is to be that inspiration and to tell them that I’m going to go further and I’m going to push hard so that you guys can come and do it better than I did. It doesn't matter where you come from, you can do exactly what I’m doing if not better."
A lot of actors and actresses have
a hard time staying consistent and sustaining in this business? What has kept
you consistently working over the duration of your career?
I would say God. There have been
times where I’ve really had to pick up the pieces and go back home to Chicago and
figure things out and come back to LA. It was a passion of mine. When you think
about anything you want to do whether you got paid or not but it just makes you
happy what is that one thing? For me it was the arts. Singing, music and acting
is what kept me going. Even when I wasn’t making money versus when I make
money, it was the love that I had for it that kept me going. When people told
me you’re not good enough or you’re not gonna make it, it was the belief in
myself to keep going. Then getting those glimpses of being able to be an extra
at one point and just being thankful for that, to booking my first role and
working with Amanda Bynes, I was just grateful for every project I was able to
work on big or small. Also, having family to keep you humble; the passion I had
kept me driving and kept me consistent.
"I do feel like we have a responsibility to understand that there are young girls out there looking at what we do and want to emulate it. If you want to inspire them in a positive way you have to make sure you are that role model so that they can mirror themselves and want to strive for as good as you are."
Talk about your current role on VH1’s
new scripted series “Hindsight” and your character Paige.
I play a former child star whose
parent who took all her money so now she’s in New York struggling to make ends meet.
She’s waitressing at a local bar. The show Hindsight is exactly like the title.
It’s based on the concept hindsight is 20/20. If we could go back and make
different choices, would our outcome be different or would we be exactly where
we are? It’s a fun show. It’s full of things of the 90s. Our lead character
wakes up and its 1995. There’s the whole era of the music and the fashion, my
character specifically is coming into these relationships with Becca and Lolly.
You have to watch to see what happens, there’s a lot of drama that unfolds. I’m
really excited about it. Make sure everyone tunes every Wednesday. I’m just
really excited to be a part of a great cast!
What similarities do you share with
your character Paige?
I have a lot of similarities with
Paige actually because she’s a real girl. Anyone that has ever struggled to
make ends meet, she is a girl that I think everyone has been at one point in
time. Knowing what they want to do in life and struggled, failed, is falling,
but is picking the pieces back up and push on I relate to that on all levels. I
just try to keep her as real as possible, she’s very raw.
She’s very bold, she’s very
truthful and honest. I love that about her. I just try to find that truth
within myself to bring that to the forefront. She’s definitely that New York
girl that is just had unfortunate things happen to her in her life and is
trying to stay as positive as possible. She’s just trying to make ends meet
right now, because she’s knows she will be successful one day maybe not right
now, but she’s working hard to try to make things happen for herself.
How do you avoid being type casted
as an actress?
I have a great team. A lot of
people don’t even recognize me from different roles I’ve played. I have certain
fans that are die hard “The Game” fans and I have fans that know me from “Step
Up.” The kids know me from “That’s So Raven,” it’s great because I took the
time to work hard. I was able to take the time to learn how to dance ballet,
tap and jazz. When those types of dance roles came along, I was able to get
those. Implementing my music I think a lot of times set me apart from other
actors because that’s what I had to offer.
Like I mentioned, I have a great
team so finding me those roles or putting me in those positions and
opportunities that are very unlikely or unpredictable made me not be afraid to
do “That’s So Raven” and play a younger kid. Not being afraid to jump around
and act silly and forcing myself to carry myself in more sophisticated
way. I had to carry myself as the
leading lady. I had to dress myself up and turn that lady side of me up for “White
Chicks.”
I’m from Chicago so I couldn’t be afraid
to tap into that girl that wasn’t afraid to keep it 100 and go all the way
there. It was really me not afraid to take risk and not having any boundaries
and then my team not allowing me to be closed minded on what I feel like I should
be playing. I feel like, I should be pretty and playing the sexy role but no.
Don’t be afraid to get ugly and show that real side of you.
"If everybody was doing blonde hair I was doing red hair, if everybody was doing red hair I was doing black hair. For me I felt like it was important to separate yourself from everybody else. I wanted to stand out not just physically but with my talents."
Is it a balance for you to not be a leading lady only on camera but also holding yourself to high standards in real life?
I think it’s just about why you’re
in it. There’s people that’s like “look I’m just trying to make my money. I’m
blessed with this look; I’m blessed with this body.” If other people have
accepted it, then they will follow it. It’s all about intentions and if that’s their
intention then that’s great, I applaud them. Hey whatever you think is working,
I’m not mad at it.
When I was little before I knew
what was pretty or not pretty, I loved making people laugh, I loved
entertaining, I love music. I was playing the piano at age 3 and that love
never died down that’s why I do what I do. I have talents I was blessed with
and I chose to express myself through those.
Some people make money off it, some people don’t. I chose that to be my
thing, and I worked it for all that its worth.
In a time period where we see so
many things on television and social media, is it important for you to visually
be a positive influence amongst the now and the future generations?
Definitely! A lot of people look at
TV and think its real life and are inspired by the things that they see. I know
I was inspired by TLC, T Boz specifically. Aaliyah inspired me. I do feel like
we have a responsibility to understand that there are young girls out there
looking at what we do and want to emulate it. If you want to inspire them in a
positive way you have to make sure you are that role model so that they can
mirror themselves and want to strive for as good as you are.
I know back in Chicago there’s a
lot of kids that don’t have hope. They don’t have any inspiration. All they
hear about is gun shots, gangs, and violence so I want them to know that there’s
more to life than just that.
My goal being from Chicago is to be
that inspiration and to tell them that I’m going to go further and I’m going to
push hard so that you guys can come and do it better than I did. It doesn’t matter
where you come from, you can do exactly what I’m doing if not better. That is important to me and I try to live
that way that I could be inspiring. I meet a lot of kids that say “you did this
to change my life” or “I loved you in this and it made me want to be like that.”
Hearing those stories confirms my responsibility to the generation that’s been
following me. I’m honored to have that responsibility and I take that on.
I even started a foundation, Dream
Makers! We do workshops for underprivileged young women affected by gun
violence. We offer them an outlet to express themselves creatively through the
arts and we do that through counseling and workshops. We teach the girls to be
comfortable in their skin with choreography classes. We’re teaching them how to
tap into different emotions and break down barriers and walls to be comfortable
with who they are and express themselves, not in a way they feel they need to
look or be accepted but not being afraid to tap into their true emotions. There’s
performing arts and theater workshops. The counselors offer mental health and
physical health assessments, so Dream Makers is about me taking on that
responsibility and inspiring those kids. It’s me not only talking to them but
getting my hands dirty with them and have that one on one time to talk to them
and hear their thoughts and see what are the things they things, hopefully we
can offer that.
We host a youth summit annually in
Chicago and I’m looking to expand, but my focus right now is on Chicago and
everything you see on the news, it’s my passion doing everything that I’m
doing.
In your profession have you felt the
pressures of looking a certain way, if so how have you dealt with that?
It doesn’t bother me. I deal with it
differently now than I did at one point. I’ve always loved fashion; I’ve always
wanted to be different. If everybody was doing blonde hair I was doing red
hair, if everybody was doing red hair I was doing black hair. For me I felt
like it was important to separate yourself from everybody else. I wanted to
stand out not just physically but with my talents. I’ve always been unique in
my own way. When it comes down to weight, you want to take care of yourself and
look the best you possibly can. I can understand not wanting to end up with an
unhealthy lifestyle.
I understand that in this business,
being on TV the camera adds weight so if you’re going after certain roles there’s
a certain way you need to stay. I don’t diet well, I’m from Chicago. I love
Harold’s Chicken, I love to eat and I enjoy that but, I know how important it
is to be active and get in the gym. It’s a balance but you can’t be focused on
the wrong things. I think it’s important to work on your skill level. With the
role of T Boz, I focused on what I needed to do and after I got the role I noticed
she had a six pack and I didn’t have one. That’s when it got very real for me
so I had to get my butt in the gym and workout. Part of my work is physically
getting into shape, so its apart of understanding this business so I don’t take
it as pressure.
"I’m thankful for a lot of the times I didn't get roles a long time ago because I wouldn't even know what to do with it. Everything happens in time so you want to be as prepared as possible. The worst thing you can do is get that big break and fail, because it’s over"
Speaking of T Boz it must have been
very rewarding for you to receive positive responses from the movie, how was it
working with the legendary TLC?
It was amazing. You want to do a
good job and honor the fans as well as the person you’re playing. It was a lot
of fun; it was an honor and challenging. I felt like it was a role that was
made for me so I was prepared for it and I worked really hard, I did the best I
could. The hard work paid off. People said they loved it so that’s obviously
what you want to do is honor the legacy they have and the fans.
Another fellow interviewee Jasmine
Burke spoke about an upcoming film that you are also involved in, speak on this
film.
The film is “Skinned,” which is
about the whole phenomenon of skin bleaching. It’s an epidemic that’s hit our
culture for many years now and the movie is about loving the skin that you’re
in and not trying to fix what God gave you because it can have some unfortunate
consequences. A lot of people are very unaware and this movie aims to educate,
so people won’t think the outer beauty is all that matters. Using those facial
lighteners, altering your skin has dramatic and fatal effects on your body. You
see it through this story that it has happened to many people that have
suffered from skin diseases. It’s a very powerful film and I’m excited to be a
part of it. Lisa Raye directed it. I think it’s a great conversation for people
to be having. Google it, read about it, learn about it, educate yourself and
take your whole family to see it when it comes out.
What does “BLAZING Along” your
dreams mean to you?
Knowing that everyone has their own
journey. A lot of people try to compare themselves to other people and end up
complaining about what they don’t have and forget to focus on what they do
have. For me that’s what sets my own path. Knowing that my journey is my
journey. No one is going to have the same story as I
do. As long as I focus on what do I need to get better at? What are my
failures? What are my flaws? Be honest with yourself.
A lot of people like to think “I’m
perfect, I deserve this opportunity!” There were a lot of times I had to be
honest and admit I didn't deserve that role, I wasn't good enough. I needed to
learn more, I needed to study harder, work harder, I needed to be a lot more
prepared. I’m thankful for a lot of the times I didn't get roles a long time
ago because I wouldn't even know what to do with it. Everything happens in time
so you want to be as prepared as possible. The worst thing you can do is get
that big break and fail, because it’s over. People don’t get second chances. Be
grateful even when you don’t have that opportunity because that means you have
more time to get better and when you do get that opportunity, kill it! I think that’s
where a lot of people need to base their perspective for the consistency and
longevity.
(Photo: Enchanted PR)
CONVERSATION