Schauspielschule Los Angeles|German Twin Actresses,
German Twin Actresses Sarah and Laura Bellini Star in Up Coming Film Opposite the Incredible Hulk
Many young performers dream of the chance to one day make it to Hollywood to have their shot at fame and fortune. This year that dream came true for twin sisters from Germany Sarah and Laura Bellini who made their debut in Hollywood.
Here is our interview with these up-and-coming Hollywood actresses Sarah and Laura, two passionate German-Italian actresses who came to LA six months ago to study the craft of acting. Acting and dancing have always been a big part of their lives since they were little. They have always been stage performers whether dancers or actresses.
They started filming at age ten by landing several leading and supporting parts for movies and television. Since then, they’ve connected with, immersed themselves in, have become addicted to their passion and know that they want to master the acting craft. They want to turn their passion into their profession.
What first drew you to acting?
Laura: I’ve always felt pulled to perform onstage my whole life doing theater, dancing or performing in general. But it was after collecting my first experiences at school in theater and music that I had a pivotal moment in my life. I was nine years old. My mom took my twin sister Sarah and I to an open day for an actor’s agency for children and it just so happened that a talent contest was going on and the winner would be accepted into the agency. All of us had to dance, sing and act. In the end they couldn’t decide between Sarah and I so they took both of us! The first audition for a leading part came quickly afterwards and we both got it. From that day on no one could keep me away from the camera and since that experience, I knew I wanted to make my acting passion my profession.
Sarah: Acting has always been a huge part of my life. When I was little, I was performing all the time non-stop… I always wanted to perform in shows where I could act or dance. Especially when my parents had friends over or when we were at parties. When other girls were playing with dolls or Barbies, I was always the girl playing character-games with other children instead. Acting quickly became a part of my life around the age of nine. This was when my twin sister and I won an acting and dancing contest that was being held by a German acting agency for children. As a prize we were indexed as their new clients! And that’s the way everything started… And our first audition was soon to follow: a leading part in a German television movie. Hilariously, my twin sister and I actually shared the leading part. No one really saw the difference! It was fun working together with my sister but after about three years of sharing leading parts, we started taking on our own projects.
What was your performance education like?
Laura: I’ve done a lot of film, theater and stage in my childhood. After signing up with the aforementioned agency, my sister and I performed in front of the camera for several supporting and leading parts. I got my formal education from ten years of acting and singing lessons but I also took dance classes (Ballet and Jazz) since I was six years old. After my A-Levels, I studied drama for one year in Hamburg and then put my efforts into auditioning for the most prestigious theater schools in Germany. I’m now spending one year at the Michelle Danner Los Angeles Acting School.
Sarah: I personally think that doing the work is the best education you could get. Working in film since I was ten really helped me learn a lot and grow as an actress. It also really taught me about how the film business works, which is really important if you want to become an actress. It can be a very hard business. Then, when I was eighteen years old, I decided that I wanted to seriously learn and study acting as a craft. I wanted to study theatre academically. So I did one year of theatre school in Germany before finally deciding to move to Los Angeles and study drama at the Michelle Danner Los Angeles Acting School.
Do you have any future projects planned ?
Laura:
Well I’m excited to say that for the both of us, within months of attending the Michelle Danner Los Angeles Acting School we were both cast to act in Michelle Danner’s latest movie The Bandit Hound staring The Breakfast Club’s Judd Nelson and the original Incredible Hulk and Lou Ferrigno, Catherine Bell, Paul Sorvino and Joe Flanigan. The premise of the movie is about a lovable dog of the same name trained to be able to pull off bank robberies, but after a heist gone wrong, he’s rescued by a down on her luck single mom and her son who soon starts stealing cash to help their family. Not knowing that his antics would set his family on a collision course with the shady people from the dog’s past.
The movie has been such a labor of love for so many people, but amazingly, I was also cast in a fascinating Documentary on the acting craft itself directed by Michelle Danner. She is truly a wonderful and experienced woman who’s worked with some of the best. I’m talking Hollywood A-listers like Penelope Cruz, James Franco, Gerald Butler and Zooey Deschanel.
But in the meantime, the sequel to The Bandit Hound has already been slated. Everyone should watch The Bandit Hound when it’s released! (Visit http://www.allinfilms.com to find out more!).
Sarah: We also have some short films and student projects coming up and we are putting together a dance show. Other than that, I’m auditioning like my sister. But no matter the day, I’m always trying to focus on my acting studies at a the Michelle Danner Los Angeles Acting School, getting better and keeping the process moving.
Which actors do you draw inspiration from ?
Laura: Seeing performances like Anne Hathaway’s in Les Miserables make my heart burst with passion for this craft… Performances like hers give me clear reason for why I’m an actress. A great performance can trigger emotions in the audience and completely bring them into the moment until they feel like they’re living another life. Getting into character alone is like merging who you are with another person. But of course, there are other actors I admire like Natalie Portman, Rachel McAdams and Shailene Woodley.. I’m also a huge Audrey Hepburn and Vivien Leigh fan. I’ll never forget the first time my mom took me to see Gone with the wind… All of them had such an authenticity.. I can’t get enough of them.. so fascinating.
Sarah: Some actresses that inspire me the most are Amy Adams, Rachel McAdams and Kate Winslet… All of them have such an authenticity and naturalness. Just how they emotionally express themselves on screen fascinates me. I don’t think many actors have that kind of gift. And I think that’s what every actor hopes for: to touch people and make them feel for the story you’re telling them. I love how Larry Moss put it, “Acting is a spiritual quest to touch human beings“.
Which of your roles have given you the most satisfaction ? Why ?
Laura: Not too long ago, one year ago to be exact, I auditioned for some big theater schools in Germany and that was when I was cast into the most beautiful role I’ve ever been given. It was the role of Juliet. I’ve always felt a very special connection to that character which is why I choose to audition for her. I would later find myself on a huge stage in front of forty lecturers, instructors and actors in front of me. To be completely lost in the moment on that stage seeing the world through her eyes was the most wonderful thing to me. After the audition, one of the theater professors gave me his feedback and he loved it so much he fell to tears. He told me that he had never been so deeply moved. That’s when I became more aware of how beautiful the craft was not just for the actor but for the audience.. it could be a gift. A gift I could give them by triggering emotions in them and making them really connect to my character.
Sarah: I played Salomé (by Oscar Wilde) for a year while I was auditioning for some big Acting Schools in Germany. In the beginning, I found it very hard because Salomé had really dark and evil sides… And in films, I usually play the good or nice girls which is also how people see me. But to be honest, I love playing crazy and evil characters. Opening all those different rooms… especially the ones that scare you because you have to bring out that part of yourself that everyone has… I think that’s the most exciting and fascinating part of acting. Opening doors that you normally wouldn’t in life, experiencing feelings that you normally wouldn’t experience, or at least not at the same intensity! It’s fascinating, living another person’s life… but still being able to come back to your real self at the end of the day.
If you could co-star with anyone, who would you chose ? Why ?
Laura: Hmm… That’s a difficult one… There are just too many great actors out there. But I would probably say Meryl Streep. Just because she is a master of the craft and does everything so precisely. I’d watch her the entire time and learn so much from her just by seeing how hard she works.
Sarah: I think there are so many inspiring and impressive actors out there. I love working with people that have incredibly high energy and who inspire me with their work. I always learn something by watching and working with my co-actors. But if I had to choose someone, I’d say Robert De Niro… I just love his performances… I could watch them over and over again. The way he creates his characters is just so precise and unique. He is so brave and dynamic in his choices. He is a phenomenon to me.
What are your goals for the future ?
Laura: My goals are to go for what I want. To take as many opportunities to act as I can and to collect as many acting experiences as I possibly can. But to also live life in the moment and make the best out of it, seeing where it takes me. But some day for sure, I would love to be accepted into a rigorous academic program where I could finish with an advanced degree in drama. My desire to continually learn more about the craft is insatiable.
Sarah: I just want to stay creative and keep on acting and dancing. I’d love to complete an academic theatrical or dancing conservatory. But no matter what I’m doing, going out, auditioning and giving it 200% is always the goal. Putting all my effort and energy into it. All or nothing. Remembering not to think too much and to always follow my dreams. I believe we only have one life to live and so we should do our best to make ourselves as happy as we deserve to be in this one; as long as we’re willing to put in the work of course!
Do you have any advice for aspiring actors?
Laura: Have the courage to pursue your dream even if there’s many reasons not to pursue it. If your heart is screaming to do it, do it. But most importantly, stay true to yourself. Like my acting teacher used to say. “You are already someone, so don’t try to be someone else.”
Sarah: Go out, give it your best and show people who you are. They won’t wait for you! You have to persevere. But most importantly, stay creative: read, watch inspiring actors perform and keep working your emotional instrument, for it’s most important one as an actor. Follow your dreams and have the courage to go after what makes you happy. Risk it! Life is too precious to waste it. Keep trying and work hard! I know I make it sound easier than it actually is but it’s possible if we believe in ourselves and if we remember to not think too much!
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