Starting an acting career is never easy. Hollywood is full of stories about dreams made real, but so many of these stories begin with a lucky break, a chance discovery on a small stage, or a helpful mentor with a hand outstretched. When all someone has is a distant dream, it’s hard to even begin the story. From where Erica Papasergi began, many would’ve called an LA acting career impossible, but there’s power in hard work, and where there is passion and talent, there’s a path to Hollywood.
For Erica, the story began on a small island in Italy. There, as a 4-year-old kid, Erica already had her passion. It took the energy and hope of a child to begin. She started with dancing and acting in local theater, chasing her dream at an age when most haven’t even begun to think of their futures. Starting from nothing, Erica began saving wages from her job at the age of 15. She saved throughout high school, her eyes on an eventual move to LA and a start in Hollywood. After she graduated, she broke into the Italian acting scene, working as an actress and an acting coach.
When she finally arrived in LA in 2019, she enrolled in an acting conservatory, only for the coronavirus pandemic to strike. That, along with visa troubles, added a new element of struggle to Erica’s story. Even as situations continue to threaten to push her out of LA, however, Erica’s career has begun. She’s graduated from the conservatory and acted in multiple different projects, with more work on the horizon.
Erica’s story is at its midpoint. From her humble beginnings, her hard work won her the resources, skills, and achievements she needed to begin her career. Now, however, she has to face the second-act antagonism of the wider world while she builds on her accomplishments.
It has the potential to become one of Hollywood’s truly inspirational tales. It begins with a love for acting, a passion that transcends borders, and a dedication to honest hard work that builds real skills and long-lasting achievements. Success in Hollywood requires behind-the-scenes resilience and a collaborative spirit on the set, both of which Erica has in abundance. Filmmakers who have worked with her want to keep her around for future projects, and her goal is always to resonate with her audience. She believes in the power of movies to teach, inspire, and heal. Is there anything more Hollywood than that?
The reality is that rejection is part of the story. Erica understands that. Even when all the red tape of visas and pandemic lockdowns part for her, she doesn’t always get the audition. Erica, however, accepts that this is how the industry works, and she’s learned to trust and enjoy it. She’s learning, improving, and growing as an actor and a person, and that maturity shows on the set. As young as she is, Erica is a rare professional. She’s not a spark in danger of burning out, but a self-made artist who has carefully prepared herself for the long-term growth that becomes a defining career.
Erica’s is the kind of story that Hollywood always needs more of. The kind of passion needed on set can’t come from nowhere, and no director can supply it. It requires an actor who has carried it with them, nurtured from a unique beginning that only they can know. It’s rare, and it shouldn’t be missed. The audience might not always understand it, but they can sense it when it’s on screen. The kind of fire that Erica has inside her is the very fuel that has always driven Hollywood.
Presented by S99
