Walking into a room where there are never-ending mirrors in what seems like a dark hallway, seeing multiple versions of yourself and panic when you feel a tap in the back and you scream: lights, Camera, Action. Meet senior Brianna Carrasco, an aspiring actress who speaks on her navigation through acting and other parts of her personal life that make her who she is today.

Acting has been Brianna’s dream career since she could ever remember. And now she is at the start of becoming a flourishing actress. 

“Acting is a big thing for me, I was acting since the startup of my sophomore year, and it’s been something that I kept to myself until my teachers and I were kind of like okay I can take this step into pursuing this. And ever since then I talk about it to whoever wants to listen and it’s awesome,” Brianna said.

Acting can be a very competitive process, but thanks to her parents, Brianna does not find it difficult to respectfully disagree with others. 

“I think respect is a big thing my parents have taught me. I think their way of handling situations where they’re mad at another person or they’re frustrated with working with other people and the way they go about it in such a respectful way, where they can disagree with someone, but not either talk down on them or call them names, I think that has translated to me and who I am now, when I disagree with someone, I can do it in a way where it’s like I’m not offending anyone or being rude to anyone,” Brianna said.

Although performing can be really fun and a way for people to express themselves, Brianna mentions that it can be demanding. She has encountered a few challenges along the way. 

“Finding agents is very pricey, but it can also be hard because you have to market yourself to random people you don’t know. So that’s kind of scary, and kind of like having my parents be on board with it can also be difficult,” Brianna said.

Although Brianna can find parts of the profession intimidating, her friends and family do not distrust her process. And lift her upon her the difficult times she can encounter.

“She’s very dedicated and passionate. I can see she puts efforts into her showcases and her sideworks that she needs – she’s very hardworking,” senior Arizbeth Zuniga, Brianna’s best friend, said.

Brianna is an only daughter who has grown up to be her parents’ greatest pride. Both her mom and dad have helped her make sure she has a plan for after high school – something that will make Brianna happy.

“I am very proud of Brianna because she is a great human being and an extraordinary daughter, she has accomplished a lot on her own and has come through a lot till now and I hope she accomplishes a lot more. I thank God a lot for having an amazing daughter that day by day makes me proud and that is why I’m very proud of my beautiful daughter,” Brianna’s father, Jose Carrasco, said.

Brianna started playing soccer early on, and learned how to bond with a team and have the discipline to grow as a soccer player, allowing her to play for West Chicago’s varsity soccer team.  Although she has immense appreciation for the sport she knows she will not pursue a career and rather play for enjoyment. 

Brianna has made close friendships with her teammates that she plays with since her early days. 

“I’ve been playing with most of the girls on my team for a pretty long time. We all played club together, but that team bonding was a time where I felt like I made a wholesome connection with friends. I grew up really close to a few of the girls and still hold them very close to my heart and I think things like bonding and talking about shared experiences is something I will cherish forever, it’s taught me lessons and I’ve learned that I’m not alone in situations I’ve experienced. I think what Im most grateful for was us having that opportunity to bond. Now a few of them are away at college and they still reach out, we still keep in contact,” Brianna said.

“Brianna is a driven human being, she has a never-give-up mentality that helps her push through difficult situations. As a teammate, she’s beyond welcoming. She makes her teammates feel at home, welcomed, and wanted,” soccer coach Dorian Carrasco said. 

Brianna does not miss the opportunity to credit her parents for their support regarding her overall success. 

“My parents were very hands on when I grew up. They were never scared to let me fail in things. They took it as an opportunity for me to learn. I’m an only child so it’s kind of hard to raise a kid to not be snobby when they’re the only one. They were very loving, but they made it a point to not be scared of teaching me and saying no to me. And I appreciate it a lot, because now I see other only kids and I’m like, ‘Oh hey, maybe I don’t have it so bad,’” Brianna said.

She also considers her mom as her role model since she spends a lot of time with her learning from her.

“My mom is my biggest inspiration. She kind of does everything by herself and is very independent and I think I take that by example a lot,” Brianna said.

Another way Brianna expresses herself is through fashion. She loves to find the right match to each item and color coordinate.

“Fashion to me has always been a way to show people my personality. When people think of me, they usually say I’m a very bubbly person, and I feel I express that through my clothes,” Brianna said. “I think my personal style has grown a lot since middle school. It’s like that awkward phase when you’re like, ‘I want to impress people and I want them to see me for how cool I dress.’ I wouldn’t really dress the way I wanted to.”

Brianna credits her fashion class at WEGO with helping her develop a healthier relationship with style and self-expression.

“Through fashion class here at WEGO, I learned how to choose things for myself and wear what makes me feel good, not what makes me get attention,” Brianna said. “I think fashion has played a big role in me being creative.”

Something Brianna considers a lot would be the connection she forms between herself and the profession of acting. Her favorite genre and type of role she is really interested in would be horror. 

“When you start letting everything flow and just fully going into that role, I think it’s very special. Like making a connection with someone in acting class, the words they say don’t really matter. The connection you build with your partner is what really matters, because that’s how you’re going to get the message across. The genre I like the most is horror. I think it’s because I’m a natural scaredy cat, so acting scared isn’t super unknown to me,” Brianna said.

Her interested was piqued by Jenna Ortega’s performance in the recent “Scream” movie.

“Screen acting is a all about minuscule and intentional with facial expressions. It’s what gives performances a more nuanced look and feel. I think Jenna’s expressions in these movies are what drew me into more horror and thriller genre. I would also like to add that horror has opened my eyes to the vulnerability of acting and performing. Being challenged as an actor to uncomfortable and genuine fear when performing, I find that challenging aspect of filmmaking to be super fun,” Brianna said.

Brianna’s change in the world she would like to make is that Latina women should not feel intimidated and strive for their dream job. Although it may seem like acting and going on big movies or shows is exclusive to only some, Brianna feels it is important to demonstrate that as a Latina woman, they also have that chance to be included. 

“The impact I want to make, for example, I wouldn’t have thought I would be doing this like a year later, having an agent, having a manager. And I want to show other Latinas out there that you can do it: don’t be scared. I know it’s a very challenging thing, but take it one step at a time. You can do big things,” Brianna said.