Making the Move to LA and Leaving Everyone I Knew Behind.  It Was Like Being Reborn by Valentina Kolaric of CLASSROOM 6

Film Courage:  Where did you grow up?

Valentina Kolaric:  I grew up in a small beach town in Croatia.

Film Courage:  What are the best qualities that each of your parents taught you?

Valentina:  Strength. I grew up watching the two strongest women, my mom and my grandma, fight their entire lives trying to survive and ensure our family a bright future. There is almost nothing they didn’ encounter and they never let anything knock them down.

Film Courage:  What were your plans after high school?

Valentina:  I always wanted to act. However, the filmmaking industry is very undeveloped in Croatia and there is only one acting academy, so I decided to pursue my second love – law. I graduated in 2010 with a Master’s degree but the second I was out, I decided I wasn’t going to look for a job and become an attorney. I couldn’t see myself doing that every day for the rest of my life. I decided that life without regrets is one of my main motives in life and that I would move abroad to study acting. So I moved to LA and in 2012 I got a degree in acting.

Film Courage:  What principles have guided your life?

Valentina:  I always believed that you can only progress in life and achieve greatness if you work on yourself and not step on others.

Film Courage:  First film or television character that made you want to act?

Valentina:  Wow, there were just so many! I guess I’d say the actress that inspired me the most, and is still my idol to this day, is Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman, and then in everything else after that. Of course 🙂

Film Courage:  How did you hear of the film CLASSROOM 6?  Who pitched it to you?

Valentina:  Sybilla, Jonas’ sister, who went to school with me, however we didn’t really know each other back then that well. She contacted me saying they were having difficulties finding the lead actress and would come in for an audition?

 

Film Courage:  Did you audition for the role of Annie Monroe?  What was that audition like?

Valentina:  There were a few callbacks. And let me tell you, it wasn’t the easiest thing in the world.  They made me ‘see things’ on the ceiling over and over and over again!

Available on iTunes October 9th!

Film Courage:  Where is  CLASSROOM 6 currently available to watch?

Valentina:  You can watch it on iTunes, Amazon, Google Play, Xbox Live and Vudu.  More places coming soon.

Film Courage:  How is your character in CLASSROOM 6 Annie Monroe like you? How is she different?

Valentina:  She is very ambitious, a little bit of a control freak, intrigued by the spiritual world, all these traits I have as well. The entire movie was improvised 100% so more often than not I kept the character close to me. You also need to know that this is the first project and a first feature I made coming right out of acting school, so I wrote the whole bio, typical acting stuff, but I don’t want to bore you with that. We shot this 3 years ago. I feel like I have grown a lot as an actress in the meantime, so I am a bit nervous to watch it.

Film Courage:  How many days were you on set for CLASSROOM 6?

Valentina:  I was on set for 3 full nights and 1 afternoon.

Film Courage:  Have you ever had a real-life paranormal experience? 

Valentina:  I don’t know what made the final cut but at one point in the night they locked me up in the basement of the college we were filming at. I saw things.  I wasn’t the only one that night who experienced something paranormal.

Film Courage:  If you could meet anyone in the world, who would it be?

Valentina:  There are way too many people on my list- from Dalai Lama, to Jim Morrisson, Marilyn Monroe.

Film Courage:  What is the hardest thing you’ve ever had to do?

Valentina:  Making the move to LA and leaving everyone I knew behind.  It was like being reborn:  new culture, new country, city, industry.

Film Courage:  What’s important in your life?

Valentina:  To stay true to myself and when I don’t know what to do next, to always be open to new life opportunities.

Film Courage:  Do you do other creative things aside from acting?

Valentina:  I like sketching, singing, playing the guitar, all of which I should do more.

Film Courage:  What book or resource has helped you the most with your acting career?

Valentina:  It wasn’t school or books, it was the individual teachers and mentors who worked with me, realizing my biggest weaknesses and who put the effort to help me grow.

Film Courage:  What is your typical day like?

Valentina:  These days mostly you can find me at Universal Studios giving tours to guests from all over the world. In my spare time I am auditioning, hanging out with my dog and my friends.

Film Courage:  Biggest supporter in your life and why?

Valentina:  My mom. She always pushed me to follow my dreams and literally supported me – from food and clothes to most of my life choices.

Film Courage:  Quote or mantra that you live by?

Valentina:  ‘Sometimes good things fall apart, so better things can fall together’ – Marilyn Monroe

 

Film Courage:  What’s next for you creatively?

Valentina:  I am putting out in the Universe that I will be a TV regular on a show.

Film Courage:  What’s one thing you’d like to change about yourself?

Valentina: Nothing. I am who I am and all I strive to do every day is to be the best and most positive version of myself.

Film Courage:  If you gave an award acceptance speech, who are the first three people you’d thank?

Valentina Kolaric is an actress, known for Classroom 6 (2014), Light and Day (2011) and Mama Doesn’t Know Best (2013).