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COMMUNITY SPOTLIGHT – ARIANA

Tell us a little bit about yourself!

I’m a Cypriot & Greek-American actress born and raised in Los Angeles, CA. Naturally, being a valley girl, I’ve always been curious about the industry! Though I first discovered acting through theatre, I was always an avid lover of video games, animation, and dubbing from a young age, sharing in those passions with my siblings. The moment I learned about voice-acting, the transition to that side of the industry was a no-brainer for me.  I received my BFA in Musical Theatre from Emerson College and jumped right into professional voice work after graduating during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Since then, it’s been about 5 years in the industry, and I seriously love every second of it!  I’ve met my closest friends, made incredible memories, and gotten to achieve some massive dreams so far.  Aside from the fact that I am incredibly passionate about the work I do (especially because I’m a nerd!) the real reason I do this is to inspire others to pursue their dream careers.

I used to be the kid at the conventions, the kid drawing art of her favorite characters, the kid who got little tastes of life behind the mic… and knew she needed more.

What’s one thing you absolutely can’t live without in your career or journey?

The support from my family and friends, inside and outside of the industry. I am so ridiculously lucky to have so many incredible people behind me cheering me on. I could cry just thinking about it! It means so much every moment of every day, but especially when the going gets tough, they always have my back.

What’s something that happened this year that you’re really proud of? Or what’s something you’re excited for this year?

Career-wise, I have worked with some dream teams on some dream projects (shh, more on that… someday) and really been consistent with the work.  Life-wise, I have seriously learned how to love myself in a career that oftentimes we cannot rely on for validation, nor should we. Not every day is perfect, but I seriously put in the work this past year to practice kindness and care to the beautiful person that I am.

This year, I’m excited to see where the stepping stones I have put in place in the past will take me, and all the adventures to come (some that I know about, and some that I don’t!).

What’s one of your major takeaways from participating in THNEA classes?  

COMMUNITY COMMUNITY COMMUNITY.  The education that THNEA classes provide is incredible, but they also truly foster a space for us to learn and grow our careers together.  We don’t typically get to work together in-person on jobs and life can get so busy, so oftentimes these classes are ways for us to reconnect with people we adore and get all warm and fuzzy inside when you see them shine.

If you can give your past self one piece of advice at the start of your journey, what would it be?

Patience. Stay the course and don’t lose faith in what you can achieve with hard work. And don’t be afraid to have a little fun along the way. 🙂 Enjoy the moment!


Learn more about Ariana on her website here!

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