Powerful Actor in a Powerful

POWERFUL ACTRESS IN A POWERFUL ROLE: OLIVIA DUDEK

BY MELISSA LAWRENCE

Breakout actress Olivia Dudek makes her film debut as the title character in the upcoming Rafael Agustin-written ("Jane the Virgin") drama “Ana,” which is slated to premiere nationwide theatrically in 2021.

The story is about a young immigrant girl, Ana, whose mother is hospitalized, and she must go to extreme lengths to help her mother pay for medical treatment. “Ana” highlights a wellunderstood, real-life relationship dynamic: the love of a child for her mother. “My child,” no matter how many years pass, is how mothers will always view their adult children. However, the most interesting moment of life is when that protective role fundamentally switches, and although a mother may still view her child as “my baby,” that child one day becomes the caretaker, essentially a parent to her parent. Dudek delivered a beautiful glimpse into this dynamic.

“When I read the script,” said Dudek,” I saw the story and how beautifully well-written by Raphael Augustine it was. I mean I just bawled. I cried, and I just realized, like, ‘wow, this is like my story, like how I hope other people feel the same way.’”

The story apparently engaged her on a personal level, allowing her to reflect on her life choices. “I realized this is what I've been going through, and it's hard,” she added. Dudek understood how the main character’s circumstances and decision-making “are kind of like, fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants decisions because she's young, but she doesn't really know better.”

Once Ana’s life is flipped upside down following her mother’s illness, she finds herself in the protective role. Dudek explained that she didn’t think there was any age that something like a parent’s illness can prepare you. “It was situational,” she explained. In Ana's situation, she was smart enough to feel the immediate shift.

The actress explained that she had more sympathy for herself. She said that being ‘gentler’ with herself was her New Year’s resolution because, as an actress, she has to push herself harder than most people have to push themselves. This means she has to be balance focusing on a stellar performance and maintaining self-care. This role was admittedly “different” from her from other gigs, and she appreciated how much it pushed her.

One of her favorite parts of the film was being amused by fellow castmates while in between scenes, making the heavy scenes ones a little easier to handle, balancing between intensity and laughter. She said it was refreshing and reassuring to know that the film truly did uplift the community members, with almost everyone being of Latinx heritage—even Dudek, who is half Hispanic and half Russian Ukrainian.

Not only is Dudek an amazing actress, but she is also an accomplished ballerina, having danced for Alvin Ailey and made an appearance on “So You Think You Can Dance.” She genuinely uses her platform for positivity and to push for love, understanding and empowerment. She started out just wanting to at least make it to New York to pursue her dreams, but now, her final message is for everyone to never let up on their dreams, regardless of those around them.

“I had the chance to come out again,” Dudek said. “You want it even more. And I was like, I'm gonna make it this time. And I was 18 and I was fearless.”

An LA native, Dudek moved back to the city after a successful stint in New York working in theater. She joined Playhouse West upon her return to Los Angeles to work with seasoned pros in the industry and make her mark. She published her first book, a memoir, about her life and her faith in 2020.