Star of hit australian soap opera Neighbours, Scarlet Vas of mixed Sri Lankan and serbian parentage confesses her love for jak fruit and sri lanka and why she headed off to Los Angeles in search of superstardom.
Words: Tina Edward Gunawardhana Photographs: @snipershotsphotography
Playing the feisty character of Mishti Sharma in cult Australian TV soap opera Neighbours, Scarlet Vas has upped sticks and moved to Los Angeles where she is busy auditioning. Following in the footsteps of other Australian soap stars who found fame and fortune in the US, there is no doubt that Scarlet who is blessed with her Sri Lankan mother’s exotic looks and her Serbian father’s charm will soon land her dream role. For Scarlet the love for acting courses through her veins and not content with resting on her laurels, Scarlet reveals why she is on the search for that perfect role.
What is your connection to Sri Lanka?
My mother is Sri Lankan. She was born there. We have visited Sri Lanka but sadly not in the last few years.
How did you get into acting?
I started when I was 8 years old. I asked my mum to get me an agent, but because I was young, she wanted me to ease into it, and finish school first. So I started with acting classes for many years, then I built up my own resume freelancing until I had all the criteria to apply for a top Acting Agency in Australia.
What attracted you to begin a career as an actress?
I loved TV and Film, and my father’s family has a background in theatre, so I was always involved with performing and entertaining. I used to put on shows for my family when I was four, and make them buy tickets to my show. So I think I was definitely born that way haha!
Have you had any formal training as an actress?
Yes, lots! I started doing theatre and also film, and soon came to realise Film and TV was definitely the direction I wanted to head in. I have done multiple courses, and years of different acting method training. I still ensure I keep on top of my skills and training, but am really focusing on my accent training right now.
How old were you when you first started acting?
When I got my first acting gig,
I was roughly 15. This was for a film which was shot in Melbourne called Model Behaviour. It was a small role, but I was super ecstatic about it at the time.
How did your parents react when they knew you wanted to be an actress?
My parents especially my mother said… “Go for it! As long as you finish high school and get a uni degree” - So that is what I did. I got a degree.. majoring in Drama.
How easy is it to be an actress in Australia especially if you are of a mixed cultural heritage?
It was definitely not easy in any kind of way. Growing up, wanting to be an actress I had no idea that having an ethnic background could have an impact. But it certainly did. Since I started, compared to now, the industry has most definitely evolved, especially in America. Being ethnic in the US market for acting right now is actually an advantage, as a majority of the roles are for African American, or ethnic roles in general. I feel with Australia, they are coming around to the idea slowly now, but definitely not 5-10 years ago when I started. I was so very fortunate when I got the role of Mishti, because the Neighbours cast has become extremely diverse over the past few years! So it was amazing timing for me. Regarding getting any other role in Australia right now, and after Neighbours, I could definitely say it has not been the easiest.
How did you get your first break?
I was so extremely lucky with timing at this point in my life following university. I had just finished my degree, and one week later I got the call saying I was booked a show for ABC, called the Warriors. Again a small role, but it was a role!
I couldn’t believe it. And a week or two after that I got my first big break in Neighbours!!
What was the first role you acted in?
My first role was for a feature called ‘Model Behaviour.’ I played the main character’s sick daughter who had just attempted to commit suicide. A juicy role for sure. But
I love a challenge!
How did the role of police officer Mishti Sharma in Neighbours come about?
When I originally got the audition, the role was for a fitness junkie who was an ex cop. But it wasn’t until I was on the show for 6 months, that they introduced her as a cop again. It was actually my second audition for a role on Neighbours, my first one was for a bit part, but I didn’t get that one.
What were your first thoughts when you were offered a role in Neighbours?
I think it was a mix of shock, excitement, and relief that I wouldn’t have to keep auditioning at first, and then I was just eager to start acting right away. I absolutely love being on set!
Tell us about the character of Mishti Sharma?
She is a very intriguing character, the producers would explain her as ‘black and white’. She was a stickler for the rules. I saw her as the more vulnerable type, with many layers to her.
What was the most exciting story line your character experienced?
I loved the storyline where she fell pregnant, and then lost the baby. It was vital that
I played it right, and that I researched what feelings/pain/emotions a woman would have felt in those moments, as I know a lot of women watching those episodes would have been through the same thing. Following it airing, I got a lot of feedback from women saying how it had touched them and brought back a heap of emotions from their own stories with miscarriages.
How demanding is it to be on the set of Australia’s longest running soap opera?
Pretty demanding, some weeks the hours were crazy! But other weeks, I would only have to go in two days a week as it would depend on your storyline at the time. But
I was always on call in case I had to go in at short notice. Even during some 15 hour days though, I was just so grateful to even be there, and because I love acting and being on set so much, the time would fly by.
I wouldn’t even notice the hours! It definitely didn’t feel like work, that is for sure.
What other productions have you appeared in?
An ABC TV series, a film, and a heap of TVC’s over the last year.
Who is the ultimate character you’d like to play?
A Nina Dobrev type - Vampire Diaries character. Or something completely different to what people think I would play. I love a challenge. Rachel Mcadams in Notebook is a character I would die to play.
What’s been the biggest surprise or challenge about working as an actress?
The biggest surprise would be to see how fast Neighbours shoots. You hear about it all the time, but when you actually see the machine running when you are there, it is wild. They shoot 6 episodes a week minimum!
If you weren’t acting, what would you be doing?
Hmm.. Dancing/ Make-up.. something in the arts/entertainment for sure. I was definitely born the creative type.
Of all the roles you have played in the past, which is your favorite?
Mishti of course, when you play a character for so long, you become attached, and they become a part of you.
What made you move to Los Angeles?
L.A is definitely the next step after shooting in Australia. But I have always loved the projects that come out of the US. The big budgets, and the writing here are just on another level. My partner Tayo Ricci is also a singer, and he lives in Los Angeles, so it just worked out perfectly for us to be here together.
How supportive were your family of the move?
Extremely supportive. They just miss me too much. Especially with Covid now, because they cannot fly to see me here, it is super hard. My dad really didn’t want me to leave, but he knew how much I wanted to do this, and backs me 100%.
Describe the audition process in Los Angeles?
Actually the same as Australia surprisingly! The only thing I would say that is super different, is that in Australia, you are expected to learn your lines before the audition no matter what, even if you get the script that day! But here in L.A- if you audition with a script not in hand, it implies to the casting director that the performance is a finished product. So here, it is actually welcomed to have a script in hand during the audition.
You had a horrific experience with bushfires virtually on your door step recently. How did that experience leave you?
It definitely left my partner Tayo and
I feeling very grateful for the firefighters out there. They were amazing! It was life changing going through it for sure. I had heard so many stories of families having to battle fires in the past, and never really understood how ‘staying to save your home’ would work, or why people would even consider doing that.
I totally get that now.. it is hard to explain the feeling unless you are in the situation, but it is definitely a range of emotions.
You have visited Sri L
anka on a few occasions. How would you describe your holidays?
Tropical, magnificent, and it reminds me of Pina Coladas by the beach, and jak fruit! Everyone needs to try jak fruit, it is simply fab!
What do you miss most about Sri Lanka when you return?
I miss the people, the holiday vibe, and the scenery! I also miss family time there.
Where do you see yourself in five years time?
Hopefully living in both L.A and Melbourne. I would love to be able to live in both countries at different times of the year, shooting different projects in both places. That way I get good family time in as well.
What advice would you give to young thespians?
To fellow young actors trying to break through only do it if it is what your heart truly desires, if you absolutely love it and it is the only thing you see yourself doing in your future. Give it your best shot, don’t give up. Manifest it. Practice your craft daily and it will come to you.
