Rose Di Nardo is an accomplished film and television actress, known for giving performances in “The Mad Whale” alongside James Franco. Rose has just written her first feature screenplay called “A Sequoia on Fire”. The screenplay is about a young small-town writer who decides to travel across the country to California in search of freedom through the open road. We caught up with Rose to talk about her career and new project.
Hi, Rose! Thank you for granting the interview. Congratulations on landing your role in your first feature screenplay “A Sequoia on Fire”. What should the audience expect to see?
Hello! Thank you! “A Sequoia on Fire” is about a young writer (poet) named Sadie. When she is unable to pay her rent, self-proclaimed road child Noah offers to take her on the ride of a lifetime. She decides she has nothing left to lose and travels across the country to California in search of freedom through the open road. It is an adventure/drama/romance/coming of age story about following your dreams, freedom, and discovering your power within. It’s a road film and shows Sadie’s journey as she navigates a new life that forces her to go to places within herself she’s been avoiding, really confronting what her truth is. You get to see all of her discoveries along the way and the choices she has to make when things don’t go according to plan. The great thing about travel is it forces you to grow whether you are ready to or not, and that is essentially what Sadie has to do.
The subject matter is very interesting. Where did the inspiration for the screenplay come from?
The inspiration for this screenplay came from a monologue that my friend Michael Herman wrote it for a class I was taking at the time. I gave him a couple of elements for the character and story and I fell in love with it when I read it. I loved it so much that I decided that I wanted to turn it into a feature-length screenplay. We collaborated on the story and I took things that really inspired me like writing and travel, two things that really expose your truth as a person. I wanted to tell a story that inspires authenticity and the courage to pursue your passions and grow and change into who you’re meant to be. I’ve always been drawn to more character-driven stories because I like to feel like I am really on that journey with them. I want people to be able to connect to Sadie in many different aspects of her journey and experience the hard changes she goes through.
What do you enjoy most about your character and role?
I think the thing that I enjoy most about Sadie is her willingness to step out of her comfort zone. She comes from a small town and is thrust into a whole new world on the road and really has to take any challenges that come her way and move forward. She’s passionate, a bit of a hopeless romantic, but most importantly she’s a fighter. You get to see her arc as a character from the beginning to the end of the film and how much she grows into the person she was always meant to be. I love how dedicated and optimistic she is even when things get hard.
You’ve won multiple awards as an actress, including a New York Film Award and a Global Film Fest Award for the critically-acclaimed short “The Guitar.” Please tell us more about this project?
“The Guitar” is about one man’s struggle with drug addiction and how it ultimately ruins his life. My character, Lana, we meet in a flashback. She was a bad influence during his early life introducing him to cigarettes and hard drugs at a young age. You get to see how she encourages this behavior and how it affects their relationship and his later years.
You’re an accomplished film and television actress, known for giving performances in movies and TV shows alike. What have been your career highlights to date?
Some of my career highlights have been getting to work on my first ever feature film called “The Mad Whale” as well as making my TV debut on the show “Betrayed”. Another big highlight would be creating the screenplay for “A Sequoia on Fire” and producing and acting in the Proof of Concept Trailer for it. It’s been a real adventure along the way and I’ve just been learning as I go. Some recent highlights have been working on a short horror film called “French Fries” that we shot as a long shot in this creepy diner in the middle of nowhere in Texas. Another film I worked on is called “Perk Up” about the changes that happen in a relationship and how they grow into different people. I also worked on “Crossing Wires” which is about two young women who get caught up in drugs and a summer romance.
So how did you get into acting?
For as long as I can remember I’ve loved telling stories. I used to make videos with my sister and cousin on a camcorder when we were young and show them to the family. I’ve always liked the idea of sharing myself with others in this way. I don’t have a theatre background, as I’ve always been more interested in film. I started to pursue acting more seriously when I finished school and did as many films as I could before moving to LA from the Midwest. I’m originally from Toledo, Ohio. There is way more competition in Los Angeles and you have to stay focused and motivated. At the same time, you have to be patient and also realize that there are a lot of things that are not in your control.
Do you have anything else you would like to share about your career?
Yes, I would just like to share how grateful I have been to work on the amazing projects I have so far and how excited I am to share “A Sequoia on Fire” with the world. I would also like to say to anyone else pursuing this career to enjoy the journey and don’t be afraid to create your opportunities!
Rose’s website and social media links are:
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