SOFIA WYLIE [ANDI MACK] — A BOOK OF MAGAZINE

Tell us your story. Who is Sofia as a person?

I guess I’m just like anyone my age! I have two amazing parents and an older sister that I look up to. I love taking my little Yorkshire, Violet on walks every day and I love to workout, dance and play basketball!

The only thing that’s different about me is I started working at a very young age and I haven’t gone to a traditional school since I was in second grade.

Overall, my story has been pretty normal up until I decided that I wanted to start acting. Being in front of a camera or on stage has always come naturally to me! I love the feeling of performing in front of a large crowd. I guess you could say that’s where I feel most comfortable. It didn’t take long for me to find my place in the entertainment industry, but there have been so many amazing people that have helped me along the way. I owe a lot to them for my success and I still thank God that they all continue to mentor me even to this day!

Tell us more about your journey in the industry (from dancing to singing and to acting).

My journey into the industry happened so quickly mainly because I was fortunate to have amazing mentors at the right moments in my life. It all started with my dancing, I would go to dance once a week, taking a hip-hop class taught by Jake.
Jake was probably the first person to ever tell me that I was good at something.

It wasn’t until I met Mikaylah Harp that I got serious about dancing. Mikaylah was a professional ballerina and I always looked up to her. One day she told my parents that she thought I had something special and with a lot of hard work it could be something that I could turn into a career. I didn’t exactly understand what she meant but I was so happy to have her take me under her wing.

Within a few years I started to go to Los Angeles to train with the top choreographers in the country. Thousands of dancers from all over the world would come to LA with the hope of being discovered. Luckily for me I once again had someone that mentored me and told me that I had a gift of performing! Shortly after that I got an agent and started auditioning for dance jobs. It was such a fun time in my life but I knew I wanted to do more. One day on a job as a background dancer I noticed some of the actors rehearsing their lines. I watched them as they prepared and then it hit me, I wanted, no, I needed to be an actress! From that point on all I could think about was becoming an actress.

That following week I went on my first acting audition and met Amber Horn, she is one of the top casting director in LA. I met her during an audition – afterwards Amber told my dad that she saw something special in me and wanted me to come back for another role. I couldn’t believe it - I was so excited!

After coming back, I was told that I booked my very first acting role! Now that I’ve had time to reflect on all of this, I can see how much help I’ve had along my journey. If it weren’t for the mentors in my life I would not be where I am today!

Out of all the roles that you played, is there a particular character that resonated with you the most? Why?

I would say that my current character Buffy is the acting role that most resonates with me. I think Buffy and I both have the same desire to be the best we can be and to put our friends and family ahead of our own needs. I feel my best quality is that I want everyone to be successful and happy. Even though I am competitive I also want to see my friends win and be successful.

Walk us through your process whenever you act or perform. How does Sofia do it?

I go through a pretty long process when preparing for my lines. I like to over-prepare for my lines so I usually read through the script 2-3 times. Then I stand in front of a mirror and go over my body emotions as I read the script. I try my best to watch how I would naturally respond to all the questions or statements that my character might be faced with. After I do that I run my lines and try my best to connect the non-verbal responses with my verbal response. It may sound weird but I’ve learned that a lot of what we say is communicated through our eyes. Therefore, I try my best to connect with the audience both with my words and my non-verbal’s.

Is there any particular role/s that you wanna try to play in the future?

My goal is to play a strong female role in a feature film. I want girls to see someone that they can relate to and see in a positive light.

How did you end up playing Buffy in Andi Mack?

I feel that Buffy and I have a lot of things in common, so acting as Buffy comes quite easily for me. During the audition process, it was easy for me to become her because I felt that I was her already. I went through a long audition process but I ended up getting the part and its probably the best thing that has ever happened to me!

How is it working with the cast of Andi Mack?

The cast are the most talented and loving people I know! Each day I pinch myself to remind me that its real, because I love them so much and we all have so much fun.

Tell us more about your character Buffy in Andi Mack. Is there anything about her that the fans can look forward to?

Season 2 just started and Buffy is usually in the middle of it all. She is the best friend of Andi and Cyrus. I feel the Andi Mack fans are going to fall in love with Buffy as they get to learn more about her family. You will also learn why she is so competitive!

How do you think young TV personalities and influencers like you can spread more positivity in the midst of the current status and power of social media?

One of the most important things that I feel I must do since I’m blessed to have this level of influence, is to show kids my age that they can do whatever they put their minds to. There was a time when I didn’t feel that I could do things I saw on TV or social media. It’s my goal to use social media to show young teens that it’s okay to fail and that no one is perfect.

What is the best thing about dancing?

What I love about dancing is that it allows me to be free. I use dance to free my mind and just be me. There are no rules in dance; for a moment in time you are free to move and express yourself anyway you like. That’s why I love to dance.

How would you describe your sense of style?

My style is pretty sporty since I come from the hip-hop dance community. Now that my modeling career is starting to grow, I have been exploring more styles in my wardrobe. I would say I have a sporty but feminine style. I love to mix and match my love of urban style with high fashion.

If there is any advice that you can give to any young and aspiring actors out there, what would it be?

My advice is to stay positive and never forget all the people that have helped you along the way!

TEAM CREDITS:

Photography: IRVIN RIVERA

Styling: HORACIO AGUILAR

Makeup: GEORGINA MENDIOLA

Hair: MATILDE CAMPOS

Catch Sofia as Buffy on And Mack!