Hi, my name is Nina Maria Burke and I am 22 years old. I am originally from a small town called Horsham, which is in West Sussex of the lovely England. I had always had an urge to travel and explore the world, but I also had a constant focus, which was acting. I decided that the English weather was not for me and took the leap to move to Los Angeles when I was 19. I studied on my student visa and I am now working as an actress on my OPT.
Since graduating I have done a lot of work on music videos, short films, YouTube series and shorts and I have an exciting feature film coming up! It has been a struggle, seen as I only have a year on my OPT and half of that was interrupted by the much needed strike within the industry.
When did you decide you wanted to be an actress?
It first began with my love for dance. I was 3 years old when I began ballet lessons and started performing for an audience. As soon as I danced on stage, I knew it was where I was meant to be. I started acting classes at age 5 and that is where my love for the art blossomed. When I grew up and contemplated which career path I genuinely saw myself going down, nothing had changed. It was always acting for me.
Why do you want to be an actress?
When I was growing up, a big thing in my household was movie nights. My dad is really into music and film. My parents have always supported my dream of acting, but my dad insisted that if I was to pursue it, I had to watch all the greats. So that’s what we did. We watched the classics, the action, the soppy love, the sci-fi, and anything else you can imagine. A big part of why I want to be an actress is so that I can give more movies to the next generation, so they can hopefully experience some of the unforgettable memories I have.
As well as this, for the most part, I enjoyed anything I did. I wanted to do everything I could possibly do, but it’s hard to live 50 different lifetimes in 1, so maybe I could do 50 films, each with a different lifestyle.
Did you study acting?
I took drama classes throughout school and graduated highschool with an A* (English grading terms). I went to college in England to continue studying acting and graduated with a distinction in my extended diploma. I then travelled to Los Angeles at age 19, with no family or friends and completed the last of my school experience at ‘The American Academy of Dramatic Arts’ where I also graduated with a diploma.
What are the differences between England and America as an actress?
Well, I get asked this question a lot! So many people wonder why I work so hard to stay here on a visa that has very strict limitations, when the acting scene in London is great. They’re right, the acting scene in London is great, and I am not opposed to pursuing my career there. I think the techniques I learnt in England differ so much to those in America and I have found both invaluable.
The main reason I want to stay in America, at least for the time being, is because it has become my home. I have made so many connections here, which anyone in the industry will understand the importance of. I love the lifestyle, the weather, the food, everything! I feel very motivated to stay and to work here and I know I can do it. I’ve created a foundation here over the past 3 years that is strong and if I am able to move into my 01 visa, I know I will be able to achieve great things.
So, talking technically about acting styles, I believe the main difference would be the use of humour and subtleties. As most people could imagine, the comedy in England tends to lean more on the sarcastic and witty side. Talking about subtleties, the note I received most frequently was that I wasn’t doing enough. I’ve found that the American style of acting is more exaggerated. When you cry, you sob. When you laugh, you are hysterical. Whereas in England, perhaps you just cry with the look in your eyes, as opposed to tears coming out. Or holding back a laugh. Both techniques are extremely valuable and get the message across to the audience in different ways. I appreciate greatly that I was able to learn both to put them into my regular practice and interchange them when necessary. I have found that it has made me a more rounded actress and I cannot wait to keep learning more throughout my life.
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Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ninamburke/
