A PAX interview
Veena Sood portrays newspaper reporter Callie Pender on PAX-TV's heartfelt series, "Hope Island". From the get-go, the talented, versatile actress, with a flair for comedy, found an instant groove with her character.
Her agent, Jamie Levitt, saw the part come through casting and knew it was Veena's. Sood said, "After auditioning I became immediately attached to the role. I tend to cast for doctors and lawyers and a side of me is this silly, quirky persona. As Callie, I don't play quirky, I just play me!"
Sood told us that in Vancouver casting circles, the "Hope Island" set has a great reputation. "My little theory is that scripts dictate the mood of the production. If they're light with strong messages, the set pulls for that energy. Among the ensemble there is reverence for the work, the writing and a sense of equality...and the crew is very generous!"
Into the spirit of adventure, Sood has canoed down the Amazon and traveled on safari through the back country of Africa. Hence, even the daily morning drive along a rugged mountain road to reach the coastline set seems to fit her sensibility.
Raised in Canada, Sood is of East-Indian descent with strong family ties to her cultural heritage. While rebelling against certain traditions to pursue her dream of acting, as an artist of independent vision, Veena aspires to integrate the values of both cultures.
Canadian writer, Jan Derbyshire, penned a play about a fiery, East-Indian actress struggling to merge her eastern heritage with a western upbringing. Starring Veena, the hit, "Maharani & The Maple Leaf" toured Canada. Attracted to its universal theme, the CBC produced a three camera shoot for television broadcast. It still airs in re-runs.
Sood has repeatedly chosen to work in Vancouver, focusing on her craft far from the distractions of entertainment's "image machine". For Sood it's worked out well.
She's captured three Jessie Richardson nominations (Vancouver's equivalent of the Tonys) and won the award for her outstanding performance in the play "2B WUT UR". Sood's film and television credits include "The X-Files," "The Outer Limits," "Highlander," and "Time Cop."
Her advice to fans who want to know how she broke into the field, "Follow your heart and all the other stuff will manifest. In hindsight, I can say that when it has worked out, it's because I followed my heart!"
Cameron Daddo Suki Kaiser Maximillian Peters Duncan Fraser Allison Hossack
David Lewis Haig Sutherland Gina Stockdale Beverley Elliott Veena Sood
Matthew Walker Brian Jensen Dion Johnstone Mary Hanes Jason Milligan Tim McCauley
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