CSM Alum Chases Film Gigs, Dreams, Inspired by Katharine Hepburn
At a young age, College of Southern Maryland alumna Victoria Anastasi knew she wanted to be an actress. She had been told that she was a distant relative of Academy Award winning actress Katharine Hepburn and felt that with such lineage, she should explore the craft to see if she had a similar talent.
It wasn't until high school that Anastasi had the opportunity to test her acting chops. She was immediately hooked, and went on to earn an award for being in every single show throughout her high school years. She wanted to head to the West Coast after high school graduation, but was convinced by her mother to get a college education.
Anastasi thrived in CSM's theater department and said her most memorable role was that of Emily in “Our Town.”
“Theater at CSM was challenging because the volume of work we did was insane. With 10 shows a year, I was often juggling rehearsals for three shows at the same time, plus my classes and schoolwork, plus working part time,” said Anastasi.
When she transferred to Towson University, Anastasi changed her major to mass communication and her focus to film. Through networking with other theater and film students, and with the help of an agent, she began getting regular film gigs, including on the set of Netflix's “House of Cards.”
She has worked in music videos, local television ads in the D.C. Metro area and starred in “Restoration,” an independent Christian film released in 2016.
Now, Anastasi lives in Greensboro, N.C., where her waitressing job helps her pay the bills and provides flexibility to book a few acting gigs, with some keeping her on-set all day.
“I'm a creative person and cannot see myself working in an office – I want to be 'secure' not 'struggling.' My goal is to make a living doing what I love,” she said.
And, if she receives an award for her work, like her famous relative, that would be a dream come true, she said. “Katharine Hepburn is definitely one of my role models. I would be honored to be only a quarter as talented and graceful and lovely as she was. She was effortless and timeless-I'm going to work at it, that's for sure.”
For information on earning a degree in theater at CSM, visit www.csmd.edu/cah.
For information on performances, visit http://www.csmd.edu/community/the-arts/index.html.