Haven’t we all wished to meet a handsome stranger on a plane and feel the tug of a powerful soul-touching connection? In the upcoming film “Someday,” Katherine Castro’s character Melody has just such an encounter. During a 14-hour flight from Sydney to Los Angeles, Melody crosses paths with a world renown composer and they strike up a revealing conversation. In an exclusive interview, Katherine shares the appeal of this romantic role as well as the joy of getting to portray such a finely-tuned and multi-faceted character.
You are listed as one of the writers for “Someday.” What inspired you to write the story for “Someday”?
KATHERINE: I’m not really the writer. The story came from me and J.S. Mayank filled in the blanks and wrote a beautiful script. IMDB doesn’t have a listing for “Story By”, so they add it as writer. The original idea for this film happened about 5-6 years ago. As someone who travels often and who’s constantly creating stories in my mind, I thought it would be interesting to see a movie where two complete strangers meet on a plane, fall in love and have a connection, an ‘affair of the minds”. A platonic romance that lasts the length of the flight. This is a movie I would go to see. Fast forward to last year, exactly this happened to me. So, my personal experience, in addition to the idea I had 5-6 years ago, turned into “Someday.”
How would you describe who your character Melody is in the film?
KATHERINE: Melody is a breath of fresh air. She’s a romantic but very pragmatic at the same time. Extremely intelligent and witty. Deep down she wants to find someone that she connects with on an emotional, spiritual, and intellectual level. Don’t we all? 😊
What do you most admire and/or like about the character of Melody?
KATHERINE: Her independence, which is something I identify with, and her openness to embrace and admire other cultures. She sees this as a strength. In fact, it has influenced her life in a positive way, both in choosing her career and becoming who she is. I also love her curiosity and thirst for knowledge.
What is it like working alongside your costar Chris Santos?
KATHERINE: It was honestly one of the best experiences I’ve had. Not only is he a good actor, but he’s a real partner. He’s very generous, which helps when you’re acting because you are working off real energy, going back and forth. Fully committed and present. We worked off of each other really well.
Why does Melody open up to Adam, someone she just met?
KATHERINE: Sometimes we open up much easier with strangers because we feel there won’t be any harm. A stranger won’t judge us and, maybe, we might not see this person ever again. I think in part, this was a reason, but also there was an undeniable connection. She didn’t realize how she had opened up to him, but yet it felt as the most organic and normal thing to do. We all want to connect with someone and when we do, it feels like you can talk about anything and everything without inhibitions. This is exactly what happened.
What was your favorite part about working on this project?
KATHERINE: Learning how to dance Tango! Each time I danced I felt like I was in another dimension… Then, when we were filming the dance, it felt like heaven. My soul was rejoicing, I can’t explain the feeling.
What has been the one thing you have taken away from working on “Someday”?
KATHERINE: I’ve made amazing new friends. Also, I’ve learned that things happen the way they are supposed to. We had been working on this project for a year and we couldn’t yet find an actor, and then when we found Chris, we realized he was Adam. And I’ve learned that it’s very important to surround yourself with a team, cast and crew, that believes in and are passionate about the project as much as I you are. I was lucky to have a dream team, and everyone was so happy to be on set. I would work with each and every person involved in “Someday” again in a heartbeat. I wouldn’t change a thing!
What do you hope viewers to take away from watching “Someday”?
KATHERINE: I hope that they feel like they are in this flight, this journey, with us. That for a moment they forget everything going on in the world and are submerged in the story, leaving feeling like that what they saw happened to them. I guess feeling light hearted and feeling love.
What was the biggest challenge working on “Someday”?
KATHERINE: I think being on the producer side raising the funds is always the most difficult part and then balancing that with being the lead actress. At some point I needed to disconnect so that I could only be the actress (which is what I wanted) and let the team take complete control without me being involved at all.
What was the biggest surprise working on “Someday”?
KATHERINE: The biggest surprise was dancing Tango. It was a very advanced and difficult choreography, yet Chris and I pulled it off. Two months of classes and rehearsals with our choreographers Melissa Shahin and Tango Master Claudio Otero, who kicked our butts but really made us shine. We had moments of frustration and so many moments of joy. Going through this with Chris Santos created a bond and trust that translated beautifully on camera. So, all the hard work we put in together, once we began filming, we already had history together and it elevated the relationship between Adam & Melody that much more.
What did you learn from that experience?
KATHERINE: Trust. That’s a big one for me. I needed to trust that we both had each other’s back. I had full trust in J.S. and George (our DP) and our amazing team and crew, but once cameras were rolling, it was just Adam and Melody. Nothing else existed, until the director yelled cut. I must say, as an actress, I have never felt as safe as I did during “Someday.”
What has surprised you most about your career so far?
KATHERINE: I’ve had people walk up to me saying that they are my fan and they love my work, and that I inspire them. It’s always so humbling. I never feel deserving of these compliments because for me, I’m just doing what I love. Usually, when something like that happens, I look around to see if they are actually talking to me because I feel they must be talking to someone else! It really is extremely humbling and touching.
At this stage of your career, what do you think you have learned from the roles and projects you have worked on?
KATHERINE: To really put yourself in someone else’s shoes and try to understand where they are coming from. Why they do the things they do. As an actress, I’m a student of human behavior, and just because I don’t understand someone or something about a person, that doesn’t mean I need to fear it, much less judge it. It has helped me understand the reasoning behind people’s actions much more and to be more compassionate.
Has there been any great advice you have gotten? What advice would you offer to other upcoming and aspiring actors?
KATHERINE: What I can advise, based on my experience, is to go out live life. Enjoy the good moments, the happy, and even more the pain. That is where we get to know ourselves. Travel as much as you can. Being submerged in a different culture and language will be a life changing experience that will give you so much more depth. Make friends with all sorts of people, without exception. You will be surprised how much wisdom you will get from everyone from a person that homeless on the street or your mail man/ woman. Take the time to not just hear but really listen to others. These are life’s gifts that will enrich you as an actor. Of course, study to polish and hone your craft, but nothing can ever substitute real life experience. Lastly, surround yourself with people that believe in you and that you believe in. People that are a positive influence and that want to grow with you. Start doing things together. Don’t ever think you will do this on your own because you won’t. The saying “it takes a village” is true! You are your only competition. Lastly, just go for it!
Do you have any other upcoming projects that you can share that fans should keep an eye out for?
KATHERINE: I’m currently working on two other projects very close to my heart. One addresses the subject of suicide and the other is about animal conservation. I am very excited about both.
At a time when women’s voices are rising to be heard and respected around the country and world, what do you recommend your fans do to lend support in that endeavor?
KATHERINE: Social media is a very powerful tool. It’s free and it reaches the entire globe. No barriers. Use this tool wisely. It’s cool to use it to talk about your date or a picture of what you are eating, but also use it as a voice of consciousness. Speak up about the issues that matter to you and your community. People are listening when you least expect it. Don’t just believe what the media is feeding you. Educate yourself so that when you talk about something, you have the facts to make informed decisions. If you see someone is doing something positive that resonates with you, share it and spread the word Become involved. Really, just take action. Be the driver, not the passenger. 😊
To see how powerfully and passionately Katherine embodies Melody during this pivotal point in her life, be sure to keep an eye out for the premiere of “Someday” coming later in 2017. Then to follow Katherine’s career as it continues to soar, you can follow her on Twitter: @katcastroo for updates.
SENIOR ENTERTAINMENT REPORTER | Tiffany covers events such as San Diego Comic-Con, WonderCon and press junkets, as well as covering events at the Paley Center in Beverly Hills. She has a great love for television and believes that entertainment is a world of wondrous adventures that deserves to be shared and explored. Tiffany is one of the newest members to the prestigious Television Critics Association and is happy to be able to share her passion for television shows with an even wider audience of fans and her fellow critics..
