It was just another night of doing her homework when eighteen-year-old, Sophie Dalah got the phone call that would change her life. After beating out hundreds of girls in Australia, Dalah received the news that she landed a supporting role in Angelina Jolie’s UNBROKEN. After her stunning debut in the critically acclaimed film, Dalah, now nineteen, has since moved to Los Angeles from her home in Sydney, Australia and things are snowballing for the Hollywood newcomer. Dalah landed roles in several independent features, including a role opposite Sarah Hyland in the horror film SATANIC. The film is due for release by Magnolia Pictures this summer. Dalah has undeniably stunning features that scream star quality, but she does not believe her looks are the key to achieving her career aspirations, which include both acting and directing. After working under the direction of Angelina Jolie, who she describes as “the most beautiful woman in the world,” Dalah is confident that her key to success is a relentless hard work ethic.

What was it like working with an icon like Angelina Jolie?

It was surreal. I saw her on set the first day of filming, she introduced herself as Angie, she stepped on set, and she was so helpful. Because she’s an actress herself, [Jolie] had a way of speaking to us [the cast] and getting us emotionally there. She is such a hard worker. I’ve never seen her when she wasn’t at work. She was always on call, always ready to be there when she was needed, while still giving us a good amount of freedom as actors. I think she’s truly talented and got where she is because of hard work. That made me realize how grounded you need to be. Here’s the most beautiful person in the world and it goes to show that there’s no sitting back in this world. That’s something I’d like to see more. It was an amazing experience, I’m lucky to have had it.

Now you just finished filming a horror movie, opposite of Sarah Hyland, called Satanic. What was that experience like?

SATANIC was an amazing experience. We were shooting in Los Angeles with director Jeffrey G. Hunt. I’m super excited because he’s very stylistic in the way he directs. It’s beautifully shot. He’s someone who looks at each shot in extreme detail. I loved meeting someone who cares about that, because I’m also a visually driven person.

What would be your dream role?

I would like to play something in 70’s or 80’s, maybe grungy. I like complex characters with emotional layers and triggers. That includes women with power. I’d like a powerful role, but with insecurity and flaws. That’s important, people aren’t perfect and people can relate better to imperfection. I especially love to play period pieces: walking into different times where there’s no social media, no iPhones—it affects the world around you. I like to remove myself and be someone else when I’m playing a role. When I get into a character, I want to react differently than I would as me.

What kind of things do you draw on within yourself to bring across a character and make it realistic?

Basically, for me, when I play a character, have to create world with that character. I imagine a backstory, and how the character would react. When I was working in a cabin, there were triggers for certain things within the character I was playing. I like to be specific about what’s going on. When I’m creating a character, I create another world and another lifetime of memories to make the characters seem real.

Text by Zee Chang
Photograph by Darian Zahedi

Styling by Phillip Bloch
Hair by Michael Quinn
Makeup by Heather Cvar

Thomas Wylde blazer