Today we’d like to introduce you to Sarah Grace Valleroy.
Sarah, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
My story begins with a young girl who dreamed of being an actress. True story: when I was a kid, I decided to join the softball team. I made my parents buy the whole uniform, bat, cleats, all of it. Then, when it came time to actually play softball, I completely refused. I told my parents, “I just wanted the costume.” So that was that. I joined a local community theatre and the rest was history. I started singing and going to dance classes and then I fell so in love with performing that I dedicated all of my free time to it. I even went on to pursue degrees in Musical Theatre and Psychology, so I could really get the training I needed to create complex characters with full, real lives. It was in college, at the University of Alabama that I took my first film acting class and had my eyes opened to how amazing it is working on-camera. After that, I decided that I would move to Atlanta (instead of NYC) and try to find a way to get into the film AND theatre scene. I knew Atlanta was a place where I would be able to explore all of my passions. Though, I really never saw myself as a model and never imagined that would be a possibility for me. It was acting or nothing!
Once my decision was made, I ended up auditioning for and being accepted into, a year long acting apprenticeship with the Aurora Theatre in Lawrenceville, GA and got straight to work! With the Aurora Theatre, I was able to make so many invaluable connections keep working on my acting skills. Perform in several of their fantastic musicals, learn so many new skills (like bartending, puppeteering, sound engineering, play-writing and stand-up comedy) and really delve into finding my path in this field. I ended up booking my first principal role in a horror film while I was there, which really ignited my passion for media. I started to build up my Instagram presence, which helped me gain some attention in the modeling realm. After that, some photographers started reaching out to me to help them build their portfolios or model for clothing lines and I started to see that this was something I could actually do! I decided to commit to modeling and see what happened, and then I worked with Esteban Hernandez (IG: @newlifeway1994) and he really made me feel like I had what it takes. We took some amazing photos but he went so far above and beyond for me. I’ll always be so thankful! He actually sent my photos to Lovilla Santiago the CEO and founder of Miles Models to fill a position as a Brand Ambassador for an Apparel show that Miles was booking.
Honestly, when I was accepted, I was SHOCKED. I had so little experience and, at the time, I was feeling very discouraged about my career. I went to the office to sign my brand ambassador contract and Lovilla invited me in to her office to chat. We talked about Miles and I told her a bit about myself. I was pretty nervous because I was quite sure I had been called in because they didn’t need me anymore. When she asked me if I had representation, my heart sank. I wasn’t represented and was sure she was looking for girls who were; I figured that was the end of the meeting. Her next question absolutely blew my mind! She asked if I would be interested in being represented by Miles Models and offered me a contract on the spot! I was so shocked, but I was also thrilled that they would take a chance on me.
Since then, I have met some of the most amazing photographers, designers, stylists, and other creatives and found such a wonderful home here. I’ve been lucky enough to have been published in several magazines, online publications, catalogs, done several runway shows has been featured in a music video been on the cover of two books worked on several film projects, a pilot, a web-series and many musicals in the Atlanta area! I could not be happier with my decision to start my career here. It definitely hasn’t all been easy. I have had to hustle and fight for my place. But I am so blessed with what I’ve found.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
It has been an amazing journey but I’d be lying if I said it hadn’t had its bumps. I have been told no so many times. It used to devastate me. I’ve been told I wasn’t pretty or thin enough so many times. I’ve had to learn to grow a thicker skin and love myself through it. I decided a long time ago that I wasn’t going to let someone else dictate what my career would look like, so I just prove them wrong. You’ll never be able to please everyone.
Another tough thing as a gig-based worker is the inconsistent paychecks. I love what I do but I work freelance as a model, actress, singer and ESL Teacher. Sometimes I have so much work that I’m overwhelmed and sometimes I have no work at all. Especially now, with Covid-19, I lost about six gigs that I was literally banking on, which led me to teaching English to Chinese children online so I can keep working. You must be able to adapt to whatever life throws at you. And there are so many sacrifices you have to make and so many things you have to miss out on.
But I think my greatest challenge has always come in the form of my own self-doubt and criticism. Because I chose to pursue acting instead of going a more “traditional” route with my education, I grew up in very structured and rigorous training programs. I trained hard, I worked hard, I didn’t stop until it was perfect. I couldn’t. I couldn’t let myself fail or look imperfect, especially in front of other people. I was so petrified that I wasn’t worthy of the success I had and that the people around me would one day look at me and realize it. I was so busy trying to cover up my flaws that I lost so much of myself and what made me remarkable. About a year ago, when I started my modeling journey, I was in such a low place. I really didn’t see anything special or remarkable about myself, so I had no idea how to sell myself to other people. It might sound a bit backwards, but modeling really helped me learn to love myself and appreciate the things that make me unique! It has also helped me see myself objectively, and not just under the scrutiny of my self-doubt. Because, if there is one thing I have REALLY learned from my journey, it’s that it is the things that make you different that help you succeed. People want to see something they haven’t seen before. It’s what makes you remarkable. And it IS what gets you work.
We’d love to hear more about your work.
I am an artist and a storyteller before anything else. I work in many creative fields and I plan on venturing into even more before my career is through. I love getting to collaborate and work with other creatives and tell stories through so many different mediums! Think my strength has always been my versatility which is one of the reasons that I love the market here in Atlanta so much. It has really allowed me to explore many different aspects of this field and I am so grateful for that. I have always made it a priority to learn as much as I can and become the most well-rounded person I can be.
I am a singer/songwriter and I play the piano. I love to sing for events and parties and I love getting to front a live band. I plan to release my own album someday. I’ve been dancing since I was a kid and I do everything from ballet and modern to commercial dance and musical theatre jazz. I love yoga and am currently training to become a yoga instructor, which has always been a dream of mine. I work as a vocal coach. I work as a stage actress and an on-screen actress. I work as a model and brand ambassador. I work as a creative director. I work as a makeup artist. I work as a teacher. I’m always willing to try something new and learn, and I think it has had a big effect on my career. I think my other strengths would be my work ethic and my passion for what I do. I will always give my all and do whatever it takes to achieve the vision. I want to create art that is bigger than myself. I want to change the world and make it a kinder, more understanding and loving place. I believe that art can do that.
What were you like growing up?
Growing up, I was always a very curious and passionate child. I wanted to see and try everything I came across and I would always find a way to get what I wanted. I mean, my first word was “no”. I loved anything that meant I could get up in front of people and perform, but I also loved learning and trying new things. I pushed myself to find new skills and hobbies. I think this laid the ground work for my widespread interests, and my inability to accept no as an answer anymore.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.milesmodels.com/sarah-grace
- Phone: (678) 431-9325
- Email: sarahgracevalleroy@gmail.com
- Instagram: @sarahgracevalleroy
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/sarahgracevalleroy
- Twitter: @sarah_valleroy
Image Credit:
Esteban Hernandez, Maxx Yin, Daniel Moore, Tiara Harris, Moises Suliveres, Danielle Clabough, Danny Hoang, Kevin Harry
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