Interview With Award-Winning Actress, Joanna Younes

Joanna Younes is an award-winning actress, model, & influencer based in Los Angeles, CA. Originally from Lebanon, Joanna started acting at only 6 years old, featuring in small commercials and print ads. She quickly began her musical theater career, getting her breakout role in the musical Annie. She played the role of Pepper, and the production was directed and produced by the British Academy of International Arts, in Kuwait. As she furthered her musical theater journey, she was cast as the lead in multiple more of BAIA’s successful productions. She was cast as Nala in The Lion King and Tallulah in Bugsy Malone. She was especially praised for her role as Tallulah, delivering her own solo number while dancing at the same time.

Joanna Younes also signed with her modeling agent back home at 16 years old, and has booked jobs with huge brands in Kuwait, including Eden Spa & Salon, Nalbes, and Hype Gym.

Once Joanna made her move to the United States, she transitioned into film acting, garnering her first award-winning film shortly after. She was cast as the lead in Welcome to the Demon Club, and won the Best Performance award for her role at Campus Movie Fest. As she continued to work on multiple short films, she was cast in her first feature film, playing the lead role of Sylvia Steel in Night Hunter. The film garnered a lot of attention, and was sold out at The Grossmont Theater in San Diego for three nights in a row.

Vocal readers, please enjoy our interview!

We are excited to learn more about you and your career. What inspired your journey from The Middle East to the United States?

Joanna: Well, part of the reason why I made my move to the United States was due to the fact that I wanted to go to college, and I wanted to have the American college experience. I was always intrigued by it, and wanted to go to college somewhere in California so badly. I was in awe of how beautiful it is and wanted to explore that culture. That, and of course Los Angeles being the hub of acting and film work.

I was inspired to further my career in the United States because I felt ready to make my transition from theater to film. Unfortunately, there were limited film opportunities growing up back home, and the few projects that were in production were very inaccessible. So I felt ready, and mostly compelled, to make my move and have more opportunities around me. It was truly a blessing and a privilege to be able to move here.

Describe the moment when you knew the entertainment industry was your passion and destiny.

Joanna: I think I've had a lot of those moments. I would say a particular one would be when my acting coach, whom I worked with for years back home, told me that I was capable of taking my career to the next level and start acting on film. He always encouraged me to pursue my passion beyond musical theater, and beyond the Middle East. What made me realize that it was a true passion though, was the fact that I never even considered pursuing it and taking it a step further.

I always looked at it as something I enjoyed doing, whether it was going to be in a commercially successful way or not. I felt really fulfilled doing theater work and had never really considered film or tv work until he had said that. Once he did, I was hooked on figuring out the ins and outs of the film industry, and made it a goal of mine to commit to film acting once I left the Middle East.

A huge milestone you've accomplished was winning the Best Performance award at one of the biggest film festivals, Campus Movie Fest, for your lead role in a short horror film, Welcome to the Demon Club. Out of the 80 films submitted that year, you were nominated for and won the award for the performance category! It also won the Campus Finalist award. How did you feel and what was it like to work on that film?

Joanna: I felt like I was on cloud nine. I never get tired of talking about that experience because it meant so much more to me than simply just winning the award. I couldn't believe it at first - it can get pretty competitive when it comes to festival wins, and I didn't want to set any expectations for myself. I was overjoyed that they were screening our film. Once the cast and crew realized that we didn't only win one, but two awards at the festival, we were all overwhelmed with excitement. I'm pretty sure I cried. It held so much meaning to me to be recognized by Campus Movie Fest, and to be awarded with Best Performance was a true honor.

All the late nights we spent filming so tirelessly were definitely worth it. The film always felt like it was worth the hard work of course, but to be recognized by those awards felt all the more validating of our craft. Working on that film was genuinely so fun! It did get messy with all the fake blood we used, but I love going out of my element and being a part of fun projects like that. They were pretty easygoing shoot days, just long. I enjoyed every minute though, and I'm so glad I have great memories tied with that film.

Being that you are in a horror film, we are curious to know what some of your favorite horror movies are.

Joanna: I love this question - I genuinely love horror films, it's my favorite genre. I would say my top favorites would be Sinister, Get Out, and Hush. I don't get scared easily, but those films were so thrilling and had unique plots.

We are so proud of your work as a well-known actress in the Middle East. You're mostly known for your roles as "Tallulah" in Bugsy Malone & "Nala" in The Lion King. We are overjoyed to hear about your experience portraying these roles. What can you share with us?

Joanna: Thank you for your kind words! I love talking about my work in the Middle East and bringing more light to it. I had a blast playing both roles, and both casts were so incredible to work with. They all felt like family, and the directors of the productions are so skilled and talented. I've grown so much in my craft thanks to them. I felt particularly challenged when playing Tallulah, that role really allowed me to expand my horizons and explore more outside of my comfort zone. It has always been so fulfilling for me to be a part of such iconic productions of films turned into musicals. I especially love learning choreography and dancing on stage.

I truly miss being a part of theater productions in the Middle East. I'd like to go back one day and be a part of a musical. I feel as though I've grown so much since then, and I'm curious about how different my performances would be now compared to before. It's truly a pleasure to have the background that I do, and starting out in the Middle East allowed me to garner skills I wouldn't otherwise have.

Some of your upcoming projects are with Producer & Founding Artistic Director of Dirty Laundry Theatre, Maera Hagage. What are you most excited about for these productions?

Joanna: I'm so excited to make my return to the theater after years! I think I'm most excited about getting to perform live in front of an audience - I truly love to entertain crowds, so getting to see and feel people's reactions in real time is something I'm looking forward to. I'm also looking forward to the anxiety/eagerness right before a show, when you're in hair and makeup, and going over your lines one last time with your castmates. I miss feeling that rush of excitement, and feeling like the cast and crew are a true family working together every day.

Let's talk about your time working at Eden Spa & Salon, which is the largest salon/spa in Kuwait, located in Kuwait City, and is known for its luxury services, as well as with a well-known gym in Kuwait, called Hype Gym, and with a commercially-successful clothing brand in the Middle East called Nalbes. You've worked with multiple notable brands! What did you learn about yourself personally and professionally during this period of your career?

Joanna: They were such cool experiences and I'm so glad I got to work with such incredible companies. It was a true honor! I think something I learned about myself both personally and professionally would be to never box myself or limit my capabilities. I've always considered myself an actress first, and I still do. But because I've always been so fixated on my acting career and my future, I often forget about my other skills that are as valuable.

I started dipping into modeling when I was younger, and ended up signing a modeling contract at 16 and booked such amazing gigs, which of course wouldn't have been possible without my agents. Once I started to build my experiences in modeling, that's when I realized how important it is to develop skills outside of your main passion in life. If anything, those extra skills could even help you out with your passion! I learned to always be open to new possibilities.

What advice would you have for anyone who aspires to be an international model and actress?

Joanna: There's so much to say, and I'm honestly still learning as I go. I think the most important thing I could say is to have faith above everything else. Try your best to instill yourself with confidence, and believe that you deserve to have what you want in life. There may be moments in your career or journey where all you have left is your confidence. You may be stripped of opportunities, and chances, you'll face rejection and be told no, and it all comes down to the root of who you are that'll keep you going. Your confidence and faith in yourself will transcend any no said to you, and with time, you'll start hearing those yes's. Be your biggest fan!

Keep up to date on Instagram! @joannaayounes.