Exclusive Interview: Pop Culturalist Chats with Big Shot’s Sophia Mitri Schloss

Remember the name Sophia Mitri Schloss. The emerging young actress has been garnering buzz in Hollywood since her breakout performance in the indie drama, Sadie, and can now be seen starring opposite John Stamos and Yvette Nicole Brown in David E. Kelley’s Big Shot.

The Disney+ original follows Marvyn Korn [Stamos], a temperamental college basketball coach who’s fired from his job and must take a position at an elite all-girls high school. Sophia shines as Coach Korn’s daughter, Emma, whose relationship with her father is put to the test throughout the series.

Pop Culturalist was lucky enough to speak with Sophia ahead of the show’s premiere to learn more about her, what it was like collaborating with John Stamos, and what fans can expect from Season 1 of Big Shot!

Career

PC: How did you discover your passion for acting?
Sophia: When I was little, I didn’t watch any TV. My parents are both excellent storytellers, and so that was always a favorite activity—that and reading. I would memorize books before I could read. I remember doing different character voices and having so much fun. I’ve always been happiest in creative environments. I’m so lucky to have grown up in a house where that was the norm.

My acting career started out solely in Seattle. I was part of quite a few local productions and student films. Student films were great because I got to learn with the students. I was always very patient (which is important, because you’ll spend a lot of time waiting around on sets), and while they were figuring things out and making mistakes, I was taking mental notes. It’s such a great feeling to be creating something so much larger than yourself.

I’m a musician, too. I’m in a jazz choir at my high school—same feeling. It’s the feeling of being around people who are all talented, diligent, and passionate, working towards the same goals in the same creative space. It makes me so happy.

PC: Who or what has had the biggest influence on your career?
Sophia: When I was seven, I started working with Trice Koopman, and she’s still my manager. I am so grateful for the influence she’s had on my career. I trust her so deeply. I value her integrity and kindness. I never feel like I have to do anything that I don’t want to do—if something doesn’t feel right, then that’s it.

My parents are also fully supportive in that way. I’m very, very close with them. They’ve always been my ultimate support. I think a lot of the time when people hear the words “child actor”, they make the assumption that the kid’s parents are driving their career, but that’s really not the case with me. Acting felt like the most natural thing in the world. My parents have always embraced that without pushing anything. They don’t have an agenda, and neither do I.

PC: You’ve had a lot of success already in your young career. When you look back, is there a particular moment that stands out?
Sophia: When I was eight, I played the lead in an NBC pilot called Isabel, which was directed by Todd Holland. Marcia Gay Harden and Kevin Nealon played my parents. I was in third grade, just a happy and quirky hat-loving kid in Seattle, so it was incredible to realize that something that big could actually happen. My parents didn’t have any kind of “in” in the entertainment industry. They’re not part of the acting world, so to think that a kid that little (who wasn’t based in LA!) could get a role on a show like that was pretty surprising and wonderful.

Big Shot

PC: Tell us about Big Shot, your character, and what drew you to this project.
Sophia: Big Shot is about a temperamental NCAA coach who, after one thing leads to another, is forced to leave his job and coach at an all-girls private school in La Jolla, California. I play Emma, the daughter of that coach.

I was immediately drawn to Big Shot because of that father/daughter relationship. When I auditioned, I didn’t have a script. I just had the logline for the show and two audition scenes, both phone calls between Emma and her father Marvyn. I was intrigued, and I knew there was a lot there to explore. This dynamic between father and daughter is such a fun one. Throughout the season, it spans from painful to loving to angry to forgiving to everything in between.

Beyond the story and the character of Emma, I was drawn to Big Shot because of the people working on it. You really couldn’t ask for a better team—everyone (from the actors to the writers to the producers to the crew) is so experienced, so kind, so talented, and so creative.

PC: David E. Kelley has created some of the biggest shows in television history. Did that bring any pressure to this project/role?
Sophia: I think there was definitely an element of nervousness for me as I was going into work on this Disney+ original show created by David E. Kelley. It was a big deal, and I didn’t want to overstep, or do anything wrong. But I soon realized that I didn’t need to feel that way. Everyone was so welcoming and fun, and created a very supportive set environment. Everyone wanted everyone to feel seen, safe, and respected. The warmth on that set was really special. We all talked about it all the time. It was extremely collaborative and very open. It is definitely the biggest production that I’ve worked on, with the largest scale and the most going on. It was wonderful to see that that kind of set atmosphere could still exist and thrive.

PC: Emma has a very special relationship with her father. How did you and John approach the dynamic between your two characters?
Sophia: Any day on set with John is the best adventure. He is both unbelievably good at what he does and unbelievably kind, and that makes him the ultimate scene partner. As John and I got to know each other, the Emma/Marvyn relationship just came to life. It’s so easy to have fun and make their dynamic feel real because John is always having fun and making things feel real. Every take will have something different, or something a little improvised, or just something interesting in a new way. I learned so much from working with him.

There was also a feeling of a partnership with John that I’m so grateful for. He treated me as an equal, as someone who knows her character well and has ideas that are valuable. Whether he realized he was doing this or not, John really helped me ease out of the intimidation I felt at the beginning of the season. He would ask me my opinions, if I thought Emma’s dialogue seemed realistic in that situation, what I thought of the blocking, or if I thought the tone of the scene felt right. I was kind of floored that I could have that kind of creative impact, that it wasn’t just allowed but welcomed. I really learned to trust myself. It’s such a cool thing to trust yourself around people you admire. I felt like I belonged.

PC: What can you tease about Emma’s journey in Season 1? How did you prepare to step into her shoes?
Sophia: I love Emma’s evolution throughout the series. Her relationship with her dad is always central, but she also really learns how to find her place in a new city with new friends. She’s not perfect. She makes mistakes, but it’s always clear that she cares for the people in her life, especially her dad. Her plotline revolves around the idea of parenting: what it means to be a parent, what it means to be parented, and how to navigate relationships and stay true to yourself.

Family is really key in Big Shot. Preparing for the role felt very natural. I’m still in high school, so I do a lot of observing in social situations. I’m a big people watcher, and I’m always intrigued by high school drama and friendships (even as I live through them!). And, of course, I’m also a daughter, so I’ve had a whole life’s worth of experience with that! However, I think I can say with confidence that my relationship with my parents is less rocky than the one I portray in Big Shot!

PC: The show is out now. What do you hope audiences take away?
Sophia: Big Shot has a lot of heart and I think deals with relationships well. There are arguments, misunderstandings, and tears shed—all things that normally happen in high school—but themes of compassion and empathy are always present. Marvyn does a lot of soul searching and goes through a huge evolution throughout the series, as do all the individuals that make up the show. Everyone is always changing, always trying to find better versions of themselves. That’s something I love about the show, and I hope audiences will too.

Pop Culturalist Speed Round

PC: Guilty pleasure TV show?
Sophia: Gilmore Girls.

PC: Guilty pleasure movie?
Sophia: Midnight in Paris.

PC: Favorite book?
Sophia: The Sparrow.

PC: Favorite play or musical?
Sophia: A few years ago, I saw my first musical on Broadway! My dad and I went to see Beautiful: The Carole King Musical and loved it, especially having grown up listening to a lot of Carole King. I put on Tapestry pretty much every day after school in sixth grade while I did my homework! So, seeing the musical was very nostalgic and lovely.

PC: A band or artist that fans would be surprised to learn is on your playlist?
Sophia: I’m a big Stevie Wonder fan. I went to see him in concert for my thirteenth birthday!

PC: Dream role?
Sophia: Anything that films in France!

To keep up with Sophia, follow her on Instagram. Watch Big Shot on Disney+.

Photo Credit: Starla Fortunato