Pop-Culturalist.com

Emmy-nominated actress Victoria Konefal is heating up the screen as Ciara Brady in the longstanding soap Days of Our Lives. It’s a breakout role for the New York native who knew at the age of seven that storytelling was her passion and path in life. She’s dedicated herself to her craft, learning new things about herself and her art with each new role she embodies. Pop Culturalist caught up with Victoria to learn more about her.

Career

PC: How did you discover your passion for acting?
Victoria: I was fortunate enough to realize that I wanted to be an actress at a very young age. I feel like a lot of people go through life unsure of what they want to do, but I knew from the age of seven that I was going to be an actor. I was watching an off-Broadway production and the performance mesmerized me so much that I tried to walk on the stage! I was pulled back. [laughs] I got to speak with the director, and he liked my spunk and charisma. He asked me if I wanted to audition for the next production, and I did and I booked it. I was with them for seven years, and the rest was history.

PC: Who or what has had the biggest influence on your career?
Victoria: First and foremost, my mom. She has been my number-one support from the get-go. She supported me dropping out of college to pursue my dream. I actually dropped out of college twice because I was studying criminal psychology and law. I was interested in that, but it didn’t pertain to the field that I wanted to pursue. She’s always been very supportive of all my moves.

As far as career-wise, Days of Our Lives changed my life. It’s my first series regular role, and that’s a huge step in any actor’s life. It’s given me so much experience, and I’ve learned a lot.

Days of Our Lives

PC: Speaking of Days of Our Lives, it’s your breakout TV role. Has anything surprised you about the journey? What’s been the biggest takeaway?
Victoria: The biggest takeaway is that soap operas film at an incredibly rapid rate. We’re capable of filming three episodes in one day. We’re also eight months ahead of time. It’s a well-oiled machine. That was a huge shocker because I’m used to rehearsing a play for weeks, if not months, prior to opening day. Here, you walk into the studio, you get dressed, you do your makeup, you shoot, and you get one take for each scene! It’s very fast-paced, and that was the biggest shocker to me. I like to compare it to acting boot camp because there’s no room for error. You have to keep going and try your best every single day. A great work ethic has been instilled in me ever since I joined the show.

PC: Were there any nerves heading into this project, given how beloved it is and that you’re taking over a character from another actress?
Victoria: There were a ton of nerves involved. I’m taking over a role that is so significant in the history of this show. I took over a role in the Brady family, who have been there since day one. That was nerve-wracking in itself.

Then there were nerves with joining a huge production and a giant studio with massive cameras. Before this, I was used to indies and low-budget films. This felt like a big-time gig, and it took me a month or two after joining to feel truly comfortable and no longer have the nervous butterflies before they yell “action.”

PC: Having been a part of this show since 2017, how has Ciara grown? What has she taught you?
Victoria: Oh gosh. It’s crazy because I joined the show when I was twenty, and now I’m turning twenty-four. I feel like Ciara and I grew up together in a way. The biggest thing about my character is that she’s truly outgrown her catty teenage phase while I was playing her. She’s transitioned into a woman. She’s learned a lot about forgiveness and understanding the human psyche and being gentle with people. That’s something that I’ve learned from her.

PC: Which of her relationships has been your favorite to explore?
Victoria: Her relationship with her grandfather has grown a lot. I appreciate that because I love working with John Aniston. He’s one of the most talented actors I’ve ever been graced to work with. When my character grew up, she got a job at his law firm. They spent a lot of time together. Their relationship has grown into something very sweet.

PC: What can you tease about her arc coming up?
Victoria: There’s going to be a massive pivotal moment in Ciara’s life coming soon. It’s the biggest thing she’s ever had to deal with. That says a lot, since the girl’s been kidnapped four times. [laughs]

Fog City

PC: You also have a new horror film coming out. Tell us about Fog City, your character, and what drew you to that project.
Victoria: That was the first project that I ever booked when I started acting four and a half years ago. I’m not sure why it’s taken so long to release. But it was my first role in this industry. We shot in Cape Cod, Massachusetts, for two weeks, and I play the super villain. I love playing roles like that because it gives you an opportunity to step away from yourself and play around a lot.

When you have a role like I have now, Ciara, she obviously isn’t me, but she’s a normal girl with charisma. It’s easier to play a person that is closer to who you are, whereas I’d like to think that I’m not a super villain.

So I’d like to think that it was difficult for me to get into that mental state. I remember doing a lot of research. Without spoiling anything, I’m a murderer. You find that out within the first five minutes. I remember googling and researching what it takes to become a killer and what it takes to make someone snap. I watched a lot of John Hancock films to get me in that creepy mindset. The preparation for that film was my favorite thing I’ve done to date. It was so wild and crazy. It gave me a lot of room to play.

PC: With that being your first role looking at your journey from Fog City to Days of Our Lives, what have you learned about yourself as a person and as an artist?
Victoria: I love these questions! They’re so hard-hitting. You’re getting in deep, and I love it. I’ve learned that we’re never done learning. This journey is a constant evolution of who we are as humans and as artists. I’m always going to be like a sponge, absorbing everything. You learn from everyone, even someone you pass by on the street. If you look closely enough—if you pay attention—you can learn from everything.

PC: Your career is obviously thriving. When you look ahead, what are some of the goals you hope to accomplish? What are some of your dream roles?
Victoria: I’ve always wanted to do something like Hilary Swank did in Million Dollar Baby. Fitness is something that is really important to me. So to integrate that with acting—my true passion and true love—I think that would be a brilliant project to be a part of. As far as that goes, I’d like to do something like Tomb Raider. Representing women in powerful roles is so important. I’d like to play a role that represents a strong, smart, confident woman throughout the entire thing.

Pop Culturalist Speed Round

PC: Guilty pleasure TV show?
Victoria: Love is Blind. I watched that show in one day before quarantine. [laughs] I took a whole day of my free life to watch that entire show and not do anything else. Let me tell you, I love that show. I’m not a reality TV fan, but that show is everything.

PC: Guilty pleasure movie?
Victoria: Anything on Disney+ from the early 2000s like The Cheetah Girls. That was actually the first concert I attended, so I don’t even want to call it a guilty pleasure. Cheetah Girls 1, 2, 3, and Hannah Montana.

PC: Favorite book?
Victoria: That changes based on what I’ve read. I recently read The Alchemist. Everyone reads it when they’re younger, and I apparently missed the memo. I wish I had read it when I was younger because the lessons in it pertain to our global situation happening right now.

PC: Favorite play or musical?
Victoria: Chicago

PC: A band or artist that fans would be surprised to learn is on your playlist?
Victoria: Linkin Park

PC: Who would play you in the story of your life?
Victoria: I want Mila Kunis to play the older version of me and Joey King to play the younger version.

To keep up with Victoria, follow her on Twitter and Instagram.

Photo Credit: Birdie Thompson // Hair and Makeup: Allison Noelle