DIDIHOOD ~ Issue 38

Happy April Didis! 
We are kicking off this month with some exciting projects. First up, Bloomamind creator Maiyra Wasid will be doing an Instagram takeover on the Didihood account on April 6. Follow our stories throughout the day to get an inside look at her creative process.

On Thursday, April 8, we are hosting an exciting virtual panel on 'Leading with Confidence.' We have partnered with Harbour West Consulting to put together this event which will provide guidance to Didis on how to prepare for a leadership role, make a resume, negotiation tactics and more!
The event is free and tickets are still available, click here. 

Meet the Didi: 
This month, we had a chance to chat with Gabriella Sundar Singh, who you may recognize as Chelsea Chettiar from Kim's Convenience. Gabriella hails from Toronto and has been performing since the age of four. Now as the news has dropped that Kim's Convenience is going into its last season, we caught up with her to learn about how she got her start and what's next for her. 

Image Credit: Tim Leyes

When did you first become interested in acting? 
I've been training and performing as a Bharathanatyam dancer since I was four and a half years old. Bharathanatyam is described as a form of drama-dance, so I've been performing dance and drama on stage most of my life. I loved watching classic movie musicals at home with my parents and going to the theatre throughout my childhood, but never dreamed that I could pursue acting as a career. I did my first musical in high school and fell in love with being on stage all over again. It wasn't until university that I was given the opportunity to work with a part that allowed me to explore character analysis and creating a world on stage, and once I dove into the art, I couldn't look back. 

What inspired you to pursue acting as a career? 
My Amma was a Bharathanatyam dancer growing up and it was her choice to put my sister and I in dance, which led to our appreciation and love for the arts. Both my parents were overwhelmingly supportive when I told them I wanted to pursue performing arts instead of orthodontics like I had originally planned. Their only question was, "What do you want to do instead?" And they have stood behind me every step of the way. They drove me to auditions, rehearsed with me, cried with me in my frustration, rejoiced with me in my success and still do self-tapes at home with me. As long as I am happy and feel fulfilled in my work, they support me unconditionally. They are also the best PR people I could ask for; they send information about every project I'm working on to all my cousins, aunties and uncles in their Whatsapp groups, and I am so lucky to have that extended support as well. 

How did you deal with the challenges and obstacles of getting into the industry? 
I look at my career as a test of resilience, and I approach it with honesty. I can't expect to do one audition, land it and be set for life. In any career, you have to put in a certain number of hours building your skillset, building community and connections, and building your own resilience to rejection and bad news. I put in the hours at home training, I take classes, I show up to auditions with my best and the rest is out of my hands. The answer is never, "They didn't like me," or "They hated my work." For that role I didn't land, I wasn't the choice they preferred; I wasn't the right fit for the ensemble they assembled; they were looking for something else — and I'm OK with that. Changing the way you talk to yourself makes a huge difference. It has made me more resilient and compassionate towards myself and others, both in and out of work. 

How did you land the role of Chelsea on Kim's Convenience? 
I actually had an audition for Kim's Convenience a few months prior, but it was cancelled last minute as the character had been written out of the episode. I was disappointed as I really wanted the opportunity to audition for this Canadian gem of a show, but I brushed it off and moved on. A few months later, I was offered another audition for Kim's so I did the work. I watched episodes of the show to understand the tone, I picked an outfit I would feel comfortable in, and I rehearsed the scene with my Amma. It was a hectic audition morning as I had another audition right after across town for the Shaw Festival. I went in and just did my best for both auditions, because all you can ever do is your best. Because I was splitting my mind between two auditions, I felt hyper-focused and my energy must have been the right amount of bubbly and eccentric for Chelsea that morning! When I got the call from my agent that I landed the role on Kim's Convenience, I was overjoyed! Shooting that first episode was an amazing experience which I believed was a one-off episode. It turned into four seasons which I never expected, and has been one of the biggest blessings of my life. 

Image Credit: Andrew Broderick

With Kim's Convenience being one of the most diverse shows on TV right now, what was it like working with the cast and crew? 
The Kim's Convenience cast and crew are like no other — they are the cream of the crop, the best at what they do, the kindest, most loving, most joyful team I have worked with. For seasons two and three, I was balancing a full season at the Shaw Festival and shooting Kim's on my one day off. The Kim's team was so supportive as I would have less than 24 hours in the city, minimal time to prep, and would have the text of other plays swimming around in my head. They were so patient with me as I was — and still am — learning how to act for camera. There was always time to try things again and again until we felt happy with the work, and the cast and crew constantly offered me support and advice in the process, as it was all so new to me. I had the incredible opportunity to work alongside giants of the TV, film and theatre worlds. Watching and working with Paul Sun-Hyung Lee and Jean Yoon was a masterclass learning experience for me — moments I will never forget of how to practice patience, compassion and joy in your work. 

With the show coming to an end, what's next for you? 
I am heartbroken to see Kim's Convenience come to an end — it is a very special show for so many people. I know I watch it with my Amma and Appa and I think it was a similar show to bond over for many families. 
Moving forward, I am currently in my fourth season at the Shaw Festival, as we try to revive and sustain our theatre season while this pandemic continues. It is a tricky balance as live theatre requires live audiences, and restrictions are changing every day, but we are rehearsing online for now and will see what the future holds. 
I also recently recorded an audio drama with my sister, Mirabella Sundar Singh, for Factory Theatre called Sisters. We play sisters based on the real life experiences of our playwright, Anusree Roy, when her family first came to Canada. It's a story about the immigrant experience, the new-Canadian experience and surviving Toronto. Directed by Nina Lee Aquino with an incredible cast and crew, it's available for free to listen for the next six months anywhere podcasts are available. The series is titled You Can't Get There From Here and episode one is Sisters. It is an auspicious time for both of us as this is my sister's professional theatre debut, and both of our first times working with Factory Theatre. 

What advice do you have for younger Didis looking to pursue a career in performance? 
The advice I would offer any young South Asians looking to pursue a career in performance, be it in TV, film, theatre, dance, etc. is to not let anyone dull your shine. I've heard it all — my skin is the wrong colour, I'm too short, my eyes are the wrong shape — all the painful and hateful things people say to you, to try and stamp out your light. Those comments hurt in the moment, but I realized those things that they tried to make me hate were the very things that are unique and special about me. I love my brown skin, I love that I'm 4'11", and I love my big, round Sri Lankan and Indian eyes. All of these things make me who I am, and these are the same qualities that have been featured and honoured in the roles I have played.
That hateful rhetoric comes from jealousy, internalized racism and the attempt to keep performers of colour from rising to their full potential. Don't listen! They're just words from someone who doesn't know you and isn't invested in your happiness. Shine the way you know how, and when you're having a tough time accessing that shine, talk to the people in your life who know you and love you and lift you up. For me, it's my Amma, my Appa and my sister. I go to them when I've had a tough audition and they help build me back up through positive thinking and positive words. Find your support system, we all need one, and shine in the way you know how to every day for no one but yourself. And know that there are people out here, like myself, who want to see you succeed — I can't wait to meet you and watch you shine! 

What we're reading:

'A Look At Toronto's Rally for Solidarity Against Asian Hate,' along with tools, resources and organizations you can donate to

'Remembering My Grandmother As Women's History Month Ends And The Farmers' Protest Continues,' a piece by Meenu Kanwal-Ghag

'Rajni Perera is the artist Toronto needs right now' by Sadiya Ansari

What we're watching:

Improv Comedy Series Diner Banter on YouTube starring Melanie Chandra, Surina Jindal, Reema Sampat and series creator Gayatri Patel Bahl 

A new digital exhibition at the Aga Khan Museum called IAM by Toronto artist and cell and molecular biologist Radha Chaddah

— Nikkjit Gill 

Issue 38
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