'As a Jew in Sweden, I always felt different'

Actress Sara Sommerfeld in a video interview.

Sara Sommerfeld (photo credit: Maja Miller)
Sara Sommerfeld
(photo credit: Maja Miller)
Sara Sommerfeld, a successful Swedish film, theater and TV actress, says she always had a clear thought of what she wants in life. "I wanted to be an actress, or a ballet dancer, or a singer.  I wanted to do it all."
Sommerfeld grew up in a large family consisting of her mother Bea, her father Victor and four strong-minded sisters. Her parents, Polish imigrants that came to Sweden in 1968, encouraged her to take dancing and acting lessons of an early age. "I do feel lucky, I really do.  I'm not sure that I've always the most talented person, but I've worked the most. I've been very stubborn that this is what I want to do." 
"on paper, I'm Swedish.", Sara adds. "But, of course, I've never feltthat I'm totally Swedish. I've always felt a strong connection to myJewish identity, and I've always felt that I've been different from allof my Swedish friends."
For her, being a Jew in Sweden will always be the odd-man out, muchlike other immigrants in the Nordic country. "I have things in commonwith this Muslim girl I'm portraying and her identity crisis andproblems being a Swedish Muslim. I can relate to that and those kindsof roles."
Video courtesy of Jewish think-tank Leadel.NET
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