In case you haven’t noticed, there are a few exceptional teens who are taking the world of entertainment—and the internet—by storm. One of them is a 14-year old, hometown Reston girl, Sissy Sheridan. Not content to just work on further expanding her impressive resume of stage and screen credits, Sissy is also cultivating an active following on Instagram, thanks to her legit talent and unpretentious, girl-next-door appeal.
And somehow, she has also found time to take on Grand Marshal duties for this year’s Reston Holiday Parade—a real honor, as this annual event is part of the Sheridan Family’s favorite Christmas traditions.
Why you should be following her
It might surprise you to discover that this talented stage and screen actress calls Reston home.
Currently appearing at the Tony-award winning Signature Theatre in Arlington in the musical Billy Elliot (through January 6th), hers is a career getting hotter by the minute, with a juicy role in Season 3 of the hit ‘tween Brat/YouTube series Chicken Girls as well as a recent co-starring appearance in the Netflix series, Maniac, starring Hollywood heavy-hitters, Emma Stone and Jonah Hill.
Add to this her hosting of the Nickelodeon web series, DIY with Me!, as well as a notable number of TV, film and stage credits—including Amazon’s Golden Globe winning Mozart in the Jungle and Netflix’ critically acclaimed Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt—and you can see why her star is undeniably on the rise.
In love with the “job”— not the celebrity
Since first falling in love with acting as a 6-year old attending theater camp, and with the support of her family, this hardworking actress juggles a hectic schedule of auditions, rehearsals, schoolwork, performances, social life, photo shoots and volunteering that can take her from Reston to New York or Los Angeles in any given week; a demanding routine that sometimes belies the seeming glamor of the entertainment scene. But Sissy thrives on the challenge, bringing an energy and unvarnished delight in her work that is beguiling. She’s still a typical teen girl, however, who loves dressing up (although for her, it’s probably for an acting role or a photo shoot) and adores hanging out with friends and family, binge watching TV and eating favorite foods.
Although Sissy seems to be popping up everywhere, it’s her talent, professional attitude and hard work that are landing her the jobs. But experience has also made her savvy to the modern demands of the business and the peculiarities of being a bi-coastal actress, noting that in DC or NYC producers and directors tend to be more focused on “talent” vs. an interest, when working in LA, on how much “celebrity” an actor can bring to a role.
A public persona
Already part of the world of social media with hundreds of thousands of views from her DIY with Me and Chicken Girls online series and other YouTube appearances, along with the usual teen Instagram feed for family and friends, Sissy has recently taken a more significant plunge with the addition of a public Instagram account. This is no ploy on Sissy’s part to become “Instafamous”, but this extroverted teen, who is a natural connector, recognizes the unique opportunities that can come from online exposure and social media relevance.
She’s fully prepared for the less appealing aspects of online celebrity, however, having already weathered some unfavorable responses to her “mean girl” character on Chicken Girls among that teen soap opera’s avid followers.
But the haters don’t affect her and she’s able to take it in stride, actually finding it all very funny. She recognizes, however, how other young actors without supportive people around them might take such comments to heart. In Sissy’s experience, “Social media is very powerful and can be used for bad, or really great, things, hopefully to uplift people and connect them in a powerful way.”
Sissy is personally committed to not getting caught up in the negative and her natural positivity draws far more admirers than critics, leaving her regularly flattered and appreciative of the follows, comments, and video edits on her Instagram account as well as the support she receives for her projects. She’s vocal in her praise of her #sherifans, calling them “the nicest, most creative, and coolest people on line!”
Being too modest to consider herself “famous”, Sissy does take great pride in the fact that, at 14, she’s been able to do some impressive things in the world of acting. Even if she’s yet to be asked for her autograph, Sissy’s well on the path to recognition, recently garnering her first public recognition by fans of Chicken Girls while at the South Lakes Chipotle that left her feeling, she enthuses, “like a superstar!”
Looking down the road, Sissy wants to make her mark in television and film, perhaps even Broadway, but more importantly, plans to do well by doing good. She’s ambitious to be well known, not just for her creative talents but also for having social impact, and her experience volunteering with special needs students has instilled a desire to advocate for issues surrounding equality and independence. In additional to the inroads she’s been able to make in acting, Sissy counts herself lucky to have opportunities to contribute in the community, because allowing the spotlight to shine on others keeps her grounded and grateful.
Well on the path to recognition—and perhaps one day soon, fame—Sissy is putting her talent out for the world to see, and it’s so nice for her neighbors in Reston to watch her star rise!
Where to connect with Sissy:
Signature Theatre
Billy Elliot the Musical
October 20, 2018 – January 6, 2019
4200 Campbell Ave.
Arlington, Virginia 22206
Follow Sissy on Instagram @itssissysheridan
