The Sweet Life of Sophie Oda – Barbara Brownstein of The Suite Life of Zack and Cody
If you watch the Disney Channel, you certainly recognize Sophie Oda. This talented teen portrays Barbara Brownstein, the Asian Jewish girl on The Suite Life of Zack and Cody. (She’s Cody’s girlfriend on the show.) Even though Sophie is regularly working in Los Angeles, her home life is in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Staying out of LA might be the reason that Sophie is so down-to-Earth and grounded. She has strong ties with her family, and makes sure that her priorities are always straight. Even though this rising star can leave everything behind and have a successful acting career, Sophie makes sure that her education comes first. Teen Trend Magazine was fortunate enough to catch up with Sophie, and find out all about her life on and off set.
TTM: Where did you grow up?
Sophie: I was born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area.
TTM: How old are you? When is your birthday?
Sophie: I’m 15 and I turn 16 on October 23.
TTM: Where did you go to school?
Sophie: I’ve gone to public school almost my whole life. This year I’m doing a combination of independent study and some college courses, so I can get some college credit in.
TTM: What do you like to do in your spare time?
Sophie: I like to go out with friends and do normal things like see movies and go out to eat. But I also really enjoy sitting at home and just spending time with myself doing absolutely nothing. (laughs) I do that a lot, so I often find little hobbies to occupy myself with. I like to paint. I’ve made lots of birthday presents and gifts that way.
TTM: When did you realize you wanted to be an actor?
Sophie: I think I’ve known that I wanted to be a performer since I was like 8 or 9. Singing was always my first love, and once I started performing in musicals when I was 6, I found the connection that led me to acting. The stage just felt right, like it was meant to be.
TTM: What was your first professional job?
Sophie: My first job was in the musical, The King and I, when I was 6 years old. Kids can learn so much from theatre. It teaches participation and responsibility. I think everyone should be exposed to live theatre in some way.
TTM: What are you most proud of professionally?
Sophie: My work on The Suite Life of Zack and Cody has really helped me to grow as an actress and as a person. The people who work on the show are so professional and loving. I couldn’t ask for more amazing people to work with. They’ve allowed me to be a part of their family and I am so proud to be able to say that I am.
TTM: Who are your biggest inspirations in your personal life?
Sophie: My mom and dad. I mean, who else can even compare? They’ve watched me grow up and they’ve guided me and always supported me through everything. My decisions to pursue my acting and singing have always been my decisions. And I’m so grateful that they’ve accepted them, and chosen to help support me. There is no way to express how much I love them and how much strength they’ve given me.
TTM: Who are your biggest inspirations professionally?
Sophie: Christina Aguilera. I think she is a beautiful person inside and out. I respect her so much. Child stars get a pretty bad rap, and she is an amazing example of how children in the entertainment business CAN turn out well. And not everyone is messed up. She has incredible talent, and she makes sure that she keeps her personal life as private as she can.
TTM: If you could work with any actor, who would it be?
Sophie: I love Marcia Cross from Desperate Housewives. And I’m a huge Grey’s Anatomy fan, so I’d love to work with Sandra Oh or Chandra Wilson. I’m all about the girl power, you know.
TTM: What is one of the biggest challenges you’ve encountered thus far?
Sophie: The biggest challenge is definitely the fact that because I don’t live in Los Angeles, I have to travel all the time. I can never make plans without the possibility of having to cancel, because I may find out that I have to fly to LA that day for an audition. And school is a another story. It’s really tough to get good grades if you can’t show up for class. Luckily, I’ve had great teachers, who have been so helpful and supportive, and I’ve been able to keep good grades. But let me tell you, it has not been easy.
One thing I’m really good at is getting through the security checkpoint at the airport. I can literally put everything that needs to go through the X-ray, into the bin, in a clean ten seconds. Seriously. I’m just so used to it. I have my little quart-size bag of liquids and everything. But a huge drawback is that it’s really difficult for me to maintain strong relationships, when I can’t stay in one place for a long period of time. So this is a challenge that I’m still dealing with, and may always have to deal with.
TTM: How much of yourself goes into the characters you play?
Sophie: When I’m acting, I try to forget all about who I really am and completely transform into someone else. I like playing characters that are totally different from myself in real life. On the Suite Life, I play Barbara Brownstein, who is Jewish. I guess the part wasn’t really intended for a Japanese girl, but when I got the part they decided not to change the name. So now I am Barbara Brownstein, the Asian Jewish girl. And I love it.
TTM: What are the perks of being an actor?
Sophie: The perks? Um, I don’t know if I have many perks as of now. I consider myself fairly normal. One perk that I wouldn’t mind is all of the amazing clothes that I would get to wear. But I guess I’ll just have to wait for that one. (laughs)
TTM: How do you keep grounded?
Sophie: I’ve been working for a long time now, and opportunities were never just given to me. I had to prove myself and earn them. And honestly, I wouldn’t have had it any other way because I feel that success is the most satisfying when you know that you’ve worked so hard to get there. So I don’t want to ever forget where I came from. I don’t think I’m better than anyone else. My friends are certainly always there for me. A lot of them I’ve known since I was in elementary school, so they really know me. They don’t treat me any differently, and I would never want them to.
TTM: Do you have any upcoming projects we should look out for?
Sophie: I’m in some new episodes of The Suite Life of Zack and Cody that will be airing soon. I play Barbara, who is Cody’s girlfriend. There’s some drama coming up, and then a lot of making up. Oh gosh! (laughs)
TTM: What do you hope to accomplish in the future?
Sophie: I want to finish school and get through college. Career-wise I’d love to experiment with a lot of different things. I’d love to get my own TV show, a sitcom or a drama. I’d love to do movies, and I also want to sing on Broadway someday. I love both acting and singing, and hopefully I’ll be able to find a way to include both in my life while still being able to maintain a living. (laughs)
