American-Danish-Korean actress, Sandra Yi Sencindiver, with notable roles in international hits from Apple TV+ and Amazon, is using her elevated platform to spotlight Denmark’s limited diversity in the arts. With early days in the Danish theatre, marked by her performance in “Miss Saigon,” Sencindiver’s artistic journey has been a testament to her talent and persistence. Even as she found success, including roles in famed Scandinavian noir dramas and her directorial debut with the short film “Watch,” she recognized the limited scope of roles offered to her because of her ethnicity.
Born in Busan, South Korea, Sencindiver was adopted into a blended family, eventually relocating to Denmark at nine. A precocious child, she penned her first play in Danish by the age of ten. Although her passion for the arts was evident, the professional realm seemed distant. “It wasn’t part of my reality that it was an actual job,” she reflects. However, a breakthrough role in “Miss Saigon” and encouragement from peers led her to drama school, setting the stage for her thriving career.
Despite her talent, Sencindiver’s roles in Denmark remained stereotypical, prompting her to pivot towards the theatre. The release of “Crazy Rich Asians” in 2018 signaled a shift, showing her that international audiences craved more diverse representation. This realization led her to roles like Lady Amalisa in Amazon Prime’s “The Wheel of Time” and Enjoiner Rue Corintha in Apple TV+’s “Foundation”.
But her fight is far from over. Sandra sees her resurgence in international roles as a wake-up call to Denmark’s film and TV industry. “The screening giants hire based on talent and have an audience wanting plurality and diversity on their screen,” she points out. She believes the issue in Denmark is the limited understanding of racism, often seen only as an outright act of hate rather than subtle, systemic bias.
To highlight the issue further, Sencindiver, along with four other actresses of color, initiated the campaign “A Bigger Picture” in February. The campaign reimagines posters of popular Danish TV shows with diverse cast members, presenting an inclusive vision that goes beyond race, including age, gender, and disabilities.
The actress’s efforts have started bearing fruit, with commendations from institutions like the Danish Film Institute and a nomination from Denmark’s Ministry of Culture and Arts. Passionately, Sencindiver concludes, “A true artist wants to make something new, and representation is just another tool to do that.”
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