Sofia Sanchez (actress)
Ukrainian-American actress (born 2009)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Sofia Sanchez (born 2009) is a Ukrainian-American actress, advocate, and writer with Down syndrome. She is notable for the 2017 viral video "Down Syndrome Is Not Scary" and portraying the character of Wovey in the 2023 film The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes.
Sofia Sanchez | |
|---|---|
| Born | 2009 (age 16–17) |
| Years active | 2015-present |
| Website | https://www.sofia-sanchez.com |
Life and career
Sanchez was born in Ukraine, and was adopted at 16 months of age by American couple Jennifer and Hector Sanchez through the international adoption agency Reece's Rainbow. She has three adoptive older brothers, the youngest of whom, Joaquin, also has Down syndrome.[1][2] In 2017 at age 7 she received media attention for her viral video "Down Syndrome Is Not Scary", in which she talked about life with the condition with her mother.[1][3][4] She attends Whitney High School in Rocklin, California.[5][6]
Sanchez first acted in a 2015 episode of Switched at Birth.[7][8] In 2023, she portrayed Wovey in The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes[9][10][11], as well as portraying the title role in the short film For Paloma.[8]
In 2024, Sanchez gave a TEDx Talk, becoming the youngest person with Down syndrome to do so.[8][5][12][13]
Sanchez has also authored three children's books, which were all co-written by Margaret O’Hair and illustrated by Sofia Cardoso: You Are Enough, You Are Loved, and You Are Brave.[14][15][16][5] The audiobook for You Are Brave, narrated by Sanchez herself, was nominated for the 2025 Odyssey Award.[17]
Filmography
Film
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | For Paloma | Paloma | Short | [10] |
| The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes | Wovey | [9][10] |
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | Switched at Birth | Sophie | 1 episode | [7][10] |
Publications
- O'Hair, Margaret; Sanchez, Sofia (2021). You Are Enough. Illustrated by Sofia Cardoso. Scholastic. ISBN 978-1-338-63074-9.
- O'Hair, Margaret; Sanchez, Sofia (2023). You Are Loved. Illustrated by Sofia Cardoso. Scholastic. ISBN 9781338850079.
- O'Hair, Margaret; Sanchez, Sofia (2024). You Are Brave. Illustrated by Sofia Cardoso. Scholastic. ISBN 9781339026442.