Sara Garcia – Ride

By starrymag | April 16, 2023

By: Lisa Steinberg

 

 

Q) Please tell us the premise for the new series “Ride.”

 

A) “Ride” is a multigenerational family ensemble following the lives of the McMurrays, a dynastic rodeo and ranching family, as they struggle to keep their beloved ranch afloat. In the aftermath of a family tragedy, each character goes on their own journey of transformation that ultimately leads them back to the place and people they call home.

 

Q) How was the character of Valeria originally described to you?

 

A) When I first auditioned, I wasn’t given much information other than Valeria was an orphan whom Isabel (Nancy Travis) took in. I was also told that she is a barrel racer and that she is hiding a BIG secret. I remember auditioning for the project in April and then didn’t hear anything until June. It was an exciting surprise to be asked to do a call back via Zoom so much later and that is when I was given the pilot script. All of those original details were still there but now with the pilot, I had much more context. It was clear to me then that Valeria was deeply complex and that I would have a lot of creative freedom to fill in the spaces between. Plus playing a character harboring a secret is always a juicy treat for an actor.

 

Q) Was there something about the premise or the role that really made you want to be a part of the series?

 

A) When I read that initial pilot the thing that stood out for me the most was that this was a story about three independent and resilient women who are not blood-related but are bonded together through a deep unspoken connection and a powerful love of the ranch they all call home. This theme of love, forgiveness and chosen family really resonated with me. As for Valeria, she is spunky, tough and fiercely loyal. She loves unapologetically and would do anything for the people she calls family. Val is also a bit of a wild card with a lot of hidden skills and talents. I knew right away I was going to fall in love with playing her.

 

Q) Were you able to add anything to Valeria that may not have originally been on the page for you?

 

A) This was such a collaborative process and one of the joys of stepping into Val’s shoes was that I had a lot of freedom to play. There were so many group scenes and one-on-ones with the other cast members where I found these magic moments to sprinkle in. Her relationship with each of the McMurrays is unique. Tuff (Jake Foy) and Val have a twin-like energy. She is very much a little sister to Austin (Marcus Rosner) and she reveres Isabel. I even remember toying with the idea that Val might have been in love with both Missy (Tiera Skovbye) and Cash (Beau Mirchoff) at different points in her life. This exploration made the work exhilarating for me. It may or may not be explicitly expressed on the surface but internally there is a whole world going on inside of Val.

 

 

Q) How familiar were you with all of your co-stars before working with them on the series?

 

A) I really didn’t know any of my co-stars before starting production on Ride, though I did do a chemistry read with Tiera Skovbye for a project she starred in a few years ago. It’s funny how if someone is meant to be in your life the universe will arrange for that to happen at some point or another. We’ve all become very close friends and there’s no better situation than getting to go to work with your buds. I couldn’t have asked for a better group to be on this ride with.

 

Q) What was your experience like going through cowboy camp to prep for the show?

 

A) “Ranch life 101” as we called it was an incredible experience and so much fun! We are so fortunate on this show to be surrounded by extremely knowledgeable wranglers and a crew that has a lot of experience. Everyone has an authentic connection to this ranching world in some capacity, even our set is a real working ranch. I personally had no prior riding or ranching experience but was lucky enough to have been coached by Jerri Duce, a nine-time Canadian barrel racing champion. All this support made us feel really comfortable diving into ranch life.

 

Q) If you can tease, what are some episodes or moments that viewers should keep an eye out for during the season?

 

A) One of my favorite episodes was episode five, “When It Rains…” written by Jen Rivas-DeLoose. The energy picks up due to an outside force of nature that, to me, reflects the harsh realities of ranch life. Tensions rise and it ends with a heavy hitter!

As an aside, I would also keep an eye out for a furry ginger friend. The ranch had these two working ginger tabby cats who always found ways to sneak on set and make cameos.

 

Q) With the first episode out, what kind of fan response have you been receiving through social media?

 

A) The response has been super positive. I think the fans are really enjoying it, we’ve gotten some great reviews and feedback and I hope the love continues to grow.

 

Q) What do you think it is about the show “Ride” that’s going to make it such a fast fan favorite show?

 

A) I think “Ride”’s core values of family, love and resilience are really going to resonate with people. We live in such divisive times, and it feels timely to see a family that is going through struggle but continues to choose each other. They are dealing with real-life issues like grief, financial burdens, finding their places in the world and despite all of this there is a tremendous amount of love, forgiveness and support that they show one another. This truly is a multigenerational family drama that you can sit down and watch with your entire family, from eldest to youngest. I don’t think there are many shows out there that enable that type of connection.

 

Q) What are the other projects that you have been busy working on or has “Ride” kept you pretty occupied?

 

A) I’m really excited to be starring in some amazing upcoming animated series. One I’m particularly aglow for is“Unicorn Academy,” which will be airing on Netflix in the fall. I play a young girl who receives a mysterious invitation to attend a very special riding academy. It’s like Harry Potter but with unicorns and it’s absolutely fantastic!

 

Q) What would you like to say to everyone who are fans and supporters of the wonderful work you do on our screens?

 

A) Above anything else just thank you! Thank you for watching and supporting. It always amazes me when a fan reaches out on social media or in person. The fact that the stories I’ve been lucky to help tell have touched their lives in some way brings me an incredible amount of joy and is why I do this job. Stories have the power to change our lives, to heal and to bring us closer together – if I’ve touched even one person or helped them feel seen then that’s the most important thing.