Life gives us a lot of different challenges to face while we’re growing up, but there are always bigger lessons to learn from those challenges that end up helping you along the way. Young actress, Isabella Cuda could testify for that.
Born with Spina Bifida Occulta, which is when a baby’s spine doesn’t fully form during pregnancy, and a tethered spinal cord, she’s had a different route of life than most people. But that definitely hasn’t stopped her from pursuing her dreams.
At only four years old, Cuda discovered her love for acting after her parents had enrolled her into a local kids theater program. One night, she was at dinner with her parents and she was playing pretend as a waitress, going around and taking people’s orders — one of which was a talent agent.
“One of the customers happened to be a talent agent and was so impressed by how outgoing I was as I was taking orders from the customers,” Cuda shared with Celeb Secrets. “She introduced herself to our parents and gave them a business card. We really didn’t know anything about this business and had to do some researching first.”
Soon thereafter, Cuda went on her first audition for a commercial with pro golfer Phil Mickelson and ended up booking it, right on the spot.
Since then Cuda has starred in CBS’ Criminal Minds, Nickelodeon’s Sam & Cat, and most recently was in Disney Channel’s Bunk’d where she played Kat, a young girl in a wheelchair.
Although she was able to relate to that character because of that circumstance, Cuda also shared that playing a character like Kat was relatable for other reasons as well.
“I could really relate to Kat, not just because she is in a wheelchair but also her character and sense of humor are a lot like me. Her style is pretty awesome too,” she said.
Playing Kat has been one of Cuda’s most memorable and favorite acting experiences thus far and she would be more than happy to be able to star in more episodes in the future.
Get to know Isabella a little more by reading the rest of our interview down below! She shares with us who are her acting inspirations, what quarantine was like for her, how she started playing golf (and got her first hole in one!), and much more.
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Celeb Secrets: Hi, Isabella! How are you doing? How has this pandemic been treating you?
Isabella Cuda: “Hello and thank you for having me. Last year when the Covid situation got really bad in California, my mom and I escaped to our beach house in Croatia. The Covid numbers were very low in Croatia and we felt very safe. We spent 2.5 months there and I even started my Sophomore year while I was still there. The 9 hour time difference made it a bit difficult to attend zoom classes, I had to stay up until 3 am for my last class. At the end of August, my grandma passed away and I’m so thankful that we were still in Croatia so we could say our goodbyes and be there for her last moments. I miss her terribly. We did come back in September and hunkered down like everyone else. Then in December I got scheduled for my foot reconstruction surgery, actually, it was good timing since we were home all days anyway and my school was still online only. I really miss going to school and seeing my friends on a regular basis.”
CS: For any of our readers who don’t already know about you, could you tell us a little bit about yourself?
IC: “I am 15 years old and a sophomore in High School. I was born in Virginia but because of my dad’s new job, we moved to California when I was 2 years old. My dad is a corporate pilot and my mom is a retired flight attendant. I was born with Spina Bifida Occulta and a tethered spinal cord. At 6 months old I had to have two major spinal cord surgeries by world-famous Dr. Ben Carson who later became the Secretary of Housing and Development under the last administration. He fixed my back so I could grow up walking, dancing, and golfing just like every other kid. But when I had a major growth spurt at age 12, things started to change for me. My balance was really off and I started tripping very often. It was a sign that my spinal cord had re-tethered and I needed another very dangerous 7-hour surgery under the microscope to release my nerve endings. My neurosurgeon Dr. Danielpour at Cedar’s Sinai said my nerve endings looked like a big bowl of spaghetti. It was rough as I had to be on flatbed rest for weeks and had to relearn how to walk. It took over 100 hours of physical therapy to get me to where I am today. My recent foot surgery was a result of my spinal cord nerves that did a number on my foot. I can now walk with an AFO (Ankle Foot Orthotic) and with continued therapy, I hope to gradually be able to walk without it.”
CS: Now, I read that you discovered your love for acting at a young age—just 4 years old, how exactly did that happen? What lit that spark in you?
IC: “My parents enrolled me into a local kids theater group because I loved playing pretend, it was my favorite thing to do when I was little. One night we were having dinner at a local restaurant and I was pretending to be a waitress. One of the customers happened to be a talent agent and was so impressed by how outgoing I was as I was taking orders from the customers. She introduced herself to our parents and gave them a business card. We really didn’t know anything about this business and had to do some researching first. A few weeks later I went out on my first audition for a national commercial with pro-golfer Phil Mickelson and guess what, I booked it. That is kind of how everything started, I auditioned more and booked several commercials, TV shows, and feature films.”
CS: You were most recently in Disney’s Bunk’d, how was that experience for you? Did you learn anything from it?
IC: “It was a dream come true. I’ve been watching the show since day one and I’m a huge fan. We had so much fun and I have the utmost respect for all the series regular kids on the show. They are very professional, much more so than some adults I have worked with in the past.”
CS: Out of all your roles so far, is there one that was most memorable for you?
IC: “My role as Kat on Bunk’d is by far my most memorable and favorite role. I could really relate to Kat, not just because she is in a wheelchair but also her character and sense of humor are a lot like me. Her style is pretty awesome too! I think Noah and Kit had a very special connection, I am hoping Bunk’d will call me back for more episodes in the near future. I’m just going to put it out into the universe.”
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CS: Do you have any actors or actresses that you look up to? If so, why do they inspire you?
IC: “I really like Kiernan Shipka, she is one of my favorite actresses but there are so many others I look up to. Tom Hanks, Daisy Ridley, Zendaya, Adam Driver, Tom Cruise, Reese Witherspoon, and of course the whole cast at Bunk’d. There are so many actors I admire, all for different reasons but they all have left a very special mark in my heart.”
CS: Being born with Spina Bifida Occulta must have been challenging for you while growing up. Has that experience influenced your acting in any way?
IC: “It has made me tough and determined. It has made me appreciate the little things in life that others take for granted. And it has made me very compassionate towards other people’s struggles and pain.”
CS: Besides acting, I also read that you play golf and the Marimba in your High School marching band. That’s so cool! Are sports and music something else you’re passionate about? How did you get into both of those?
IC: “I started playing golf after I shot a commercial with pro-golfer Phil Mickelson when I was 7 years old. I had so much fun with him on set, I asked my parents if I could take some lessons and a year later I joined a PGA junior team and even shot a hole in one during a tournament at Lomas Santa Fe Executive course in Solana Beach. It was on Hole One, 126 yards and I got a certificate from the National Hole In One association. I always knew I wanted to join the marching band at our school but I really couldn’t walk so the stationary Marimba is the perfect instrument for me. It is located in the front pit of the field in the percussion section. There are close to 300 kids in our marching band and we compete nationwide and have won many awards.”
CS: Do you have any future acting gigs you’d like to share with us? What are you going to be up to this year?
IC: “I have a couple of projects in the works, I’m glad that productions are starting to open up again. My main focus is to get healthy and strong and to be able to walk without the brace. We will be going to Croatia again this summer, I am so excited for summer vacation.”
CS: Since we are Celeb Secrets, is there a secret you could spill to us that no one else would know about?
IC: “Well, my mom may or may not have taught me how to drive a stick shift car last summer.”
