Sofia Sanchez: Actress,14, with Down syndrome looks doll-like in floral dress at 'Barbie' world premiere
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: The Ukrainian-American model, actress and child-activist Sofia Sanchez attended the ‘Barbie’ premiere in Los Angeles on Sunday, July 9, wearing the exact copy of the dress worn by the first ever Barbie with Down syndrome. The Barbie with Down syndrome was first released in April 2023. The doll wore a white mini dress with floral prints all over. Sanchez who herself has Down syndrome wore a replica of the dress which was hand-painted by artist Doloris Petunia. As she shared a video of the dress being created, Sanchez commented, “I became a Barbie.”
In the premiere, Sanchez posed alongside Margot Robbie with Barbie and shared the photo with her social media fans. She wrote in the caption, “Pinch me,” as per Daily Mail. Matching the dress, the ‘The Hunger Games’ prequel actress wore jewelry and shoes.
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Who is Sofia Sanchez?
Sanchez is a Ukrainian model, actress and activist who was born on February 21, 2009. Her website describes Sanchez as “actress + model + advocate + influencer.” In her website, Sanchez has put up an adorable introduction of herself where she referred to herself as “14 years old and in middle school.”
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Giving an insight into her school life, she has written, “I’m fully included in the classroom and I love to read and write in my journal. I use an iPad to type so I can keep up with my classmates.” Sanchez has noted that she is a lover of sports and artistic endeavors like “dance,” “music or theater related.”
Sanchez introduced her life story in an interesting way as she wrote, “My story is one made for the movies.” Saying that she was abandoned by her biological parents at birth, she spent her first 14 months in an orphanage before her “forever mom and dad found” her on the adoption ministry website, Reese’s Rainbow. Since the Spring of 2010, Sanchez is living with her loving parents, grandparents, and three elder brothers in the USA.
Her introduction to the glamor world happened through her parents who she said took photographs of her and her career started. She has also added, “I also love taking pictures and I’m really good at listening, following direction and I’m super patient.”
Sanchez is mostly known for her advocacy video, 'Down Syndrome is Not Scary.' The 14-year-old made her acting debut in 2015 with the TV series, ‘Switched at Birth.’ She had her film debut in 2022 with ‘For Paloma.’ Sanchez will be making her next appearance at ‘The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes’ which is currently in post-production. Sanchez is essaying the character of Wovey in the film. Sanchez has also appeared on several modeling assignments and Target ads.
Her biography has inspired two books that were published by Scholastic - ‘You are Enough’ and ‘You are Loved.’ She has another book written on her, ‘Be You Tiful Love, Sofia’ by author Margaret O’Hair.
‘Be your own hero!’
In an interview with Tea Collection, when Sanchez was asked to give advice to children of her own age, she put it simply, “Be kind, brave and helpful to others. Be a good friend and have lots of dance parties! Be your own hero!” She also revealed her brother Joaquin is her best friend and that her favorite color is rainbow.