Sara Acosta

by Caitlin Hofen

In the Spotlight: From the Stage to the Screen

Blazing sun beats down on the Texas plains. The long, meandering wagon train creaks over the tall prairie grass, protecting the inhabitants from the dry wind. A woman wearing a squirrel-pelt vest and purple headscarf runs along the wagon train. Dirt covers her face, streaked with sweat. Her legs strain as she pushes harder to keep up with the group.

In the distance, a bell rings and a loud voice shouts, “Cut!” The scene is over as makeup artists rush to cover the woman’s glistening skin with more brown makeup to mimic dirt. Quickly, the crew moves back to their places, and the woman prepares to run again.

Sara Acosta, ’14, plays the woman — a gypsy immigrant — in the Paramount+ Network series “1883,” the origin story for the television series, “Yellowstone”. The season of “1883” aired from

December 2021 through February 2022 with 10 episodes.

“It was my responsibility to bring the world surrounding the wagon train to life,” Acosta said. “I came up with my own story for my character. She was a very driven woman who I would consider the gossip. She was always trying to find out news and letting others know the pertinent information needed to move along the trail safely.

“When the producers put the designation of gypsy immigrant on me, I did a lot of research before I even stepped on set. I read books and articles about the Romani culture to learn why they would seek a new home. I decided my particular reason would be because of discrimination. My character brought her immediate family to start a new life.”

Sara Acosta, ’14, revisits Herod Hall Auditorium where she acted in Northwestern Theatre productions during her college years.

Acosta’s Early Career

A native of Woodward, Okla., Acosta started her acting career at the age of six with the Woodward Arts Theatre and Missoula Children’s Theatre. After graduating from high school, Acosta attended Northwestern Oklahoma State University and obtained a degree in speech and theatre.

“I’ve always wanted to be an actor,” Acosta said. “I had given up the idea of pursuing theatre until I got to Northwestern. I saw how inclusive it was and how anyone could be a part of the productions.”

Upon the completion of her degree, Acosta lived at home in Woodward as she looked for acting jobs. When the opportunity arose, she accepted a position at Woodward Public Schools to teach speech and reading.

“When it was time to move on, I looked seriously into moving to California,” Acosta said. “When I couldn’t make solid plans to go, a friend encouraged me to visit her in Florida to see what was offered there. I went for a week and saw all the work opportunities I had. The entertainment industry was strong and there were plenty of jobs.”

Acosta lived in Florida for four and a half years, where she worked in various aspects of the entertainment and theme park industries. However, the impact of the Coronavirus pandemic on the

entertainment industry forced Acosta to move home, where she auditioned for roles virtually. Eventually, she was selected as a background performer for “1883”.

Filming in the Wild West “1883” follows the fictional Dutton family as they embark on a journey west through the Great Plains toward the last stretch of untamed America — Montana. According to the network, “1883’ is a stark retelling of Western expansion and an intense study of one family fleeing poverty to seek a better future.

A majority of filming took place on Bosque Ranch Headquarters in Weatherford, Texas, owned by Taylor Sheridan, Academy Award nominee and co-creator of “Yellowstone”. Later episodes were filmed in Montana as the Dutton family reached their destination.

“Filming was a lot like living on the trail,” Acosta said. “While we did sleep in hotels, it was 14-hour days in the Texas summer. Our hottest day was 113 degrees Fahrenheit and the coldest it got was 11 degrees Fahrenheit in the early morning. Dealing with the elements was hard, but at the same time it was peaceful. It was just the earth, the sky and us. It was a great experience.”

While Acosta was a background character in her role, she was still able to work with some of the biggest names in the film industry.

“Sam [Elliot] is about as legendary as you can get,” Acosta said. “He’s one of the oldest actors still working. He was very professional and endured everything the same as everyone else. He was masterful in the way he could turn on and off the intense emotions he would need for his character.

“A lot of people think Tim McGraw and Faith Hill are just country music performers, but they are definitely actors. They have their own processes to get into character. You could see how proud they are of their characters and wanting to do them justice.”

Northwestern’s Impact “1883” is the biggest production Acosta has been in so far, but she has worked in nearly every aspect of theatre, including directing, stage design, costumes

and more. She has also played a variety of roles in several productions and musicals.

“The work ethic I created from Northwestern’s theatre program is what has prepared me the most for the productions I’ve been a part of,” Acosta said. “Without that, I wouldn’t have been prepared to take direction from so many different places, or been prepared for the long haul, like the 14-hour days. I wouldn’t have learned anything about the fundamentals of a production like lighting or scene design. I learned how to network and keep a level of professionalism at work. I would have had a huge learning curve to get over if it weren’t for coming to Northwestern and earning my degree.”

From working under the hot Texas sun to performing under big stage lights, Acosta uses the skills she learned at Northwestern to hone her craft and breathe life into the characters she portrays. The woman with the purple headscarf and squirrel-pelt vest lives on through Acosta, still running along the wagon train and searching for a new home.

on-set photos provided by Sara Acosta

with the elements was hard, but at the same time it was peaceful. It was just the earth, the sky and us. It was a great experience.”

- Sara Acosta on her role in the Paramont+ series “1883”