Valerie Urso has a simple goal in life: to serve coffee to Peter Jackson. But that is not where it ends. Of course it gets more complicated after that.
Urso was born in Cairo, Egypt, as were her two younger brothers, but none of them are Egyptian. Her parents were working for Crusade for Christ, a worldwide interdenominational Christian ministry, when they were born.
When she was 6, her family moved to Rhode Island for nine months. They then moved to Israel, where they lived for six years, three in Bethlehem and three in Jerusalem. Urso has lived in Bakersfield for the last four years.
Fortunately, the United States have not served to scorch her ambition, or hinder her adventures.
Urso has no spare time. The recent Bakersfield High School graduate was involved in drama, the after-school drama club, Academic Decathlon and soccer. She also directed “The Compleat Wks of Wllm Shkspr (Abridged)” last year.
In addition to job hunting and attending the summer journalism workshop, Urso is directing “The Odd Couple,” which opens in July 16, at the The Empty Space on Oak Street.
She would like to be a film director, but that is not until the end of her 10-year plan.
“I don’t want to start high and end low, I’d rather start low and go up,” she said.
This is why after the first four years of college at UC Santa Barbara as a film major, she plans on going to New Zealand to serve coffee to the director of the “Lord of the Rings” trilogy, Peter Jackson. The transition from “coffee runner” to assistant director will hopefully come with ease.
Urso says she would be happy being the assistant to the assistant director, but one day, within the next 10 years, according to her plan, she would like to be the director of a film production.
Urso believes films can eliminate problems in society because of their mass intake. American film is among the most watched in the world. She hopes she can change the way society perceives people through her films.
Urso not only has the plan to achieve her dreams, she has drive and ambition. This may be because of her weird personality quirks.
“I’ll try anything once,” Urso said. “I’ll eat anything. I’ve had sheep testicles.” She was at a friend’s house in Israel, where sheep testicles are considered a delicacy, when her friend’s mother offered her some. Urso did not want to appear rude, so she ate them.
“It might have been better if I didn’t know what it was,” she said.
– Nikki Byrd