Once again, a huge thank you! I'm so grateful to have you all support me on this journey. As stated on the bottom of this page, I had a wonderful first year and it would be ashame to see it all end so abruptly. As I prepare to begin my 2nd year at Juilliard, this august, I will still need to raise an extra £10,000 minimum. Anything you can give is very much appreciated. 💙

(July 2023)

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A million and one thank yous to you all ❤️ This will allow me to progress with my student visa application ✅ I’m speechless to how we all achieved this. WE DID IT! As previously mentioned (at the bottom of my page) I needed a minimum £20,000 for this. Now I have passed this initial hurdle, I need to raise the remaining to help cover the entirety of my expenses for my first year in New York – including health insurance, study materials, travel and living expenses. Thank you so much all again for your generosity and support. It means the most🤞

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Hi,

Asking for help doesn't come naturally to me, but my love for acting is too great not to try to make this goal happen. So thank you so much for taking the time to read this and learn about my story.

My name is Victor Junior Masha. Recently, I was accepted, with a scholarship, into what is widely considered the best Drama School in the world! I am due to begin study at The Juilliard School in New York in September 2022, which only 18 people out of thousands got in. Unfortunately, the scholarship the school offered does not cover the entirety of my costs, and since I will be an international student, the majority of external scholarships are unavailable to me. Also, I will not be able to work during my studies because my course is an intense 9am-10pm, 6 days a week. Therefore, I need to raise £35,000 by 15th June 2022, otherwise I face losing this once in a lifetime opportunity.

I was born and raised in South Acton on West London’s largest council estate and still one of the most deprived areas in England. Whilst I have many fond memories, there is no denying that a lot of people's lives around me, including me and my family, were blighted by high levels of poverty, crime and drug-related activity. I was brought up in a small home by my single mum and I am one of five siblings. My mum works in social care and I do my best to support her financially. She did not have the opportunity to attend further education and left Nigeria for the UK to pursue a better life for herself and her family.

Growing up, I was never encouraged to become an actor. I was unable to pursue drama GCSE at school as it was axed from my school curriculum. However, at the age of 19, I took the decisive step to apply for a part-time course at Identity School of Drama in London and the National Youth Theatre of Great Britain. It was here, in acting, that I found both a refuge from the harsh environment surrounding me as well as a place in which to express my emotions, experiences and characters I’d witnessed in my community. I hid the fact that I was attending drama classes from most, including my mum, for fear of disapproval and stigma. Most people around me would not have understood, far less respected, what I was doing.

During the pandemic, my local youth centre, Bollo Brook, and Jamal Edwards' charity JE Delve collaborated on a short film, created by a group of young people and myself, exploring the complexities of growing up on a housing estate like my own. Our film, 'Bando', reaffirmed my passion for acting and gave me the push I needed to make the decision that my younger self could never have dreamt of, let alone do; apply for Juilliard.

To be honest, I'd never even heard of the school but I googled ‘the best drama schools’ and Juilliard kept coming up so I thought it was worth the try! As I successfully got through round after round of auditions (6), I began to comprehend the magnitude of this opportunity and the doors it could open for a young Black male actor like me. This has given me the confidence to mentor other young people in my local community, to support them to reach their potential. I hope to continue doing this throughout my studies and beyond.

My upbringing is in many ways my greatest asset artistically. The world I have seen and am part of, the fragility and desperation on the one hand and the bonds, community, creativity and sense of determination on the other, shape the way I approach acting. On the flip side it means that the money needed to take up this opportunity just isn't readily available to me.

...And that has led me here. If you've made it to the end, thank you for taking the time to read my story - you're a Star ahaha. Honestly, it means a lot to me that anyone could take an interest in what I'm trying to do.

Thanks again, with love

Victor Junior Masha

If you'd like to read more about Juilliard: https://www.juilliard.edu/drama/acting

If you'd like to read more about the fee breakdown: https://www.juilliard.edu/campus-life/tuition-financial-aid/tuition-fees-and-expenses