How I Booked 8 Episodes on Marvel’s Daredevil Without Nepotism, Connections, or a Specific Hollywood “Look”
And what it taught me about craft, longevity, and the real game behind the camera.
The Audition That Changed Everything
It started with a day player role — one scene, one episode. A great smaller part, and I prepped for it the same way I prep for everything: focus and respect for the material.
After my read, the casting director looked at me and said:
“So good. So f*cking good.”
That kind of feedback doesn’t happen often. Most casting rooms are polite but quiet. But that day? Something shifted.
She asked why my manager hadn’t submitted me for a bigger role — a co-star with a 2-3 episode arc. She handed me new sides in the office -so I prepped for its specific asks, and I came back the next day and I booked it.
How 2-3 Episodes Turned into 8
Once I got to set, I gave everything. Every take, every beat, every moment — I came to serve the story. And guess what? It showed.
Partway through filming, a man walked up to me and said:
“Hi, I’m from Marvel. We love what you’re doing. If you’re open to it, we’d love to write you into more.”
You don’t forget a moment like that.
They kept writing for me because I was giving them something to write for. They saw a character they could build on — not because I had clout, but because I came in prepared and present.
WOC Actresses in Hollywood booking work...
They tend to book into one of two “looks”:
The very specific “ethnic-looking” type — cast when something needs to look visibly “diverse.”
Or the lighter-skinned, model-type with Eurocentric features — the kind who still fit into a mainstream beauty mold.
- I didn’t have either of those looks.
- I didn’t have a famous last name.
- I didn’t have powerful reps pushing me.
And still — I booked eight episodes on Marvel’s Daredevil, including the season finale.
Not because I knew someone.
Because I can act.
This isn’t a story about being “discovered.” It’s about training, timing, and showing up ready — even when the industry tells you that you’re not “the type.” And let’s be honest as a ‘nobody’ against some other ‘somebodies’ and other ‘nobodies’ - I probably was alot cheaper. I’ve also noticed outliers in this observation tend to be hyphenates.
A Tale of Two Actresses…
Another WOC actress I knew of — light-skinned, working-model-level gorgeous, with Hollywood connections — was on a crazy streak - she had booked a massive series regular on another show with some pretty substantial names. I was dying to see her tapes to see what she had delivered in the room. What was she doing with her words? How was she coming at her scenes? From the outside, she had it all. I couldn’t wait to see her work.
But then right into her series regular run on the show - she was suddenly written off.
Why?
Because she couldn’t act.
Because she wasn’t trained.
Because it’s not always just looks that carry scene after scene — it’s presence, listening, reacting, and bringing something from your soul.
Your Training (Always) Shows:
That experience taught me something I now pass on to every actor I coach: Training shows. And no one can take education away from you.
On top of that: Everyone has their own personality DNA - for some actors humor shows up as slapstick, for others it’s sharp wit, for others it’s an aloofness (I call it the Rose Nylund.) And just like how humor shows up differently for various actors — so do other personality DNA traits. Why not get to know them and get them to work for YOU?
Writers don’t write for just anyone. They write for actors who inspire them. And that’s what I teach — not gimmicks, it’s anything but “networking,” but how to be the kind of actor who gets written into a show, not out of it.
What I’ve Chosen Since Daredevil — and Why:
Since Daredevil, I’ve continued working — but I’ve also walked away from opportunities that didn’t align with my values.
I’m an actor-person, not a “Hollywood-Only-Person.” If you are looking for a networking + schmoozing class, you got the wrong Indian.
For years women tried to warn the world about Harvey Weinstein, yet here we are a decade later and many tubs of baby oil to prove not alot has changed -and that doesn’t vibe for me. Again, some people can network + navigate the Hollywood machine like Machiavelli’s brain surgeon on Adderall. I don’t care to.
After decades of improv training and Meisner study, I’m here to serve the work, work, work.
I also love creating my own work to showcase my voice as an Indian-American woman.
I wrote my first play, A Sari for Pallavi — a finalist at Samuel French — and then turned it into a short film. I raised $20K independently, and that film went on to play at 50+ film festivals, winning awards including Best Comedy Short at the Rhode Island Flickers Oscar-qualifying festival.
A recent national commercial for “Hell On Earth” inspired by my original content landed on the cover of Ad Age.
I’ve written three plays that have been staged at The Chain Theatre in NYC, all rooted in uplifting voices rarely centered — particularly Indian-American narratives. I’m also in an upcoming feature called The Inheritance — a bold, genre-breaking South Asian horror film about breaking generational curses - that’s unlike anything you’ve seen before.
And when I’m not filming or writing, I’m performing regularly in my favorite improv show - Gravid Water at UCB alongside comedy legend like Scott Adsit, Rachel Dratch, Brian Stack, Jeff Hiller, and others. I’m not interested in chasing trends — I’m here to do honest, grounded, lasting work. I am all about storytelling that lands with weight and truth. And I have no problem turning down projects in environments that felt unsafe or exploitative. That is how we create change. One by one.
Why I Coach Now:
Because I want to pass this on — especially to POC/actors who don’t have access nepotism/connections, fame, 326M IG Followers, or money on their side.
I coach ALL actors (and especially BIPOC and WOC actors) who want real skills, real growth, and real results — not fluff, not BS.
One of your greatest ‘wins’ will be casting directors consistently calling you back. It means you’re making fans. It means your brand of being good at what you do is getting you noticed. It’s not just about booking the role.
Because the truth is, some people book once and never work again.
Don’t be that actor.
To the Parents Reading This:
If your child dreams of acting, the best gift you can give them is training. Real, grounded, training — the kind that makes them proud of their voice and ready to deliver on set.
There are so many things I’ve learned - from headshots, to training, to what to wear in that audition room, to getting kids out of their shell, that I cannot wait to help you with. It’s better to learn it in a few hours with me - the meat of it - instead of wasting precious time that won’t come back running yourself ragged trying to figure out who to trust - and not.
To all Actors:
It’s not too late. You’re not too old. But the time is NOW.
You do need to get serious about your craft. And I am the person with the head and the heart to help you.
If you’re ready to stop chasing and start building — let’s work.
IG: @LuckySunita
SunitaTheWriter@gmail.com
$250/hr
