The actress starred in, executive produced and wrote the soundtrack for her latest film, 'Purple Hearts.'
Sofia Carson has some sage advice for young actors. ET's Denny Directo spoke to the 29-year-old actress on the latest episode of The Download, and she revealed the best advice she has for up-and-comers in the business.
"Whenever I do see younger actors, the first thing I say is, 'Keep your mom close,' because there's nothing like having family in this business," she said. "... I've been so lucky that [my mom and I are] on this journey together. She protects me fearlessly. So, I always say that."
"And then, I always say just to remain grateful and to enjoy every second of the journey. My mom always says, 'It's not about where you're going, but it's about enjoying this moment right here, right now because right now is a gift,'" Carson added. "It's very easy to get caught up in what's next or more or bigger, but enjoying right here, right now is so important."
Of the "many lessons" Carson has learned throughout her career, "perhaps the most important is the power of our voice," she said.
"We're so lucky to be in the position that we are in, to have the platforms that we have, to have voices that are amplified to millions of people around the world, and to take that responsibility seriously," she said. "It really is a gift to be able to use your voice for good, for whatever it is that means to you."
For Carson, that means using social media to amplify projects and causes that are important to her, while keeping her personal life private.
"I've always been a very private person, even before fame. Even with friends and family, I always kept things to myself. I always knew that I wanted to keep my private life private," she said. "Social media is a beautiful way to share moments and to connect with people from all over the world, but [privacy] is very important to me."
Right now, Carson is promoting her latest movie, Purple Hearts. In the Netflix film, Carson plays Cassie, a struggling singer-songwriter, who marries Luke (Nicholas Galitzine), a Marine, solely for military benefits. When tragedy strikes though, the line between real and pretend begins to blur.
"I've always loved telling love stories. That is the heart of our film, but it's so much more than that... There's a really important sociopolitical message to this love story," Carson told ET. "It is about these two people who were from completely different worlds, who were taught to hate each other, who come together through the power of love. If love can heal these two hearts, love is what the world needs now more than ever."
The movie, Carson hopes, will teach viewers "to see people beyond colors and beyond politics and as human beings."
"I think that love is a really powerful thing. If these two people who came from completely different worlds, who were taught to hate each other, can love each other, that's such a powerful thing," she said. "It couldn't be more timely with everything that's happening in the world. We live, unfortunately, in a divided country, in a divided world. But stories like this that remind us of the power of love are what we need."
Carson didn't just star in the film. As the actress said, she poured her "whole heart and soul into it" by also executive producing the project and writing its soundtrack.
"It fills me with so much gratitude. It was such a gift. I learned so much from it," she said of her extensive work on the film. "It was beautiful that, every step of the way, they treated me as an equal with respect, and to be making these decisions with them together. From now on, I want to produce every project that I'm a part of."
As for what Carson's younger self would say if she learned of all of her elder version's success, the actress admitted, "I don't even know if she would believe it."
"It's so interesting because I've had the honor of really living some of my wildest dreams," she told ET. "... When I hear you introduce me as 'executive producer,' I'm like, 'Oh my gosh, that's wild.' I think she would be really happy and really proud."
Purple Hearts is streaming now on Netflix.
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