In this episode Nicoleta chats with Milton Lopes, an award winning actor, musician, writer and director from London about performance and happiness.

Milton shares his fantastic life journey from being born in Cape Verde and raised in the artistic area of Almada in the 80’ when Portugal was struggling with high levels of heroin consumption which led to decriminalisation of drugs in the 90’.

He chose to do sports, music and theatre from early age and became an award winning actor in Lisbon before moving to London to expand his career 14 years ago .

Milton got involved in drama teaching, doing workshops for disable performers in circus with Extraordinary Bodies and the National Centre for Circus Arts (previously Circus Space) and was part of the team that performed in the opening ceremony of the Paralympic Games in London 2012 .

Exploring what it means to be a performer, whether on a theatre stage, in a cinema production, teaching drama or doing a circus aerial, Milton talks about the powerful experience of connecting with the audience and the magical exchange of emotions in that vulnerable space.

Find out why fame does not feel well, about the distress and pressure it brings into personal life and why famous people get lonely and depressed. Learn how, as a Buddhist, he finds happiness in the presence and in gratitude.

Milton shares what is like to be a mixed race artist and how he was affected by the discrimination in the entertainment industry and media.  He plays the guitar without fingers and he feels that music allows him to express emotions he cannot find words for.

Looking at how Portugal is living 25 years in the past in terms of social equality and diversity, Milton is full of appreciation for the openness of London and this inspired him to write and direct his own show “The Elephant”, asking a profound societal question: Is identity defined first by race or disability?

An episode full of wisdom that encourages you to want more, to go for more, to permit yourself to express your Self, to allow yourself to feel free, to don’t take NO for an answer, to continue to dream and to go and take what’s yours in life.