NORTHERN VALLEY—At just 20, Sophie Rose Cheson has found her voice — and she’s using it to confront silence that stretches across generations.
The Tenafly native, an actress and writer, is the creator of Perfect Sylvia, a psychological drama about mothers, daughters, and the cycles of trauma that shape them. Part film, part movement, it’s also a creative experiment in self-discovery.
“I’ve always been drawn to stories that feel human and raw,” Cheson says. “Perfect Sylvia isn’t just a character — she’s a mirror. She represents the parts of ourselves we try to fix or hide, the cycles we’re all trying to break.”
The project began with an unexpected connection. Cheson’s father shared one of her acting clips with Lorne Hughes, a Los Angeles–based writer and actor whose credits include ER, Mad Men, Prison Break, and Desperate Housewives. Hughes later turned to writing, aiming to give life to voices often excluded from mainstream film. He called Cheson immediately — first to offer advice, then, after a single conversation, to collaborate.
“What started as writing lessons turned into a partnership,” Cheson says. “Within weeks, we had built Perfect Sylvia — first as a screenplay, then a short story, and now as a full creative brand. We’ve never stopped.”
Though the two have met only once in person, their creative chemistry has carried across late-night calls and shared drafts. Together, they’ve written a feature-length screenplay, developed a short story, and launched a 31-day immersive social media experiment — a countdown into Sylvia’s fractured world.
Through the Instagram and TikTok account @perfect.sylvia, followers experience the story through poetic visuals, eerie journal entries, and snippets of dialogue from Sylvia’s therapy sessions. Each post invites viewers to reflect on their own patterns, asking: What parts of Sylvia feel familiar?
“I was told by my mentor to create my own work to act in — so that’s what we did,” Cheson says. “I’ve taken big risks, like pitching the project to agents and reaching out to people I admire. I feel like I’ve gone through my own version of film school — just by doing.”
Cheson counts Reese Witherspoon and Kirsten Dunst among her influences — actors who bring emotional truth to complex roles. “These are the kinds of characters Perfect Sylvia calls for,” she says. “My dream would be to one day work with them on this project.”
What began as a screenplay is evolving into a platform — one that blends art, empathy, and connection. Cheson and Hughes are developing Perfect Sylvia as both a feature and a book, while quietly working on new material that continues the theme of healing through storytelling.
“Working with Lorne changed everything,” Cheson says. “He’s more than a mentor — he’s my partner in creating worlds. Perfect Sylvia is the first, but it’s just the beginning. We’re building something around empathy, art, and truth.”
For Cheson, the journey is personal — and circular. “My grandmother was a writer,” she says. “I didn’t know I’d take her path. A year ago, I had no idea where my life was going. One phone call changed everything. Now I’m learning who I am through what I create.”