Sara Martins is a Portuguese-born French actress of Cape Verdean descent, boasting a remarkable career in television, film, and theatre in France. She is particularly well-known for her role as Detective Sergeant Camille Bordey in the popular British-French crime comedy-drama series Death in Paradise, which is filmed in the picturesque French overseas department of Guadeloupe.
Born in Faro, Portugal's Algarve region, Sara was of Cape Verdean descent and moved to France at the tender age of three. Her early years were marked by a passion for ballet, which she studied extensively in her youth. In fact, Sara became the first person of African descent to join the prestigious Lyon Opera, where she honed her craft alongside some of the world's most talented dancers.
However, Sara soon discovered that her aspirations to advance to the Paris Opera were thwarted by the company's rigid expectations of uniformity among its corps de ballet. Undeterred, she redirected her focus towards theatre, earning her Baccalauréat with a theatre option. She then pursued a DEUG in law before enrolling at the École de théâtre Les Enfants Terribles in Paris at the age of 20.
Sara's dedication to her craft was rewarded when she was accepted into the highly competitive French National Academy of Dramatic Arts, where she completed an acting degree. Interestingly, Sara learned English by studying the lyrics of U2 songs as a teenager, a testament to her resourcefulness and determination.
Throughout her journey, Sara has consistently defied expectations and pushed boundaries, using her unique blend of talent, perseverance, and cultural heritage to carve out a remarkable career in the world of French entertainment.
