Sondra James

Sondra James, born as Sondra Weil on July 21, 1939, was a noted American sound coordinator and actress. Based out of the Lower East Side, New York City, she made her mark in the world of entertainment after graduating from the Bronx High School of Science in 1955 and dedicating herself to the study of anthropology and archaeology at City College of New York. She initially started her career as an actress, first starring in 'Mighty Aphrodite' in 1995. Over the years, she evolved into a versatile performer, working consistently as a character actor and voice actress across film, television, and stage, with notable mention of her part in the national tour of 'Funny Girl' in 1996.

In the 1990s, James exemplified her entrepreneurial spirit by founding a loop recording company, 'Speakeasy', which provides audio recording for film and television. Here, she donned various caps, including those of a loop coordinator, voice casting, and ADR casting coordinators. She worked closely in casting for Coen brothers films and by 2021, her company made a mark in the industry by providing audio for over 500 films and TV shows. Despite her success with 'Speakeasy', James continued to be passionate about acting, a fact that often led to her disappointment when she struggled to find acting roles. Her memorable role includes that of Auntie Norma in Karl Pilkington's British comedy 'Sick of It'. However, it wasn't all glamor and spotlight; in 2020, she was among a group of actors who filed a class-action lawsuit against SAG-AFTRA Health Fund related to health plan restructure penalties.