Why have you chosen to be an actor? What is your “raison d’être”?
I’ve always thought [of] myself as [a] creative, even before I knew of the word. Way before I even began school, I remember being obsessed with playing and creating characters on the playground. Mermaids, faeries, knights, princesses; my mind was filled [with] fantasy.
It started off as just reading [and] writing. You can ask my parents; they were quite concerned for their pockets whenever I finished a book or had filled out a personal textbook with stories. Then it extended into consuming media like cartoons, anime and even comics. That passion as a creative turned into a desire to be the one behind the camera or in the studio once I learned I could.
In secondary school, the day I had to choose my subjects in 5th form, I remember stumbling upon the subject Theatre Arts and telling myself: “Hey, this looks really interesting. I want to try it.” I was already a kid who liked acting to myself for fun, so what’s the harm in me acting on stage?
At that time of my life I also wanted a class that seemed more fun among the other, more theoretical subjects I had. I underestimated secondary school theatre in that aspect. But still, from then on acting became so addictive I couldn’t see a life where I don’t take a hit of it.
How has your work and process changed over time?
When I first started I wasn’t very confident in myself. I couldn’t get on or off stage without trembling like a leaf, out of fear that I did something wrong. When I first started acting, although I found the entire process very exciting and as a great stimulant for my creative juices, for 2 years, everytime my feet touched the stage my entire body would go into fight or flight mode.
I’ve gotten better. Once I learned acting was about playing around with emotions and concepts you already knew, [I] began to teach myself to run with what felt natural and pull back whenever the director said to. Still, as young as I am, there are many things I need to learn and many milestones I’ll cross with time.
What does “perfection” mean to you? Do you think that it’s worth pursuing?
People like to say there’s no such thing as perfection, but I believe perfection comes with personal ambitions. What I mean is: one should set a peak for themselves and practice constantly to reach that peak. To me, that is perfection. And I believe it is worth pursuing. Especially in your career.
For example, a tell-tale sign for perfect facial expression would be a face where the blankest expression still can capture the most emotion. That is what I would consider perfect when it comes [to] facial acting.
For you as an actor, is there a performance or an actor that resonates with you on a profound level?
Danai Gurira’s acting in “The Walking Dead” blew me away. The depth she offered with her character, Michonne, set a standard for character creation I strive to reach. I won’t spoil [it], but everything she offered from her entrance to her very last scene in the series, you could tell by the way she performed [that] she intensely studied and resonated with her character.
What do you ultimately want to achieve with your work?
[I] want to go big. So big that people on my island who don’t believe in themselves can find motivation in me. I want for those who think they’re small to feel recognized in the characters I’ll come to play. And I want to be another positive representative of my island.
