Latest / Be A Global Citizen! / 207. GC Talks with Naomi Otsuka: Finding Beauty in the Questions We Ask about Ourselves and the World

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207. GC Talks with Naomi Otsuka: Finding Beauty in the Questions We Ask about Ourselves and the World · Be A Global Citizen!

0:05
Hi there, and welcome to Be a Global Citizen, the podcast that
0:08
explores the concept of global citizenship through the lens of
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value creating education. My name is Scott Bauer and I'm
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Ahsoka, researcher and educator. I hope you find the discussion,
0:18
stories and insights on this podcast to be valuable and
0:21
inspiring as we strive to become global citizens who are
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committed to living a contributive life.
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Enjoy. Hi, my name is Naomi Otska, I'm
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from Japan and I'm based in LA and I'm an actor, writer and I
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like to sing. Hi now, thank you so much for
0:48
for joining me on the podcast and it's so wonderful to have
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you here and to learn more about the life of an actor.
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And, and it's not just the, you know, all of the different arts,
1:00
but I think you know, your, your background, your educational
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journey has really helped you to kind of have this deeper
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grounding, right, in terms of your, your life philosophy and
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kind of the impact that you want to make in the world.
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And my understanding is like through acting, through singing,
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through art, you're able to channel that in a really
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incredible way. So I think this is going to be
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so wonderful to learn more about your journey.
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And, you know, this, this first question is really to have us
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all learn more about this, this journey of becoming an actor,
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deciding to become an actor and like all of that that it
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entails. Because I'm sure that there's
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been a lot of twists and turns already in your journey.
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But, you know, it's, I think so needed in the world that we live
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in to have more of the the arts really be at the forefront.
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So yeah, I'd, I'd love to learn about what were some of the big
2:01
influences in your life And also maybe sharing about these like
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pivotal moments of kind of what brought you to the work that
2:09
you're doing right now. Yes.
2:13
So I think growing up I was deeply curious about like human
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being and human nature and, and also like I think I was very
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professional in like creating good relationship because I was
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so good at reading people's needs and like providing that
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needs perfectly growing up. So I was, that was like my
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strengths as a child, but I wasn't really into art.
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And then my mom took me to Art Museum, but like I felt like art
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was like addition to my life, not like foundation at that
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time. And yeah.
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And then in high school until high school, I was like, I was
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because of that strength, like I was good at being good and being
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good student, but I just kind of felt like robotic like, and I
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was questioning like, who am I? What's my philosophy?
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What's my thought? What's my own original thought?
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Because I felt like I'm quoting people to show my identity.
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So that's why I decided to study philosophy and art, going to
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university in California, Soca, University of America.
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And that was like my determination to make art as my
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foundation, the foundation of my life and understand what's art.
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So yeah, before I and art entered my life, philosophy was
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actually my primary way of exploring and releasing that
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curiosity. In college I studied philosophy
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with the focus of on aesthetics and my research centered on the
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thesis T titled beauty as is justice, the potential cultural
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aesthetic exchange through art. And actually this research
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continued to shape both my artistic and practice and
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artistic artistic plaque this and my long term vision.
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And in the thesis, I explored how conflict between people
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often stem from conflict and national justice.
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And because human relating on a limited sense of perception,
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often with overconfidence, our sense of justice can become
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emotional, irrational and inconsistent.
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So I argue that like national sorry, cultural aesthetic
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exchange through art can expand our perception of beauty and
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reality and strengthen empathy and sensory awareness.
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And with enriched aesthetic experience, justice itself can
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become more rational, holistic and human.
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So I think like beauty functions as a like self, like softening
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heart and heart and bridging vision across culture and time.
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So that was like my thesis topic, but I think so many like
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events in university made me be interested in that topic.
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I have two examples. 1 is my roommate, my best friend.
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She's so, so much compassion toward animals.
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And whenever, like we walk into the cafeteria, she finds a
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injured bee on the ground when she pick it up.
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And she cured a bee in her room. And like one time she got a call
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like there's like a injured mice.
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And then she go to that place and she pick it up and she gave
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the injured mice like goat milk. And like she has a way to cure.
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And then I was just like, so inspired by how she views the
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world, views life. And then I didn't have that
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compassion like extending to animal before I met her.
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But now like my relationship with animal has changed a lot.
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So that was like such amazing experience to have a friends who
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have different value. And that expanded my like, what
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I think is beautiful, what I think is important.
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And then the second event was like I was taking a class of
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philosophy of aesthetics. And then there's so many
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students from everywhere and from Africa, Latin America,
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Asia. And one of friends actually, we
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are asked to share our own national aesthetics in that
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class. And I prepared my presentation
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about wabi sabi sharing like how like we see beauty in
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imperfections and something broken, fragile.
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And my friends from Ghana shared like people in Ghana see beauty
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in human heart, not the parents of like fashion and makeup,
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which I thought was so beautiful.
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And I studied like having questions like, why do people
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have like different aesthetics? Why do people see beauty in
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different things? And like maybe the culture,
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cultural art or like television, animation, painting, music have
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shaped our like own aesthetics. And I was like so passionate
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about like expanding my own aesthetics cause like through
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the interaction with friends with different like background,
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I really felt like my perception of the world has changed.
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And then it's great to have to see more beauty in life because
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it's more fun. Like simply.
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So I was like so into that in college.
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So I was like asking so many questions to my friends, like,
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you know, about music and movie and everything.
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Yeah. So that was like my, why I was
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so into philosophy of aesthetics and also like, well, how I
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studied human beings, which I was so interested in in college,
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but and then after graduation, you know, Oh yes.
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If I may just kind of interject really quickly because, you
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know, I think it's just so beautiful.
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It's yeah, I'm saying the word beauty, right?
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Beautiful. This, this desire to, to learn
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more about the world around you, right?
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To to really see how like others light up in terms of like the,
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you know, that from their viewpoint, this really matters
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to them. And for you to kind of like take
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interest in really like leaning into that and asking more
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questions. And I think there's this yeah,
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that this concept of like, awe, it's kind of like this.
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I don't know. It's like it's something that
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we, we can either take the time and like be in the moment to
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experience or let it pass us. And oftentimes in society where
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everything is go, go, go. We, we let it pass and we don't
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value it in that way. What I'm getting from this,
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these interactions that you've had with many people at SUA and
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just, you know, in general, I think how you've kind of
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navigated the, the early years of, of your life in these
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formative years of your life, you were drawn to these moments
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of awe around you and really did your best to like, learn from
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them. And I'm, I'm just wondering,
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like, do you think that's just something just innate, something
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that is tied more to your personality?
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Or would you say that there were other influences that helped you
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cultivate that curiosity and motivated you to go deeper in
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the questions that you were asking about the world around
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you? Yeah, I think that my
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characteristics of like learning from others I gained out in high
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school. I went to Soca High School in
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Tokyo and we were just having like a kind of dialogue session.
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I thought like what is justice? And like, I don't know, we're
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just like talking about like what is good?
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Like something like philosophical question together
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as like maybe like 10 groups and then like 10 people group.
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And I was like first like so nervous and I couldn't speak.
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And I was just like, so kind of feeling like comparing myself
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with others and like feeling kind of miserable because like,
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you know, people are talking something amazing.
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I don't know what I'm thinking as I share.
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Like I didn't know. I didn't really have my own
10:43
thought at the time. Like I don't know my like I'm
10:46
confused. That was like my stage and but
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one day, like I shifted my thinking like, oh, it's so great
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that I'm like surrounded by people who are greater than me.
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You know, it's like great. Like it's so fun that I can
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like, I can try to intake the strengths and I decided to like
11:08
see what's the strengths of each person.
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It's interesting because this for example, like this girl,
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every time she speaks, it's like a wind, like it's so fresh.
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Like everyone laughs and then like she might not be saying
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something like deep or anything, but like every time she speaks
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like she just like kind of like refresh the atmosphere, you
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know, and everyone feel like lighter to speak more.
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This person doesn't speak at all until the end of the meeting.
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She just, she's always thinking like this.
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But at the end of the meeting, he says something very powerful.
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That's something he has been thinking whole time.
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And then just like, kind of like shift our, like, conclusion.
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So like, I was like, wow, like, that's his strengths.
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You know, everyone has their own way of contributing to the team
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or society in bigger sense. And then I was just like so
12:06
fascinated by everyone's beauty and I decided to recognize it in
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every moment of my life and trying to learn from the person
12:16
in front of me and like their own, like specific beauty so
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that I can like, it's my way to do my own like human devotions.
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Like, I really want to have so many kinds of beauty in me, you
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know, So I know like, I'm not going to do perfect like them,
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but it's like, fun for me to like, develop myself in that
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sense because I love what they have.
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So that was like why I think I could find C beauty in college,
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too. Yeah.
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Yeah, no, that it resonates a lot like with my own
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experiences, like in high school, because I felt like I
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was the person that was yeah, unsure of like where did I
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actually stand on any of these matters?
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And, and I know for me, this, it was a big thing, like really
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trying to figure out what I was passionate about.
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I I felt like in high school, I just kind of went from like one
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thing to the next always at like, kind of like, I don't
13:15
know, lukewarm enthusiasm. I was like, yeah, like I'm, I'm
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good at this, but I'm not great. I like this, but I don't love
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it. And it kind of bothered me a
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little bit when I decided, you know, I mean, when I went to
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Soca University of America, suddenly I was surrounded by
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students who were really passionate and really
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intelligent and really talented and, and all of these things.
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And, and then I just kind of, yeah, I was taking note of like,
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wow, like so and so really is passionate about poetry or wow
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that this person really enjoys writing and, and they can really
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articulate that. And, and I think there's
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something about being surrounded by passionate individuals and
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the passion I think stems from maybe this deeper purpose,
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right, of like what, what really lights them up?
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What, what are they exploring in their own realm?
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Like from their viewpoint, it's tied to a lot of things.
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And I feel like in that sense, you know, the perspective then
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becomes like almost like a like AI don't know a puzzle or maybe
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like a mystery of like, how do I make sense of kind of like from
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what they're they're sharing with me?
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How do I uncover for myself what that is?
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And, and I think that it's, it's really it's, it's kind of part
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of the, the whole overall process of just what does it
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mean to even learn, right? Kind of like doing these to try
14:43
like tests and experiments. And, and you're kind of also
14:47
like relating it back to the emotion behind it, because I'm
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sure you know, what you were describing in high school, it
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didn't feel great to kind of be in that kind of space of, oh, I
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don't, I, I, I'm starting to have these questions, but I
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don't have answers yet, right. Maybe there's like a certain
15:04
tension that that you experienced with that.
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And would you say that like is it, is it just about asking more
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of the questions or did you end up finding some of those answers
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that you were looking for when you were at SUA?
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Yes, I think SU really helped me to know who I am and then what
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my bodies, because there's so many like differences
15:30
everywhere, you know? So I feel like I always have to
15:33
ask myself like, what do I think about this?
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What do I think about this? Because like, yeah, it really
15:39
helped me. I think that there's like one of
15:44
the things I wanted to kind of really focus a little bit more
15:48
on because when you, when you started sharing about your, your
15:51
background, you said that like from relatively early on, it
15:56
became evident that you wanted to make art your, your
15:59
foundation. And it's clear that, yeah, now,
16:03
right. In hindsight, you can say
16:04
definitely, right. Art is, is fundamental to, to
16:08
who you are and, and the work that you're doing.
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But for someone to make that kind of a, you know, goal or
16:17
declaration of like, I want art to be my foundation.
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Does it just kind of entail more encounters with art, or is there
16:28
a certain kind of path that one takes?
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I know that you talked a lot about asking a lot of questions
16:34
and really cultivating this sense of curiosity about the
16:38
world, seeing beauty in the world.
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But I guess I'm trying to ask, like, what were some like more
16:43
concrete things happening in your environment that were kind
16:46
of aiding you in that process of building out your foundation
16:51
when you were younger? You know, in college I
17:00
experienced so many, so many kinds of like emotions.
17:05
And I always like wrote poetry in college.
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I studied writing poetry in college because I needed a
17:11
space, personal space for me to like release my tension and
17:16
emotions. And I also thought like, I
17:20
wanted to like, collect them kind of like, I just like, felt
17:23
like this even like I think writing poetry, like doing art
17:27
was my way to appreciate every kinds of emotion and also life
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and experience and people. So like, even if I'm like so
17:37
angry about something, if I write down, if I like transform
17:42
the emotion into art, it can be something beautiful, right?
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Like, I didn't want to just be angry and like, feel ugly.
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I think when I make art, that whole experience can have a
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meaning, deeper meaning as a human being.
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So I have appreciation to the person who made me think that
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way. So for me, art is something that
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makes me be, like, alive. And I also like, appreciate
18:12
everything. So I kept doing that and yeah, I
18:17
still read it. I'm, I'm kind of fascinated by
18:19
all the emotion I had and I actually using, it's so
18:24
interesting. Life is interesting because
18:27
something that I was naturally doing is like helping my acting
18:30
nowadays a lot because I'm, I'm doing like method acting, which
18:35
I personalize everything and like I use all my like
18:39
experiences in the past, all the sensory in the past.
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So it's all like my treasures now.
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So I'm so appreciative of everything happened in my life.
18:52
Yeah, I don't know if I'm answering your questions, but.
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You definitely, yeah, you definitely answered the question
18:58
because, you know, in a way the the foundation came about
19:02
through this very much engaged process of taking action on like
19:08
what you were experiencing. And what better way than through
19:13
poetry where you can actually have it written down in, you
19:16
know, before you and collect them to really be able to see it
19:20
kind of outside of yourself a little bit, right, To kind of
19:24
see it in another in another form.
19:26
But it also serves as like an archive or maybe like a time
19:29
stamp as far as what was Naomi going through at this point, You
19:33
know, different versions of of yourself.
19:36
And, and I think of it, you know, similar to like what as an
19:41
athlete would do with their sport is that, you know, they're
19:44
undergoing training and they're, they're kind of building up
19:47
themselves in terms of their stamina, their physique, right,
19:52
their technique, all of that stuff.
19:54
And I think with art, you know, why would it be any different in
19:58
terms of really having this daily or weekly practice of
20:04
expressing yourself? In a specific way, right and so
20:08
in your case with poetry, it seems like that was very
20:12
important vehicle of processing your emotions.
20:16
And it's, it's so wonderful that it serves a really important
20:20
purpose and like what you're currently doing right now with,
20:23
with method acting. And, and so actually that might
20:27
be a good, you know, you mentioned about, you know,
20:30
acting. Was that like a pretty easy,
20:33
like, was it a natural decision like that you arrived to after
20:36
going to SUA where you're like, Yep, after all of these emotions
20:41
and after engaging and like, you know, others and dialogue,
20:44
learning from them doing poetry, it's definitely acting.
20:49
Or how did you get to that point of decision?
20:51
Yeah, actually my grandma and grandpa were actors.
20:57
And then like, I've always had like, acting in my mind because
21:01
I love like, observing people and I kind of like experiments.
21:05
Like, how do I, how do people react if I act this way?
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Or like, I was like growing up, I was always kind of like
21:11
experimenting with like, my actions and like emotions
21:14
naturally in daily life. So acting was something that I'd
21:17
perfectly enjoy, I thought, But I was kind of rejecting that
21:21
idea somehow. And I kind of like shifted into
21:24
like philosophy because I felt that was cool.
21:27
I like a respect in academics at the time, I think.
21:30
So I was like using all my like, you know, releasing all my like,
21:34
curiosity on human beings, like in like philosophy.
21:39
But after graduation, like, I was like, do I want to be
21:43
professor of philosophy or do you want to be an artist?
21:46
And I just like, I'm not good at reading that much.
21:53
I love reading, but I think I get like so bored and like just
22:00
like sitting like I think like for me experience something like
22:06
with my body, with my instrument, with my heart, like
22:08
actually physical experience is like so exciting and important
22:12
to me. So I was like, maybe I should do
22:17
art like I should, you know, be a living philosophy to share
22:21
something, not just like using my brain.
22:25
So I had the idea, but I wasn't for sure the what field of act
22:31
like art is my own specific art. Like I didn't know if I love
22:36
art. I love painting.
22:38
I love like writing poetry. I love writing.
22:40
I love singing. I love I thought I love acting
22:45
too. So I was like kind of confused
22:48
and I was also kind of like going through refreshing after
22:51
graduation. So I was like kind of spending
22:54
time in my hometown with my family for like a two years,
22:57
like doing part time jobs, you know, And I kind of tried every
23:02
kinds of art expression at the time.
23:05
I was so curious like how can I musicalize my emotion?
23:09
How can I visualize my emotion? How can I barbarize my emotions?
23:13
Like I wanted to try every kinds of like way to experiment what I
23:20
like the best. So I was like writing poetry,
23:22
writing songs and like writing stories and trying to act,
23:27
trying to act, which was a little difficult.
23:30
And I was saying everything. And one thing I did something
23:36
was like I was so interested in how can I visualize my emotions.
23:40
So every night before going to bed, I painted my like heart
23:44
portrait. Like I was just like painting
23:47
how my heart looks like today or maybe how I look up today.
23:52
And then I wrote it and I kind of like took a picture with it
23:57
like selfie and I kind of like collected them, which was so
24:01
interesting project for me. Anyways, in that process, I
24:06
encounter one like theater in my prefecture in Japan with a very
24:11
great director, Shu Matsui. That's like very experimental
24:19
theatre. And I was like chosen in the
24:23
audition, which I was so exciting for me, was like a
24:27
breakthrough for me. And it's very interesting story.
24:34
So it was about like pseudo family training center.
24:37
People gathered to like kind of like create a family, but they
24:41
are just acting. It's like a lento girlfriend,
24:44
lento boyfriend, lento friends happening in Japan.
24:47
People pay and act like a fence in a coffee shop because people
24:51
need that kind of like communication for them to feel
24:54
safe. And then my role was like going
24:58
to the training center and just persuade everyone, like real
25:03
relationship is better than pseudo because my actually it's
25:08
because my biological father who abandoned me after I was born is
25:13
creating the pseudo family in the pseudo family training
25:17
center run by the government. So I was like so angry and I go
25:23
there and I like to try to persuade everyone.
25:26
And then the reason why I'm talking about this is like, so I
25:30
got this role and that my director gave me some empty
25:33
line. I can be improv.
25:35
I can do improv and I had like this was perfect.
25:39
Like the reason of the depression was kind of like this
25:43
distrust toward others and like friendship.
25:47
So I had all this like anxiety, like going through the
25:51
depression and I can't really like use all the thinking.
25:56
Like my strength is like was think thinking because I studied
26:00
philosophy. So like I could use all my like
26:02
anxiety and thinking and poisoned in to the acting and
26:07
also like lines that I create spontaneously.
26:12
So it was such a poison into medicine experience like overall
26:17
and I all my like yeah, poison kind of like became light for
26:22
people. People like so inspired by how I
26:24
was struggling by not giving up on myself on stage.
26:29
So I was just like, so in I fell in love in acting, the process
26:35
of acting, how I can use my life and like kind of like experience
26:40
on stage and how people can be inspired by something raw, you
26:45
know? And that was so fun for me
26:48
because I can do that experiment every single day as a job, which
26:52
is my favorite activity. So that's like how I got
26:56
conviction in acting. And after that I was kind of
26:59
like kind of fast because I had a conviction.
27:03
I want to do acting, so I wanted to study in the best school and
27:07
and I was interested in method acting because I associate
27:10
things a lot and I love personalizing things a lot.
27:14
So I studied there and now I'm kind of like starting my acting
27:20
career. Yeah, that was that story.
27:24
Oh, you said this so the school was in LA, right?
27:28
I am. Assuming.
27:29
Because you're in LA now. Yes, school is in West.
27:36
LA awesome. So I mean, I just, it's
27:38
wonderful. Like when I mean I I hear about
27:41
people talk about like the journey that it took to get them
27:45
to a certain realization about the work that they want to do
27:50
right. And, and there's something about
27:52
like, Oh, I had an idea, you know, I but I, it took a certain
27:57
event to, to have conviction in what, what you actually want to
28:02
do. So what you're sharing about is
28:04
this opportunity in Japan and your prefecture where you were
28:09
able to step into a role and, and kind of discover like the
28:15
joys of really kind of conveying a certain character and
28:20
understanding that it hasn't it, it moves other people and it
28:25
also moves you. And there's this kind of, you
28:28
know, dance, if you will, that entails a lot of trial and error
28:33
and maybe certain spontaneity, but then there's also a lot of
28:37
preparation. So it's like this kind of like
28:39
pulling together of so many of your interests and, and what,
28:43
Yeah, what, what lights you up? So I think it's, it's beautiful
28:47
that you were able to experience that.
28:49
And I think having it happen near, you know, where your
28:55
hometown is or like in your prefecture, like you said, I, I
28:58
find that there's a, you know, a certain kind of grounding of
29:02
like going out and trying something different and
29:05
experimenting. And then from there, it gave you
29:08
the confidence to say, you know what, I'm going to take it to
29:10
the next level. And I guess that was moving back
29:14
to California and then starting this graduate program in method
29:17
acting. And yeah.
29:20
And then now you're you're, I would imagine trying to get a
29:24
lot of gigs and trying to, you know, get cast.
29:27
And that's a whole nother experience too, because it's
29:30
quite challenging. Probably.
29:32
That's a quite an understatement, but you know it
29:34
what? How has it been like for you
29:36
since making that decision? Yes.
29:39
So I go to the Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute in
29:42
West Hollywood and it teaches method acting.
29:46
And then I love that method acting.
29:49
It's just like, I think there's no, it's I, I know that I'm
29:54
going to live with it for my life.
29:56
It just enriched my life so much.
30:01
Yeah. So I encounter great teachers.
30:04
And it was like a perfect decision for me.
30:07
And I'm in love with the work. So I'm so happy.
30:12
Like people, you know, I'm like, surviving financially, to be
30:16
honest, but like, and people kind of worry about me a lot
30:19
from Japan, but I'm like, completely happy with what I'm
30:24
doing. And I'm in love with the work.
30:26
So it's just like how I can get better every single day.
30:30
And I love the process of like, becoming better too.
30:34
And I'm not rushed. It's just like, I love what I'm
30:38
doing. That's like my simple answer.
30:42
Yeah, I think acting is my way to be a global citizen.
30:47
Like I consider myself as a global citizenship global
30:50
citizen, but I think that's something that I need to battle
30:54
every moment. It's not easy because like, I
30:57
have a lot of fear, you know, I often get like anxious,
31:01
doubtful, fearful, like poisonous.
31:07
Like I think it's so scary to face differences.
31:11
I have some trauma too. And then but I think it's my
31:16
like every moment challenge for me to breakthrough that and like
31:19
try to trust oneself and others and acting really, really,
31:23
really helped me help me the battle.
31:29
So, you know, my job is to study human beings, like in acting,
31:35
you know, and then not that person I'm acting working on
31:39
like from the page one. What kind of like parents did
31:43
she or did she had, you know, all the like imaginary
31:47
illustrations, but like using my own life.
31:50
And it's interesting. Like I've been working on many
31:54
characters like that different like ethics.
31:57
Like when I first read this like script, I was like, go like, I
32:03
hate this person. I have so much judgment on her.
32:05
Like how do I become her, you know, but like I study and like
32:11
create this person from that Page 1.
32:14
And like it's so interesting. There was like a a ha moment in
32:19
the school, like during like the teacher was like interviewing me
32:23
as a person, like was as a character.
32:27
And I realized like if I change one decision in my life, I could
32:31
be in the same situation as her. No, So I realized through this
32:38
acting, I can really connect to every single person.
32:43
Like I can be in the same emotional state with every kind
32:49
of person, which fascinate me. And then this gives me like like
32:57
expand is this expand my compassion because that's my
33:03
fight every day to how can I get closer to this person who is so
33:06
different from me? You know who I have anger who
33:10
I'm so I'm Jackson this person, but like, how can I know Jackson
33:14
become harm? And that's like, I think a
33:17
beauty of acting Right now I'm working on someone like
33:21
alcoholic and I'm never being alcoholic, but how can I be an
33:26
alcoholic? And I I'm finding this like
33:28
substitution, like, oh, I was addicted to kind of obsessed
33:32
with this person in the past. That was kind of like addiction
33:35
for me and I am, I experienced that struggle and how can I use
33:40
that? And then it's like different,
33:41
like addiction, different kind of addiction, but like some kind
33:45
of struggle, you know, So I can really, really relate to any
33:50
kinds of personal without judgment.
33:52
And then it's not easy at all. So I study human being every
33:56
day, and it's like my way to be a global citizen.
34:02
Yeah, Thank you for sharing. You know me and I'm just
34:05
imagining, like you like studying people just, like
34:07
you're just people watching. It's like on Sunset on Sunset
34:11
Blvd. just with some popcorn and like a lawn care.
34:13
You're just, like looking at people.
34:15
Yeah. I.
34:15
Do that. I wonder how that person's doing
34:18
and I, I find your, your explanation and your
34:22
understanding of global citizenship to be really
34:25
wonderful because it speaks to their humanity and really seeks
34:31
out common ground. I think a lot of the, the work
34:34
that you're doing in terms of like preparation to like step
34:37
into a character that seemingly is very different from you or
34:44
has certain kind of aspects about them that are maybe not
34:50
what you would want to have like or embody.
34:53
But I think there's a very like honest, a very honest look that
34:58
you're like taking to the character and to that, you know,
35:02
character's life and trying to make connections as far as well
35:07
what from my experience can be like closest to what they've
35:11
done. Or like, yeah, how can I tap
35:13
into a certain kind of like emotion or energy that maybe is
35:17
not exactly the same, but it but that's similar.
35:21
And then by having that well up in front and within you, there's
35:26
this maybe moment of like, oh, I understand, right?
35:31
Where it maybe clicks because it doesn't mean that you have to
35:34
have had the same experience of like being an alcoholic and
35:37
drinking a lot. But you know, similar kinds of,
35:41
as you said, like addictions that kind of left you feeling
35:47
not so good about yourself maybe, right?
35:49
Because I think as an alcoholic, you're trying to cover something
35:52
up, right? A certain kind of like buried
35:54
emotion or some kind of like past trauma that they're able to
35:59
numb through the use of that particular substance.
36:02
So I, yeah, I think that more of us, you know, in the world
36:08
should really take that kind of stance where we're looking at
36:13
another person not from a place of judgement, but from a place
36:17
of compassion, right? And that that can be a battle,
36:22
right? Because, you know, it's kind of
36:24
like they're going to reflect something about ourselves that
36:27
maybe we don't want to really tap into.
36:31
Like what happens for an actor when you feel like maybe you're
36:37
missing something in terms of like connecting with that
36:41
particular character's experience?
36:43
Or like, because I would imagine like the best performances tend
36:47
to kind of come from like a genuine place of like, you know,
36:51
their own experience. But like, is it just about
36:54
trying to find like the closest approximation to that or like as
36:59
a method actor, like, does that mean you actually have to engage
37:02
in, in certain things to really understand that?
37:04
I know that some people have like, you know, some actors go
37:07
to pretty like extreme lengths to be able to tap into that.
37:13
I'm just curious, like, have you had an, a character where you've
37:17
like really struggled to like understand them or, or maybe you
37:21
could speak more about this current character that you're
37:23
trying to tap into because there's going to be nuances as
37:26
well. So I'm just wondering like what
37:29
is what is your stance on that? Trying to find a example.
37:36
So I'm not trying to think how much I should talk about the
37:39
method. It's because it's like a
37:42
personal technique. So everyone has a different like
37:45
way, but it really, really helps me like, you know, how can I ask
37:50
something that I have never experienced?
37:52
That's I think that's your like questions.
37:55
But we have like relaxation and sensory work.
37:58
We do two kinds of like like exercise to really like sensory
38:05
experience. But for example, I've never, I
38:09
never died, right, because I'm living in this lifetime.
38:13
And and then like, how can I act the person who died?
38:18
Like, I don't know how it's like to die, you know, but I can
38:23
really explore, like, using this method.
38:27
Like, I was working on the sensory of like, cold snow and
38:32
taking on and off socks. It's like we do like, close our
38:37
eyes and the kind of sensory experience those things.
38:40
And yeah. And I was like, on the snow and
38:44
I was like trying to take off socks and take off on and off
38:50
socks and like, which is better because it's kind of wet and
38:53
cold. And I was like, freezing.
38:54
And then I feel so tragic during this exercise, closing my eyes.
39:00
And then, yeah, I was just experienced that sensory.
39:03
I was really cold, too. Like not pretending to be cold,
39:06
but like, not indicating, but actually experienced sensory.
39:10
That's how we train our instrument body.
39:13
And then my teacher asked me like, you know, say one line.
39:19
And then I said, like, how are you my uncle?
39:22
Because he passed away last year.
39:24
And I was thinking about him a lot during, like on the snow,
39:27
you know? And then I said that.
39:30
And then when I said that, I kind of became him in the
39:34
coffin. And like, people are like my
39:36
family and his partner was crying around me.
39:38
And then like, after that, like, I felt like my body was like
39:43
controlled by someone. So I was trying to like take all
39:46
take, take off the socks, you know, and stuff.
39:49
But like I felt like my body is not is out of my control.
39:53
And then I cried a lot like during dust exercise, like
39:58
feeling like what seeing people who are crying for me like uncle
40:03
as I go. So Oh, it was such an
40:07
interesting experience. And like, I cry a lot.
40:10
Like randomly before I did the exercise about my uncle's
40:13
passing. But after that, like, it was
40:16
such a, it helped me grieve and then, like, crying as him, as my
40:22
uncle about his own death, like, really helped me like, release
40:27
my tension and anxiety. I kind of forgive him as him.
40:34
Yeah. So that was like such a great
40:36
like, you know, combination of some sensory work.
40:39
And then I really experienced like death and I think it's
40:43
like, and now it's in my like sensory shelf and like whenever
40:47
I get a role who die, maybe I can use that, you know, this
40:52
combination of the sensory for me to really experience like
40:55
what is it like to die? So that's how like method works,
40:58
if that makes sense. It's yeah, it's starting to make
41:02
more sense. I love how you refer to like
41:04
this sensory shelf where you have this, you know, collection
41:09
of different experiences that you've really worked hard to
41:14
approximate because again, like you don't have the experience of
41:17
dying, but you can really tap into like the personal, you
41:22
know, like a sense of like, oh, what I what, what did I
41:26
experience grieving, right? Or what about these other
41:30
sensations that are more like tactile, like, you know, from
41:33
like the, the snow and the cold and, and this kind of, you know,
41:37
imagining of like, what would it be like?
41:40
And then really like teleporting yourself into like another body.
41:44
And it's yeah. Again, like the more I'm
41:48
learning about method acting from you, the more impressed and
41:52
amazed I am with like what actors go through to really
41:56
deliver a compelling performance.
41:59
Because I don't know, like sometimes, you know, when we, we
42:01
look at movies especially, I don't know, nowadays I'm, I'm
42:04
not like a big movie buff and I, I don't really know what I'm
42:07
talking about. But you know, we, we tend to see
42:09
pretty like 1 dimensional kind of like roles out there as
42:13
action film or it's like horror and it's like, and and it
42:18
doesn't really give the sense of like, oh, like, like, do I
42:23
believe that? Do I believe their performance
42:26
as like a full human being? Right.
42:27
In terms of like that sense? I don't know.
42:30
But like what your experience, like what you're talking about
42:32
is that you're trying to really be like fully inhabit that that
42:36
character and really give that sense that like, wow, people
42:41
will really buy into the emotions that are being put out
42:44
there. I guess that's the strength of,
42:46
of method acting, but it just, it sounds so cool that in the
42:51
process of getting to that point of like fully inhabiting this,
42:56
this character, it really ties in with this concept of global
43:01
citizenship and like kind of overcoming or like break,
43:04
breaking through certain emotions that maybe we're like
43:07
dormant, right? Or kind of exploring new, new
43:12
fields of like, wow, like, and now I, I can add this to my
43:15
shelf or Oh, I didn't think this was possible.
43:18
So breaking through certain self limitations and, and expanding
43:23
your, your sense of the, the character and then thus
43:27
expanding your sense of like, what does it mean to be a human
43:30
right? I mean, like the there's such a
43:32
range of spectrum of what humans can experience, right?
43:37
Is there like a particular role that you have not been cast for
43:40
that you really, really want to be cast for?
43:42
I'm just thinking of like, is there a character that you're
43:45
like, I would love to do that and for whatever reasons it
43:48
might be, it may be for out of challenging or just from your
43:51
own experiences, but I'm just curious.
43:54
Yeah, I don't know if I have something specific in my mind,
43:57
but I my goal is to keep encountering project or artwork,
44:06
a role that synchronizes my life at this moment.
44:12
I think it's so fascinating that I can really explore and
44:16
experiment my own like, negativity and like struggle in
44:22
artwork and that that really helps the artwork too, but also
44:26
my life too. And that happened in the first
44:28
theater in Japan, like Julie, you know, And then even in
44:33
class, it's too like, I really have that kind of like
44:36
synchronized moment and like, wow, like I explore my life in
44:40
art, you know? So I think that's like my goal
44:43
to keep having that kind of project.
44:47
Yeah, I know that makes sense as well.
44:49
And you're just open to kind of, you know, new, new characters
44:54
and the chance encounters of like, oh, I get to, to inhabit
44:59
that character. I get to really work and develop
45:02
myself through this, this new project when it comes to, I
45:07
mean, I right now, right. It sounds like you're in like a
45:10
new phase of like your foundation as far as building
45:13
out your shelf, right? The shelf space is there, is
45:18
there something kind of, I don't know beyond just getting cast in
45:24
a movie, right. But like something beyond that
45:28
that you're, you're really hoping to, to work towards as
45:32
far as like, you know, you're passionate in the arts or with
45:36
acting, Like, can you articulate what the bigger picture is for
45:40
me as far as like why you know, you want to, to continue down
45:44
this path? Yes.
45:46
So the reason why I do acting in Los Angeles, not Japan is
45:52
because of my like thesis, you know, the how I believe in like
45:56
cultural aesthetic exchanged the power and how I think it's so
46:01
important if to for people to expand out like what they think
46:06
is beautiful for the peace. That's my beliefs, personal
46:10
beliefs. So I wanted to do acting in in
46:13
here so that I can really embody like my Japanese aesthetics in
46:19
acting and then even like to like friendship in soccer,
46:24
University of America, Like I could really show, you know,
46:28
Japanese culture has or maybe my British practice has like middle
46:33
way like philosophy. It's not like black and white
46:37
because everything is kind of like cited by their own life
46:41
conditions. Not like the person is good or
46:42
bad. That's what I believe.
46:45
So I think that like kind of attitude or like how I embodied
46:49
in my action in the wars, like could really make a change in my
46:53
friendship. I'm like a little subtle, but
46:56
maybe sometimes big, you know, I, I think, I think global
47:01
citizen is someone who think grip is unity but is division,
47:09
you know, so I want to be, I want to keep being a cause of
47:14
unity. And that's like my theme in my
47:18
act into, for example, if I get a role or seeing of like hatred,
47:23
I can just say like, I hate you, you know, simply I can say that,
47:27
but also like I want to have a struggle.
47:30
I really hate this person, but like I feel ugly hating this
47:34
person. I want to respect every kinds of
47:36
life. Like I know she has a struggle.
47:39
She has a reason to act this way.
47:41
She's struggling so much, maybe more than I do, but I can't
47:46
forgive her. Like, you know, that kind of
47:48
like struggle. Like I feel this way, but I
47:51
don't want to give up on respecting her.
47:54
And then with that old layer of like, struggle, if I say like, I
47:58
hate you, I think that means like, way more.
48:00
It's more like humanistic, like way of living.
48:05
And then I want to live that kind of life.
48:07
And then I want to be the kind of actor who can like, embody
48:11
that. So that's like my, like, vision.
48:15
And I believe like, that's how I can like really practically
48:19
contribute to society as a philosopher and like actor too.
48:25
And yeah. And then I wanted to add one
48:28
more thing about global citizenship and as an actor.
48:33
So I said acting helped my helped me to be a global
48:37
citizen. But I think, you know, I think
48:41
for me, global citizen is someone who is confident that
48:48
they don't know everything because our perception can reach
48:53
every aspect of the world. Like I can really understand
48:58
everything, you know, like personal have different view of
49:01
life. And I try my best to expand
49:05
that, like, area by expanding my aesthetic, you know, personal,
49:12
what I think is beautiful, but still, like, I can reach
49:14
everything. It's limited.
49:16
So I can really make, like, true judgment on anything.
49:19
So yeah. So I think it's like, great to
49:22
stay in questions, living in questions.
49:26
That's like my way of living as a global citizen.
49:30
And that's actually so important on stage and as an actor,
49:35
because people who are questioning is so interesting to
49:39
watch and then questioning what's right, what's wrong,
49:43
There's something that's kind of like impossible to reach some
49:46
stuff, yes. You know, if someone is hurting
49:49
a life, that's clearly bad for me.
49:52
Like, you know, dignity of life is so important for me.
49:56
So that's I have some like criteria, something that I say
50:00
like clearly, oh, this is great, this is right, this is wrong.
50:03
But, you know, it's not that simple in many situations.
50:08
And I want to stay in questions that in questions.
50:11
And I think, yeah, I want to be an actor who stay in questions
50:17
with I don't know, but I want to know.
50:20
And I struggle, but I don't want to give up.
50:24
That's beautiful. No, thank you so much for for
50:26
sharing the bigger picture as far as what, where your acting
50:29
career is, is going. And then also adding even more
50:34
nuance, right, in terms of like, what does being a global citizen
50:38
really entail? And you know, the, the, this
50:42
purpose of yours to like, really be an actor for peace, right?
50:47
Be an actor who embodies spirit of, of unity, despite probably
50:52
so many forces that are trying to like pull apart the, the
50:56
actor or you just as a person, right?
50:58
I mean, we're always being, you know, acted on by these, you
51:01
know, external pressures. But I think that that's a really
51:04
noble thing. Oftentimes people when they talk
51:07
about I want to become an actor, it's because they want the, the
51:10
fame, right? They want the, the, the money.
51:13
And I think that, you know, you're really, you've emphasized
51:16
your passion for the craft, right, of, of acting, but you're
51:21
also articulating with like equal passion, if not even more
51:26
the need to have a deeper purpose of like, well, through
51:29
my acting, what am I actually advancing towards?
51:33
And yeah, I, I think the, the last bit really feels like kind
51:39
of we're like coming full circle in terms of just, you know, how
51:42
you've from a very young age, always questioned, asked
51:46
questions, been curious. And, And so a lot of.
51:51
So it makes a lot of sense why that would play with a central
51:54
role in like your understanding of being a global citizen to
51:58
really continue to ask those questions and, and not give off
52:03
any kind of air that you have like figured everything out
52:06
already, right? Because you know, the person in
52:08
front of you or the character that's kind of right there for
52:11
you to like work on is a whole universe, right to explore and
52:16
to experiment with. So that's, that's really
52:19
beautiful. And thank you so much, Naomi.
52:21
I, we are kind of getting to the end of our, our, our
52:25
conversation. I wanted to ask one last
52:26
question and that is book or movie recommendation.
52:30
So what would you like to share to the listeners?
52:33
Yes. So my favorite movie is called
52:39
Perfect Days by the director Win wonders.
52:46
So the story is about I think this film though it's made by
52:52
German director, but the actor is Japanese and it's really like
52:59
a body Japanese aesthetic I like and also the beauty of my
53:03
country. And so the story is like this
53:07
guy who's works as a toilet cleaner for the like, public
53:12
bathroom is like how he lives life.
53:16
That's like the basic like story.
53:19
But you know, it's like great interesting topic.
53:21
But like just watching him, you know, my acting teacher told me
53:25
words. Words don't matter in acting.
53:29
And I really saw that in the film, like just watching him
53:33
like going to work, like cleaning the bathroom, like
53:37
looking at his eyes, posture, how he respect the job, how he
53:41
respect his life, how he like delicately treasure his life was
53:46
like so inspiring for me. And he gave me like I kind of
53:50
shifted how I live my life after watching the movie.
53:53
And then I wanted to share this movie because I think this
53:58
movie, I think he's such a great global citizen, though he's in
54:05
like Japan, you know, I wanted to empathize like global
54:08
citizens some not someone who is studying or living abroad or
54:14
travelling a lot like working for UN, you know, like I think
54:18
everyone can be global citizen whenever, wherever they are.
54:23
We face differences even while living in one country, you know,
54:26
like among friends and with and family.
54:29
And I think a global citizen is someone who appreciate and
54:32
respect what we have in life and in others and who stay in
54:36
questions and always trying to father along and understand
54:40
oneself, another's life and death.
54:42
So the main character, he would clean the toilet daily, like
54:47
goes to cut a tape shop every week quite often to buy new
54:50
music to listen to in his car on the way to work and like music
54:55
of the world, you know, And then he has a door to the art of the
54:59
world, which I felt was the key to his rich in the life, you
55:06
know, even as working as a toilet cleaner.
55:11
And I thought he was a great, I think how he recognized the
55:16
importance of his job for local people and for humanity.
55:19
And he's like proud of like how he contribute to that and like
55:23
loving his life was like so beautiful.
55:26
So I really recommend that film. I, I love the fact that you said
55:34
you watched it and then afterwards it, it shifted
55:37
something in your life and made you in a sense want to be a
55:40
better actor and better human being and a better global
55:44
citizen, right? And I think that's, it's really
55:47
powerful. And, and then the fact that it
55:50
also centers on the Japanese aesthetic and, and it's really
55:54
aligned with kind of what you're, you know, hoping to
55:57
convey and the roles that you play in future films that maybe
56:02
someone will be on a podcast years from now and say, oh, that
56:06
one film that Naomi was in really captured something and,
56:09
and made me want to be a better person.
56:11
I think that's such a wonderful way of paying it forward,
56:15
learning from, you know, really great actors right now and then
56:19
striving to be even greater. So, so, yeah.
56:22
So thank you so much, Naomi, for for sharing your perspective and
56:26
your your beautiful story. And, you know, really kind of
56:29
like showing how how engaged you are in the craft of acting.
56:33
But I think also having this longer term vision as far as
56:38
what, what purpose does this serve, especially given the
56:42
times that we're living in where everything seemingly is more
56:45
divided. You, you choose unity.
56:48
So I think that's really a beautiful way to to end this
56:50
conversation. But I wanted to give you the
56:52
last word. Any final thoughts or a send off
56:56
as we wrap up this conversation? Yeah, I'm so bad at speaking.
57:03
I'm not good at speaking. And I was like so nervous and
57:05
insecure about like, talking speaking.
57:07
Like it's something I get tense often, especially in public.
57:14
But like, deciding to talk to you today was like my one of my
57:17
battle to be a global citizen because I have to breakthrough
57:21
my inner fears. So I'm glad I did.
57:23
And then thank you so much for being so kind, being OK with who
57:29
I am. Thank you.