Portraits of Hollywood

It’s more important to understand someone than to judge them. We think the first step to understanding someone is asking them the fundamental questions about who they are and how they became the person they are today. Understanding and empathy are essential building blocks for a better, more compassionate world. We’re incredibly fortunate to be able to ask these questions each week through our interview series. Below you’ll find inspiring interviews from in and around Hollywood.

NAZELI VIRABYAN

I couldn’t have reached this milestone without unwavering support of my husband Mark, my District 22 Manager Marta, Business consultant Golsa and Life Insurance specialist Carla. I am thankful to my brother Gagik, my family and friends for their continuous support, to all my clients for their trust and to all my followers for their kind words and encouragement. LET THERE BE INSURANCE with Virabyan Insurance Agency!!! Read more>>

Ed Gage

As a musician I’ve collaborated, recorded, and/or performed with current and former members of renowned international acts, including Anthrax, W.A.S.P., Yngwie Malmsteen, Lita Ford, Grim Reaper, Raven, Vicious Rumors, Chastain, and Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame Inductee, Melle Mel. As a martial artist, I’m currently training in Tae Kwon Do and I hold a first-degree black belt in the discipline. I’ve has also explored various other forms of martial arts and have had the opportunity to train with iconic figures such as Benny ‘The Jet’ Urquidez, Don ‘The Dragon’ Wilson, Leo Fong, and more. I’m very proud of everything I’ve done big or small. I think what sets me apart from everyone else is that I’m a go-getter and I aim big, I try not to settle for anything less. The sky is the limit. Read more>>

Lauren Lux

I was in and out of salons in Chicago, never really finding a place I wanted to settle, and always had visions of a bigger dream waiting for me on the West Coast. I fell in love with LA the first day I came to visit, and knew in my heart, that one day I was going to move my career there and make it my home. After my big move, I was welcomed into a busy and well known salon named Daniel Alfonso Men’s Salon. Here I was able to build my clientele back from the ground up very fast! I’ve met so many amazing people and clients in a short amount of time, that I accomplished so much in just only 4 years. But I know this is just the beginning. I am passionate about what I do, and am always ready to keep taking it to the next level! Read more>>

Natalie Polisson

I ended up going to Indiana University on a partial music scholarship and originally chose to study business for the arts—“because it was the smart thing to do”. But one of the requirements was acting classes, and I absolutely fell in love. The process of exploring a character, storytelling, breaking down a scene, getting into the psychology of it all—it felt like home. Eventually, I realized I was lying to myself, so I transferred to the University of South Dakota and joined their musical theatre program. Read more>>

Hannah Be

My name is Hannah Be. I’m a the hautest creative director and celebrity stylist coming straight out of the city of Sacramento—also known as the Capital of California. I’m the founder and celebrity stylist behind Retrospect-Vintage Fashion, and my style is rooted in vintage storytelling. It’s about taking old pieces and breathing new life into them, curating looks that merge the past with right now. Read more>>

Bozhidar Krastev

I still remember the first time I stood on stage and how suddenly, it felt like I was finally allowed to exist. Fully. Freely. I felt alive. I felt like I had a purpose. I was incredibly lucky to be mentored by two of the best actors in my town—Stoyan Sardanov and Ivan Papazova. They believed in me, even when I didn’t believe in myself. They gave me wings, and more importantly, they showed me how to use them. The rehearsals were long, sometimes exhausting, but when summer came and we finally got to share our work—the plays we had poured our hearts into for months—everything clicked into place. Read more>>

Dylan Emmet

The music business is tough, plain and simple. It’s hard enough to get a song cut with an artist, let alone figure out how to make a sustainable living doing it. Having to leave LA unexpectedly was a huge shift for me, and there have been many points in my career where navigating the next step felt really unclear. On top of that, the industry is constantly evolving—the business model seems to change every few years. I’ve seen so many friends, including myself, have to reinvent our careers again and again. Whether it was the impact of COVID or the rise of TikTok reshaping how music is discovered, there’s always something new to adapt to. So no, it hasn’t been a smooth road. But I genuinely love what I do, and that love keeps me going. For me, making music is worth the fight. Read more>>

Brad Bailey

Still, I found myself wanting to go deeper — to create space where people could speak fully, not just be quoted. That desire led me to Columbia University, where I earned a Master’s in Oral History. It was there I became interested in memory, testimony, and the ethics of representation. Oral history didn’t just change the way I listened — it transformed how I told stories. It also inspired me to begin “Her Fight, His Name: The Story of Gwen Carr and Eric Garner”, a documentary rooted in the voice and vision of Gwen Carr, the mother of Eric Garner. Read more>>

Tiago Raimundo

I come from a family that owns shipyards, and since I was a child, I grew up seeing how everything was designed and sculpted inside a boat, in addition to the entire exterior design, which is not only aesthetic but also functional. This early exposure naturally led me to pursue a degree in engineering. However, it was through working with superyachts that I truly developed a deeper appreciation for design excellence. These vessels introduced me to a world where luxury is defined by subtlety, and where the choice of materials and the harmony of form and function elevate engineering to an art. Read more>>

Nikai Mitchell

Fast forward to now and 2025 has been the most transformative year for me as a person and artist. I have booked my first role as a lead in a feature film, and finding my voice as an artist and letting go was one of the biggest steps into finding my creative freedom. I had to surrender to looking “dumb” or all these other restrictive voices that I spoke to myself or echoed through me from others throughout the years. I accepted that being me is any and everything I always needed. It sounds so cliche, but willing to be a vessel instead of the source allowed me to be. My faith and art are what tether me to this world. Neither are a linear journey, but all the struggles and redirections have led me to living my dream. It’s the first of many which is so exciting, but being in touch with who I am as a creative will always be what feeds my soul and that will never be attached to a role or gig or screenplay. Read more>>

Cassandra Ruiz

I was fortunate to film a feature during the strikes, but by the end of 2023, work had nearly disappeared. I had to adjust and adapt, which eventually led me to YouTube. My passion for writing, directing music videos, short films, and features still drives me, and I continue to take on creative projects on the side, even when there’s no money involved. Read more>>

Justin Jones

Some of my earliest “performances” were solo productions in my family home — turning my mom’s boots into Lara Croft gear and showing off my Lara Croft “drag” performance much to my mom’s embarrassment, giving action figures full-on story arcs, and auditioning as pirates and princes in elementary school plays. I was painting, modeling by age 16 in Fairfield, CA (I’m a California boy through and through). When I wasn’t doing creative pursuits, I stayed in playing video games (loved Final Fantasy growing up and singing the video game songs!) Read more>>

Claudia

Every person brings wisdom to the table if you’re willing to listen. Now based in Los Angeles, I’ve built a multidimensional career as a saxophonist, composer for film and media, music producer, educator, and entrepreneur. I’ve performed and collaborated with artists such as Greg Phillinganes, Tia Fuller, Paquito D’Rivera, Berta Rojas, Eva Ayllón, Diego Torres, and El Gran Combo, and I’ve had the honor of opening for legends like Juan Luis Guerra.
In everything I do—whether it’s composing a score, leading a band, or producing a community-centered project—my mission is the same: to create opportunities, visibility, and representation for underrepresented voices, especially women, Latinx, and queer artists. Read more>>

Blu Jay And The Lovebombs

I was born and raised in Los Angeles in a multicultural household—my mom is from Brazil, and my dad grew up in NYC. I’ve always felt that LA’s creativity and the incredible talent in this city make it such a special place. I’ve always been incredible passionate about the arts. I started singing and playing guitar when I was 8, and it didn’t take long for me to fall in love with songwriting. I also grew up in theater and have been acting since I was young, which has played a big role in shaping my artistry. Read more>>

Anthony Sturmas

After high school, I was accepted into Art Center, where I studied advanced illustration under Marc Stricland. Following my time there, I dedicated a decade to honing my craft, as the cost of tuition was comparable to purchasing a home, a reality that remains unchanged today. During this period, I delved into comic books and studied renowned artists like Robert Williams and Jack Kirby, which significantly shaped my artistic identity. I focused on mastering inking techniques, understanding that the finesse of illustration lies in the wrist. This exploration eventually sparked my interest in filmmaking, particularly in the art of storyboarding, marking a new chapter in my professional journey. Read more>>

Allar Haltsonen

In 2021, I dived into generative AI and haven’t looked back. Now, I focus on creating AI-driven visuals, mainly in fashion and automotive. I share my work daily on X, Instagram, and LinkedIn, always experimenting, pushing new ideas, and seeing where AI can take visual storytelling. I’ve also built a digital product for Midjourney users to help others explore AI-generated art. Read more>>

Tanner Smith

My obsession with music can be a bit unhealthy at times. I’d go on to say that life as an artist isn’t just dealing with creative blocks but also mental ones. The thought of “Is this really what I am supposed to do” or “maybe I should give up and do something else” or “I suck, this song is horrible” have entered my head for sure. But that’s the problem with it I’d say. Being more concerned with making it into a career that I’d often forget how to just enjoy it and create it just for me. And not taking things to personally too of course. Creating for yourself first helps you connect with other people who listen to your music later anyways! It’s actually through the struggles that I am learning more about myself and becoming more solidified as a person and an artist. Read more>>

Scoli Bone

I didn’t know there were any smooth roads in Los Angeles haha. Life has highs and lows, in my case there have been extreme highs and treacherous lows. At one point, I was living in a five bedroom house with a pool on top of Mount Washington, at another point I was living in a car with my dog, but throughout this venture, the one constant has always been music, whether listening or writing, music has always been an outlet for me to express myself in ways I struggle to do so in conversation Read more>>

Haris Boikos

I’ve been lucky in two big ways. First, my family has always supported me from day one. That created a calm, encouraging environment where I could really focus on my goals. Second, the tattoo studio where I began—Saketattoocrew in Athens—was an amazing place, filled with incredibly talented artists. They were generous with their knowledge and helped me grasp the deeper layers of tattooing early on. Read more>>

Angora Borealis

Burlesque was not on my radar, but I started seeing it now and then, including at Viva Las Vegas, a festival I’d attended for years. One day I came home and put Google to work and found a burlesque dance class and showed up. Around 2016 I visited the Burlesque Hall of Fame when it was still in downtown Vegas. The exhibit with its timeline and history resonated with me. Read more>>

Sam Milgrom

That little shop evolved into something much bigger. After learning the art of custom framing, I moved the gallery to a larger space on the Sunset Strip near Guitar Center. Over the past two decades, we have moved twice into increasingly larger spaces. Now we are expanding once again, growing our gallery to include a dedicated exhibition space and a music bookstore to share our love of music with others. Read more>>

Andy Sinclair

While I understood the artistic aspects of customizing, I had absolutely no background in watch engineering, so it was a steep learning curve taking apart that first watch. Diving down rabbit holes, watching online videos and chatting with veteran watchmakers, I began to build up the set of skills I needed. With practice, trial and a lot of error, I found myself becoming confident in the tasks that I once doubted. Read more>>

Christine Gengaro

A full-time college teaching job was the dream, so I decided to stay and make LA my permanent home. This was, of course, somewhat distressing to my Italian-American family back in New York, but we’ve made it work through regular visits (me back to NY, mostly) and weekly chats. I lived near LACC in East Hollywood for most of the years I’ve been out here, but moved out to Boyle Heights during the pandemic. Read more>>