Today we’d like to introduce you to Lydia Li.
So, before we jump into specific questions, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
For me, it all started with Jack Sparrow. I still remember the thrill I felt when I saw Pirates of the Caribbean for the first time. I simply had never seen anything like that at that time. The world on the screen was so fun and exciting, and I desperately wanted to be part of that world. After contemplating about the possibility and safety of being a pirate, I decided that acting was a better alternative. Since then, Hollywood has been my goal.
At age 17, I move to LA to attend University of Southern California, pursuing acting and film. In college, I was an associate producer of Trojan Vision, and a cast of the sketch comedy show USC Comedy Live. I also took a stand-up class and performed at Westside Comedy Club in Santa Monica.
During my last semester at USC, I was casted as the lead in a FSU MFA thesis film – “Nini’s Nanny”. I played the titular character Xiao Hong, a Chinese girl who came to the states to work as a nanny in order to help her family in China. It was my first time acting in a film, and I learned so much from working on a professional set.
A few months after I graduated, I booked my first feature film as the leading lady in the movie “El App,” We filmed in the world-class Pinewood Studio in Dominican Republic, next to the Caribbean Sea. I’m surprised that life actually brought me to the place that I dreamed of since day one. “El App” will be released later this year, and I can’t wait for the exciting things to come!
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Honestly, despite all the anxiety and struggles along the way, I still consider myself very lucky.
2019 was a really transformative year for me, mostly due to college graduation. Like most seniors, I was desperate to secure a job/career after college, and at the same time being an international student meant I had an addition set of rules and tons of paperwork on top of that. During the filming of my first short, it was extremely difficult to handle my schedule between filming and school. There was a time that I thought I wouldn’t graduate on time, but eventually I managed to do that with an internship.
My first big audition out of college was for a featured role in a big network show. The audition went really well and the director promoted me to a bigger role. I was over the moon thinking that I was the luckiest girl ever. Then when we started signing the contract, I was told that they wouldn’t accept my work visa. I was so devastated I thought I’d never work again. But I told myself I wouldn’t be defeated like that, and a week later, I booked my first feature film.
I also had a good support system – all my friends and family believed in me, and they all encouraged me through difficult times. Looking back now, 2019 was definitely a year of progress – I graduated, I worked, and I started a new chapter of my life. So now I can overlook the struggles and see what really matters,
We’d love to hear more about your work and what you are currently focused on. What else should we know?
Lydia Li is a rising Chinese actress in Hollywood. Fluent in both Mandarin and English, Lydia is known for her natural acting in both languages. She earned a BA in theatre acting at USC School of Dramatic Arts, where she was trained in acting, dialects, movements, standup comedy, etc. She is making her feature film debut as the female lead in “El App,” which is going to be released later this year.
Being a Chinese actor in Hollywood, Lydia has worked with filmmakers from all around the world. She hopes to bridge the best of Chinese and Western cinema together.
What were you like growing up?
Growing up, I’ve always been a member of the school choir. We performed at many places including the city music hall. Being in a choir gave me my first experiences of on-stage performance, and it taught me the discipline and hard work behind the glamour. I’ve also been a member of the school broadcast station, where we needed to produce and generate content to broadcast for the entire school. It was kind of nerve-wracking in the first place thinking everyone could hear my voice, but as I got used to it, I felt empowered that I could influence people using my voice. I also started sketching and painting at a young age. Being able to create art on a canvas gave me immense satisfaction. During my early teen years, I would spend all my summertime in art studios, painting away. I enjoyed working on my craft and seeing the pieces come together.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://lydialicc.wixsite.com/website-1
- Email: lydialicc@gmail.com
- Instagram: @lydia.li_
- Facebook: @lydialiacting
- Other: imdb.me/lydiali
Image Credit:
K&A Headshots, Effy Feng
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