Today we’d like to introduce you to Diana Atai
Diana, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I moved to Los Angeles from St. Louis back in 2010. I didn’t necessarily move here for acting. It was more so to start a new chapter after losing a parent who was sick for a very long time. Los Angeles is a creative hub so I naturally fell into several creative circles. Being here allowed me to heal. I found acting to be a great outlet. I wasn’t prepared for the amount of rejection I’d receive. When you audition you completely make yourself vulnerable by showing your emotions to a group of strangers. Hearing no, you didn’t get the part wasn’t easy at first. I had to learn to find value in my own experience of preparing for the audition. I also started to view the actual audition as an opportunity to perform. Looking at the audition process as a win has made acting so much more enjoyable and fulfilling for me. On a personal level, it taught me as a human being that the only validation I need is from myself. So I truly appreciate the experiences that I’ve had and I love being an actor. No simply means not right now.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
It hasn’t been a smooth road. Again, rejection is 98% of my experience as an actor. I also had to find a balance between work and dreaming. LA is a pricy city. If you aren’t careful one missed check can lead to homelessness and instability. As you can imagine, while mourning someone you need stability and to feel safe. That was my great challenge for the first few years. Finding balance.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
In addition to acting, I truly love writing, directing, and producing. More opportunities came to me once I started to create and perform original material. By shifting my focus to telling truthful stories I believe I had a breakthrough artistically so that is something I plan to continue with. I do have a production company. The plan eventually is to produce more projects such as films, web series, and podcasts. They won’t necessarily be just for myself but to support other artists too. These are plans though. Right now I’m focused more on writing and of course, nailing my auditions. I’m mostly proud of myself for staying strong and consistently challenging myself to improve as an artist in this pretty inconsistent industry.
We all have a different way of looking at and defining success. How do you define success?
Success is accomplishing your goals or taking steps to reach them. It’s easy to say “Hey, I have an idea.” I think many people get lost in the commitment to seeing their ideas through to fruition. Success is seeing the fruit of your hard work.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.dianaatai.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_dianaatai
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/diana.la.emuge
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@dianaatai7782
