Meet Eva Coriander Liu

Today we’d like to introduce you to Eva Coriander Liu.

Hi Eva Coriander, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I come from China and arrived in the United States in January 2020, when I was 24 years old. I arrived just as the COVID pandemic began. My boyfriend’s name is Eric, and we met in China in 2018. At that time, he was an English teacher, and I was a Chinese teacher at a training institution (the education and training industry has been discontinued in China due to the policy). In 2019, Eric wanted to return to the US, so I applied for UCLA Extension’s certificate program in order to come with him. Initially, I chose the “International Trade and Commerce” major to improve my job prospects, but I later changed it to “Acting” when I enrolled, as I thought it would be fun.

Indeed, it has been interesting, even though my English was poor and I had no acting experience, I struggled but improved over time. I began to understand what is acting and started to have fun with it.

However, finding work has been a persistent challenge, and I still don’t have an agent. I’ve acted in Chinese theater groups, both on stage as an actress and as support backstage. I’ve had bit roles in various short films and played a background character in a Babylon scene. I’ve also portrayed a plaintiff in a courtroom drama…

The path of an actress is tougher than I imagined; making a living from it is difficult. I don’t have familial support; I grew up in rural China, where my parents worked in other provinces, making me a left-behind child, cared for by my grandparents in rotation. My family is very poor. So, during my time in the US, I’ve had to work multiple jobs to cover my expenses.

Due to the pandemic, many courses shifted to online. So, I got my green card by marrying Eric (the love of my life), which allows me to complete my education within five years. This gave me some flexibility, and now I only have one documentary course left to finish my studies.

My career path has now shifted back to education, and I’ve decided to put my acting dreams on hold. I see it as a conflict between life and dreams, where my need to make a living outweighs my dream chasing. I have years of teaching and childcare experience, and I enjoy spending time with kids; therefore, I want to start a daycare center.

Wanting to become an actress stemmed from my desire to express myself, my creativity, and a wealth of stories to tell. Yet, there’s more than one way to fulfill these desires beyond acting. Currently, I’m writing stories and planning to make a short documentary about environmental pollution in China.

I believe my story is that of someone who chose to “give up” among the countless dreamers in Los Angeles. However, I don’t see it as giving up. When you’re certain about who you are and where you eventually want to go, then you change your path midway and decide to explore other scenery, that’s perfectly fine.

Life is vast and long, and I want to go at my own pace and enjoy the ride.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
This is not a smooth path. Being an actress feels like a dream – who wouldn’t want to be the one shining brightly and catching everyone’s attention? I love movies; during my lonely childhood, they were my solace. I’ve probably watched over two thousand films. Many good stories and actors provided me with companionship, education, and inspiration, which made me want to become a dream-maker myself.

However, at the same time, I love children and psychology. Education and taking care of kids are my strengths, my areas of expertise, and they give me a sense of accomplishment. There’s nothing quite like the feeling of knowing you’ve positively impacted someone’s life.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I’ve always been interested in psychology, so I share psychological knowledge on social media. Now, I have over three thousand followers. While the number isn’t large, I frequently have people come and tell me they’ve been touched and inspired. I believe this is a meaningful thing I’m doing.

The crisis has affected us all in different ways. How has it affected you and any important lessons or epiphanies you can share with us?
Be with the people and things you love more often. Like your partner, family, nature, and your hobbies. Because life is unpredictable, express your love when you can.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://instagram.com/evacorianderliu?igshid=MmIzYWVlNDQ5Yg==