Rising Stars: Meet Laura May

Today, we’d like to introduce you to Laura May.

Hi Laura, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I was raised in Singapore and have always been connected to the arts.

My dad was extremely talented and very artistic. He played several different musical instruments (all self-taught), he was a ballroom dancer, he would do magic shows and Christmas parties, and he would often be asked to be the master of ceremonies for weddings, company functions, you name it. He was an all-around entertainer.

The creative spirit has been a part of my DNA since I was really young, and I feel like I’m taking my dad’s creative spirit to the next level. I love story-telling and acting. I took part in story-telling competitions in school (often winning 1st prize) and would act, dance, and perform in shows whenever I got the opportunity to do so. I feel like I was always acting even before I knew that’s what I was doing. As a kid, I always made up scenarios in my head, and I acted it all out in my room, playing all the different characters.

When I was about to graduate college, I realized that I wanted to pursue entertainment as a career. Now, here I am in LA, part of the entertainment world, going through this complex and wonderful journey.

We all face challenges, but would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It has not been an easy journey. The entertainment industry is not for the faint of heart, but I am grateful and have grown so much from it all. Ultimately, You have to stay grounded and true to who you are in order to not let this business break you.

Being a woman of color who was raised in a different country, people sometimes have preconceived notions about how I should sound and act, and when I don’t fit their stereotype, they do not seem to know what to do with me. They try so hard to put me in a box, and I have no desire to appease their stereotypical ideals or to be put in a box, so I’ve lost out on representation and even jobs because of this. I do not regret it, though, because I am at peace when I stay true to who I am.

I’ve always been called rebellious and stubborn since I was a young girl. I’d like to think of it more as determined. I’m resilient and when I set my mind to something, it doesn’t matter how long it’s going to take me, I will make sure it happens.

I’ve come close to booking things that could have changed my life, and then crickets for months, I won’t have an audition. That whole process takes a toll on your mental psyche, but in the end, you get back up and you keep pushing. It’s the only way. I’ve found ways to keep my creative juices flowing by making my own projects and collaborating with my peers.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I’m an actress and a filmmaker. Acting has always been a huge passion for me since I was a little girl. I have a wild vivid imagination.

Over the years of pursuing acting in L.A., I started to get curious about directing. I’ve gotten the chance to work on film sets and television shows both in front of the camera and behind the scenes and to learn how all the pieces come together. I’ve gotten to watch directors and hang out in the “village” area on sets to watch the DP and the grips work their magic. Most times, people are gracious, and when they see you want to learn or that you are observing them, often if you have a good rapport with them, they’ll gladly let you observe and may even teach you a thing or two.

I have also been given the opportunity to step into leadership roles as well, and I love working with teams and group problem-solving. Teamwork is always fun with the right group of people who are willing to grow and learn. Leadership, to me, is about inspiring your team to step into their best self and to inspire them to go out and be great leaders. It is never about ego. It is not about being controlling and disrespectful.

In 2021, I directed my first short film, BAD SONG. (I wrote, produced, and starred in it as well). I want to do more directing. It gives me a different kind of adrenalin, and of course, I’ll never not love acting. Immersing myself in characters and coming alive, discovering parts of myself in every character I play, is so fulfilling.

I’ve also written and self-published a children’s book that’s on Amazon titled “Rudy Meets Penny The Dolphin”. It’s about friendship and acceptance. I’m working on turning into a hard over and I just got done writing my second children’s book.

Recently, I’ve gotten into voice-over as well and that’s been pretty fun, discovering a different creative side to another art form.

What sets me apart from others?

My background, my intuition, my thoughtfulness, and my ability to feel what someone is feeling or going through without them having to say much, I guess, my overall hypervigilance. My therapist says I’m hyper-vigilant a lot. *laughs* I get really proud when he says that.

I do wish there were more thoughtful and observant people around. Some people do not realize how privileged they are and fall short of showing up for those around them, especially their friends, and that sometimes is sad.

How do you think about luck?
With regard to business, I often do not know if luck is a word I would use for my journey thus far. I’d actually like some of Harry Styles’ luck. Haha! A massive Harry Styles fan here. Love him!

I feel like with regards to the business, it’s been a roller coaster for me, however the journey of it all has been essential to who I am today and how much it’s contributed to my growth as a human being and I’m still growing. I think I’m starting to feel momentum now that things feel like they are moving forward because of my experiences, growth and my understanding of the industry. At this point, the sky’s the limit.

In regards to luck and my life, the fact that I’m still here in Hollywood, staying resilient and going after the life and career I want, making my Hollywood pursuits a reality (I would fantasize about it as a kid) makes me feel lucky. I’m here for a reason because there were a few crucial things that happened that could have changed the trajectory of my life and me not being here, one of them being my dad being diagnosed with a brain tumor and eventually passing away after about 10 months after his diagnosis.

I wasn’t sure what my future was going to be like, especially because I had to go back home and be with my family. Things ultimately worked out and aligned for me to be able to keep pursuing my entertainment career, and I feel lucky for it and am so grateful.

A feature film I am in is coming out soon so I’m looking forward to that and I have a few projects bubbling in the works which I hope goes smoothly and will turn into life changing career moments because I’m ready and IT IS MY TURN. 🙂

Contact Info:

• Website: https://linktr.ee/laurajulianemay
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/laurajulianemay
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/laurajulianemay