We recently had the chance to connect with XIANGZI/ZORA XU and have shared our conversation below.
XIANGZI/ZORA, we’re thrilled to have you with us today. Before we jump into your intro and the heart of the interview, let’s start with a bit of an ice breaker: What is something outside of work that is bringing you joy lately?
Lately, a big source of joy in my life has been my cats. I recently adopted three more, so now I’m living with five in total. Each of them has a completely different personality, and spending time with them has been both comforting and entertaining. Taking care of them and watching them interact has really brightened my days outside of work.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Hi, I’m Xiangzi “Zora” Xu.
I’m a second-year MFA Animation student at UCLA, and I work at the intersection of storytelling, visual design, and production. My background spans independent animated filmmaking, graphic design, and collaborative studio work. During my first year of grad school, I created a short animated film on my own that went on to screen at eight festivals, which really shaped my approach to both creativity and production management.
Right now, I’m involved in several projects—from designing visuals for campus events to developing new animated pieces that explore everyday life with humor and emotion. What makes my work unique is that I love blending personal storytelling with playful visual styles, and I’m very comfortable moving between independent creation and team collaboration.
Outside of work and school, I live with five cats (I adopted three recently), and they keep my life chaotic in the best way.
Amazing, so let’s take a moment to go back in time. What’s a moment that really shaped how you see the world?
A moment that really shaped how I see the world was when I finally achieved what I thought was my “life goal.” I had gone through so much effort and stress to get there, and when I finally did, I realized that my happiness was very brief. My life didn’t actually change, and all of my worries and joys stayed more or less the same.
That moment made me realize that life has a much higher tolerance for “mistakes” than I thought. I don’t have to treat every goal like it will define or destroy me. I can live more boldly, and not reaching a certain milestone won’t “ruin” me.
What did suffering teach you that success never could?
I don’t really like the idea of treating suffering as something that builds character or deserves praise. To me, suffering is just suffering. The people who overcome it are the ones we see, and the people who don’t are forgotten—that’s survivor’s bias. People glorify hardship mostly because they can’t avoid it.
So if there’s anything suffering has taught me, it’s this: don’t romanticize suffering.
Next, maybe we can discuss some of your foundational philosophies and views? Is the public version of you the real you?
I think the public version of me is real—but it’s only a part of who I am. People can’t understand my whole self just from brief interactions, and even more so when they only see a few minutes of me online. But I always try to stay genuine. Even if only 1% of me is visible to others, I still hope that by being sincere, I can meet sincerity in return.
Thank you so much for all of your openness so far. Maybe we can close with a future oriented question. If you knew you had 10 years left, what would you stop doing immediately?
Oh my gosh, I would immediately stop saving money.
If I only had 10 years left, that would be amazing—I wouldn’t have to worry about retirement anymore!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://zoraxu.com/
- Instagram: zora_xxz
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@xuxiangzi1998
