We were lucky to catch up with Jesi Le Rae recently and have shared our conversation below.
Jesi, appreciate you joining us today. Can you talk to us about how you learned to do what you do?
When I first moved to Los Angeles in 2014, I was an untrained dancer. I specialized in freestyle but was able to pick up choreography quickly by watching other dancers break it down and asking questions for auditions. I’ve unsubscribed from “fake it til you make it”, and believe you should always learn more as you go. After achieving milestones through dance, I started taking movement photos which led me into the path of modeling. I was then introduced to commercial modeling, and I found a network that led me to acting. After exploring many outlets, I found ways to creatively produce shoots, and events specializing in movement, as a way to encompass all I’ve learned up until this point and offer opportunities for others. Knowing what I do now, I believe that actively finding community with empowering individuals will always speed up a learning process. I believe having confidence in self-worth, asking questions, trusting the path has a purpose, and being resilient are the most essential skills to have. Ego and impatience were obstacles that definitely stood in the way of learning more. Job scarcity is always on the table at any moment for the artist. I spent a lot of energy attaching my self-worth to financial stability. That consumption didn’t leave a lot of space to be inspired to learn more (quarantine gave a lot of reflection to grow from).
Jesi, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
For those that do not know me, my name is Jesi Le Rae. Actress, Dancer, Model, and Creative Producer committed to projects that align with my values. Some notable collaborations i’ve been proud to be apart of have been Amazon’s “Medusa Makes Friends” (Medusa), The Cover of Playboy (Speech Issue 2019) Stunts for Singer Rosalía (Motochella) as well as West World (HBO), and Directing a short horror film. My artistic journey began in 2012 as a hip hop and jazz dancer. In 2014, I began cultivating my career from San Diego to Los Angeles. Every phase since dance has seamlessly transitioned from one to the next. Modeling felt like a natural extension of dance movement. Through modeling, I was gifted a network of opportunities for representation within commercial and film. My mission and passion was to become a multifaceted performer capable of handling diverse roles. My ability to navigate and excel in multiple domains of the entertainment world has effectively helped me manage teams in this new venture of producing. What I am most proud of in this journey is my commitment to choosing projects that align with my values. I ensure my work is both meaningful and impactful in hopes to change the misconception of those that are “well-known” are the only collaborators worthy of respect.
What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?
My current goal is successfully producing in marketing/ advertisement, as well as tv/film. Through my experience as talent, I am inspired to change the industry from within. There are more stories worthy of telling in television and film. There is more diversity that can be expanded to reflect the world and our place in it. My goal is a leadership position in the industry that creates safe space for that influence. Change is driving my creative journey. There are always opportunities for expansion and I am determined to bring seamless collaborations that reflect the beauty of the world we live in.
Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can provide some insight – you never know who might benefit from the enlightenment.
Unpopular opinion, “we are not born to work and die.” I believe every person is creative. I believe everyone has a purpose and if you can think of something and bring it from thought to 3D space, you have created it. We create sentences and texts everyday. Men and Women create life. It is impossible to deny our creative abilities. Unfortunately, we are reduced to the value of money by society instead of our values or passions that live within us. I come from an immigrant family that did not understand the risk I made to choose this path over a corporate career. Most people will not understand the risk, but I think they do understand the fulfillment of the artist and most importantly, can feel empowered by it.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm9291294/
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/jesilerae
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OmNIXACILp8&list=PLIMwxT6qAn0dcvhwJDUE51-tYSiH0vw_6&index=10
Image Credits
Ssam Kim
Hungry Man Productions
RodeoRodeoRodeo
Jussy
Carlos Moscat