We recently connected with Anya Zhang and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Anya thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Did you always know you wanted to pursue a creative or artistic career? When did you first know?

I have always known I love art-related things. I love the stage, I love performing, and I love attention, which, in a way, is quite peculiar for an introvert. Throughout most of my life art has just been a hobby. But I guess when you like something for most of your life, and you never stop thinking about it, it might be that you really want it. When I graduated from graduate school, I knew for a fact that the major I studied was not entirely what I wanted. Then I saw Stella Adler Studio of Acting was opening their admission for a 1.5-year conservatory, and I decided to try it out. I told myself if I could not get past the audition then I’ll just give up my illusion of acting. But I got in, so I thought: maybe, I’ll make this work. And the truth is, this conservatory changed my life. It changed how I view myself. In those 18 months, everyone I’ve known has told me that they have never seen me so happy. And I was completely happy, perhaps for the first time in my life. I feel alive as myself and I feel comfortable in my own body. And once I’ve tasted that true passion, I don’t think I can ever go back to hiding away who I am and what I love. And so, I will continue my life as an artist, and a happy one.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

My full stage name is Anya-Violette Zhang, I usually go by just Anya. I am a non-binary multilingual actor, model and artist based in New York City and New Jersey. Right now I am freelancing. For most of my career, I focus on acting for both theater and screen, as well as modeling for commercials. Starting in 2024, I will also focus on developing stories and characters of my own in part-time, including making more illustrations and actually writing my own fantasy novels. I want to start developing my own artistic brand and share my idea for art along with my creations to the world.

Right now I am producing my first play in NYC, which is a multilingual adaptation of Anton Chekhov’s The Cherry Orchard. The cast will feature many talented international actors who are working to stay in the US, like myself. There will be 8 different languages spoken on stage, and we hope, through this play about home, we can bring a sense of home to all the communities in this diverse city, while we integrate our own cultural background into this timeless classic. We will be performing at Under St Marks Theater in East Village in January 20-27. I’m really excited to let the world to see my work!

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

I think one of the most rewarding aspects of being an artist is seeing my works resonate with someone, and knowing that there are people who actually see things the way I do. I liked to tell stories as a kid, and most of the stories I told were made up by myself, drawing inspiration from all sorts of things from everyday objects to the deepest secrets of the universe. I also liked creating things, through words, images, or performances. For someone who has a mind full of racing thoughts, creation is a physical need to me, like breathing. All of my works are pieces of me existing outside of my physical body. I put them out there, like a lonely whale singing into the vast water, waiting to hear some kind of response. And the introvert I am, my creations are my ways of making connections with the world. Therefore there’s nothing more encouraging than to hear other people who find my work meaningful. Seeing there are others who think like me, and see things like me, is almost comforting. And this is what I hope my art could do, to connect people through this medium, to let people alike find each other in this world. And seeing the connections woven into a net embracing those people, I think, would be one of the most rewarding things I could think of.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

One lesson I had to unlearn is being modest, because modesty is not always helpful, especially in the artistic field. In the East Asian culture, modesty is a virtue, and I was raised hearing everyone around me tell me that pride is harmful. But as I entered the artistic field, after overcoming countless bottlenecks, I realized that if I don’t believe in what I am capable of, no one else will believe in me. This is the work that I have to do by myself, and telling myself I am not good enough is not helping, because there will always be someone who’s much more gifted than I am. The creative business is a brutal world where excellence is a requirement, and there will always be someone who’s much more gifted than I am as well as someone telling me that my work is awful. It is a business that you need to constantly sell yourself out by telling people how good you are. At first, I was not comfortable telling people how good I was, because I didn’t think I was good. But looking back at the things I have achieved, I realized that I have actually made a lot of my dreams come true with my own hard work. And there’s nothing wrong with me taking pride of my achievements. I have done all of that, showing I have the potential to achieve more, and that gave me the strength to continue my journey even when I am alone.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.backstage.com/u/zichen-zhang/
• Instagram: @aosakitarou
• Other: https://www.frigid.nyc/event/6897:577/

Image Credits
Edwin Chavez, Galia Mengge Qin, Grace Wang,