We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Jingyi “luna” Peng. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Jingyi “Luna” below.

Alright, Jingyi “Luna” thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Are you happier as a creative? Do you sometimes think about what it would be like to just have a regular job? Can you talk to us about how you think through these emotions?

I am really happy as an artist but I do sometimes (a lot of times actually) thinking about having a regular job. I once talked about the idea of getting a regular job instead of being a full-time actor after graduation with one of my professor and her response inspired me a lot. I was joking about going after for a regular job as a “back up plan”, and she told me not to think about it like that; Instead, think of it as a kind of expanding, that these two things are not necessarily contradicting to each other, and I realized that’s so true! Being an artist does not mean that I couldn’t have a regular job; Instead, making art without feeling the need to use it proving my artistic value or profiting from it would be a lot freer when it comes to the creative process. And that’s my mindset now!

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

I’m an international actor and playwright based in New York and Beijing, and my works focus on identity in multicultural context with specific interests in language, spectatorship, and exploration of the form of theater. As an actor, my recent work includes the original Chinese off-broadway play Femme 9 19 at AMT Theater, and a bilingual production Anti-Gone 俺抬杠？！which will be performed this March at A.R.T./New York Theater. Currently, besides being in the rehearsal process of Anti-Gone, I’m also working on my own bilingual play She Said F*ck That’s a Pretty Giant Deep Ocean (which might be produced this spring!), focusing on identity struggle and reconciliation. You can find more of my work in my writing archive Umaygonowhere.com, and follow @lunaaa___p on Instagram!

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

It gives you the opportunity to live your life more truthfully to yourself.

Have any books or other resources had a big impact on you?

Disidentification: Queers of Color and the Performance of Politics by José Esteban Muñoz – it changes me a lot in terms of thinking of my identity and living as a person who is not necessarily one of the most privileged group of people.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://Umaygonowhere.com
• Instagram: lunaaa___p

Image Credits

Bochen Du