We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Juliette Cochet a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Juliette, thanks for joining us today. Can you talk to us about how you learned to do what you do?

Let’s start this straight: if you think somebody has it easy as an artist, they’re not. They’re just good at hiding the fact that they know nothing.

I know that I don’t have it all figured out. I know that I’m just at the beginning of my learning process even though I have been working on Acting every single day and night for the past two years. And I’m sure that in 50 years I will have even more questions than I do now.

But to answer the questions, I don’t know how I learn to do anything. I’m just observing people and when I like what they do, I’m taking inspirations. Or I’m listening to directions and trying to follow somebody’s vision. Or I’m just trying to act the worst way possible until I find something that seems interesting to me. I’m searching informations, answers to things that I don’t know. I’m watching a lot of movies, plays and TV shows. I’m writing a lot, imagining a whole new universe, and then I’m just having fun on stage.

I would not speed up any process at all. Everything happens at its own time, and I don’t believe in rushing things. I let the life take care of that.

I think the biggest obstacle standing in the way of learning are two things: 1) Thinking you know everything already. 2) Thinking you suck so bad that there’s nothing you can do about it. Those two are the killers for creativity and having an open mind. Then, the most essential skills to learning the craft of an actor, is just listening and observing. Put your energy outward, to the world around you, to other people instead of inward. And think that everyday is an occasion to learn a new thing. Everyday is a blank new page that you can fill with bunch of informations. And tomorrow will be a whole new blank page.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

My name is Juliette Cochet. I am a French actress located in New York for the past two years to study Acting and the Film Industry. Before coming to New York, I was already a passionate artist who would love taking pictures, dance, draw, and write.
I always wanted to be an actress, since I was a kid, so coming here was a dream come true. Everyday in New York I’m trying to go forward with my goal and to expand as many skills as possible. Therefore, primarily, acting has been my main obsession. I have worked in more than 50 short films, been on stage for plays, have tried multi-cameras acting, and I have acted in my own short film that I wrote and directed, called “The Impossible Read”.
However, in my time in the big Apple, I also tried modelling which is something that I really love! I have done shoots for the New York Fashion Week 2024, have tried some nice ideas with my cousins and friends here! It is a hobby that I’m really looking forward to expand even more!
I have also been the Vice President of the Theater Club created in my school, which is a role that has taught me Producing, Co-Leading, Organization, Editing, Marketing, Event Organizing, and so much more!

Do you think there is something that non-creatives might struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can shed some light?

As an actress, I believe that there’s a misconception about acting for people that are not in a creative industry, which is the idea that we’re “faking it”. That we’re “good liars”.

I have to say that I’m a terrible liar, everyone close to me can agree on that.

But when I’m acting, I don’t think I’m lying, quite the opposite. I think that acting is such a pure, honest form of communication. It’s raw, it’s intense, it’s dramatic, it’s mean sometimes or very unacceptable, but it’s true! It comes from a place of honesty in the character that we’re playing, so, even if it is not your truth as the actor, you still have to find a way to make it true when delivered.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

The thrill of creating something, and the pride of the result. For each creation, there’s always a result that can be captured and kept forever which I think is very beautiful. Even if it disappears from records, people will still remember how it touched them.

And that mental state that you’re in whenever you’re in a creative process is unmatchable. That flow. That feeling that the time is flying next to you but it feels so good, you never want to stop. That feeling is my addiction.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://linktr.ee/juliettecochet
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/juliettecochet/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/juliettecochet/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@juliettecochet

Image Credits

Pauline Cochet, Cameron Tavakoly, Fili Dominguez, Kaisar Maxutov, Manuel Zopiyaxtle, Emma Chiaverini.