Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Natalie Jonah. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

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

It’s hard to pinpoint one particular moment where I got bit by “the bug” but I can certainly share the recipe. I grew up in a household that gave me quite a bit of freedom of choice at a young age. If I wanted to stay up and watch a movie like “Jaws” with the grown-ups, I was welcome to. When I developed an affection for “Ren & Stimpy,” my dad’s art students were given extra credit for recording it on tape for me. I could spend the afternoon playing make-believe in the protected woods behind my house as long as I was home by dinner. Then one year, we took a trip to Universal Studios in Orlando and we went through a special Alfred Hitchcock experience. The excitement of seeing how movies like his were made me want to be a part of this art form one day.

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.

I work in casting for television and film, and I am also a budding voiceover artist. When I made the jump from New York to Los Angeles, I fell into casting pretty quickly – starting with The Voicecaster in Burbank. I met many talented voice actors and had the chance to direct their auditions in the booth for many years. My first opportunity to work in television came knocking in late 2021 and up until the strikes happened two years later, I was on a roll working on projects like “#1 Happy Family USA,” “The Brothers Sun,” and “Presumed Innocent.” I’m proud that my first two shows happen to be two projects that will be groundbreaking for underrepresented cultures in entertainment, specifically the Middle Eastern and Asian communities. Since the strikes started, I’ve been able to focus on stepping into the voiceover booth as an actor for independent projects outside of the AMPTP and it’s been very exciting flexing those performance muscles again after years of being behind the scenes. You never know what you’re capable of until you step out of your comfort zone and try.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

My goal as a creative is to contribute to shows and films that really hit home for audiences in a personal way. The kind of stories that make you feel like you can escape after a long day of facing reality, or help you connect with your friends and family. Most importantly, I strive to tell stories that make audiences feel like they are truly understood – flaws and all. Stories that make audiences say, “I’ve been there and felt this before.” I also strive to ensure that every kind of person is truly represented in my casting work.

In your view, what can society to do to best support artists, creatives and a thriving creative ecosystem?

I think the greatest thing society can do to best support artists and creatives is to make an effort to shrink the class divide so that voices from all walks of life can be heard – not just the voices of the well-to-do, or the so-called “nepo-babies”. When I graduated from film school, most if not all internships and apprenticeships were unpaid, so there were many times when I had to forgo my opportunities to participate because I needed to work to pay my rent and tuition. It honestly felt like my socioeconomic status was directly affecting my potential for success and my proverbial foot in the door. Make all internships at least minimum wage, don’t ask for artists to do unpaid work, and value our contributions to the bigger picture, not to mention the economy.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://nataliehelenjonah.wordpress.com/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natalie-jonah-43945725/

Image Credits
Presumed: deadline.com, Happy Family: reddit.com, Brothers Sun: whats-on-netflix.com