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Vents caught up with Leia Yan to chat about her short film, ‘Before We Leave’
Hey Leia! Welcome to VENTS. Thanks for taking the time to chat with us. Before we dig deep, tell us a bit about yourself.
Hello. My name is Leia Yan. I was born in China and spent my teens in Michigan. My first acting experience was in a stage adaptation of Jane Austin’s Pride and Prejudice in middle school, from there I started to immerse myself in years of musical theater performances. I moved to Los Angeles to study at a conservatory acting school, where I had the chance to take on roles like Madge in William Inge’s Picnic on stage. During my time in the program, I developed a stronger, more disciplined approach to my work. Currently based in Los Angeles, I seek out dynamic roles that push me to grow and expand my artistic range. Embracing both the intimacy of camera work and spontaneity of the stage. To me, acting is not just a profession, but a lifelong excavation of human identity and cultural intersections.
With so much noise in entertainment, what sets you apart from other actors?
Other than my cultural backgrounds, I would say that being a professional dancer for over a decade has given me a special physical vocabulary to access. But at the end of the day, my job is not to stand out, I just want to do my best to serve what the story needs.
What accents and dialects can you do?
I always have fun doing all kinds of accents and dialects. But the one I’m most confident in would be RP British, thanks to my life long obsession with BBC documentaries. Southern American is also in the toolkit.
What is your creative process when preparing for an audition?
I enjoy digging into the role’s unwritten history. For example, personal life, little habits, relationships etc. Music, movement, and borrowed visuals like paintings also help me build the character. But I always feel like there is more to do at the end of the process, it’s never enough, there is always more I can do.
Tell us about the project ‘Before We Leave’
This short film follows a group of friends who reunite after years being apart(specifically for two characters). We filmed at a beautiful beach house near Malibu. I play Mika, she is a confident individual and a fiercely protective and supportive friend. It is a compelling story about romance, friendship, love and reconnection.
Which actors / directors would you like to collaborate with in future?
Some of the directors I have always admired include Ang Lee, James Cameron, Denis Villeneuve and David Cronenberg. I would love to learn from/work alongside Kathy Bates, Ellen Burstyn, Gong Li, Tilda Swinton, or Viola Davis one day. I hold so much admiration for these people. They’ve influenced my attitude towards my craft tremendously.
Are you passionate about any charitable organizations?
Yes. I always pay close attention to animal rescue/ environmental justice. Since elementary school I have spent time volunteering in retiring homes, and I cherish those opportunities. I am not as involved with specific organizations as I would like to be currently, but I hope I will be able to in the future.
Wow! Leia, how can people keep up with you?
Most of my work can be found on IMDb.
