Today we’d like to introduce you to Lily Naz.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
A wise man once told me that you choose this life. I choose my parents, I choose my brother and I choose my circumstance. That might be a hard pill to swallow depending on your circumstance, but it might also put you at ease to think, “Well, if I chose this life, then I must have chosen it for a reason.”
That being said, I grew up with an awesome brother -aka my best friend, my Dr. Phil – I always ran to him for advice about life and how to deal with my parents. My parents. I absolutely love them. They sacrifice so much for us and suffocate you with all their love, yet they are insanely critical, expecting nothing short of excellence from their children. Their weapon of choice – guilt. Most people with foreign parents can empathize, especially Iranian Americans. Persian moms are guilt ninjas. Their intensity and strictness come from wanting their children to build a good secure life. In the end, they want the best for us, even if they have unconventional ways of showing it. But, for them, we are the report cards to our parents’ life. Let me tell you how well they did.
Their son is a well-respected Plastic Surgeon currently training in Craniofacial Surgery. He is married to a Neonatologist. They have a beautiful baby girl named Vida, which is fitting as she gives our family so much life. So far, so great, parents! Right? But, wait!
Then, there is me.
I am an actor! Every parent’s worst nightmare. Even for American parents. (Probably.) For Iranians, you are either a doctor, lawyer or at worst an engineer. But growing up, I was obsessed with movies. My best friend and I would watch our favorite movies repeatedly and then act them out. Believe me, I tried to be the poster child for my parents, studying pre-med in college and almost applied for med school but I was not happy. I have always loved learning and acquiring new skills, and settling on just one career seemed insane. That is why I love acting so much. I get to portray all types of occupations and people. Researching for a role is way more fun than sitting in the library all day cramming for a biology midterm.
Ultimately, instead of med school, I majored in biology with a minor in journalism/strategic communications and psychology. Continuing with a focus for helping others, I sought a master’s degree in public health. I found an opportunity to finish my degree out of state. I wanted to get away from my hometown in Missouri and ended up in Atlanta at a summer internship with the Environmental Science Department studying mosquito-borne diseases. In my first couple of weeks, my lab manager and I were talking about my passion for film. She mentioned that the film industry was exploding here in Atlanta and encouraged me to try extra work. That night, I researched how I could get on set and the next day I was on set. I was so intrigued by how movie magic worked, which leads me to where I am today. I have been working in the industry ever since. I understand now why I chose my parents. They push me to be the best and, in a way, their initial resistance to my career change helped confirm that I made the right decision to become an actor, because my desire was stronger than their resistance. Seeing that, they have supported me with all their love (well, maybe a little guilt). They wouldn’t be Persian parents if they didn’t! Though challenging, it has been fun and gratifying and I will never go back. I’ve grown and learned so much about myself on this journey. I chose this.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
F*&# NO! LOL. I have failed so many times in my life I can’t even remember all of them. But, every failure has been a learning experience and a blessing, whether the blessing was blatantly obvious at that moment or revealed itself much later. Some failures I had to go through twice to finally learn the lesson. Yeah, I’m stubborn. So what! Honestly, I have worked against myself so many times it’s laughable. Eventually, I found the root of it all was true because I didn’t love myself enough. I didn’t think I was good enough. At the time, I would have never admitted that. I thought the world was against me. People in my life were against me. I used to play the victim. One day in acting class, my teacher said to another actor in their scene, “Stop playing the victim. No audience will watch this and want to root for you. You need to fight.” At that moment, it clicked. Stop being the victim in your life! You chose this life, remember? It’s on you. Now, own it and make this life awesome. Since then, I’ve taken ownership. I’ve started working on my inner work, loving myself, visualizing what I want for my life, what impact I want to make. I started writing down how I was going to make it happen and I believe that the universe is working for me.
My advice? Start with self-love, and then work your way outward. You can’t show up in your life if you won’t even show up for yourself.
For fellow actors, I would advise you to find joy in something else other than acting. If you try to seek joy from acting through a booking, casting director, agent or income, it will never happen. You will become a miserable desperate actor and no one likes to deal with miserable desperate actors.
Practice self-love. Work on you. Strengthen your mind. You can do this through meditation, positive affirmation or telling yourself you love yourself every day. It’s important to change your story or narrative if it’s a streaming conscience of negativity. Living in your higher self will make you a better person and also an incredible actor.
STOP GETTING IN YOUR OWN WAY. Do not allow fear to stop you from doing what you really want, desire and deserve. Mel Robbins says, “count backward to yourself: 5-4-3-2-1 and then get up and move into action.” Don’t even think about it and go!
Please tell us more about your work, what you are currently focused on and most proud of.
As an actor, I’m able to tap into different aspects of myself and discover all the layers that make me unique. I’m known to be poised and intense, but also goofy and sweet. I have performed in sketch comedy and improv shows over the last couple of years, taking on roles including Bruno Mars or Karen, who is just “so extra.” My sketch group, The Non-Violet Offenders, performs regularly at the Pulp Theater and Highwire Comedy Co in Atlanta. I also create content with other artists. We just won Best Comedic Video at a showcase last month for one of our pieces. Comedy is so fun because it frees you up and who doesn’t like making people laugh?!?! It’s therapeutic. Drama, on the other hand, takes the audience on an emotional ride. I love connecting with another actor and bringing life into a story that has so much to share. My favorite is when a dramatic piece finds humor in the darkest of places. Humans can relate and it makes them laugh and find comfort in knowing that they are not alone in what they are going through.
I’m most proud of using my creativity to find ways to help people. Again, that is my purpose in life. I help people feel empathy through storytelling. At Winship Cancer Institute, I help people enroll in cancer clinical trials. With the knowledge gained from my own personal fitness journey, I help women by training them to create the bodies they want and empower their minds. In support of local organizations in Atlanta, I started an organization called Artists For All to produce creative projects that raise money for them to continue serving our community. Lastly, I produced an all-female show, The Female Formation, that featured only female writers, directors, producers and cast. I am proud to say we raised $3,000 for Home of Hope, which helps struggling single mothers get back on their feet.
The most obvious reason I stand apart from the rest is that I’m “ethnically ambiguous”. A term coined by the film industry because, well, the “White Man.” I look Italian, Greek, Iranian, Arabic, Spanish, Israeli, and European. Hey, I can even play a Caucasian too. Crazy! This typecast are a blessing and a curse because, on one hand, I can adapt to any character, and on the other hand, they struggle with where to put me. I can perform with poise and grace or while tripping over myself because I forgot to lift my feet while I was walking. (It was leg day. Give me a break.) In the end, it’s simple, really. I am the all-new All American Girl, so just give me the lead role and I’ll do the rest.
There’s a wealth of academic research that suggests that lack of mentors and networking opportunities for women has materially affected the number of women in leadership roles. Smart organizations and industry leaders are working to change this, but in the meantime, do you have any advice for finding a mentor and building a network?
INVEST IN YOURSELF!!!!! Find good coaches, mentors, and trainers. Put in the time, the money and the effort. DO NOT DO THIS ON YOUR OWN. Find the people that are doing what you want to be doing and learn from them. Nobody has gotten to where they are today on their own.
If you have no idea where to start, USE SOCIAL MEDIA!!! Follow the people you admire on Instagram or Twitter. Reach out to people in your life that inspire you and ask them out for a cup of coffee, your treat. Don’t be afraid to reach out to people you don’t know and just compliment them on something awesome they did. Have it come from your heart. All it takes is one person willing to help you with your journey. Once you make that first connection, more connections will come. Surround yourself with people who are like-minded and action-takers. If you are the most accomplished person in your network, expand your network. You need to surround yourself with people who will challenge you. Don’t be scared. Just count down from 5 and go! It’s really not that scary once you do it. What’s the worst that can happen? The person says no. There are others who can and will help you. Keep your head up and trust your gut.
Contact Info:
- Website: imdb.me/LilyNaz
- Phone: 404-603-9454
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thelilynaz/
Image Credit:
Marie Thomas
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