Asia Neal's interview on pursuing her passion

What is your passion? 

I have quite a few actually, the creative arts/entertainment, acting singing, dancing, etc. Acting is over all the others; also cosplay, being some of them.  

How did you discover your passion? 

I guess you could say I was born into it. My mum, when I was a baby, worked in theater. She would always bring me with her; I was a theater baby watching everything from the wings, until gracing the stage at the age of three. That’s what I grew up around and loved, so I guess you could say performing/entertaining has always been in my life and it has always been a passion.   

I would not be able to tell you when I discovered cosplay; I started to officially cosplay in 2010, before that, I would just run around my house as random characters and annoy my mum as I acted like them (Which now that I think about it, is really embarrassing but, I would rather admit it than deny it so, I’m not going to delete it haha).  For me cosplay has been an evolution throughout my life, from being a little kid running around my house playing dress up, to being a teen and now young adult running around at cons in costume. I have found that no many know what the word Cosplay stands for, even some cosplayers (I was in the dark about it once too), it stands for Costumed Play. I mention what cosplay stands for because for me, some of the characters I have cosplayed are characters I would absolutely love to play and bring to life on screen and or stage.  

Who has supported you through your journey? 

I think it’s obvious to say my mum after explaining that I was a theater baby due to her. Besides her, I would defiantly say my family. They have supported me in so many ways and I can’t put into words how much they have and do support me and what it means to me to have them there. My friends have also supported me; both longtime friends, that are practically family at this point, and new friends who are close enough to me realize my passions.   

Is there anything about you (ethnicity, creed, religion, etc.) that inspired or hindered your passion? 

Oh, now this is interesting and tough question. Ethnicity seems to always be a hindrance in both the Creative Arts, and Cosplay fields.  

Within the Creative Arts fields I’m quite sure we are all aware of Hollywood whitewashing virtually everything instead of casting the appropriate People Of Color.  Despite being ethnically ambiguous it seems as though the “one drop” rule is still strong at play here, and causes many P.O.C. entertainers to fall through the cracks; Always leaving you to feel like you’re “fifteen minutes from fame”.   

 Cosplayers face a similar issue, if not more so, now that I think about it.  We are always criticized, discriminated against, and hated on, for cosplaying characters outside of our race and/or skin tones. We also have to deal with none P.O.C’s who blackface; many not realizing or understanding that darkening your skin just to accurately portray a character is racist and not necessary. I have come to find it hypocritical actually, so it’s okay for you to paint your skin to look black, or dress up as a Native American, a Geisha, or any other culture, in an offensive manner, but the moment a P.O.C dresses up as Wonder Woman or Elsa from frozen, and they do nothing to change their race to conform to the character, there’s a problem and they’re racist?   

Although these are all hindrances they are also what inspire me to work harder and keep pushing forward. Someone has to break the mold; someone has to be the trail blazer. I’m not saying that I am that person, but my drive may encourage that person.  

What is a hardship that you've endured while pursuing your passion?

Within the Creative Arts, always being out cast by someone who is famous. I can’t tell you the number of times I have almost gotten a major role in a movie and then some celebrity comes along and gets the part instead because of their name and who they are.   

Within cosplay, cosplay is expensive, and some cons are easier to get tickets for and get to over others. 
What have you learned about yourself and the world in pursuit of your passion? 

Another tough question: 

About myself: It is not about me. Yes I do what I do because I love it and it’s a passion, but at the end of the day, knowing I made someone realize I know how they feel, that I have been there, because of a part I played, or song I sang, etc. is the greatest feeling. You never know if that is just what that person needed see/hear to get through something in their life, to know others have been in that same or similar spot. Seeing someone freak out over your cosplay because they love the character you are dressed as is just as great a feeling for me because obviously, I love that character too, and enough to dress as them. I also walk around and interact with people in character, because seeing grown men fanboy is honestly heartwarming.  

About the world: Yeah there are the racist issues and people, but the positivity, motivation, encouragement, and love from those who aren’t make it all worth it. I have made so many friends, some whom are considered family, in all respective fields of my passions. I could tell them anything I wanted to do with my life and, as long as they don’t believe it will be detrimental to me, they are all for my life decisions.  

What is one of your proudest moments in relation to your passion? 

Within the Creative Arts, being signed by Wilhelmina Agency, as an actress and model. It is extremely rare to be signed as both and I will forever be honored and humbled by the fact that I was. It was a rare moment in which I knew I hadn’t fallen through the cracks like I had in the past. 

Within Cosplay, the first time I cosplayed Classic Lara Croft. So many people freaked out about how spot on I was, and then I would open my mouth and interact with them, and they would notice I had her accent and mannerisms and freak out even more.  I was literally chased around that con by a fan because I got Lara’s socks right.  I would also add that it is always a proud moment when I cosplay an obscure character and someone knows exactly who you are and freaks out about it, and about you. 

What advice would you give your younger self?  

I would probably tell myself a quote I made up, because I’m corny like that.  

“You’re not everyone’s cup-o-joe, but you drink tea anyway so that’s their personal problem, not yours.” In other words, not everyone is going to like you and you’re going to have to be okay with that. 

Also, there is beauty in hardship, the process of making gold or diamonds isn’t pretty or easy but, the end result is all worth it and the product is valuable and sought after. 

Name 3 characters you'd love to play in a movie and why?  

This is a funny question simply because as I mentioned I have cosplayed them. So, I will include a photo of each of them too. 

1) Classic Lara Croft

Oh dear, where do I begin?  Lara Croft has been my dream role since I was first introduced to the game in the 90s, when I was six. She was the coolest character I had ever seen in my life at that point and time and plus, at that time, she looked like me. She had tan skin and big brown eyes and a few other similar features to my own. Plus she was fearless and epic; so of course little six old I believed I was her! As I grew up my love for her never died, and my love for wanting to play her in the remake never did ether. Honestly it still hasn’t, although, I don’t want to play her if the movie is based off the new games which it probably is. I fell in love with Tomb Raider, and I wanted to be Lara Croft because she was a strong independent female holding her own in a man’s world in acclaimed manner and sadly she just isn’t that

anymore. If they want to make a movie reviving the old her, then sign me right up and show me Von Croy! (Tomb Raider joke).

2) Zatanna Zatara

She’s an interesting character, and another one I grew up with; many knows who she is and the basics about her, what most know is what they’ve seen in T.V shows.  Yet there is so much more to her then what has been covered in those said T.V. shows, some of them changing her story and characteristics completely. This is quite disappointing, because of the fact that her characteristics are part of why she is my favorite DC Universe character. She is a strong female that has a great story, and background, and, that no one seems to know about it unless they’ve read up on her; which is extremely hard to do nowadays as her comics are out of print. I feel as though she would be so much fun to play because I’m sure her movie would be a mix of action, drama, comedy, and magic. So basically, Harry Potter but without Harry Potter. 

3) Araña “Anya” Corazon/ Spidergirl

Well, I should start off by saying that Spiderman used to be my favorite Marvel Universe character and through his comics I was introduced to Anya. To say I fell in love and forgot all about Spiderman is an understatement.  She’s basically Spiderman but female and a P.O.C that looks and acts like me, as a young girl reading the comics I was so inspired by that. Like my last two choices she is a powerful female whose story would make an amazing movie or even T.V. series. She, again like the previous two, is inspiring to other females and deserves to be seen and accurately portrayed. Not whitewashed and or sexualized; It’d even be amazing to play Anya in a Spiderman or another Marvel movie or show, where she is appropriate as a cameo or Easter egg, because then there’s room to grow from there.

Lada - Asia and I met in high school. She was nice, intelligent and unique. This still rings true today as she is an amazing cosplayer with dope artistic abilities. I always appreciate her positive outlook andfaith driven statuses. I also appreciate her Cosplay skills which is one of the reasons I requested for her to be on the site. I hope you all enjoyed as much as I did.