We recently connected with Natalia Ortega and have shared our conversation below.
Natalia , looking forward to learning from your journey. You’ve got an amazing story and before we dive into that, let’s start with an important building block. Where do you get your work ethic from?
I definitely got my work ethic from my parents.
My sisters and I never missed school or extracurricular classes, not even when we were sick. We had to be up early during the weekends and dress up even when we didn’t have anything to do. My parents said that it was to make our brain aware that it was time to be productive. “Are you bored? I’ll find you something to do. Here’s the mop…”
At the time I would get frustrated but it made me very disciplined and hardworking.
My mom is an actor and director who was trained in Mexico. Things are different over there, let’s say we’re a little intense.
She taught me to only miss a rehearsal/show if I am dead. When I worked on one of her shows we would come home from a 6 hour rehearsal to keep rehearsing on our own.
My dad is a producer and he would often let me be on set so that I could observe and learn how everything works. I easily picked up on what was right and what wasn’t.
Plus both of my parents are always creating their own projects. That has always been really inspiring for me.
Once I grew up I was able to find my own balance and learn to integrate self-care and prioritize my mental health and well being. I constantly need to remind myself that it’s ok to rest, I love working!
I guess it’s easier to have a good work ethic when you enjoy so much what you do.
I love art and I’m very grateful to be dedicating my life to it!
Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
I’m an actress, writer, dancer and director.
Originally from Mexico City, I moved to LA in 2020 to continue pursuing my career and I studied the Professional Conservatory at Stella Adler’s Art Of Acting Studio. I graduated and have been working in the industry ever since.
My biggest passion is to create projects that help raise awareness about social issues that trouble me. I like telling stories that give voice to the silenced. Portray characters who can help people empathize with realities that might be far away from their own experience.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
Movement is a great part of my training. From classical dance to acrobatics and physical theatre. I think one of the most impactful techniques on my career has been Jerzy Grotowski’s. In Mexico City I had the fortune to study with Jaime Soriano at LARTES and explore my creativity in his movement laboratory.
Understanding my body and letting my artistry flow through improvisation gave me so much freedom. It taught me to trust my instincts and discover emotions in movement, letting the intelectual part aside.
One of the most important qualities for my journey has been self-discipline. With the years I learned that there’s only so much teachers / directors / agents can do for you, You need to put in the work, you need to wake up early, take care of your body, miss parties, learn the lines, take class, learn, grow. It’s not an easy path, actors are athletes.
My advice for people who wish to start this journey would be to follow your dream, commit to that dream, get prepared.
Lastly I’d like to mention flexibility as an impactful skill on my journey. Sometimes directors will require you to make choices that are different from what you initially suggested, sometimes you’ll need to adapt and learn from people who work different than you do. I found the most rewarding moments once I learned to be flexible and went with the flow. Be a good teammate!
Okay, so before we go we always love to ask if you are looking for folks to partner or collaborate with?
Yes! I’m looking for people in the industry who are interested in making social change through art.
More specifically I would love to collaborate and create projects telling women, Latinx or LGBTQ+ narratives.
My email address is [email protected]
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @nataliaaortega6
Image Credits
Matt Marcheski JoeySnap Andrew Svistunov Connor Hu Ethan Ocampo
