An Inspired Chat with Rod Lara of Australia

We’re looking forward to introducing you to Rod Lara. Check out our conversation below.

Rod, really appreciate you sharing your stories and insights with us. The world would have so much more understanding and empathy if we all were a bit more open about our stories and how they have helped shaped our journey and worldview. Let’s jump in with a fun one: Are you walking a path—or wandering?
Am I walking or path or wandering through it? That’s a very interesting question.

We all have a purpose in life, and a path and timeline to fulfill. It’s like a footprint you leave behind lasting longer than your physical self.

Many years ago, I had the realization of what my path was. It was a revelation. As an actor and mime artist, is to leave a legacy behind. A piece of my work for someone to enjoy. Even if that piece of work ends up been a 9 second clip for someone to enjoy, then I’m happy.

Once you find your path and passion intertwined, it never feels like you are working. It is an indescribable fulfilling feeling.

Going back to the question, am I walking a path or wandering? I’m definitely walking a path. Stomping hard on it and kicking goals along with it.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Hi My name is Rod Lara. I’m an Australian based actor and mime artist. YES! You read that right, a mime artist!

I have been in the entertainment industry for the past 26 years (It sure has been a while). I have performed on both stage and screen.

I began my performing in the field of circus. Along the way, I put myself through mime, acting, dance and stunt training. How do all corelate? Let me explain:

As one of my mentors mentioned it. Mime is simply a skill that allows the description of an invisible world. Expressing through movement and facial expressions. How does one do that effectively and believable? By acting! So, I also put myself through acting training for both stage and screen.

Other question bestowed upon me: Now that you can create believable characters and express yourself through acting, how will you learn to move well? Dancing! I then trained in dance. Even when I teach my mime workshops, I use the language of dance when expressing certain terminologies. Eg. Isolation, elongate, etc… Fun fact I found along the way: People with string dancing background make the best mime artists.

During a production for ‘Ernani’ for Opera Australia here, I was given the tasks of choosing performers to be part of a visual comedy sequence. It was all silent comedy. My final cast were all classical trained dancers! There you go!

Anyhow, back to the timeline of my training and how they all corelate with each other. During my circus training, I had a module in slapstick comedy. I wasn’t pleased on the physics of it all – One person gets pushed. Other person tucks, pops down on the ground, and rolls on their back. I express to my coach that I wanted to get pushed, fly across the room, slam onto a wall and fall on the ground. With a shocked look on his face he replied, “Bud, that’s more like stunt work”. Off I went to train in stunts. My main objective to train stunts is to enhance my slapstick comedy and execute falls such as Buster Keaton or Jackie Chan.

All of that took about a decade of training! Even now, I’m still training. One never stops learning.

I definitely have a very niche style of performing. All of those skills mixed together into a tutti Frutti of performing fun.

My very visual style of performing has allowed me to appear in various TV ads such as ‘Old El Paso’, ‘Carlton Cold’, etc…

Also, my stunts skills have come in handy when I was cast in US TV show ‘Hunters’ when my character brutally perished at the end. Requiring me to be thrown across a series of shrubs.

In terms of my current projects: I’m currently working on various film projects. Film has always been my passion too.

My silent films have screened this year in May at the Niles Silent Film Museum in Fremont, California (US). Those films are soon to screen in October at the Penistone Film Festival in the UK.

Have just wrapped a psychological/thriller film (‘The Silent Pull’) which should be released at the end of the year alongside another film (‘TO’) where I was cast in as a street performing mime artist.

Also, in preproduction for a TV series… more on that soon!

Okay, so here’s a deep one: Who taught you the most about work?
That’s a question i have never been asked ever before.

I definitely got the work ethics from my father. My mum had me when she was 18 years old and dad was 21 and still at Uni (I may have been a surprise kid. Oops!).

Despite being such a young man, my father completed his university studies as a technical electrician in Chile. At the same time working at night to provide for his family.

While still living in Chile in not-so-great conditions, my father still worked long hours.

I still remember him coming home after working an overnight shift and my dad would bring a steak sandwich, in which we would cut into four pieces (one piece for mum, other for dad. One piece for my sister and I). I now found out that this steak sandwich was his LUNCH. He wouldn’t eat it, so to save it for his family. Now, that’s love.

We later immigrated to Australia where my father began work as an electrical engineer. He is now retired and loving life. Ax he should be. Teaching me about working hard and having great work ethics.

What fear has held you back the most in your life?
The fear I am about to mention has a lot to do with becoming a mime artist!

I was quite an introverted child. Complete opposite to my younger sister.

What made me even more introverted was the fact that I used to stutter as a kid. So, I always reserved my wording to a very minimum.

When my family and I moved to Australia, I began high school after studying English at a language center provided by the Australian Government.

During my second year in High school. I stumbled into a theatre studies class. I was 13 years old and have only been in Australia for 18 months! I was wondering what this class was and what was required of me.

At the beginning, it was simple theatre games. Pretty soon, my teacher brought in scripts as we were going to do SCENES on STAGE. I went cold and maybe a shade of white!!!

At that time, English was definitely my second language and going onstage may trigger my stammering or even stutter. As a subconscious decision, all the roles given to me, I perform them without talking. ANY ROLE given to me! A theater usher, policeman, waiter, etc…

My teacher saw this and mentioned that I have the natural knack to become a mime. “What’s a mime?”, I asked.

Every class, Ms. Barbara would bring me a new VHS tape for me to watch. She introduced me to the Greats such as Charlie Chaplin, Buster Keaton, Jacques Tati, Mr. Bean, Marcel Marceau, etc…

From being a fear, it became a success. Forever thankful, Shirley Barbara (R.I.P)

Alright, so if you are open to it, let’s explore some philosophical questions that touch on your values and worldview. Whose ideas do you rely on most that aren’t your own?
When i was training in circus, I remember a certain student was bragging about his training in this performing style and that technique works better.

A coach we had, went up to this guy, who was much taller than him, and said in his usual dry tone, “Don’t tell me, show me!”. Of course, the bragger was more words and no action.

That quote stuck with me. I am about showcasing what i know. and put it into practice. Anybody can brag about playing the bagpipes whilst slamming a drum set in perfect tempo, but can you actually do it?….

“Don’t tell me, show me!” is a philosophy I use until today.

Okay, so let’s keep going with one more question that means a lot to us: Are you doing what you were born to do—or what you were told to do?
I have always been a very intuitive person, even as a child. Very observant of life around me. Always open to what the universe has to offer as a path,

Maybe I was planning a career in IT or engineering, but twice the universe intervened and pointed to the path I am right now. So, I went with it as it felt it was my calling. It almost feels like a continuation from a past life.

In terms of my legacy, I am hoping to leave behind a glimpse of my art that will be enjoyed for the next hundreds or thousands of years.

I’m always encouraging people to find their passion, and if your intuition tells them that it’s right. Then, go for it and have all of the success.

Contact Info:

Image Credits
Paul Hammond Photography
Paul Dodd Photography
Isabel Padilla Photography
Phil Thomson Photography

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