Meet Rumi Oyama

Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Rumi Oyama. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Rumi, thank you so much for making time for us. We’ve always admired your ability to take risks and so maybe we can kick things off with a discussion around how you developed your ability to take and bear risk?
I learned to take a risk the hard way. Here’s my story. Being raised in a conservative Japanese village, my early dreams of acting were sidelined by societal and family expectations, steering me into a law degree and a high-profile career in Japan. Despite professional success, I fell into deep depression. A stress-induced voice loss became a turning point, making me hit rock bottom and forcing me to confront my neglected dreams. In response, I took a risk for the first time in my life: I abandoned my law career and familial responsibilities to pursue my passion for acting, dance, and singing. This path led to a role in The Lion King in Japan, the move to New York, and eventually a Broadway debut in 2015.
Reaching my dream was challenging, yet my true happiness stemmed from staying true to myself. I’ve learned to love taking risks, recognizing the greater passion that lies beyond.

Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
I wear many hats in the entertainment industry as an actress, writer, producer, director, and choreographer. My journey as an actress has allowed me to be a part of projects like “Running for Grace,” available on Amazon Prime, the Broadway show “Allegiance,” and “Sayonara,” for which I received the Fred and Adele Astaire Award in 2016 for Outstanding Female Dancer Off-Broadway. In 2021, I founded a film production company, Kuma Dakko Productions, to create films with authentic Japanese influences and inspirational messages. KUMA (くま ) means “bear,” and DAKKO (抱っこ) means “hug.” BEAR HUG. The goal is to unite people despite race, gender, class, and sexual orientation. I penned and directed the film “SPIRIT BOX”, with a team that consisted of more than 50 percent BIPOC and women filmmakers. “SPIRIT BOX” garnered the “Outstanding Dramatic Digital Series” award at the Oscar Micheaux Film Festival in Los Angeles on July 16, 2023. Together with our management partner, Atchity Productions, we are actively pursuing opportunities across various platforms, including TV series, feature films, anime, and stage productions, to share our stories with a wider audience.

I’m in the process of developing three more projects: “Finding Your Voice,” a comedy film script; “Sengoku,” an animated screenplay that reached finalist status in the 2020 ScreenCraft Animation Contest; and “Blinders,” a short film.

Learn more about SPIRIT BOX
https://www.kumadakkoproductions.com/press

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?
Self-love, Appreciation, Endurance

Rejections are numerous and inevitable across all professions, yet they form a crucial part of the journey. Often, we’re harsh on ourselves in the face of rejection or loss. My advice is to shift from self-criticism to self-love and openness. Remember what remains constant: Your Passion. Embrace and nurture it as the driving force to never give up and propel you forward.

Alright so to wrap up, who deserves credit for helping you overcome challenges or build some of the essential skills you’ve needed?
My sister, Suzuka, was the only family member who consistently supported my passions and dreams. Without her, I wouldn’t have been here now. She taught me how to speak English and let me stay at her place when I had no money. Her support was always warm, yet what I valued most wasn’t just her compliments or encouragement; she served as my most critical audience, always providing candid feedback on my art. If my acting fell short, she bluntly made it clear. If my efforts were lacking, she strictly pointed it out. Her honesty was invaluable—it fueled my growth as an artist. Indeed, in life, it’s crucial to have at least one person who challenges us with love, rather than merely coddling us.

Contact Info:

Image Credits
The 4th picture where I’m directing the dancers — credit: La Mirada Theater

Suggest a Story: BoldJourney is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
Productivity
What do you do for self-care and what impact has it had on your effectiveness?

We asked some of the most productive entrepreneurs and creatives out there to open up

Resilience
Where do you get your resilience from?

Resilience is often the x-factor that differentiates between mild and wild success. The stories of

Productivity
How do you keep your creativity alive?

Keeping your creativity alive has always been a challenge, but in the era of work