YOU DON’T THINK I WANT TO RELAX？ Ft. Nava Mau ｜ Episode 172
Summary
In this episode of the Comment Section, host Busy B sits down with the legendary Nava Mao to talk all things awards season. From the Golden Globes to the Peabody Awards, Nava talks about the highs and lows of the big night out and how she managed to balance it all.
Transcript
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Shop now at Sephora and Sol de Janeiro dot com. You don't think I want to relax. Don't you think
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I want to skip it? You don't think I want to hang out. I'm not trying to give a lecture. For real.
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But I will. Unfortunately, I'm going to have to.
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Hey everyone and welcome back to another episode of the comment section show starring me, your fave,
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who cares about me. On to the guest. Today we have the iconic, the legendary, the unbelievably talented
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Nava Mao. Woo! Welcome to the show, queen. Hi, thank you. Oh my gosh. I'm so excited to have you.
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I'm so happy to be here. We were king right before this. Truly. Yeah, it's a key. It's always a key
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when you and I see each other. Yes, tears always like right behind waiting to come out. But yeah,
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the threatening to come out. The threat. We're not quite there yet. No, definitely not. How have you
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been? How's life? Um, Miss Busy B over here. I'm good. I, I, um, you know, I was, I was, I've been very
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busy. Yes, you have. It's a blessing and I'm very grateful, um, for every opportunity and all the
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people I've met. And, and I also, um, didn't take a day off for nine months. I know. Uh, except for
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two days in August and one day in July. And, um, so that was, uh, getting to be too much. A little
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much. Um, so yeah, I took two weeks off and, uh, now I actually want to see the sun again. Your life
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is worth living. Yes, exactly. That's good. I'm so glad we need rest. How was your award season? I'm sure.
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I know it was cuckoo bananas. Um, I mean, it's funny that you say past tense because
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technically we have, we still have more. Yeah. You're like going into another phase.
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I literally, I actually just don't understand how we're still in awards season. Like, um,
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but I think we have our last one. It's the Peabody's. Um, so, um, it has been a wild ride.
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It has been, um, you know, maybe once in a lifetime. Yeah, absolutely. Well, you're a star.
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That's not shocking at all. Of course you're being acknowledged as you should be. What's been
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the funnest awards show you've been to so far? Um, I think that, I think the Golden Globes
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after party was the first time like I had fun. The very first one. Yeah. Um, yeah. My friend Kyle
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came with me and we actually danced. The food was good. I don't know. The people, everyone
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was like in a good mood and vibes were high. Yeah. Yeah. That's tea. Yeah. It was, it was
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early January before everything really kicked off, you know, that's tea. Uh, I went to the
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Globes. That was my first time ever going to the Globes this year, but I just did carpet
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and then, yeah, I saw you. And then they, and then they made me valet cars after, but
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you know, that's besides the point, you know, they made me wait tables. And you know, secretly
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me too. Little did you know. Yeah. I had to earn my key. Lisa, do you want a seat at this
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table? I'll earn it. Yeah. For real. I get that. I totally get that. Uh, how was it? How
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was your experience going through award season been though? Just like, especially where you're
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at now and with your show and everything. I mean, I, I think that, um, you know, people
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can be thrust into the machine and people can be thrust into, um, like being like global
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notoriety for all different reasons. Um, and so I, I think I've, I've just felt very lucky
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that for me it happened because of work that I'm so proud of and that was so personal and,
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um, and yeah, I, I think it allowed me to just be able to ride the, the, the wave of
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pride and celebration. Um, and, uh, and I am ready to actually get back to some, some
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acting and writing and yeah. That's what I think a lot of, uh, actors say too. They're
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like, this is probably the hardest part is like the marketing you have to do after. Yeah.
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I always compare it to like running for mayor. That's how it feels. Yeah. Definitely.
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You're running for homecoming King or like prom queen or something. That's how it feels.
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Yeah. Yeah. I mean, and I think in this weird way, I sort of, um, because I like wasn't winning
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any of the awards that I was nominated for, um, because I was always nominated in the same
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category with Jess. And so it was kind of nice where I just got to enjoy the ceremonies and the
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celebration and like, and I just got to like, it was almost like, um, well, we know Jess is going
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to win. So I'm excited to root for my friend and, um, yeah, it was, it was kind of, um, I don't know.
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It felt like oddly low stakes for me. Um, because I was, I don't know. It's like, it's Richard's
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project and, um, I just got to be a part of it. And so, which is amazing. I think that's
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wonderful. Also you're a multi hyphenate and you have a short film coming out. Can you please
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tell us about it? Uh, yes, it's called all the words, but the one, and, um, it kind of
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came to be in the same cycle as baby reindeer. I, I wrote the short first and then I was cast
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on baby reindeer and then kind of came back to the short and then film baby reindeer. And I sort
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of went back and forth, um, between the two projects like that. They were, and then they
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were interesting. Yeah. Yeah. Both at the same time. Yeah. I was like in post on the short
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in North Carolina and, and then like, Oh, real quick, sorry. I have to go like do some
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ADR, um, for baby reindeer. Um, so, um, it feels like it was sort of born from the same
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emotional time in my life. Um, and it is, uh, a pretty serious, um, you know, dramatic short
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film that, um, it, you know, it kind of explores the questions of violence.
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Yeah. And accountability, forgiveness, um, you know, what, what happens when maybe somebody
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who's hurt you in the past has changed? Mm-hmm. Are they still a villain in your story?
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Yeah. Um, or do you have to rewrite that ending? So, um, so yeah, it follows, uh, two couples
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that are having a professional dinner and unexpectedly there's two people there who had a sort of on
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off tumultuous thing, uh, situation ship, uh, like five years prior and, um, it ended in
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violence and they never saw each other again. They never resolved it. And so this is their
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opportunity to, to do that and take stock of how far they've come. Yeah. And you said you wrote,
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you wrote that before you got cast in baby reindeer. Yeah. Yeah. How do you like the experience
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of writing? Cause obviously you started too and you were in baby reindeer. So how do you like the,
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the difference? Is there a huge difference between writing being in front of the camera? Do you prefer
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one over the other? Um, well I hate writing. Let's, let's start there. It's not the best. Um,
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oh my God, it's just, I just, it's excruciating. It's, I just, but I have to do it and it just feels,
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yeah. And I wish that I had like more control over it. Um, and, and I'm working on it, but yeah,
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I feel like for me, I love directing. Directing is where I feel most alive and sort of is my true
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purpose. Um, and, and writing is what allows me to then direct. Yeah. Um, and I think I, I do sort
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of, I prefer acting in somebody else's project. Okay. Yeah. I mean, it's just somebody else has
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created a character. There's this whole world to inhabit. And I feel like there's this distance
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between who I actually am and a character that's created by somebody else. Right. And then there's,
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so that creates like an electricity and in the distance trying to, to get there. Yeah. Um,
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and so I just think it's just, it's just more magical. It spoils the fun for you. I don't know.
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Yeah. Like acting while I'm directing, um, it's just, it's just very intense. I just have to be so
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focused. And like, I remember there was a moment on the last day of filming. Um, I walked into,
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into the, the like kind of break area that we had for the cast. Um, and everyone was like hanging out.
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Um, like they were playing some kind of game or something. And I was like, um, excuse me,
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like I want to have fun too. And I realized I was just like, I didn't, I didn't have any downtime.
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And, and I think when you only have one role on a project, like you have a lot more downtime.
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Yeah. Like you can sort of just enjoy it better. Come along for the ride. Yes, exactly. Yeah.
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Well, you said you love directing and you think that's your purpose. Do you have any, like,
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what kind of film do you dream about directing? Like what would be like a dream film or a dream
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project to work on as a director? Um, Ontario, the wait is over. The gold standard of online
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Oh, that is yeah. That's one of my favorite movies of all time. Oh, yeah, truly just like it's got linguistics. It's got
00:11:09.980
aliens. It's got a woman going through some things, you know, like it's got everything. Yeah, truly.
00:11:17.420
Yeah, that's cool. You sci fi girl. Oh, 10 toes down. Yeah. Yeah. Okay. So you said arrivals when you're
00:11:24.300
what are some other side films you love? Well, I like books. I like Oh, books. Okay. Yeah. Dawn by Octavia
00:11:30.220
Butler. Okay, that is that's my favorite book of all time. Love all of all of that trilogy, actually.
00:11:36.700
And of course, Parable of the Sower now has proven to be too prophetic. Like, please take it back, Octavia.
00:11:48.300
But I like what I like Westworld. So that's cool. Robots and implants. Yeah. Dollhouse. Okay. Yeah. Eliza
00:12:01.180
Dushku, you know. Yeah, I like sort of nerdy kind of brainy severance, obviously. Yeah. Yeah,
00:12:10.460
secretly, I had written this like pilot that and and then severance came out like a year later. And I was
00:12:16.380
like, I can't do it anymore. Like they did it. They did it better. Yeah. Yeah, truly. That's cool,
00:12:25.580
though. That kind of genre. Yeah. Yeah. It's like because it goes so much deeper than just like sci fi.
00:12:31.180
It's like they can be allegories on the world and stuff like that. That's fucking cool. Exactly. Yeah.
00:12:34.700
I love that. Yeah. I mean, that's what sci fi should be. Right. Yeah. Yeah. That's tea.
00:12:39.900
What would you say? Like, okay, so you said you you love severance. Is there any other shows you would
00:12:43.840
love to be in? Like if you could be a cast in one? Well, literally, the whole cast and crew of industry
00:12:48.540
already knows this, but I love industry. You've told them all. I already shot my shot. Like,
00:12:54.300
okay, it didn't happen. Fine. Still love y'all, I guess. Whatever. Um, but no, shout out to them.
00:12:59.580
I actually I just saw them at the Baptist. They're all so sweet and so cool. So I'll still take your
00:13:04.300
call. Um, industry. Um, what else? Uh, I feel like everything gets canceled. Everything you love
00:13:14.700
too, especially. Oh my God. Everything gets canceled. Yeah. Um, we're struggling right now
00:13:21.820
on TV, to be honest. It just feels like we're in the, um, we're in the, in the wave of, of, of
00:13:28.380
returning to, I think one type of person. Yeah. Um, and, uh, I was going to ask you about that too.
00:13:36.140
Yeah. Oh, here we go. Gotta bust out the issues. Yeah, it's true. The Rolodex. Yeah. It's
00:13:44.460
funny too. Cause sometimes when I, when I talk about like, uh, serious shit in between telling
00:13:49.260
wiener jokes on my platform, sometimes I'll have people be like, I'll literally, they'll say like,
00:13:54.700
um, I just don't like think you need to talk about politics. Unfortunately, I have no choice
00:13:59.900
because I live politically. I unfortunately have no choice. You don't think I want to relax.
00:14:04.780
Don't you think I want to skip it? You don't think I want to hang out. I'm not trying to give a
00:14:10.460
lecture for real, but I will. Unfortunately, I'm going to have to at some point and it gets,
00:14:17.900
it does get tiring. And that's what I was going to, I was going to ask you about representation
00:14:21.100
in the industry because obviously you are a trailblazer and I'm, I'm so curious how that's
00:14:26.900
been for you. Cause being the first is, is prophetic in many ways. And it's also the worst in many ways.
00:14:33.300
So I, I'm curious how that journey has been for you since you've been so fucking popular lately,
00:14:38.380
miscasted. Thank you. Um, I, you know, I really appreciate that question. Cause so often the
00:14:46.380
question is, uh, what does it mean to you to be the first trans woman X? And I am like, well,
00:14:57.900
why don't you answer that question? Right. What does that mean to you? Yeah. You know, it's not
00:15:02.380
really like, I felt like my life's purpose was to be the first, anything. Exactly. You know, um,
00:15:13.900
I am an actress. I am a director. I am a storyteller. Um, and I'm just a person at the end of the day.
00:15:23.300
Absolutely. And I, you're an artist. Yeah. And all of us have an identity. All of us have a cultural
00:15:30.980
background. All of us have a sexuality, et cetera. Right. And, and mine just so happens to be,
00:15:39.580
you know, marginalized and historically one that's not highlighted nearly as often as it should be.
00:15:45.020
Yeah. Um, and it's like, well, that's not my fault. That's low key. Your fault. Like you should be
00:15:50.740
asking yourself why you got to ask me that question. Exactly. Exactly. Um, and I, and I genuinely
00:15:55.900
actually do. I, I don't know why I've never done it, but I have always wondered if like on the red
00:16:01.000
carpet, they're like, well, what do you think the industry, um, should do to, to improve representation
00:16:09.160
of trans people on screen? And I'm like, honestly, are you asking all the cis people that
00:16:14.440
are you asking all the straight people that because that's actually the people who can
00:16:19.520
really create change because that's how power works. Tell them like you, it's funny. Cause
00:16:25.180
you shouldn't ask me. Yeah. I honestly don't know. I don't know. Like you, I don't know why
00:16:29.580
they haven't been cast. I'm not sure what the problem is. Exactly. You're like, I'm well aware
00:16:34.960
of the problem that you are listing to me. I, how I've been able to surpass it. I can't tell
00:16:39.460
you. Yeah, exactly. Other than being that girl. Exactly. Yeah. So, um,
00:16:44.440
so yeah, I think that that part of it where people sort of expect me to be the activist
00:16:53.900
and expect me to have all the answers. And I think that it's disingenuous in some ways because
00:17:01.660
then it makes it my fault. Right. And your responsibility and my responsibility when I'm
00:17:07.940
not cast in anything. Right. And when I'm struggling to pay my rent. Right. And when maybe people
00:17:15.020
aren't going to hear from me after this, because where, where are the roles? Where are the projects?
00:17:21.400
Right. No one's, uh, like thinking of me. That's how it feels to me. Right. Um, and, and you know,
00:17:29.560
we can name on, on all of our, our fingers and toes, all the roles that, that are available
00:17:37.280
right now to, um, to all the amazing, talented, beautiful, cis straight white actors out there.
00:17:47.800
And, and, and I think that we all deserve to, to be able to work and an equal playing field. Yeah.
00:17:54.020
Yeah. And I'm like, we like, we can work together. Right. I agree. Like, that's why I think that's
00:17:59.820
so T what you said. You're like, are you asking them? You should be asking them. You shouldn't
00:18:03.100
be asking me. You should be asking them. Yeah, exactly. And it's not, it's not the same in any
00:18:07.240
way, shape or form as yours, but like on a much lesser scale for me, when I get asked questions,
00:18:11.920
like about the same, it's the same shit. Like what, like, it's almost like a, how'd you do it?
00:18:18.280
They hate people like you. That's how it feels like, doesn't it feel that way? It's like, damn,
00:18:22.780
you know, I really tried to hate you and you still got in there. How'd you do that? They let you in.
00:18:27.720
That's how it feels. It feels very like, and how did you get past security? Yeah. That's how it feels.
00:18:33.000
So I get what you mean about it feeling disingenuous. Cause it feels like, it's almost like a,
00:18:37.540
it feels like a cheapening of what it took to get in the door. Yeah. And they're like,
00:18:41.920
okay, so like, why aren't more of you coming through it? Yeah. Well, yeah, that's not a
00:18:47.260
question you should be asking me exactly. It's the, it's the exact same thing. And I've, I've
00:18:51.140
even said in an interview before too, that when I first started doing this and I was growing like
00:18:56.160
crazy numbers every single day, like no one was reaching out to me, uh, because of the shit I say
00:19:01.380
and how I say it, what I look like, all of those things, which we know. Too real, too pretty.
00:19:05.400
It's just, I guess it's illegal to be a bad bitch with good tits. My bad.
00:19:08.500
And like, I was like, whatever. I mean, I like doing it, so I'm going to keep doing it. Yeah. And
00:19:15.740
so eventually I did get reached out to, um, to a woman who is still on my team now because she was
00:19:21.000
like the only person that believed in me. Yeah. But even so I like, when I talked about this in an
00:19:26.440
interview, I was telling them the reality isn't that it didn't just shift and they were like, Oh,
00:19:31.780
actually I think she has something. One person actually did believe in me and I B and then I just
00:19:36.620
got too big to ignore. That's really what happened. It wasn't like a, you know what? We should be more
00:19:41.520
open and accepting to people of other. That's not what happened. I was like, they didn't, I forced
00:19:46.140
my way in the fucking door. I like forced people to turn and look at me. That was the difference
00:19:50.200
between me and other people who haven't been able to get in quite yet. That's the only difference.
00:19:55.040
And so I said that because I'm like, it feels so cheap when they say it to you. Cause you're like,
00:20:01.120
And then it's also like, well, what else? Right. That's, that's the question. Right.
00:20:06.120
Okay. Have a great day. I'm not even going to ask you about my outfit. Literally. I'm like,
00:20:11.820
not even the jewelry. Like, come on. Yeah. Yeah. I it's, it is really, I am still baffled to this day
00:20:21.140
when people are surprised by, by my presence or success. Um, or even that I exist. I'm like,
00:20:29.900
I'm sorry. I, there has never been a mystery for me. So I have no clues for you. Right. I have,
00:20:38.080
I have no suggestions. Like you're going to have to solve that mystery on your own. Like, I,
00:20:42.220
I don't know what to tell you. Yeah. And you're, and it's also like, well, don't stop at me.
00:20:46.860
There's many more, like there's many more just like me. There's many more nothing like me at all,
00:20:51.320
but we're in the same boat. It's like, there are many other, maybe if you tried looking harder
00:20:56.160
or cared, then you could cast more of us. Yeah. Maybe some people are going to be mad.
00:21:05.480
Well, I've even like, I've talked about it with my other actor friends too, because I,
00:21:08.960
as I mentioned earlier, I've been like dipping my toe and acting, trying doing my best. Uh, but
00:21:14.980
sometimes when I read for stuff, um, or if I'm, they're like, Oh, maybe what about this read for
00:21:20.360
her? And my team is never pushing anything on me. They're always like, it's up to you. Um,
00:21:24.340
but sometimes when I get roles, I'm like, is this the only person you guys want me to play?
00:21:29.960
Like, it just like, it feels so already cornered. I'm like, right. That's what I was like. Sometimes
00:21:37.460
I have people say like, can you do it a little bit more urban? Right. Let me take that line again,
00:21:44.120
but make it more ethnic. Perfect. I can do that for y'all. Yeah. Yeah. It feels, it starts to feel
00:21:50.040
silly after a while. And I think the first time that happened to me and like a callback,
00:21:54.260
I was so shook by it because I was thinking not necessarily that I was the exception to the rule.
00:21:59.340
I was just kind of like, did you guys even fuck with my tape? Or did you just think that I was
00:22:03.080
going to be a little bit more urban when you saw me in person? Like maybe I was a little nervous in
00:22:06.400
my video and that's kind of how it felt. And I was like, well, damn, like, yeah, I thought I did a
00:22:10.800
good job. Shit. Yeah. I guess I'll never know. Yeah. I, I, I don't know. I don't know what,
00:22:16.880
um, what it's going to take for people to imagine more and, and, and to dream beyond what we've seen
00:22:26.220
over and over and over again. I agree. Um, but I, what I will say about representation
00:22:32.320
and, and I think this includes you, it's that there is such a power in, in, in being deliberate
00:22:41.460
in, in our presence and in speaking our minds and in, and celebrating our beauty and, and our
00:22:50.540
communities. And it, that cannot be challenged. That cannot be torn down. Right. You know,
00:22:58.720
they can try to build around it and try to stop us, but, but actually that energy is unstoppable.
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main character pieces backed by authenticity guarantee. eBay is the place for pre-loved and
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vintage fashion. eBay things people love. What do you think has been the most like impactful memory
00:23:52.960
you've had with representation and the kind of representation that you're paving in entertainment
00:23:57.440
so far? I'm sure there's been quite a few, but do you have any of that stand out to you?
00:24:02.740
Um, let me think. That make you feel all the butterflies, get you emotional. Don't tell the
00:24:08.960
men that hate me. I don't know why this is what I'm thinking of right now, but I had like a little
00:24:17.220
summer fling last year. Okay. Um, and, um, somehow had the time, somehow had the time amidst award
00:24:26.100
ceremonies and fittings and meetings and, um, secretly was sneaking off. Right. Um, to see
00:24:34.120
this man that I had no business being with, but it's a problem. Um, and, um, don't tell my team
00:24:41.540
literally like, um, I was having dinner with a friend. Uh, so anyway, I, I, I, it was a very brief,
00:24:52.620
you know, thing like a few weeks. And, um, I remember he, like, this is not even answering
00:25:00.060
your question, but this is, it's all right. I'm locked in. So this guy, I remember that he,
00:25:06.600
it was like, he didn't believe that I, um, was like known by people for, for my work.
00:25:16.180
Right. Famous. You can say it. I'll say it for her. It's okay. I'll say it for her. She didn't
00:25:20.260
say it. I did. Yeah. He didn't, he didn't believe that I was famous. Um, and, um, he would even say
00:25:27.120
things like, and it's all right if it's only on Instagram, like I believe you. And I was like,
00:25:31.020
I don't, I just, I don't even know what awakening and literally. And so his, um, his like friend came
00:25:40.680
into town, his gay friend came into town and so he was like, and he was like, Oh, um, like, do you
00:25:51.120
want to go out to WeHo with us? Um, and I haven't been in like pre since pre pandemic, right? Secretly
00:25:57.400
actually the weekend of COVID I was, I was in WeHo, but, um, and so we're, we're out in WeHo and of
00:26:05.560
course the friend was very excited to meet me and, um, and that was very sweet. And then we're
00:26:10.860
out in WeHo and it was, it was sort of my first time also experiencing like the level of attention.
00:26:19.080
Right. Um, well you've also been in a bubble too, cause you've been working so much. Exactly. Yeah.
00:26:23.200
So you're like, you forget. Exactly. And so, um, yeah, it was a lot of people coming up to me.
00:26:29.920
Girl, you and WeHo? Oh, bitch. It was like the icon has arrived. That's what I'm saying.
00:26:35.560
Yeah. That's what I'm saying. Are you kidding? Oh, I'm the most famous bitch alive in gay
00:26:39.660
rooms. It was, it was just, yeah, it was, it was a lot. I can't even imagine you. Um,
00:26:45.400
and it was, it was a special moment of celebration and, and, but there was this one girl that,
00:26:51.460
um, we were, we were trying to leave at that point, but she like came down on, on the sidewalk
00:26:57.020
and, um, and just really, really wanted to connect. It was a trans Latina woman, um, who,
00:27:04.960
um, you know, said she had never felt represented on screen before. Um, and specifically it was,
00:27:12.920
uh, the scene where Terry's attacked. Um, and you know, that scene, I think it's, it's,
00:27:21.100
it's really hard to watch and, um, it was really hard to perform. And in some ways we sort of want
00:27:29.540
to move past depictions of violence against trans women on screen. Right. And, and yet that scene,
00:27:35.900
I think really, it really affected a lot of people and it really connected with, resonated with a lot
00:27:42.400
of people. And, and, um, and so to hear it from her, another trans Latina woman, that that scene
00:27:48.660
felt so necessary and that, and that she felt like she could point to something, um, that, um,
00:27:56.460
that could speak to her experience. Yeah. I, it felt like it was a reminder of, of why I do this.
00:28:04.820
Yeah, absolutely. And that it means something. And why you're just essential in terms of
00:28:08.900
entertainment and media far past your talent, which I think more people should focus on is your talent.
00:28:13.580
Right. But far past that, I think that's such a good point too, about, you know, you want to move
00:28:18.920
past violence and that is true, but I think there's a world in which you can have both. And I think
00:28:23.600
that's what people are asking for is not just violence. It's trans joy too. Like that is very
00:28:27.780
much so a part of the trans experiences joy as much as it is violence. And then, and that violence is
00:28:32.640
not inflicted on, uh, on anyone other than the perpetrator themselves, which are fucking transphobes.
00:28:38.640
So like, I think that's so powerful. Yeah. It's one of those few times they got you tearing up a
00:28:43.080
little bit and he said, I'm in we ho bitch. Yeah. Don't do this to me. And then, and then I turned
00:28:47.580
to the, to him and I said, see, don't you ever doubt me again. And then we broke up a week later,
00:28:56.140
but there you go. And there you go. I think that's so beautiful. Yeah. Like that's amazing. What are,
00:29:03.060
what is something you're really gunning for? Like, do you have a major goal when it comes to like,
00:29:08.220
either it's directing a certain film or maybe starring in something or maybe recurring role in
00:29:12.580
something? Do you have an ultimate goal? Um, I mean, I do have this dream of creating a series
00:29:18.980
and, um, getting to produce, write and star on it. Um, there, there's just something about TV where
00:29:26.800
you get to build a structure that other people get to live in, um, that I really like, um, in terms of
00:29:35.140
culture change and, um, and trying to build opportunities, not just for myself, but for
00:29:41.040
other people. Yeah. And I think TV in some ways is better, is a better structure for that than film.
00:29:48.380
Yeah. It gives you more breathing room. Yeah. Well, it's, it's more sustainable. Yeah. Like you
00:29:53.580
could potentially have that job for years. Um, you can live in one place, you know? Um, and a film is so,
00:30:01.900
it's so transient, you know, and temporary and, um, and people get paid less usually on, on, on a,
00:30:11.720
you know, on a like indie film versus a standard. Yeah. Cause most movies are not huge box office
00:30:19.380
with enormous budgets. Yeah. Yeah. That's true. Yeah. Um, so yeah, I, I really would like to do that.
00:30:25.680
Um, I, I like, I want to say, I'm like, you know what? Yeah. Like I want to make Star Wars,
00:30:32.020
but it's like, that's cool. But it's like, then I have to like come up with an idea.
00:30:36.380
Now I'm going to work on Star Wars. Do you know what I mean? God. Um, so like that,
00:30:40.280
but that is sort of like my real answer is that one day I would like to create sci-fi that is original
00:30:48.060
and long lasting, long lasting. Yeah. Um, and, um, and culturally significant. That is so fucking
00:30:56.620
tea. Yeah. I would, you would kill at that. I'm trying, I'm trying to, I believe in that for you.
00:31:01.900
I see it so clearly. I've said that before cause I've, I've joked about this on the show,
00:31:05.300
but like I am writing another book when I'm doing fantasy, like kind of book, but my longterm plan,
00:31:11.820
cause I'm a Virgo. So I planned 20 years in the future. I was saying like, my goal is to eventually
00:31:15.880
get it made into something and then cast myself. But that's my Lin-Manuel Miranda plan. That's
00:31:20.580
what I call it. Yeah. Where I'm like, you can have it. I'm just going to play a prominent role
00:31:24.800
in it. Yeah. Yeah. It's up to you. Yeah. Buy it. And, but I am the main character. Yeah. And no,
00:31:29.560
I can't sing. Yeah. So, so are you ready? Sign right here. What would you say is the most randomly,
00:31:40.000
but fucking cool moment you've had since, uh, going through this last year? Um, where you're
00:31:45.820
like, that is crazy and so awesome. I can't wait to tell someone. I mean, it, I met the
00:31:52.200
Pope. Did you really? I literally, the old one. Like I literally, yeah. The one that just
00:31:59.800
passed over. Yes. Yes. Yes. Rest his God. What is it? May God rest his soul. Um, that's crazy.
00:32:07.340
Crazy answer. Oh, the Pope. Um, yeah, probably. Yeah. Like I went to his house. What the fuck
00:32:14.340
are you doing at Pope Francis's house? Is that his name? I don't even know. Yeah. Getting
00:32:19.040
nervous. Like I'm Catholic. I'm not. Yeah. Like I sat with him for an hour. Damn. What were
00:32:27.420
you guys keying about? I mean, and we were talking about the, the importance of, um, cultural
00:32:34.740
change for queer and trans people, particularly in families. Um, and, and I, we know that the
00:32:41.660
Catholic church does have an impact in a lot of people's families, no matter how you feel
00:32:48.460
about the Catholic church, rightfully so myself included. Um, I, I did say yes to the invitation
00:32:56.080
to, to go speak with him, um, and to show him what it looks like when a trans woman is
00:33:03.000
loved and uplifted and accepted and celebrated. Um, and accomplished. You're so fucking cool.
00:33:12.380
What the fuck? She's like, well, yeah, obviously I went to the Pope to go tell him about trans
00:33:16.280
what the fuck, bitch. What are you talking about? Yeah, it was damn. I'm over here telling
00:33:21.640
men to suck my wiener and that's what you're doing. Yeah, no, but thanks to, thanks to glad,
00:33:26.380
glad, um, organized that trip. That is so fucking crazy. Yeah. Yeah. I'd list that too.
00:33:33.420
Two truths and a lot. Your two truths and a lie is going to go crazy. I've sat with Pope Francis
00:33:37.580
and talked about trans words. Um, I hate broccoli and I love the color. Wait, okay. Can we,
00:33:43.260
what tell me truth, truth, and a lie? I want to like, I want to get to know you better. Yeah.
00:33:47.520
Oh, shoot. Now I'm feeling put on the spot. Me loving to talk about myself.
00:33:52.520
Two truths and a lie. Hmm. I've broken a collarbone. Okay. I used to work at the NFL.
00:34:02.140
I almost pooped my pants after the Oscars. Damn it. Um,
00:34:07.520
that was the day of the Oscars. Mind you. Okay. That one has to be real.
00:34:13.260
Oh, and if not, damn, I gave it away. I mean, if not, then like,
00:34:20.180
unfortunately that one is true. Yes. Okay. That one's definitely true.
00:34:31.860
I actually did break a collarbone. Oh, so you did not work at the NFL.
00:34:37.820
Don't be so real. I just realized I told you three truths.
00:34:46.140
And they can never say that you don't tell the truth.
00:34:48.200
Listen, let me tell you and tell the Pope that.
00:34:57.760
I feel like I'm cracking up because you said you hung out with the Pope.
00:35:10.300
don't bother using the Pope Francis when I already know that would have been a good
00:35:22.720
So, um, if you want to think on it, I do have some fun facts about you.
00:35:36.840
The first one says that you have a linguistics and cognitive science degree.
00:35:53.680
Um, and then when I was eight moved to San Antonio, Texas.
00:36:01.520
Um, and, um, but I moved, yeah, I did go to college in SoCal.
00:36:12.840
Um, so I've lived in California now, most of my life, like the greatest, the greatest portion
00:36:28.960
And, um, I went to a school where we were encouraged to not declare a major until junior
00:36:40.980
Um, and then, so I took intro to Ling, um, with Meredith Landman and, uh, I just was very
00:36:55.080
Um, that makes a lot of sense to me that you love linguistics because you're a really
00:36:58.940
effective communicator and that's, it's hard to communicate if you don't understand language
00:37:05.380
I think I've gotten good at communicating also, um, for my counseling days.
00:37:11.160
Like I had to, we did like activities that were like active listening.
00:37:27.120
It's funny you say that because my sister is a lesbian.
00:37:34.520
Uh, and my sister went to the university of Oregon.
00:37:42.840
My sister came back with lots of lessons for me.
00:37:46.220
And there's also the three eyes, the institutional impact, the interpersonal impact and the individual.
00:37:53.280
That's the real gay agenda is effective communication.
00:38:16.380
No, I literally actually talk about SeaWorld all the time.
00:38:18.480
It's just like, it was such a pivotal chapter in my life.
00:38:22.800
And then sometimes people who like, don't know, I'll just be like, okay, so yeah, well, that
00:38:27.120
was like when I was at SeaWorld and blah, blah, blah, blah.
00:38:29.080
And then they're like, I'm sorry, what do you mean you met at SeaWorld?
00:38:32.600
And I'm like, oh, no, no, no, when I worked at SeaWorld for three years.
00:38:42.680
And, um, you know, I feel like a truly badge of honor for anybody who's ever worked retail
00:38:56.920
It just, I'm like, well, this is what a job is.
00:39:05.120
I can only imagine, too, because that's like a tourist attraction.
00:39:09.680
And, you know, that part, that part, maybe, I don't know, maybe it is what like taught
00:39:29.080
It's like a mom of five from Missouri who has a sunburn in a very strange configuration
00:39:35.300
on her face because she didn't know how to put her sunscreen on right.
00:39:38.620
But she's mad because they, we don't have the mug that has her daughter's name spelled
00:39:45.160
And I'm like, well, I'm sorry, you shouldn't have named your daughter Kaylee and spelled
00:39:51.000
Well, it would be like E-E-I-G-H and then a silent Y at the end.
00:39:56.120
And it's just like, I don't, I'm sorry, we don't have it for you, but.
00:40:02.000
It's funny because when I talk about the fucking two seconds I worked in a restaurant, I was
00:40:07.340
like, yeah, the way my mouth is set up, I can't have this job.
00:40:12.340
Like, I'm going to get, I'm going to catch a fucking case if I keep working at this restaurant.
00:40:23.260
And then I had to, well, what I wanted was to work room service.
00:40:36.180
Yeah, I was like, yeah, it's like, it's like a field trip every day.
00:40:42.720
And I don't know, you're like going in people's rooms.
00:40:56.560
I, yeah, I think the only tips I got were pity tips.
00:41:07.380
I'm going to thrive in the room service industry.
00:41:11.560
Cause like when I was a waitress too, I, it didn't last very long, but it, the entire
00:41:16.560
time I remember thinking, I cannot believe how many people go out to eat with the intention
00:41:25.040
Like they're like, I'm going to swing on someone, but I can't.
00:41:27.300
So I'm going to go to Chili's and I'm going to ruin that person's day.
00:41:35.180
I'm like, I feel like you're terrorizing me on purpose.
00:41:42.160
So I lived in Hawaii and they get, we get a lot of tourists and Australian men, specifically
00:41:50.500
Now that I do this for a living, like they fucking hate me over there, but like Australian
00:41:54.260
Uh, but Australian men, they are the worst tables ever because they camp for hours.
00:42:00.700
They drink and get loud and they never tip ever, ever fucking ever waste my time to
00:42:11.100
We need to fix, we need to fix tipping culture.
00:42:20.240
The sixth one says before you started acting, you worked as a legal assistant and a counselor.
00:42:29.200
That was when I first started working with, uh, survivors of violence.
00:42:34.960
And one thing I will say too, that I've noticed in your journey is that I feel like you have
00:42:40.520
always been such an advocate, not necessarily an activist, but I think inherently we become
00:42:46.520
activist when you get a platform, but like you've always been an advocate and you like
00:42:53.960
I think that's fucking awesome, especially with the stage and the level of exposure you
00:42:59.500
I think a lot of times it can scare people, especially marginalized people for reasons
00:43:03.120
I can understand where you're like, maybe I shouldn't be as honest about how I feel about
00:43:06.800
these things because it might close doors for me, but you're never afraid of that.
00:43:11.840
It's really hard to do that, especially as a marginalized person in this industry.
00:43:16.820
And I want to tell you that before we start making more wiener jokes, before we get silly
00:43:21.480
again, have to remember to tell you that, uh, this next one says you performed in a junior
00:43:33.380
Um, the, I don't remember it was in Mexico, so it was in Spanish.
00:44:06.900
Yeah, I would love musical theater if they just didn't have the singing.
00:44:11.520
I do love a musical film, um, when the, um, it's warranted, like, when it makes sense to
00:44:24.220
Like, like they have to be like, like dream girls, they're singers and so they're going
00:44:33.880
I mean, maybe I just like Beyonce music girls, but wait, okay.
00:44:46.520
I was listening to that soundtrack on the plane, actually on the plane home.
00:44:51.000
Literally like for once in a lifetime, the Beyonce, oof.
00:45:17.500
It says that you first got asked to audition for the show Generation on HBO Max from a random
00:45:25.020
Well, there goes one of my two truths in a lie.
00:45:28.700
Um, yeah, I, um, I got to LA and I was trying to be on my indie filmmaker hustle, you know,
00:45:37.100
She had a job and then on the weekends, she would like plug away at her film.
00:45:46.680
Um, um, and that was sort of the vision I had was like, okay, I'm going to get a job.
00:45:54.300
Um, yeah, it was like, and then two days into that job, I got cast on Generation.
00:46:06.760
I feel like that happens though with most great artists.
00:46:14.760
And that's just me gassing you, but it's also true.
00:46:20.720
And then obviously your last fact it's, we already talked about it, but it's about your
00:46:25.300
But just to circle back to your short film, uh, what do you hope people take away from it?
00:46:31.540
So the film is called all the words, but the one.
00:46:33.800
And it is out available for everyone to watch, um, at all the words, film.com.
00:46:40.820
And I hope that people watch it and allow themselves to feel, I hope that people are not
00:46:50.040
afraid of the questions that may come up, um, in the film.
00:46:56.160
We live in a world that makes it very hard to know what to do with, with pain and trauma
00:47:05.380
And, um, um, I think so often the answers that were given, uh, culturally are, and institutionally
00:47:14.380
are based in punishment and, and carceral responses.
00:47:19.480
And so what does it look like when we really ask, what do we need?
00:47:26.500
And, and it's really up to each individual survivor to say what they need.
00:47:31.740
And maybe, maybe what that person needs is not to tell everybody.
00:47:36.860
And is not to, to have this whole public, um, you know, confrontation.
00:47:42.080
And, and maybe that survivor needs to have her own process within, maybe she wants to
00:47:47.760
tell one person, but we're not entitled to know anyone's process.
00:47:52.920
Um, and so I hope people are willing to engage with, with all of these, these questions.
00:48:08.960
And I, and I, having watched it, I will say, I do love that at a certain point to me, it
00:48:15.860
felt like when she, obviously when she did talk about it, when she was ready, I loved
00:48:21.000
that it felt like she didn't need the validation.
00:48:26.900
She didn't need them to validate whether it was good, bad, why, like, how come, like all
00:48:35.200
Like she didn't need it because she had her own and I love that part of it.
00:48:39.100
I think that's beautiful without trying to give away too much.
00:48:45.260
And I'm so glad that you are not only starring in these huge, amazing shows, but you're also
00:48:52.180
creating your own art and putting it out in the world at the same time, multitasking
00:49:00.300
And I, and I, and I have to say, I wouldn't have it any other way.
00:49:03.420
You know, it's, it's such a blessing to have been a part of something that had such huge
00:49:11.240
Um, and I, I can't tell you how special it was to, to do this short film with this group
00:49:21.300
It was during the strike and I, and I checked, I was allowed to do it.
00:49:25.700
You know, I wasn't, no one, I wasn't striking against myself.
00:49:28.900
So, um, uh, we were striking against the studios, but, um, yeah, it was, it was this,
00:49:35.640
this beautiful, um, transformative community process.
00:49:40.980
And, um, and I hope that I get to continue doing things like that.
00:49:45.980
And I think that's so, I think it's beautiful and necessary for many reasons, but especially
00:49:52.420
Um, and my other friends have told me who are in the industry too.
00:49:54.800
It's like, sometimes people like us have to write our own shit.
00:49:58.700
Like we have to make our own art because we're sick and tired of waiting around for
00:50:03.960
I'm like, y'all keep casting white people and we'll make other stuff.
00:50:14.000
Well, thank you so much for coming on the show.
00:50:24.800
it is just, even though I've met you several times now, it still is wild to know that you're
00:50:34.300
Cause trust me, I was, I was deep in the TikTok trenches during the pandemic.
00:50:38.660
Um, and you were just speaking so courageously and, and it felt like you were speaking with
00:50:47.480
the voice of all of us who are fed up with, with being told that we're not enough and that
00:50:54.980
we are not beautiful, that we don't deserve love, whatever it is, and you lead with love
00:51:05.120
And, and I feel so lucky that we've now got to share this.
00:51:17.380
Do you have any advice for any aspiring artists that are looking to get into this industry?
00:51:23.120
As we've talked about before, it's beautiful and suffocating and everything in between all
00:51:28.760
the wonderful, amazing things and all the terrible things at the same time.
00:51:31.700
And for anyone, especially now where I feel like art is under attack in so many ways, whether
00:51:36.300
it's by AI or it's by the administration, whatever the fuck it may be.
00:51:40.760
Um, do you have any words of wisdom or courage for people who are artists and want to get into
00:51:49.920
Uh, you're going to have to fight for something.
00:51:53.100
And so you might as well fight for something that you really believe in, something that
00:52:00.060
aligns with your values and something that can bring you closer together with other people.
00:52:05.480
Um, and, and that is going to become more and more important.
00:52:09.920
I think as this century goes on, as the killer bees are going to start appearing and
00:52:16.420
you know, the robot dogs, you know, like we, yeah, we have to believe in something
00:52:33.820
And I'm so glad we're in each other's lives and in love now.
00:52:38.440
Thank you so much for joining us on this week's episode of the comment section show
00:52:41.360
for the two and a half people that may not know.
00:52:50.320
Um, my Instagram is Nava Mao and my film Instagram is all the words film.
00:52:57.240
You can watch the film at all the words film.com.
00:53:01.880
And please go watch Nava and literally anything she's in.
00:53:12.540
Thank you so much for joining us on this episode.
00:53:14.300
Thank you so much to my amazing guest Nava Mao.
00:53:16.160
Don't forget new episodes of the comment section drop every Wednesday.
00:53:18.760
You can stream the audio on all streaming platforms, but the video is for free and exclusively on
00:53:25.220
Thank you so much to Nava Mao and I'll see you next week.