Inspirational Women In Hollywood: How Actress Ali Fumiko Whitney Is Helping To Shake Up The Entertainment Industry
Telling stories is the most exciting job in the world to me. I love reading a script or a play and getting to dive into another human’s thoughts and emotions. Being given the opportunity to tell stories is an honor and I hope we continue to see more diverse and female-oriented leads on stage and on screens. My hope as a half Japanese actress is to help amplify more Asian voices in this industry by taking part in projects that center around them.
As a part of our series about Inspirational Women In Hollywood, I had the distinct pleasure of interviewing Ali Fumiko Whitney.
Ali Fumiko Whitney is an American actress of Japanese-English-Scottish descent currently living in Manhattan. The budding actress grew up on the east coast in in Scarsdale, NY, before heading to the west coast to attend UCLA where she studied musical theater. Growing up, Ali always stayed active through her love for sports — including, soccer, skiing, and golf. Her passion for fitness has helped her take care of her mental health, a topic that she is extremely passionate and open about. A lover of languages, she currently speaks Spanish and is in the process of learning Japanese! Her love for acting and theater can also be attributed to her mother, Elizabeth Reiko Kubota Whitney, who is a Tony Award Winner for “Fun Home” alongside her father Ken Whitney. In 2022 Ali will be seen on the big screen in her first film, “Snow Valley”, which is a horror film (release date TBD), as well as, The Road Dance”, which had its world premiere at the Edinburgh Film Festival and had its U.S. premiere at the Santa Barbara Film Festival on March 3rd.
Continuing her love for learning about musical theater, Ali volunteers at the charter school, Harlem Village Academics, in NYC! Her mission is to highlight the work that they do to incorporate music and performing arts into their courses. She became a part of their young leadership program after moving to NYC and reads to their students through their literacy buddy program at least once a month.
Ali is also interested in joining an Asian coalition within the arts that helps to promote the telling of Asian American stories! She shows her dedication to embracing her culture through her love for cooking Asian food. Her gluten allergy inspired her to start a journey to create delicious gluten-free foods that pay homage to her cultural background. Additionally, she is extremely passionate about the environment and incorporates these efforts into her everyday life such as shopping consciously with brands that promote reducing our carbon footprint. Ali is excited to continue sharing her acting journey with the world!
Thank you so much for doing this with us! Our readers would love to get to know you a bit better. Can you tell us the story of how you grew up?
Thank you so much for having me!!
I was born in New York City and grew up in Scarsdale, NY the youngest of 3 girls with my incredible parents Liz and Ken. My mom is Japanese American, so growing up I was one of very few mixed ethnicity kids in school. We spent a lot of time during my childhood visiting my mom’s family in California, so I have always considered California a second home. My sisters, Ashley, and Rachel, and I were raised as athletes. I played every sport my town offered, and athletics is what shaped me into who I am. The discipline I learned through athletics helped me when I decided to pursue acting later in high school.
Can you share a story with us about what brought you to this specific career path?
My mom, Elizabeth Reiko Kubota (Whitney), was an actress and introduced me to the arts at a young age by taking the family to see Broadway shows. When I was 17, I had the opportunity to play the leading role of Adelaide in my high school’s production of Guys and Dolls. Being in that show gave me the confidence to audition for my dream school, UCLA, and the rest is history! ☺
Can you tell us the most interesting story that happened to you since you began your career?
Working on location in the Outer Hebrides, during a global pandemic, has been the most interesting experience for me thus far. While filming The Road Dance, we formed bonds with the locals and really saw what life on the Isle of Lewis was like. It was magical getting to work on a set that was a preserved village from the 1800s. It is an experience I will cherish forever!
Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?
Recently, I did my first ever Red Carpet with press for the Santa Barbara International Film Festival. I was so excited to get all dolled up but did not account for the fact that I would be in painfully high heels the whole time. It also happened to be insanely windy that evening, so of course, I took a bit of a tumble and fell backwards onto the backdrop on the carpet! Lesson learned, always practice walking in your heels before any event!!
None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story about that?
There are countless people I want to thank for being where I am today in my life and career. One person I would like to thank is my incredible manager, Kimberly Kottwitz. She and I went to UCLA together where she was my “Bruin Buddy”, a.k.a. mentor, in the Theater School. Kim has believed in me from the start and represented me soon after I graduated, always encouraging me, and helping me believe in myself. I would not be where I am today without her support and friendship!
You have been blessed with great success in a career path that can be challenging. Do you have any words of advice for others who may want to embark on this career path, but seem daunted by the prospect of failure?
Surround yourself with people who bring you joy. It is so easy to feel discouraged and disappointed as an actor as so much of the industry is not within our control. Continue to find people who believe in you and light up when you enter the room. Those are the friends who will lift you up on the bad days and be there to celebrate you on your good days, and that is a true gift!
What drives you to get up every day and work in TV and Film? What change do you want to see in the industry going forward?
Telling stories is the most exciting job in the world to me. I love reading a script or a play and getting to dive into another human’s thoughts and emotions. Being given the opportunity to tell stories is an honor and I hope we continue to see more diverse and female-oriented leads on stage and on screens. My hope as a half Japanese actress is to help amplify more Asian voices in this industry by taking part in projects that center around them.
You have such impressive work. What are some of the most interesting or exciting projects you are working on now? Where do you see yourself heading from here?
I’m currently in Louisiana working on a Feature Film called, CABIN GIRL. I can’t give too much away, but all I will say is it has been so much fun working on this thriller/horror movie and I cannot wait for audiences to see it! After this, I am hoping to switch genres a bit and work on a Romantic Comedy feature in which I will sing. Singing has always been my first love, and to be able to do so in a feature film is a dream of mine.
We are very interested in looking at diversity in the entertainment industry. Can you share three reasons with our readers why you think it’s important to have diversity represented in film and television? How can that potentially affect our culture and our youth growing up today?
- What we see on screen should reflect what we see in real life. Kids from all different walks of life should see themselves represented. It is important that they feel seen, so they grow up knowing they are not alone in the world.
- Having more diverse leading roles that are not projecting gender or ethnicity stereotypes will only help to broaden viewers minds. It also teaches younger kids that anyone can be the main character, no matter what they look like or how they identify.
- Having strong female characters played by ethnically diverse actresses. Empowering young girls is important to me because I remember growing up wishing I saw more actors like me on television playing those roles.
What are your “5 things I wish someone told me when I first started” and why? Please share a story or example for each.
- Don’t rush, trust the universe has a plan.
I remember feeling eager to book acting jobs right out of school, and while it is great to have goals and feel driven to succeed, putting pressure on yourself to “book work” leads to unnecessary stress. Learning to enjoy life and take the pressure off booking jobs has ultimately led me to a much more fulfilling career.
2. Prioritize your mental health and enjoy the downtime.
This career has many ups and downs. Sometimes you are busy nonstop and other times you have endless downtime. I used to try to use that downtime to create more work, so I felt I was being productive with my time. However, ultimately, I found that using that downtime to rest and take care of my mental health was a better use of my time. Being well rested and in a good headspace sets you up for success in those moments of working nonstop.
3. Find structure through your daily habits.
In a career, where so much is not in your control it can be easy to feel anxious. Setting daily habits and forming routines like working out, cooking, etc. will help you feel a sense of control over your life. Always continue working on your craft as well. I add in singing and dancing lessons to my weekly schedule and when I can I take classes with acting studios.
4. Choose reps that you feel comfortable talking to.
As a young actor starting out, I felt a sense of pressure when it came to having an agent or manager. There’s this feeling of not wanting to bother them by asking questions because you want to appear professional. However, that is the opposite of what I needed. I now talk to my reps constantly and ask questions so I can better understand how the industry works.
5. Write everything down.
Journaling has become a habit that I wish I had started sooner. Writing down things I am grateful for as well as things I am struggling with has been game changing. I really do believe in the power of putting out positive energy into the universe.
Can you share with our readers any selfcare routines, practices or treatments that you do to help your body, mind or heart to thrive? Please share a story for each one if you can.
I joke that I am the QUEEN of self-care! I strongly believe that taking care of yourself is therapeutic and a necessity. Every morning and evening I have a meticulous skin care routine that I find relaxes me and helps start and end my day on a calm note. I also try to start my day off with a workout class if I can. Being physically active helps me release any stress or anxiety. My mom always says, “as a performer, your body is your instrument”, so take care of it and be kind to yourself!
Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?
“If it’s to be, it’s up to me”
This quote was a favorite of my late Auntie Jeanie, who passed away before I was born after battling colon cancer. My mom always says this was how her sister lived her life, she even had the saying engraved on her pencils. This phrase holds special meaning to me, and it is how I hope to live my own life.
You are a person of huge influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be?
I would want to bring equal education opportunities to every community. I strongly believe that giving every child in America a quality education is a basic human right. I have always loved working with kids, especially when it comes to the arts. Giving kids the tools to succeed starts with giving them all a good education. I hope I can become more involved in organizations like the charter school Harlem Village Academies, where I currently volunteer to read with their students.
Is there a person in the world whom you would love to have lunch with, and why? Maybe we can tag them and see what happens!
REESE WITHERSPOON!! To me, she embodies the definition of being a strong, powerful leading lady! I have been a fan of hers since I was a little girl, and I would love to ask her what it was like being so successful at such a young age and how she fought for projects she produced and starred in. I also love her clothing line and think she’d be so fun to go dancing with!
Are you on social media? How can our readers follow you online?
The best way to keep up with me is through my Instagram, @alifumikowhitney ☺
This was so informative, thank you so much! We wish you continued success!
