Three International Actors Fighting to Remain in the US
Niki Hatzidis
When we think of the difficulties a career in the theater industry might present, most of us think of the instability, the constant hustle of auditioning and networking, all while maintaining a survival job and personal relationships. We get caught up in all of it. But in addition to all this, international artists are fighting a whole other battle altogether. Most international artists come to the US to train and study, though once they graduate if they wish to remain in the United States, they have to obtain an artist visa.
One of the more common types of visas is the O-1 visa. It is issued to an individuals who “possesses extraordinary ability in the sciences, arts, education, business, or athletics, or who has a demonstrated record of extraordinary achievement in the motion picture or television industry and has been recognized nationally or internationally for those achievements,” according to the US Citizenship and Immigration Services website. These visas are issued for the length of three years but are extremely complex and difficult to obtain, requiring a lot of contingencies and restrictions.
I spoke to three international artists and recent graduates of the American Academy of
Dramatic Arts in New York City while they are in the midst of fighting to remain in the US. Hannah Bailey is an actor and singer from Australia. Jonas Kobberdal is an actor, screenwriter, and director from Norway. HanJie Chow is originally from Singapore but has spent most of his life in the UK. He is a multidisciplinary theater artist, with skills ranging from acting to costume shop associate, to production photographer. They were all very honest about the process and how extremely passionate they are about their craft.
Tell me about your experience studying/working on your craft in the US.
Hannah: Moving to New York from, quite literally, the other side of the world, has been truly life-altering. Having to grow my own roots here, and build an entire network of people who are essentially my family now, is not without its challenges, but each of these experiences has been so formative and hugely impacted my identity as an artist. The American Academy of Dramatic Arts allowed me to meet people from all over the world, and being open and creative with them every day for three huge years was a real privilege. What I learned there through my formal acting training will stay with me for life, and so will many of the friendships I formed!
Jonas: I moved to New York almost four years ago now to study at The American Academy of Dramatic Arts. Going through the process of moving countries and leaving everything and everyone I knew behind made me more determined to get the most out of my education and I showed up to class every day hungry for knowledge and personal growth as an actor. Being invited back to attend the highly competitive and selective Company year at the Academy after the regular two years of training was also a huge personal victory for me and a testament to how far I had come as an actor since making the move.
HanJie: I moved to New York to pursue my actor training at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. During my training and being much older than my fellow classmates, I had figured out that I needed to better myself in order to be distinct from every other actor, as well as ultimately, becoming more employable as a working actor. I joined the behind-the-scenes team, specifically in the Costume Shop at the New York Theatre Workshop. I also engaged my photographer and became the production photographer for KPOP which is now making its way to Broadway. I recently stepped into the lead role of a production called Last Gasp, and have since been working on some readings, and lending my voice to a podcast audio drama called Lady Lucy.
Why is it important for you to stay in the US to work as an artist?
Hannah: I’m very excited about where the U.S. entertainment industry is heading at the moment. Everywhere I look it seems we are opening up more and more to new stories and the demand for fresh perspectives is evolving rapidly. As an Australian-Filipino artist in New York City, I feel encouraged to bring my individuality to every project I am a part of, and it’s been very gratifying to feel I have so much to offer in this way. I can’t even remember the last time I was asked to use an American accent!
Jonas: The industry in Norway is small and there is a very limited pool of actors that pretty much all productions and films cast from. If you are not already in that pool or attended the state school for the arts (which accepts 8 actors a year), there is only one audition a year by invitation only, where you get to share a monologue with industry professionals. Compare that to New York where I can easily audition for 10-20 projects in a week. In Norway, you are not really supposed to stick your neck out and to try to do things differently from the norm. I truly never felt like I was accepted for who I am until I moved here to the United States.
HanJie: As a male Asian actor and theatre artist, the landscape is far more forgiving and accepting here in the US. The level of exposure I’ve gotten here in New York has been incredible. The pace at which I’ve gotten to establish myself as a professional theatre artist - the type of work I am getting, the kinds of people I get to work with, theatrical geniuses, and the professional network I’ve gained along the way, speaks volumes as to how much more appreciated, as an ethnic minority.
What are some things AM citizens, both artists, and non-artists, might not understand about living here on an Artist Visa?
Hannah: There are some fairly strict regulations around where one can and can’t work outside of ‘employment within their craft’. It can be difficult to make ends meet sometimes, although it also encourages us to be continually involved in the Arts, so it can be a bit of a blessing in disguise!
Jonas: To get the visa approved I also need to prove that I have work lined up for the next three years, which is difficult in a field where everyone working are freelancers. In a time where most artists have multiple titles in their IG bios, being interdisciplinary as an international on an artist visa is also way more limited. The way the visa system is built up here I have to choose one specific type of art form to apply as I can’t apply as an actor/director for instance. It feels like the visa system isn’t built for this day and age, where more often than not you have to wear multiple hats if you want to work in the performing arts field. I also feel limited to going back home to see my friends and family. I need to be here to prove that I am working on my craft, and since the visa is only valid for three years at a time and is both expensive and time-consuming to apply for, it just doesn’t make sense to take time away from that.
How has this process affected you, both personally and in your career?
Hannah: Applying for the Artist Visa has been a huge undertaking. It’s involved countless hours in makeshift coffee-shop-offices, and more than a couple of full-blown meltdowns, but I’m incredibly grateful for what this process has taught me! I’ve been able to really take ownership of my ability to ask for things, and it has allowed me to maintain relationships with many individuals with whom I’ve worked in the past.
On a personal level, the visa feels like a big step in terms of how I identify ‘home’. Committing to a further three years in the U.S. is scary in many ways as it means more time away from family and friends and my ‘homeland’ etc. I can be a part of both while creating my own sense of this wherever I find myself. So yes, this visa process has definitely affected many aspects of my life, and has asked me to investigate a lot of who I am and where I find myself!
Jonas: The hardship of moving to a new country, performing on a daily basis in a language that wasn’t my own and building relationships both personally and professionally in another culture has given me a better understanding of myself and my abilities. I think that the added pressure of being international and always having to prove myself as an artist in order to stay here has given me a big sense of urgency that most of my American classmates might not have felt as strongly coming out of school. I had no time for vacations or taking time off to reflect upon my training, I had to go out there and book work from day one and build opportunities for myself when I couldn’t get work to be able to continue to build my career here in America.
Hanjie: It’s drained me personally! I am not someone who regularly asks for help - I’ve always been very self-sufficient and a ‘DIY’ kind of individual, but this visa process has really pushed that and I’ve had to call in all kinds of favours. I’ve well and truly hustled the past few years and haven’t really had much time for anything else. So on the one hand, a positive outlook is that I’ve managed to establish myself as a theatre artist, but the downside is that there have been sacrifices: social life, not having time to visit my parents back in England… little big things like that!
What are your artistic goals for the future? Whether or not you are able to remain in the US? How does leaving or staying affect those goals positively or negatively?
Hannah: I definitely have my sights set on a few major NYC companies and locations, in which I would absolutely love to work. A big one is The Public Theatre’s Shakespeare in the Park! Performing Shakespeare, to all kinds of audiences, in Central Park?? Of course! Part of what I love about the acting profession is that you never quite know what’s around the corner. You can aim for things, and be guided by certain goals, but at the same time, you also have to trust the unknown, love it, even. I look forward to discovering new parts of myself as an artist, and expanding into territory I haven’t necessarily ventured into yet.
Jonas: My artistic goals for the future are to continue to explore new outlets for my creativity for instance writing and filmmaking, and to find more specificity in my acting every time I work on stage or in front of a camera. To do that I need the exposure more than anything else. I need to work on my craft by performing in as many productions and projects as possible. Staying in the US would obviously be the preferred choice as I now have a bigger professional network here than at home, but one of my goals is to be a global artist and I am staying open to the idea of going back home at some point to work in my own language as well. I feel like the world we live in is becoming more open and global and that pursuing a career in multiple places at once is easier than ever before.
Hanjie: That’s the thrilling part of my work I think… I want to continue pursuing my acting endeavors and really find a meaty part that speaks to me. I would really love to keep working on new works! That’s my passion. New works are so much more exciting than revivals and classics. In the event that I do have to leave the US, I think it would be a really tough change for me. Because of all my networks and my connections here in the industry, and the amount of time and effort I have poured into making space for myself as an artist, I would have no idea how to start anew in England. Although that is where I grew up, it’s not somewhere where I have had any professional experience: and to try to insert myself into the UK theater industry at the same level that I’m at in my career here in the US, is hard!
What are you working on right now in regards to your craft?
Hannah: I’m currently in a short play that’s up next week (20th-24th Feb) at The Players Theatre in The Village. You can also catch me in Welcome Home, a new film by Eric John Morton that will premiere in March. I play a young girl who is trapped within a psychologically abusive modern-day cult. As well as this, I’ve been recording vocals on some new music: listen out for me on Evan Crommett’s hit single Boys & Girls in Hell’s Kitchen, which was released in January on all streaming platforms. I am also releasing a single later this month called Do You Want That, and 100% of the proceeds made from its purchase will go directly towards The Australian Red Cross’ Disaster Relief and Recovery Fund. Keep an eye out for the song’s release @hannahadelebailey and www.playitforward.com.
Jonas: I now run a production company called Copper Valley Productions and we are currently in post-production for a short film titled Distant which will also be my directorial debut. Even though I primarily act on stage I am getting more and more interested in film as a medium, and I am working towards becoming a more versatile actor to pursue work in all lanes of our industry.
Hanjie: I am currently recording a podcast audio drama called Lady Lucy based on
Shakespeare’s ‘Dark Lady’ sonnets, and engaged for some upcoming developmental readings in the next couple of weeks. In between auditions, I am the Costume Shop Associate at the New York Theatre Workshop, where I am currently working on putting together the costumes for two plays: Endlings by Celine Song, as well as Sanctuary City, by Pulitzer winner Martyna Majok; costume designed by Linda Cho and Tom Scutt, respectively.I recently just worked with famed designer Bob Crowley on Sing Street. I am about to start working on the costumes for Sing Street as it makes its transition to the Lyceum on Broadway. Beyond working as an actor and in Costumes and Wardrobe, I am a freelance production photographer.
In this very complex, difficult, and wonderful industry, there are fellow artists that are fighting battles we can’t begin to understand. Their uncertainty stems further than whether or not they get that next part and paycheck. It goes as far a to whether or not they might have to pick up and leave the life and connections they have built here. Though their stay in the US is uncertain, one thing that is clear is Hannah, Jonas, and Hanjie’s passion for the industry we all love and work so hard to pursue. We are all eager to create, explore and share. What makes our industry so special is its value in different experiences and perspectives. The more diversity there is in the mix the better. In moving forward, let’s encourage this culture towards advocating for kindness and understanding towards those battling to stay in the country too.
Niki Hatzidis is an actor, writer and award-nominated playwright based in New York City. NikiHatzidis.com