Meet Natalia Yi | Filmmaker & Actress

We had the good fortune of connecting with Natalia Yi and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Natalia, how has your work-life balance changed over time?
When I was younger, after graduating from school, my life fell into chaos — even though I was studying at university. I didn’t understand the point of what I was doing and where my life was headed. It was a fun time, but something was missing — a sense of purpose, of direction.

I thought that whatever I wanted should happen immediately. That impatience made me anxious. I wanted success right away. I wanted to be fit right away. Whatever I wanted should happen right now.

It took me years to realize that nothing meaningful happens overnight. The truth is, consistency is the real key. When things come too easily or too fast, we often lose our appreciation for them. The journey matters. It builds passion, discipline, and depth.

Now, I’ve found balance in taking my time. Whether it’s building a career or reaching a health goal, I’ve learned that true growth happens one step at a time. If you try to leap too far ahead, you might just fall. But steady progress? That’s where the magic is.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
It’s been about fifteen years since I began my journey in filmmaking. As a kid, I watched blockbusters with my dad and became fascinated by how the worlds that don’t exist in real life were created on the screen. I found an old camera at home and started filming my friends and dance rehearsals, editing the footage in Final Cut—back when smartphones and editing weren’t so accessible. When people started asking me to film for them, I realized this could be more than a hobby. My first public screening was a graduation video for my class in front of the whole school, and people loved it—even more than those done by professionals.

Soon after, I moved to Moscow to study journalism, hoping to get into a TV & Film program after the second year of studies, but I didn’t get in, and dropped out of university after completing 3 years. I had no idea what was going to happen next, but I’ve never stepped away from my path. Every choice, every job, every sacrifice—was in service of growing as a filmmaker. I was sacrificing a lot many times—people, places, things—to keep moving forward. I knew my journey would be slower because I was very shy. Everything took longer—making friends, speaking up, sharing my ideas. I knew that to succeed, I’d need to work not only on my craft but also on myself. That made my journey more intentional.

Later, I got involved in music video production, working with well-known Russian artists. That was my first experience in a key crew team. I thought my career would take off from there, but in reality, it was just the beginning of my education. I didn’t want to just be a director—I wanted to understand every role on set. That led me to apply to film schools, and after being rejected in Moscow, I took a risk and applied abroad without any expectations.
Unexpectedly, I was accepted into film school in Toronto. My English was limited, but I took the risk and moved. It was difficult at first—I barely understood anything—but I recorded and translated all my classes word by word. In a few semesters, despite the limited language skills, one of my film school teachers asked me to help on the screening of ‘The Breach’. I had a chance to meet Slash and record his interview for a documentary. It was one of the highlights of that time. When the time came to pitch my final project, I didn’t get greenlit—I was shaking and couldn’t explain my ideas properly. But I couldn’t let go of the dream. So, just a week before graduation, I gathered a crew, wrote a script in one sitting, and shot my first short film in three days, because I knew if I didn’t use the resources I had at that moment, it would be much harder to do it later.

Then came New York—a city I always dreamed of but never thought I’d reach. I left all I built in Toronto behind. I applied to the Lee Strasberg Theatre & Film Institute to study acting, not because I wanted to become an actress, but to better understand performers as a director. I knew it would be difficult. I didn’t realize how much. In the beginning, I remember, there was an exercise where you just needed to stand on the stage and do nothing, looking at the audience’s eyes – I didn’t pass it. But in two years, I overcame all my fears and performed in front of a hundred people. Acting opened something in me. It made me more compassionate, more connected to art. I started to love theater just as much as film. And now, I work in both film & theatre production, as well as a performer in the city I love. It was one of the best decisions of my life.

It took me ten years of slow, steady steps to reach the place I thought I’d be by 22, but I’ve learned that good things take time, and I don’t regret anything. Taking risks without trying to predict things was the best skill I had, and it brought me to something beautiful. Patience and commitment to your craft are everything.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
This city is very noisy — which isn’t a surprise — and it’s easy to feel constantly drained if you don’t learn how to balance your energy while living here. I’m always on the lookout for places where you can escape and recharge. It may not be what most newcomers are expecting from New York City, but I’d definitely take my friends to these spots.

I love restaurants that stay open late. One of my favorites is La Lanterna di Vittorio — they have amazing lasagna — and right across the street is Caffè Reggio, where you can drink coffee all day and night. I also love Mari Vanna, a Russian restaurant where I can enjoy food from my home country. I don’t cook much Russian food at home, so it’s my little nostalgic treat.

As for nature, there are two places I always return to. The first is Central Park — but specifically the Hallett Nature Sanctuary, which feels like a hidden retreat. The second is Fort Tryon Park, with the Met Cloisters tucked inside. It’s the quietest museum I’ve ever been to in New York, and the whole area has a very peaceful, almost magical feel.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I’ve been a student most of my life—different colleges, a university, long and short-term courses. But nothing changed my life like the Lee Strasberg Theatre & Film Institute, my most recent alma mater.

I had been working in film production for years, aiming to become a director. At some point, I realized that to truly understand how to work with actors, I needed to study acting myself — not just the technical side of things.

My first year at the Institute was one of the toughest of my life. I knew I was shy, but I had no idea how deeply it affected me. I would shake on stage, even when all I had to do was sit and do nothing.

But those two years gave me more than I ever expected. Yes, I gained the tools I needed to work with actors, but I also gained something deeper: a new vision of life, of myself, and of the people around me. I forgot what judgment even feels like. I became more compassionate toward everything and everyone — because when you step into a character, you have to understand what that character is going through, and make it your own.

Website: https://www.nataliayi.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yinatau/