Meet Naoyuki Ikeda of Los Angeles

Today we’d like to introduce you to Naoyuki Ikeda.

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I’m from Nagoya, Japan. I was an English teacher in Nagoya and Kagoshima, but I moved to LA to be a film actor. To make my career successful, I started getting involved in Japan-related events and now I am the director of Japan Film Festival Los Angeles and the executive of Asan World Film Festival.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It’s never a smooth. But actually I enjoyed it. Being a teacher, I had to be right and good as a teacher all the time like 24 hours. Then I changed my career path to be an actor. I couldn’t imagine myself as a successful actor in Japan. And I want to be a better actor, that’s why I chose to come to LA, Hollywood. But I had no experience as an actor, I had no connections, I didn’t know anyone in LA. I had to start everything from zero. Being an actor for 10 years and still had so many obstacles to get the speaking role, so I changed my strategy and started being involved in the film festival. And again, I didn’t know anything about running the film festival, so I had to learn it from Zero. But here I am.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I was a teacher in Japan. Now I am an actor in Los Angeles. Teacher experience helped a lot in acting. Talking to a lot of people, guiding them, listening to them, communicating with them, teaching them, etc. Those are all actually acting itself. As an actor, I act in front of the camera, and at the theater, commercials, voice overs, I even do MC and translator at the events. From those experiences, I’m really good at communicating, organizing any kind of events, easy going in any circumstances, and fitting in any situations without any hesitation.

How can people work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
I am involved in 2 film festivals right now. I really want you guys come watch the Japan- related films, spread the words to your friends, and post them on your SNS.
Also if you can be a sponsor or volunteers to help and support the film festival, it’s a huge help.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.jffla.org
• Instagram: Japan Film Festival LA
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jffla/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@japanfilmfestivallosangele9683