In an entertainment landscape increasingly defined by global streaming platforms and cross-cultural media, the bridge between an actor’s performance and an international audience relies on universal human truths rather than regional tropes. Ahead of their upcoming appearance at THE A FESTIVAL in Paris, actors Chanya Amarit Duval and Myyu Khawisara Singplod offer a thoughtful reflection on the nuanced craft behind their performances.
In this exclusive conversation, the duo delves into the intricacies of non-verbal storytelling, the discipline required to bring complex characters to life, and how genuine trust and mutual support anchor their dynamic on set. From finding quiet, unobserved spaces amid public scrutiny to breaking down script architecture, Chanya and Myyu share insight into their shared creative journey, artistic independence, and the universal search for emotional connection.
If we analyze screen acting as a form of non-verbal translation, how do you intentionally engineer emotional cues so that a performance transcends local cultural nuances and resonates with a global audience?
CHANYA: People might interpret things differently depending on their culture, but wanting to feel loved and understood is something many of us share. I hope that staying true to the character’s emotions helps the performance connect with everyone.
MYYU: I think we just have to truly believe in the characters we’re playing, and express their emotions, feelings, and sincerity as honestly as possible. I think that alone is enough to touch the hearts of audiences from different countries.
Interviewers often highlight Chanya’s Thai-French heritage as a bridge between regions. From your perspective within the creative process, how does navigating dual cultural perspectives practically influence your joint dynamic and unspoken chemistry on set?
CHANYA: My background is part of what I bring, but the connection comes from the time we spend together and the trust we build.
MYYU: For me, I don’t think it affected our dynamic that much. But for Chanya, because she had many long Thai lines and was also playing an AI, she had to work really hard on the language. My role was to support her, cheer her on, and give her positive energy so she could believe in herself and overcome that language barrier. We work really well together, and I feel like we’ve become closer and closer over time.
When press narratives constantly construct your image, what specific spatial or mental environment serves as your counter-narrative—the space where you completely strip away the performance of celebrity to remain unobserved?
CHANYA: For me, it’s in quiet moments when I don’t feel the need to share or explain anything. It could be being at home with my cat, drawing, putting on my headphones and listening to music, or spending time in nature. Those moments let me slow down and reconnect with myself. I enjoy sharing parts of my life, but I also value having experiences that are just for me.
MYYU: I don’t really hold onto the idea of being a celebrity that much. I’m quite genuine and very real—I don’t worry too much about always looking perfect, and I don’t really act like a celebrity either [laughs]. People around me often say I’m very easygoing and down-to-earth, and that has never made my work more difficult. I’m just being myself, and that’s enough to make me happy.
If we look at character creation as an act of literary analysis, which non-filmic work—a novel, play, or essay—has most fundamentally affected the architectural way you break down and interrogate a script?
CHANYA: I’ve seen robots portrayed in games and series, but creating Ai involved experimenting with different approaches to find the right balance. I wanted her to be robotic but still have feelings, and to express those feelings without losing her robotic side. I also had to consider how P’Mame imagined Ai and which behaviours would or wouldn’t suit her as a robot.
MYYU: I don’t really have one specific work that influenced me the most. But when I studied acting, I was trained to always question the script: What does the character want? Why do they behave this way? And what are they not saying out loud? That way of thinking has stayed with me whenever I try to understand a character.
If you were given total creative agency to re-examine a classic European romance through a modern lens, which film would you choose to dismantle and rebuild together, and what thematic angle would you shift?
CHANYA: One possibility would be Amélie.
MYYU: I’d probably choose Romeo and Juliet. If we rebuilt it today, I’d want to shift the focus from tragic love to the idea that love shouldn’t have to end in sacrifice just because society or family doesn’t accept it. I’d want it to be about choosing each other freely, beyond gender, expectations, or the roles people are supposed to follow.
Elisa Cutullè
Foto: (c) Chanya Amarit Duval and Myyu Khawisara Singplod