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Celebrities Romi Dames: "Hannah Montana" Actress "Enjoys the Process"
Celebrities Romi Dames: "Hannah Montana" Actress "Enjoys the Process"
| Romi Dames: "Hannah Montana" Actress "Enjoys the Process" |
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| Written by Administrator on Friday, 20 March 2009 00:00 |
 Romi Dames: “Hannah Montana” Actress “Enjoys the Process”
interview by: Kelli ShiromaWhen people first meet the petite actress Romi Dames, they are surprised upon hearing her speak. “People always say, ‘You don’t sound like your character!’” the spirited actress said, noting the main difference between herself and Traci Van Horn, her nasal-voiced character on “Hannah Montana.” While Dames may have a role on one of the most-watched Disney Channel shows, her acting career had humble beginnings. Born Hiromi Dames on Camp Zama, an American army base close to Tokyo, Dames lived in Japan until she was 13. Dames’ family moved to Seattle when her high school teacher father was ready to retire from his job. “It [the move] was really funny because it was so random,” Dames reflected. “My dad’s from New Jersey and my mom’s from Japan, so they were trying to choose a place to live that was ‘halfway.’” Ever since she received the part of “Annie” in a school play, Dames knew acting was her passion. Although Dames finished high school and began college at the University of Washington, she decided to pursue acting full time. The move to Seattle marked the beginning of Dames’ career in professional theatre, when she received her first big television stint as a reporter on a teen magazine show. From there, her acting career has only gone upward. Dames found out about an audition for “Hannah Montana” and decided to try out for it. She laughed upon remembering the audition experience. “I never get cast as snobby because I’m bubbly,” Dames said. “But I went in there and did the snobby voice and they really liked it!” Although Dames’ character for the first episode was supposed to have a small role, the show’s writers liked Dames’ acting so much that they decided to include her in more scenes. Dames’ versatility is truly demonstrated through her portrayal of Traci, the complete “180 degree opposite” of her personality. “I love trying to play someone who’s not like me … that’s when I’m free to create,” she said. While Dames has enjoyed many positive experiences, like any other rising actress, she has encountered setbacks. One of the challenges Dames faced stemmed from having a mixed background.  “Because I’m mixed, sometimes people can’t tell what ethnicity I am,” Dames said. “As far as starting out in acting goes, a lot of times, they just want someone who’s fully Caucasian or fully Asian.” Dames remembered several occasions when she was turned away from auditions because she did not look Japanese. Despite these encounters, though, the positive actress persevered. “I’ve had many highlights in my career, which is why I can look at experiences that aren’t the best as funny,” Dames stated. As she gained experience in professional acting, Dames truly began to understand the benefits and misconceptions of the industry. She shared one of t he reasons why she loves being an actress is because of the profession’s unpredicta ble nature. “I never get bored because every day’s different,” Dames said. It was only until she became an actress that Dames subscribed to one of the common misconceptions about acting – wealth. “When I was younger, I thought everyone who was on TV was a millionaire,” Dames said. “I think a lot of people have that misconception.” While not all actors may find wealth from their profession, Dames encourages aspiring actors to “enjoy the process.” “Acting is more about the rehearsals than the actual performance,” Dames stated. “If you love the process, then it’s wonderful, because that’s when you get to try different things and be creative.” Currently, Dames is working on the set of “Hannah Montana,” as her character is going to be featured in two new episodes. Earlier this year, Dames traveled all over the nation as the production assistant for her friend’s travel show. She is preparing to resume work on the show in a few months. Aside from her life as an actress, Dames enjoys shopping at Betsey Johnson and English Clientele and watching movies. “I definitely look to other actors for inspiration,” said Dames. “It’s just not possible to have as many experiences as it takes to play every role so I think watching movies really helps.” As far as her future goes, Dames hopes to be doing the same things she’s doing now. However, there are still unfulfilled dreams she hopes to accomplish. “I would love to be in a feature film,” Dames confessed. Although she has big dreams for the future, Dames remains focused on the creativity and talents needed for her current roles. “I really live in the moment,” Dames said. “Even though I’ve been doing this [acting] for a while, I feel like everything’s just starting for me. I’m anticipating a lot of good things.” photograph by: Adrian Zaw |
