Leia Yan is a passionate young actor who channels her cross cultural upbringing into a lifelong dedication to the art of storytelling. Her journey started in China, where she was born in 2002, and continued in Michigan, where she was partly raised. This background set the stage for an artistic path that began in childhood, inspired by weekly film hunts with her father and early explorations into public speaking, voiceover work, modeling, music, and dance. These formative experiences were instrumental in building her versatility, discipline, and fearless approach to creativity.
Her first acting role arrived during middle school in a stage adaptation of Pride and Prejudice. This was followed by years spent in musical theater, a period that continuously enriched her emotional range and physical presence on stage. She later pursued intensive training at a conservatory in Los Angeles, where she took on such roles as Madge in William Inge’s Picnic, further refining her craft under the demands of professional stage and theater instruction.
Now residing in Los Angeles, Leia persistently seeks out contrasting roles in productions, attacking each new project with relentless curiosity. To her, this journey of storytelling outward is simultaneously a journey inward. A dedication to unravel how our individual souls are shaped by the cultural forces that surround us, and in return, how we shape them.
Hello Leia Yan, welcome to Blackbird News! What initially drew you to the story of Threads and your character in particular?
The story itself and my character Mira both mirror aspects of my own life, so it felt authentic to me. As an actor who moved to pursue this craft, I understood intimately that dilemma of leaving a familiar world behind for an uncertain dream. The narrative doesn’t offer easy answers, that uncomfortable complexity made me want to be part of telling this story.
How did you relate to the themes of friendship, choices, and personal growth explored in the film?
My personal understanding of the theme is that it talks about how love and connection must evolve and stretch across distance and change, rather than simply break, and whether true friendships are meant to tie us together or give us the strength to go our separate ways. I have personal life long bonds that had to evolve. I made promises to people when I was young yet have to make different choices as I became an adult. Is it right to honor a promise made to your family and friends? Or is it right to honor the promise you make to yourself? I relate to that painful conflict and the fact that growth is messy.
Can you describe the journey your character goes through, and what you found most challenging or rewarding about portraying her?
Mira is someone who is making the right choice for herself yet feels like she’s committing a profound betrayal. She is outgrowing a container that she cherished and was torn between comfort and ambition. The friendship was not only a relationship for her but also a bedrock of whom she has always been. It’s easy to simply see her as guilty or apologetic but having to understand that her need of taking her own path, even when unknown, while having the want to carry the love she had for her friends was understandable, even brave, was both the challenge and the reward. It is not easy to have that kind of strength.
The film focuses on the intersection of three lifelong friends’ paths. How did you and your co-stars build that sense of deep, authentic friendship on screen?
A lot of that work happened off-camera. The three of us spent considerable time together, not just rehearsing the script, but building our own backstory. We created a lot of shared memories from childhood and that gave us a collection of memories to draw from, so our conversations on screen had a sense of ease and history. We also focused a lot on physicality and listening. True old friends don’t need to fill every silence. They communicate with a look, or a familiar sight. The scenes where we had to simply be together without words were the true test.
Were there any specific scenes or moments in the film that resonated with you personally or emotionally?
The big moment when things boil down and Mira becomes uncontrollably defensive. She says things she doesn’t mean, hurtful things to the very people she loves most. The moment when the anger is in fact fear, ego, and immense guilt. Also, the silence after, which speaks so much louder than the actual argument. The powerless feeling of not being able to undo things. I find these moments so emotionally true. They are deeply human.
How did you prepare for your role in Threads? Did you do any research, workshops, or exercises to connect with your character?
Preparing for Mira was an immersive process that involved both internal character work and collaborative external work with the cast. For making the role personal, other than connecting things to my own experiences, I also did some research into the psychology of belonging and the fear of disappointing others and oneself. That helped me to understand that Mira is really someone who is going through a painful developmental crisis.
Drama often demands intense emotional authenticity. Were there any scenes that were particularly demanding for you, and how did you approach them?
Yes, the scenes right before the confrontation were in fact quite tough for me…where the subtexts were ruling the atmosphere and the undercurrent of emotions in Mira. The two realities of her smiling and joking like usual and another where she is screaming inside with the weight of the secret. I tried approaching the scenes with a certain kind of frenetic overcompensation. That kind of forced energy is usually hard to ignore.
What did you learn about yourself through this role that surprised you?
I really had to learn to trust my instinct. With Mira there is so much happening beneath the surface, and I already tend to over dissect things. Which is great for preparation! But not so much when I should be living the character. When I was playing her, in the moment on set I had to really just let go of the need to “portray” everything I wanted to. That’s something I noticed I have a tough time in my real life too. To just let go and worry less.
On a light note, organizing things is really calming! I couldn’t help but do that on set in between takes. Maybe I have a future in vintage retail after all!
Did working on Threads change the way you view relationships, choices, or small-town life?
Absolutely. It reminded me that true connection is not measured by proximity, but by the courage to support each other’s growth, even from a distance. Small-town life offers a deep sense of belonging and shared history, but that closeness can also make individuality feel like a risk. It is a place where everyone knows your name and sometimes your dreams feel like they belong to everyone, too.
How was the dynamic on set with your fellow lead actors? Can you share a moment that captured the chemistry between the three friends?
The dynamic on set was incredibly supportive and playful, which was essential to selling the trio’s deep bond. During a particularly emotional take, I completely blanked on my lines. Instead of breaking character, my scene partners gently stayed in the moment and held space for me while I gathered myself and continued the scene. That felt like a real time translation of the friendship between the characters.
What was your director’s approach to guiding performances, and how did it influence your portrayal of your character?
Our Director really gave us as much freedom as possible. She trusted us to explore intuitively and that led to our own unique interpretations to the forefront. Which naturally helped us actors to bounce off of each other and create a chemistry that was unforced.
Were there improvisational moments or collaborative discussions that made it into the final film?
One really memorable collaborative moment came when we were blocking the scene where the tension between the three friends first begins to surface. Initially, the staging felt a bit formal, with us standing quite far apart. In discussing the scene, we realized the emotional impact would be stronger if we were physically closer, almost in each other’s space. That did end up adding more intensity to the moment.
The film deals with pivotal life choices. How do you think audiences will relate to the decisions your character faces?
I know that not everyone would agree with my character’s choices. But I believe people would understand the weight of it.
If you could take one lesson or insight from your character’s journey and apply it to your own life, what would it be?
Mira taught me that it’s possible to carry love for where you came from while still courageously choosing where you need to go. That staying true to yourself is how you build a life that’s authentically yours, not one built solely on the expectations of others. People who genuinely love you will always support you.
What do you hope viewers take away after watching Threads?
In life, it’s easy to villainize certain people. But I think what I have been realizing and having to continue to remind myself as well is that it is so important to look at each person’s journey with empathy. A lot of times no one is wrong, people are different, so they make different choices, and that’s okay.
You can find out more about Leia Yan with IMDb.
