Special Guest: Theoni Bekiari - ”I am here.”

🎙Ep 85: Theoni Bekiari - "I am here."

🎙 Summary:

In today's episodes of The Tragedy Academy, Jay welcomes Greek actress Theoni Bekiari. Theoni was born in Greece but now resides in Los Angeles to pursue acting. She majored in Dramatology in Greece and is getting ready to graduate from the acting academy in July. Theoni opens up to us about coming out as pansexual and the hurdles she overcame to accept who she was, all achieved by love.

🎙 Key Points: 

🎥 Making art during a pandemic

💬 Connecting with people during the pandemic

👩🏻‍💻 YouTube channel Blend It

🏳️‍🌈 Pansexuality

😱 Fear of change

🙋🏾‍♂️ Male and 🙋🏽‍♀️ female gender roles

🥴 Stay Uncomfortable

🎭 Playing a character, you do not understand

🌎 World traditions 

🎙 Episode Highlights:

[03:28] Theoni walks us through life before and after the pandemic hit. Just two months prior, Theoni has started attending an acting academy, so when everything shut down, she felt a sudden feeling of helplessness. Though it did not take long for her to get into the momentum of creating art, making multiple short films with her classmates all online!

[07:01] Theoni stands by love and how it can answer anything when used in the approach. Love is how she remained sane throughout the pandemic; she expressed it through text, facetime, and even made a short film titled I Am Here. 

[10:00] Theoni's YouTube Channel that she co-hosts is called Blend It is a show focusing on blending different cultures and learning just about anything they have to offer, especially food!

[11:44] Having been born in Greece, Theoni was not well versed in the array of sexual orientations. She knew that she liked both genders but did not connect with being bisexual. Once moving to LA, she discovered Pansexuality and immediately knew this is where she belonged. However, Theoni admits to having reservations about it in the beginning.

[17:13] Theoni and Jay discuss the concept of fear and change. They both agree that it is natural to be fearful of change; in fact, Theoni states that it is a primary human survival mechanism. Now in the internet age, we are exposed to various people, which can serve as a bridge to understand each other.

[20:44] No one is perfect, and Theoni is the same. People will make mistakes, and if you ever find yourself misgendering someone, Theoni states that the best way to approach it is simply by apologize and make it known that you come from a good place.

[25:20] Jay and Theoni get into male and female gender roles. What is "acceptable" to wear and behave? Theoni offers the example of skirts and how in many ancient civilizations, men wore skirts, even in a battle where Greek men would flash the enemy as a means to distract them.

[31:50] Theoni and Jay emphasize the importance of staying uncomfortable. To evolve as a person, you must lean into the unknown rather than remain stagnant in your beliefs.  

[35:51] Theoni shares with us how she approaches playing a character with whom she does not understand or shares morals. Circling back to love, Theoni shows compassion to those who choose hate since they are the ones who have to live a life of contempt.

[40:22] Jay and Theoni get into world tradition and its unique aspects.

[43:36] Connect with Theoni

🎙Connect with Theoni:

 Instagram | @theonibekiari 

YouTube: Blend It

Short Film: I Am Here

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