Today we’d like to introduce you to Ary Satish.
Hi Ary, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
Hi there! My name is Ary Satish or Aryaman Satish and I’m an actor, film producer, and filmmaker born in Kerala, India. I was raised around the world in Kerala, Bangalore, Mumbai (India), Colombo (Sri Lanka), Florida, Massachusetts, Dallas, and New York (USA).
I discovered my love for acting by being cast in various theater productions throughout my years of schooling, such as The Laramie Project and Metamorphosis. Alongside this, I competed in the sports of Track and Field, Soccer, Volleyball, and Badminton for my international school teams.
I eventually transitioned to solely stage and film work after being accepted to and attending New York University’s undergraduate acting program at Tisch School of the Arts, earning my bachelor of fine arts degree in 2022, with a major in Drama and a double minor in Producing and Entertainment Business at the NYU Stern School of Business and NYU Tisch.
I’m an alum of The Meisner Studio and Stonestreet Studios, where I trained specifically in the Meisner acting technique, stage combat, clown, improvisational comedy, and the Williamson technique, among others. Though I currently reside in New York, I take frequent trips down south of the states as well, both for work and as I have family there.
I’ve had leading roles in projects produced by Goldfin Films, Auvera Films, Native Pictures, Stonestreet Studios, and Ultra, among other production companies. I have also starred in over 100 student films and projects while at NYU, receiving global critical acclaim at film festivals such as the Manhattan Film Festival, Big Apple Film Festival, DRUK International Film Festival, Nice International Film Festival, OTB Film Awards, WorldFest, IndieX Film Fest, Shockfest Film Festival, New York Long Island Film Festival, New York Flash Film Festival, Long Island International Film Expo, Washington DC South Asian Film Festival, 4th Dimension International Film Festival, and DFW South Asian Film Festival.
I’ve appeared in the films “Natural History” (2018), “Rick Rickter” (2020), “Arcane Headshots” (2022), “Teddy Ruxpin” (2022), “American Weasel” (2022), “Rising Lotus” (2022), “Take Care” (2022), “Model Minority” (2023), “I Can’t Live Here Anymore” (2023). He was also featured in recording artist Mia Gladstone’s official music video, “FOOD” (2020), recording artist Sean Leach’s official music video, “OutWithOut” (feat. Daleela), and the indie band “The Yesters” official music video, “Kingston City Morgue”. I have also appeared in commercials for Markup and the 5&Go App.
For my role in both producing and acting as an up-and-coming actor who grapples with contentment and confinement within his romantic relationship in the romantic drama short film, Take Care (2022), I am grateful to have won accolades including the “Best Actor” award, “Best Drama” award, and a finalist for “Best Picture” at the New York Film Awards and a two “Best Picture” nominations for this film at the IndieX Film Fest and New York Independent Cinema Awards. In addition, it was an honor to also receive a nomination for “Best Story Short” at the New York Long Island Film Festival, for the murder-mystery short film, “Mise En Place” (2022) which I produced.
As a multilingual, multi-hyphenate artist known for portraying vulnerable male characters, I care most about bringing an international perspective on storytelling. I hope to break the geographical barriers of the film by bringing a newfound energy to roles portrayed by actors of color.
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?
Looking back, I wouldn’t say it’s been a smooth road by any means, with my own set of struggles and challenges, but I am very grateful for the road that’s brought me here. Of course, the struggles that come with being an actor are one thing. Being in a freelance position that works project-to-project (rather than a steady 9-to-5), means that you are of course in the everlasting pursuit of finding the next job. You live under the philosophy, “nothing ever lasts”, which allows you to always keep moving and working hard to keep your place in your career.
What comes with that, is a lot of uncertainty and potential instability in finding work. However, I’ve always been an actor that has enjoyed “the chase” and consider the process of attaining the next booking to be a part of the actor’s job, not just performing on camera or the stage. This puts things into perspective and makes the auditioning process far more enjoyable. Every audition is also you doing your job.
Another struggle includes being an actor originally from another country, of course, the majority of my family (including my immediate family) are on the other side of the world, living in India. I of course miss them very much and try to go back and see them as often as possible, as I’ve always been a very family-oriented person. What’s come with this challenge, was my interest in forming a community here, having circles of friends and peers all over the US who I’m able to connect with depending on where my work takes me.
I think being a person of color as an actor still definitely presents its challenges as well. Being a brown and South Asian actor, it’s very easy to become typecast into certain very specific roles, often which lend themselves to stereotypes about my race and which are often quite unfulfilling to play. Still to this day, you very rarely see brown or Asian actors playing roles that allow them to be the star of a film in this industry.
Though this has continuously improved over the last few years, with actors of color gaining roles and credits that they were never able to before, reaching new heights and new records every year, there is still a long way to go with this. In my career, this has caused me to stay very conscious and thoughtful about the roles I choose to take on and also fight for roles outside of what an actor like me conventionally plays.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I specialize in screen and stage acting. As mentioned before, within acting, I work in film, television, commercials, and theater. I’m also a dancer and a film producer – where I make my films and have them submitted to film festivals internationally.
A quick recap of the films I’ve done is: “Natural History” (2018), “Rick Rickter” (2020), “Arcane Headshots” (2022), “Teddy Ruxpin” (2022), “American Weasel” (2022), “Rising Lotus” (2022), “Take Care” (2022), “Model Minority” (2023), “I Can’t Live Here Anymore” (2023), Music Video: Mia Gladstone – “FOOD” (2020), Music Video Sean Leach – “OutWithOut” (feat. Daleela), Music Video: The Yesters – “Kingston City Morgue” (2022).
I have also appeared in commercials for Markup and the 5&Go App. Within the theater, I’ve most recently performed in New York in 2020, in a theater show, performing the play “Dancing at Lughnasa” and playing the leading male role of Gerry Evans in it. Up ahead, I have booked and am soon to play the role of Roger in the Off-Broadway theater show, Le Bijou de Paris in Manhattan, NYC in a few months.
In acting, I am probably most known for my performance as Kavi Seghal in the short film “Take Care”, which I also produced. Take Care’s trailer alone has gone on to receive over 117,000 views on YouTube within the first week of its debut, and the film has been going through the international film festival circuit, amassing the following awards:
1. Winner of Best Drama, Best Actor (Ary Satish), Best Actress awards, and Finalist/Nomination for Best Picture at the New York Film Awards.
2. Winner of Best Romantic Short and Honorable Mention award for Best Actor (Ary Satish) at the Independent Shorts Awards.
3. Best Actor Nomination (Ary Satish) and Official Selection at the New York Independent Cinema Awards
4. Honorable Mention award for Best Romantic Short and Nomination for Best First Time Female Filmmaker at IndieX Film Fest.
5. Official Selection at NewFilmmakers NY Film Festival and Independent Cinema Awards.
What I’ve just mentioned, is something I am very proud of, as it is not only a film in which I have starred, it is also a film I produced. One thing which sets me apart from others in my field is that I bring a very unique perspective to the work, which not very many actors (if any at all) can say that they have.
I am an Indian, Kerala-born actor, bilingual in Malayalam and English, raised in three very different countries, in international schools, with a background of acting training at The Meisner Studio (a Meisner trained actor), with a degree in Fine Arts for Drama at NYU Tisch School of the Arts at New York University, who performs across mediums in acting: film, television, commercials, voice-over, theater, dance, etc., who is also both a model and a breakdancer.
This unique perspective, among others, has allowed me to adapt and assimilate into new situations quite quickly, allows me to not only relate but thrive around many different types of people, and also has given me a very, very, strong fundamental training in acting, theater, and performance.
How can people work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
You can follow me and show love on Instagram at @arysatish_ and also follow my website and IMDB for more of my recent works and what I’ve been up to in my career using the links below:
Insta: https://www.instagram.com/arysatish_/?hl=en
IMDB: IMDb.me/arysatish
Website: https://www.arysatish.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/notifications/?filter=all
Contact Info:
- Website: www.arysatish.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/arysatish_/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/arysatish/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@arysatish2269
Image Credits
LNC Productions & @lao.xo
