From Harvard to Tokyo screens, one actor takes the leap

Brooks brought humanity and engineering together while studying robotics at MIT working with prosthetic design.
| COURTESY OF MEISHA BROOKS

After moving to New York to work at a startup, she was scouted by a modeling agency, which led to a handful of commercial acting gigs. “My agency threw me into auditions and I quickly realized I needed acting lessons.” In her first class with esteemed acting coach Anthony Abeson, she had a revelation. “It was like a light bulb went on. I realized this is what I want to do for the rest of my life. I have always wanted to do all these different things in my career, be different people, and this is how I do just that.”

While her acting career landed her roles on notable American productions such as “Billions” and “Strangers,” her dream of living in Tokyo never faded. With connections in Japan, and her Japanese ability, Brooks was able to take her acting skills across the Pacific, landing a handful of roles and starting her action combat training in Tokyo’s prestigious action stunt studio AAC Stunts, most recently her role as Martha in the NHK drama “Bake Bake,” otherwise known as “The Ghost Writer’s Wife.”

Adapting and embracing

Working both in the States and in Japan, Brooks has had to adapt to the different ways of working on sets. “I had gotten used to filming in order, shooting one episode at a time. In Japan, however, they shoot non-sequential more often so in one day you can shoot scenes from different episodes, which is a wildly impressive feat,” she explains, “It is a huge difference from an organizational standpoint, but the other actors are just used to it. That was a big learning curve for me.”

Day-to-day shooting strategies also differ. While American productions work within specific union rules, Tokyo is much more unpredictable. “In Tokyo, it is dependent on the project, and very much depends on the production or director,” she says. “As an actor, it keeps things interesting. You need to trust in your preparation, which forces you to almost over-prepare because you never know, you just have to assume anything can happen.”

Since “Bake Bake,” a studio-based shoot, Brooks has also worked on a production shot in real locations in and around Japan’s capital. “Shooting in Tokyo was amazing because you use real locations that people live their lives in. You absorb that into your performance, creating your own history, relating it to these people which is beautiful. It is such a stunning city to shoot in; at every point there is something interesting in frame.”

No dream is too small for Brooks who now lives and acts in Tokyo, having already appeared in the NHK drama “The Ghost Writer’s Wife.”
| COURTESY OF MEISHA BROOKS

Tokyo is a dream made reality

For Brooks, Tokyo has long been the goal, and now, thanks to her work, she splits her time between New York and Tokyo. “Tokyo is such a huge and incredible city. I know people call New York the concrete jungle, but I think that saying suits Tokyo better. New York is a grid; everything’s very predictable, but in Tokyo the streets run everywhere, and every building is so unique.”

As an engineer, Brooks admires Tokyo’s seamless integration of technology into everyday life. “You see it reflected in the transportation system, efficiency, and cleanliness.” She has also seen a city committed to improving life for its residents. “You find that, with innovations and technology, it’s always promoted with this mindset of improving residents’ lives. I think many cities lack that mindset. It is incredibly refreshing to experience.” She adds that this mindset shows up in the details of everyday engineering. One example is the grooves carved into train-station floors to channel rainwater into drainage systems — an instance of mindful design intended to reduce flooding.

Due to her impermanent residence, Brooks finds “monthly mansions” (fully furnished apartments available for short-term stays) a more flexible arrangement for her stays while working. “I get to try out new neighborhoods, which is so cool,” she says. “The advantage is that I can go on a jog and discover new aspects of each area, whether that’s a park, a shrine, or a cafe.” While her favorite neighborhood changes with almost every visit, one view remains consistent: “Tokyo is a city where humanity is thriving. Everywhere you look, there is a soul to it — as if someone has imbued even the smallest structures with their own personality. It’s a city that has so much of a story to tell.” For filmmakers, artists, and actors like Brooks, that is the dream.