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Devon Aoki goes from the runway to the racetrack with her first
major movie role
Girl on Film, Teen Vogue Feb/March 2003
Photographer: Ramon Barrett
Edited by: Kara Jesella
Article By: Siobhan McGowan
Size:
DEVON AOKI The fashion sensation branches out into film—and political
philosophy By Suzy Buckley Photographs by Spicer Styled by Lisa
Michelle
Devon
Aoki has single-handedly revamped the pretty paradigm. She is one
of the newest faces in the family of Lancôme’s new millennium
muses (“I definitely wasn’t the safe choice”),
along with Uma Thurman, Mena Suvari and Elizabeth Jagger. Prior
to landing that ambassador-of-beauty contract, the New York-born,
Malibu-raised model sauntered down countless catwalks (for Balenciaga,
Fendi, Givenchy and Thierry Mugler) and starred in numerous advertising
campaigns (for Chanel by Karl Lagerfeld, Versace, Moschino, and
currently Baby Phat). Born of a German-English-American mother and
Japanese father (Rocky Aoki, the Japanese Olympic wrestler and founder
of the Miami-based Benihana Japanese steakhouse chain), the freckle-faced
20-year-old will soon work her elegant schoolgirl look on the silver
screen. In June, she debuts opposite Paul Walker, Tyrese, Ludacris
and Eva Mendes in 2 Fast 2 Furious, the highly anticipated, shot-in-Miami
sequel to the 2001 street-racing smash, The Fast and the Furious.
And when she’s not capturing international imaginations as
the new face of beauty and fashion, this raw talent keeps busy with
plans to launch a record company and a fashion line, compares and
contrasts the political philosophies of Edward Said and William
F. Buckley, quotes Robert Frost and gushes about her greatest fans—especially
the one who tattooed her face on his arm.How
did your mother and father meet?
My mother, [jewelry designer] Pamela [Hilburger], moved to New York
from Buffalo when she was 18. She was this adventurous, whimsical
young lady who wanted to discover the city. She met my dad while
she was working as a coat-check girl at Genesis, a nightclub he
owned. They dated for a while, fell in love, got married and had
three kids together.Are
they still together?
No, they both have been remarried. My mom lives in Los Angeles and
designs jewelry. She’s an artist and is really into feng shui.
I appreciate how she really knows how to minimize clutter and open
up the space.Do
you speak Japanese?
A little, but I never lived with my father until last year and my
mother does not exactly speak Japanese! I took French in school.Tell
me about the character you play in 2 Fast 2 Furious.
I play Suki, a racer who drives a Honda 2000 supercharged and is
part of a community of street kids who live and breathe for cars.What
car do you drive?
I don’t. Isn’t that terrible? If I did, I’d think
about an SUV. But they’re such gas guzzlers, which doesn’t
make sense to me right now, as we’re faced with war.What
are your views on the Iraqi conflict?
I’m a peaceful person, and war isn’t the answer. I have
a lot of views about politics and am reading books to learn more
about the subject.Which
books?
Representations of the Intellectual: The 1993 Reith Lectures, by
Edward Said, who has some beautiful ideas. I’m definitely
a Democrat and very liberal, but I can appreciate and understand
things about Republicans. I’m also reading about the conservative
party: Buckley: The Right Word, by William F. Buckley. Talk
to me about a political issue you feel strongly about.
An agreement called the Kyoto Protocol was implemented a few years
ago, when many nations met to discuss how to save the world from
[greenhouse] gas emissions and other pollutants. Unfortunately,
the Republican Party [Bush Administration] has decided to no longer
contribute to it in any positive or negative way. Problems with
the environment aren’t going to go away; they’re on
a downward spiral and are only getting worse. The U.S. is the biggest
contributing polluter, and if we do not decide to curb output, the
Protocol won’t make as much sense as if we did. Other countries
have agreed to be consistent with gas emissions, but we’re
no longer participating; it’s disastrous. I imagine a world
where animals are not in danger, where people respect the planet.
I’m not attacking the president; one man is not the seed of
the problem. In fact, both Democrats and Republicans are a part
of the same machine, the same economy, the same world.You
seem well-versed in world events for a 20-year-old.
I never really had to think about politics before, but it’s
our era. There’s a tendency to forget about it and go on with
your life. People don’t always take the time to learn about
what’s going on, but I want to know what’s happening.
I don’t want to be happy in my ignorance and accept that other
people are making all the decisions. At this time in my life, it’s
critical to have a better understanding of the politics that rule
and regulate the world. I was watching the [Grammy] Awards and remember
hearing Bono say something like, ‘You have to read. You have
to look. You have to search and formulate your own opinions about
the world around you. You can’t just regurgitate and accept.’
He’s right.How
is acting different from modeling?
Acting is a new thing for me; I’ve just started getting into
it. While I’m a veteran model, which probably sounds ridiculous,
now I’m going [to] castings, meeting people and starting all
over again in a new field. Acting is about listening and staying
present in the moment—really believing it and trying to maintain
the natural process that is life. The more organic it is, the more
convincing, because it’s mimicking what truly is. It’s
important to be consistent with your own ideas and the collaboration
process, because everyone on the set is such a vital part of the
whole pie. It’s great to be involved with something so much
bigger than myself.You
filmed 2 Fast 2 Furious in Miami. How do you like the city?
I love South Beach, and lived at The Shore Club for three months.
What a great hotel! They were so nice to me.How
does Nobu compare with Benihana?
Benihana has been around for 40 years. It’s the best restaurant,
and people who don’t think that don’t understand the
experience.Was
there a time you didn’t like sushi?
Yeah, when I was younger I wouldn’t touch the stuff. You can’t
ask a kid to eat uni [sea urchin]—that would be a little weird.
I started with California rolls and grew to have a greater appreciation
for sushi from there. It’s funny, I just went to Benihana
with Tyrese and Ludacris the other day, and Tyrese ordered a fried
chicken roll with ketchup! That sort of thing sounded more normal
to me when I was little, but now I’m so used to eating traditional
dishes. When he asked for that, I said, ‘Are you serious?’Was
your model-to-actress transition intentional?
I was never one of those people who know what they want to do from
day one; I was always confused. I can’t see myself being a
model when I’m 50, but I don’t have everything mapped
out. There’s no blueprint of how I want things to go. So many
different things present themselves to me, and it’s just about
making decisions and going with what feels right. It’s like
Robert Frost said: ‘Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—I
took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference.’
It’s about going one way and staying confident about your
decisions regardless of the outcome. And anyway, who cares about
the outcome? It’s all about the experience. You’re here
on this planet, so you might as well take everything as it comes—really
breathe it all in and make it your own. Tell
me what you’re doing besides the acting and modeling.
My father just got remarried and I felt like it was time to leave
the nest. I’m living at the Trump Hotel for the time being,
but I’m house-hunting, which is like a wild goose chase. Real
estate agents keep showing me these really commercial buildings
and high skyscrapers, but I just want something cute. I think I’d
like something small—wait, not small. Definitely not small.
But it’s hard to say. Do I want a two-bedroom with a marble
bathroom? I don’t know. I have to just see it. I’m also
working on a clothing line, a film-production company and a record
label. But my dad always says to walk 10 steps in one direction
as opposed to 10 steps in 10 different directions, so I need to
focus.Are
you Daddy’s little girl?
Oh, yeah. That’s a big thing for me. I want to impress my
father and follow in his footsteps. He’s so incredible. And
I can say the same thing about my mother. She’s a survivor
whose character inspires me. Do
guys get nervous meeting your dad?
Well, it’s not like I have a bunch of guys I’m bringing
over. My dad does play a part in my life in every way. You
probably meet guys who are much older. What’s your dating
age limit?
What is age, anyway? I used to think there was a list of things
I’d need in a boyfriend, but the truth is, I just want to
be comfortable and trust the person. I don’t care how old
or young the person is. Actually, there is a limit on how young.
I wouldn’t want to date anyone younger than me; it would be
weird if he was still in high school or something. But I’ve
seen couples where the guy is 70, the girl is 30 and people are
scratching their heads; they don’t get it. But what is there
to get? Who cares what other people are doing? Just concern yourself
with yourself.People
do seem to care about what you’re doing. Have you seen ‘Devolution,’
a Devon Aoki fan website?
No, I haven’t seen it. But it’s cool. I
heard you were freaked out by a fan who tattooed your face on his
arm.
That was a lie! Can I please set the record straight for once in
my life? It was the worst thing, ever. After reading that article,
I got so upset. A publication had asked me about my ‘craziest
fan encounter,’ and I interpreted ‘crazy’ as ‘great
crazy,’ or ‘weird but insane in a good and positive
way crazy.’ I was so hurt when I read that they had changed
my words from ‘craziest’ to ‘worst.’ Not
only was it a bad reflection on me, but it would break my heart
to think I had hurt anyone’s feelings.Who
got the tattoo?
A guy who went to school with my sister.You
didn’t think it was psycho?
No, not at all! I happen to think that someone inking my face onto
his body is the highest form of flattery. I’m honored that
people out there are interested in me; I appreciate that. I’m
not scared of people who come up to me and ask me for my autograph.
I’m not scared of my fans. It shows everything I’ve
done is not in vain, and that there are people who see me, recognize
me and support me. It’s a beautiful thing. How
would you characterize your style?
I’ve been wearing sneakers a lot. I used to be so into wearing
heels and never went for comfort, but Jay-Z has a line of Reebok
sneakers and they’re really cool. I also have [Cesare] Paciotti
shoes, Adidas and some Puma. I’m really into sneakers these
days, whether I’m going to the gym or not. Overall, I like
to mix it up. I’m usually the last person to wear one designer
top-to-bottom. I’ll wear an outfit that’s made up of
vintage pieces, stuff from my mom, and things I’ve been given
in the fashion industry.What’s
the best free thing anyone has ever given you?
Probably a couture Chanel coat that I wore on the runway, so it
fit me perfectly. It is such a great piece. I get a lot of beautiful
things, and try to wear pieces by newer designers, too.Which
up-and-coming designers do you like?
Benjamin Cho and Zac Posen.What
handbag are you carrying right now?
I just carry a little Chanel; it’s the greatest. You can look
terrible, but if you’re carrying a nice bag that’s all
that matters. It somehow makes everything so much better.Tell
me about your craziest fashion moment.
I wore a gorilla costume during a Thierry Mugler fashion show. Once
I reached the middle of the runway, I ripped it off to reveal my
hair and this beautiful silk dress. It was like a scene from a movie!
This was probably one of the best fashion experiences I ever had
on the runway. The designer came up to me and basically told me
I could act because of what I did during that show.
Devon's essentials
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