Interview with Ami Okumura Jones - A West End CocoRio Creative!
Ami Okumura Jones is a talented actress known for her remarkable performances in both stage and screen. Recently, she starred in My Neighbour Totoro at the Barbican and took part in the thrilling Netflix series Hostage. With a degree in English from the University of Cambridge, she has become a prominent figure in the performing arts, bringing depth and versatility to her roles. In this interview, Ami shares her journey, the creative process behind her performances, and how creativity can shape and inspire the next generation.
Can you tell us a little about your background as an actor and what drew you to nannying with Cocorio?
I’ve been an actor and theatre maker in some capacity for over 15 years. (I’ve been writing and directing and acting in shows with friends since I was a teenager.) But I suppose I’ve been doing it as a “professional” for about five now. That’s included stage shows (right now I’m in My Neighbour Totoro in the West End), television (EastEnders, Midsomer Murders, Rebus, an upcoming Netflix series called Hostage), and voiceover work (mostly video games like Baldur’s Gate III and Assassin’s Creed).
I came to CocoRio largely because I was between jobs and I needed a way to keep on paying my bills! But many employers understandably don’t love the idea that you may need to take time off at very short notice for an audition or that you may need to leave very abruptly if an acting job comes up. And that can get very stressful - do you try to hide the fact that you’re an actor? Is it better to lie and say you’re off sick rather than try to explain why you need a day off for an audition? The great trade-off with CocoRio is they want working creatives to come and work with families, and that comes with an understanding that you also need flexibility sometimes for that side of your life. It’s also very helpful that CocoRio families looking for childcare are all over London - so I can work in my local area rather than having to commute long distances.
Why do you think creativity is so important in early childhood development?
We have an increasing and disturbing tendency to separate “creativity” or “creative activities” into their own separate category of things. And even more disturbing is the increasing attitude of it being treated as a luxury add-on when it comes to children. You can’t be a human being and not be creative. Cooking a delicious meal, telling a story which makes someone laugh, having an intelligent argument, coming up with solutions to big and small problems - those are all creative acts. And if you want to grow humans who are good at those things, you have to nurture and expand their creativity.
What’s the most rewarding part/ favourite memory of being a Cocorio nanny?
Children - especially very small children - don’t know how to lie or pretend to spare your feelings. If they are bored, they will let you know. If they are cross with you, they will let you know. If they don’t like you, they will definitely let you know! Conversely, there are few things more beautiful than when a child shows you they trust you completely and feel totally safe with you. Sometimes that’s a quiet afternoon babbling away about their innermost thoughts, sometimes it’s the fact that they will come to you for comfort if they are frightened or sad, other times it’s a little gesture or moment that will take you completely by surprise. That’s a pretty amazing feeling.
What advice would you give to other actors or creatives considering working in childcare with Cocorio?
Kids are brilliant. They’re funny, weird, unpredictable little goblins and you’ll usually go home with at least one funny story of something that’s happened that day. But they can also be challenging! It’s not always going to be sunshine and kittens - they have bad days, they have tantrums, they can be difficult and sometimes make you feel crazy and test your patience. That’s all very normal - you’re not bad at childcare if you find these things happening sometimes.
What’s the most unexpected skill from acting that helps you with kids?
I don’t know if it’s necessarily very unexpected… but there’s an American director called Bill English who once described theatre as a “gym for empathy”. At its most successful, theatre exercises our ability to listen and to truly try to acknowledge how vastly different the world can be through another person’s experience of it. That’s crucial with kids. They’re not just short adults, you can’t engage with them as you would with another grown-up. It’s actually a constant game of imagination and empathy to understand them, what they need, what they’re going through and what they’re communicating to you.
