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. |
Fine and fairy in a sheer chiffon dress and
panties by Alberta Ferretti, available at Alberta Ferretti, New
York.
Mesh suit by Yves Saint Laurent, available
at Yves Saint Laurent, Bal Harbour. Heels by Christian Dior, available
at Christian Dior, Bal Harbour. 14k-gold hand bracelet by Gocce,
available by calling 310-203-1569.
Supercurvy in a lace-up Dolce & Gabbana
dress, available at Dolce & Gabbana, Bal Harbour. Christian
Louboutin shoes, available at Neiman Marcus, Coral Gables.
Hair by Giovanni Giuliano/Celestine.
Makeup by Glen Jackson/Celestine.
Devon lounges in style with tresses of curls
and a fabulous feather mini. Black-and-white feather dress by Gucci,
available at Gucci, Bal Harbour.
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