Katechaya Angkoolcharoenporn (Faye)

Over a decade ago, I used to hang out around Toot Yung Gallery near the Democracy Monument. That’s where I first met Faye. At the time, she was immersed in fashion and running her own brand. She later transitioned into acting and performance, and over the years, we gradually lost touch.

I recently heard about her again, and when she opened the door, it felt like meeting a completely new person. A few years ago, she spent a year as a nun, an experience that helped her manage her ADHD.

But her passion for performance grew stronger, and she eventually left the temple. She warned me her room was messy, a temporary shelter until she moved. Her two cats were hiding inside, and all her closets were wide open, as if she had nothing to hide. However, she later told me that the mirrors in the closets made her feel uncomfortable, so she left them open for her peace of mind. We spent some time in her room discussing her career.

Faye is still acting, but she has also embraced her work as an acting coach, helping other performers bring their characters to life. She explained how this requires time, often not enough, to allow actors to build the emotional depth and defences needed to fully inhabit a role. We continued our conversation outside, first in her unique condominium, owned by a collector, where eclectic art pieces occupy every corner. Then we walked through her neighbourhood, past a soi that was once a street-food haven and is now largely deserted.

As we stumbled into abandoned spaces beside millionaires’ houses, I continued taking her portrait, improvising a little mise-en-scène on the spot. The Faye I met in her late twenties was a woman searching for purpose, almost burning the candle at both ends. From theatre to film, the Faye in front of me now seems to have found herself. She is not just an actress, but someone who guides others to understand and embody their craft.