# @ucberkeleyofficial on Instagram

- **Type:** Image
- **Original URL:** https://www.instagram.com/p/DY2ok6_j1Kk
- **Gondola URL:** https://gondola.cc/posts/65935055-ucberkeleyofficial-instagram
- **Thumbnail:** https://img.gondola.cc/tr:w-,h-,fo-auto/postThumbnails/7682fec599.jpg
- **Posted:** 2026-05-27T19:21:43.000+00:00
- **Account Owner:** UC Berkeley (@ucberkeleyofficial) — https://gondola.cc/ucberkeleyofficial

## Caption

“There was this Chinese film series I watched when I was younger. It was called Tiny Times. I was captivated by the characters, who always took risks and had adventures. They were such good companions; just seeing them interact on the screen felt like I was interacting with them. I thought, “That would be a great feeling to give to other people.”

My family moved around a lot between Shanghai and California for my parents’ work. I moved to the U.S. — first to Los Angeles, then to Palo Alto — with my dad and stepmom in sixth grade. Classmates would tell me, “Kelly, you speak with an accent.” I developed a lot of anxiety around speaking English in front of people. 

When I feel a lot of fear towards something, I always gravitate towards it. So I decided to take an intro to drama class. It was really fun, but I was still terrified.

Nothing in the world challenges me like acting does.

When I got to UC Berkeley, I was planning on majoring in English and was like, “Oh, I’ll just take an acting class and see what happens.” 

During my first semester, I was helping a friend with a short film, and my anxiety got so bad that my speech became really rapid. I was so embarrassed. I went to my acting instructor crying because I was so upset, and he said, “We can help you. Take this class on voice and speech.” 

That class helped me feel more comfortable with performing. I learned a lot about breath work and how to use techniques to release my natural voice and stay connected to my body. 

In the summer after my first year, I co-founded Untitled Theater Company with a classmate. It’s a student-run acting group that uses minimal design and focuses on really good acting. We put on a new show every semester in Berkeley, wrapping this semester with a contemporary adaptation of Anton Chekhov’s 1896 play The Seagull.

When people ask me what my plans are after graduation, I don’t have an answer. I don’t really plan my life like that; I never buy a plane ticket more than a day in advance. I’m just excited to see what will happen next.” — Kelly Mou, B.A. Theater and Performance Studies ’26


Link in bio: https://bit.ly/4nRZC6d

#UCBerkeley #CalGrad

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ucberkeley, calgrad

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