Post by Mihai Eliade on Jun 21, 2014 1:21:30 GMT -8
Ladies and gentlemen and those otherwise concerned, tonight we would like to proudly present our debut act...
Mihai Cristian Eliade
Mihai "Suyolak"
Prologue
România | Romani-Romanian |
26 | Male |
Pansexual | Circus performer Stunt double Actor |
16 years 4 years 4 years |
Act 1
Dark brunette | Amber |
Bronze | 5'7" |
Body build
Tattoos: Back-shoulder, chest, left arm, right calf, other undisclosed locations xoxo
Piercings: several on the ears, and snake bites.
Piercings: several on the ears, and snake bites.
Act 2
Personality
Mihai Cristian Eliade is a sure-fire qualifier for the phrase "more than meets the eye," and probably not in a good way. Quite conscious of his desirable qualities and perceptive enough to discern what others want of him, he is very good at charming others if he puts his mind to it. Extroverted, flirtatious, with a sarcastic sort of humor, he is easy to get along with for those who like the talkative sort of people, and for those who don't—well, he is likewise quite determined to wrest some kind of concession of love from them. For those who prefer the serious, quiet types and find themselves wondering if Mihai is really that incapable of taking a hint or just insists on conversation anyway, the safest bet would be on the latter. Always a selfish individual, his priorities lie less in the eagerness of the person he's interacting with than how much amusement he believes he can reap from the situation. As such, he isn't very affected by insults or other deterrents (though his attitude quickly changes if you hit any of his pet peeves listed above).This character of whimsy is likely what keeps him from being assuredly popular, and he is actually a private individual in his own way. Though with an appearance of openness, when entering into a conversation with him it may be noticed that he rarely reveals private information (alternately, reliable private information) about himself while attaining a great deal from his conversational partner. At other times, he is also perfectly content by himself—others serve as more of an amusement to him than an intrigue, simply a way to pass the time, so if he is not particularly in need of company, it is typical to find him alone and procuring his own entertainment. His idea of entertainment is likely to be found odd by most, in particular the gruesome aspect of his interests (for example, he seems more read up than many on witchcraft and torture); that said, those who get him talking about these subject areas are more likely than not to gain a great deal of slightly useless knowledge.
His selective areas of interests, while an asset in that he knows a great deal about them, do him a disservice when he is put to the task of learning something new. While he should technically be able to master the material (or so he claims), his lack of curiousity entails that he does not put much effort into it and thus does not grasp the information clearly. Truly, Mihai is someone who prioritizes by interest. Whatever may be said for his academic achievements, however, he makes up for a great deal in general cunning. Clever, and always with a sight on how to achieve his own goals, Mihai will do what it takes to get what he wants as long as it isn't too morally questionable. He may tend towards the manipulative side, especially for that which he believes is harmless. Indeed, to some degree, he may enjoy the power he holds over others in this respect, and he pays special attention to figure out what turns people on and what grinds their gears, which buttons to push to incite the reaction he desires. He may also take advantage of others if they are nice enough—he's perfectly happy to accept a meal at the other person's expense (or other gifts if you are so kind ♥), whatever he is capable of wheedling out of them. Of course, this is a facet he keeps subtly hidden, as it works to his advantage for others not to know his intentions.
As someone full of contradictions (or maybe that's just how he makes himself out to be), figuring him out may indeed be quite difficult, and that is how he likes it. He isn't quite fond of being served a taste of his own medicine after all, and he figures that it is much easier to accomplish if his desires and intentions remain a mystery to others. However, get close enough to him and he'll open up to you—really open up. To those he has made up his mind to trust, he is unflinchingly loyal, affectionate, and truthful about anything worth being truthful about. How to gain his confidence is difficult to say, as he selects based on intuition rather than logical criteria, though rest assured that it is much more opportune to be his friend than enemy. While forgiving of mistakes, Mihai is much less forgiving of slights against his person. To people who fall within that criteria, he is snide, some may even say nasty, and overall unpleasant. In extreme situations (such as, if someone he cares for has been hurt), he may take drastic measures for retribution.
That said, even his friendship should be taken with a grain of salt. It must be understood that Mihai largely operates on his own basis of moral value, and thus what he deems justified may be very much outside of boundaries for others. His loyalty is also weighed on the same crooked scale—he may betray someone very close to him if he believes that it could spare them pain or save their life. It should also be noted that Mihai is a very good liar. While this entails that he can easily deceive others, he may just as easily delude himself, blinding himself to things he would rather not see or acknowledge. Thus, he is highly susceptible to failures in judgment that end up backfiring. The fact that he is a risk-taker certainly does not help, and he may end up digging himself into situations that wind up hurting himself or others. His way of thinking is very much his own, and when it comes down to it, it might be accurately stated that the closest people to him are those who most risk disappointment, though out of no ill will of his own. Those who are intentionally hurt by him will find that he believed it justifiable and preferable to what he perceives as "something worse."
As can be divined from the above, Mihai is a highly emotional and volatile person. Though he is quite adept at crafting a superficial persona of logic and detachment, the façade fractures the deeper you get. At the end of the day, he is ruled by sentiment and intuition, and they can easily overwhelm his composition under the right circumstances. In the most extreme cases, he can be completely taken by reckless behavior, which often occurs during acute instances of rage or grief. It can be said that he is unpredictable at best and unstable at worst, thus he isn't the greatest person to risk an emotional connection to. But he has the capability of being oh-so charming, so the question really is: how quickly can you untangle yourself, or not at all?
Quirks
♣tends to be chronically late. He operates on his own time, and woe to those who actually get to their meetings points early.♣likes keeping some sort of decoration in his hair. Whether it's a hat or hair pins, he will usually have an adornment.
♣he paints his nails and dyes his hair (natural colors mostly) quite often. You can expect the colors to change weekly and monthly, respectively.
♣he's superstitious. Things like black cats, breaking mirrors, and walking under ladders are things Mihai will prefer to avoid.
♣he can do that sort of gross thing where you crack your knuckles by flexing your fingers.
♣for some reason, when sitting/laying on something like a couch or a bed, he'll inevitably wind up twisting around so that he's on his back and his head is hanging off the edge. It's his preferred reading position.
♣on that note, Mihai is also very flexible. This should be rather obvious due to his career choice, but he's very proud of it and shamelessly uses it to his own ends.
♣has an accent, naturally. It's pretty prominent as it is, but it gets thicker during moments of emotional stress, that is assuming that he doesn't lapse back into Romanian altogether.
♣spoken languages include English, Romanian and Romanes.
Act 3
Likes ♣Manele - A Romanian folk music genre, and heavily inspired and influenced by Romani people. He is proud to see that part of their culture has become popular and quite loved, though it's also disheartening to see that people do not hold the same love for the music's origins.♣Coffee - Black, with sugar. It's not that he has to have coffee to wake up (he will stare anyone out of the room who tries to get him out of bed before he's ready), but he still considers it necessary as part of a decent morning. Or late afternoon. Whenever he decides to get up. ♣Alcohol - He likes to drink socially, and occasionally for his moods, but otherwise he doesn't abuse alcohol too much. The loss of control while smashed isn't that enjoyable for him, though he's fallen over the line of tipsy quite a few times too. Wine with dinner is good, cocktails if out, and shots of hard liquor when there's something worth celebrating. ♣Late nights - This explains the whole waking-up problem. Mihai has taken to enjoying late nights (as in really late nights as in four to six in the morning), since that is when things are especially quiet and he appreciates that. ♣Magic tricks - He'd been curious about them even when he was a child, and as soon as he was old enough, he began learning sleight-of-hands from books or the internet. He's gotten quite good at performing some acts now, and will showcase them to whoever asks. ♣Horror films/stories - Rather than finding them to be particularly frightening, he thinks most of horror flicks are comical, but stories have a different sort of appeal. Things like Poe and Lovecraft are comfortably in his area of interest. ♣Folklore/magic - In spite of his amusement in horror stories and films, he finds folklore to be interesting. A lover of his country, he particularly enjoys indulging in stories from his homeland, from mythical creatures to legendary heroes. He also has an interest in magic, though it mostly involves simply reading through the rituals (particularly the more gruesome ones), and their intended results than actually trying anything out. ♣History - He's a lover of history, and his interest lies mostly in Eastern Europe and military history from the early Medieval era, though he is also quite knowledgeable about late 19th century history. He'll enjoy chatting with others about the topic and can get quite excited when talking about the more barbaric parts of the subject matter. ♣Books - That's where he gets a lot of his knowledge, after all. He reads many genres, including history, fantasy, horror and mystery. Maybe the occasional romance... ♣Incense - Mihai really likes the smell of incense, scented candles, perfumes... What have you. He has many incense sticks and candles around his room and he keeps them burning when he can. You'll probably catch a lingering scent of it on his person too. ♣Sports - Mihai takes an occasional interest in competitive sports. His most vested interest is in gymnastics—and you can bet he goes crazy over the sport during the Olympics—but he also takes some time to be aware of soccer, especially if his country is playing. ♣Acrobatics - This is what he claims for personal enjoyment. He's worked in it for more than half his life, and he's talented at it too and sometimes he misses performing it, especially aerial acrobatics. ♣Luxury - Oh sure, that may sound superficial, and "money can't buy happiness," but damn, if he has to cry he'd rather be crying into satin blankets. ♣Change - Exciting and volatile is the life to live. Sure, stability is nice too, but he mainly likes to see new places, learn new things, and meet new people (intimately). ♣Physical contact - Mihai can easily be categorized as a "touchy" person. He likes leaning on people, over them, or just casually draping his arms over them. ♣Affection - He loves the attention and he especially loves being doted on. As much as he enjoys chasing skirts, so to speak, he also relishes in having affection lavished upon him. He warms up to people who are loving of him very easily and takes to it like a cat—though, also rather like a cat, it isn't any guarantee that it will keep his continued interest or faithfulness. ♣Flirting - What can be said? He enjoys the chase. In yet another, though perhaps hidden even to himself, venture for a small taste of power, he likes to be able to figure other people out and to appeal to their tastes, making them fall (into his hands). ♣No strings attached romance - As can be divined from the above, Mihai adheres to a policy of quick flings and romances that don't get beneath the superficial—at least for himself. Usually, he expects others to feel the same way too, so it's very much a surprise when he receives confessions of genuine love and… he may not give you the answer you want to hear. This is why his relationship with Ivan is utterly new to him, which is both exciting and nerve-wracking. | Dislikes ♣Early mornings - If you want him to be on better behavior, don't wake him up before noon. Seriously.♣Overly hot/sunny weather - Mihai isn't the type that tans; he burns. Any time he has to be outside longer than necessary in the summer, he has to slather on layers of sunscreen, which is unpleasant to say the least. Neither does he enjoy the stickiness of humid weather, and the searing heat of summer. ♣Going out to sea - He gets incredibly seasick, and absolutely will not set foot on a boat, thank you very much. ♣People who are too serious/have no sense of humor - He's a pretty mischievous person and enjoys getting a laugh, so those who go from responsibility to responsibility are tiring to watch. Worse are the ones who try to shove their work ethic down other's throats, and Mihai would much prefer to avoid those types of people. ♣Paparazzi - He won't deny that he rather enjoys the spotlight, but there's a time and a place for it, for heaven's sake. It's tiring to have strangers following you everywhere, especially when he just wants some peace of mind. Due to this, he's become rather secretive about revealing the locations he frequents and may show up under a pseudonym. ♣Routine - Falling into the same old pattern of wake up, go to work, go to bed doesn't sound like a desirable life for him. If that's the way you're going to pass your days, what is even the point? ♣Being hounded - Being persistently reminded of certain deadlines is annoying to him, as he usually does end up accomplishing what needs to be done, just on his own schedule. ♣Petty disrespect - Though a snide asshole himself, he would never resort to petty accusations or spreading rumors, and he is contemptuous of those who do. If there's an issue, take it up with the person face-to-face. ♣Ethnically-motivated comments - Eastern Europeans, not to mention Roma, aren't seen with the best light in Europe, and the things he's heard spoken by officials of certain countries absolutely disgusts him. Any sort of like comment made by an acquaintance of any sort is likely to get a tongue-lashing, if not a fist to the face. ♣Antiziganism - Prejudice directed towards Romani people. It's had an ugly history and it's a glaring flaw of the homeland that he loves. Though improvements are being attempted, Romani people still largely live in poverty and have high rates of school dropouts, and yet people do not see the damage their ignorance has caused. |
Aspirations ♣More rights and awareness for Romani people - Unfortunately, most people are very ignorant about Romani people, either exoticizing their culture and lifestyles or blatantly treating them like criminals. He's really dedicated to dispelling the untrue stereotypes and to make sure that everyone knows about the poverty and intolerance that faces their communities.♣Respect - He grew up being disrespected by everyone outside his community due to his ethnicity. He's more respected now due to his status as an actor, but every so frequently he'll hear slurs thrown in his direction or claims that his skin tone is "too dark" for certain roles. He doubts he'll ever see the level of respect some of his colleagues do. ♣Traveling - It was a way of life with the circus, and he loved touring and seeing new places. Being sedentary is starting to wear on his nerves a little, and he wants the excitement that comes with traveling again. He's been trying to land some roles that will be shooting in different locations, but he hopes that once he's financially stable, he can start doing his own travels. ♣Financial stability - You don't know how valuable it really is not to worry about your next meal until you've lived a childhood of worrying. He's grateful now that he doesn't have to go hungry, but he hopes to be able to secure the financial futures of his family and community too. ♣ Get a college degree (?) - He only received up to a secondary school education from his first traveling troupe, and he's considering the possibility of going to college and getting a degree. He isn't quite sure if that's what he wants to spend his time on yet, but he also knows that education will be a huge asset to him if he wants to help Romani people. | Insecurities ♣Being left behind - Contrary to everything he expected, his life is relatively stable now and he has a fiancé and a close group of friends. He'd been okay with the constant coming and going of people in his life before, but now he kind of wants those he knows to stick around. It scares him a bit to think that there are now people who could leave him behind—rather than him being the one doing it—and that he would care a great deal if they did.♣Being forgotten - Somewhat related to the above, something that would hurt him a lot is learning that he was so inconsequential that people had an easy time forgetting him. Well, he doesn't really mind if the wide, wide world doesn't remember him, but he needs to know that he's made a mark in the lives of people he's come into close contact with, whether it's fond or not. ♣Commitment - He's afraid of forming attachments, where someone else's decisions and actions can have a large impact on him, whether he wants them to or not. He's used to being able to throw off bonds when and so he chooses, and he doesn't want to be the one left pining if someone decides to cut them. ♣Stereotype - Occasionally, he worries over his image and what impression he makes on people, and how that blows back to his community in Romania. He knows he isn't the best example that anyone can ask for and that he occasionally seems to reinforce stereotypes, but now that he's older and engaged, he has some more motivation to clean up his act. ♣Control - He likes to be in control of all his circumstances, especially emotional. He's okay with going with the flow, following where life goes as long as it's positive for him, but he needs to know that there is a way out if he should choose to take it. Relationships especially are something he needs to feel like he has the upper hand with, and that if the situation should explode that he can get out unscathed. ♣Humiliation - He can't stand having others get the best of him and outmaneuvering him, and in such a case, he takes it rather personally whether or not it was meant to be. Especially with serious offenses, he'll spend a long time trying to prove himself better or more clever than the other person, without satisfaction until it's been made clear to himself and others. |
Epilogue
Background
Mihai Cristian Eliade was born to a poor Romani family in Pantelimon, Ilfov, just outside the nation's capital of Bucharest. The poverty in his neighborhood was staggering, cluttered with Romani families living on welfare, many uneducated, in buildings where the heat sometimes didn't work, and where it was cold even when the heat did work. His father was employed in construction, while his mother made beadwork or quilts to sell, or sometimes begged when that wasn't enough. He grew up an angry child, getting picked on in school and sometimes assaulted, banding closely with a group of other Romani students who protected each other and shunned others. They were troubled children, constantly getting into fights with other kids and into problems with teachers. By the time he was ten, Mihai had decided he wanted to get out of everything—the school, the bullying, the slums. He just didn't know how.One day, advertisements started going up all around town—a big striped tent on a red background, titled with Soarele Roșu. It announced that a local circus was to be performing. Curious, a couple of his friends and himself took a bus to watch the performance, sneaking into the tents so they wouldn't have to pay the cost of the tickets. Once they'd seen their fill, they excitedly cornered an employee and quizzed him on how to get in, and once they knew, they went home in silence. They had all agreed on one thing—this was how they could get out. With urgency, they practiced the only thing they knew how as ten year-olds: juggling. They hurried to create something impressive together, and auditioned one week before the circus left town. With some sympathetic input from a senior member who promised to take care of them, they were in.
After assurances, arguments, and tears from their family members, they reluctantly parted with the boys. The reality was that the boys would have an easier time succeeding as performers than facing bullying at school, then discrimination in the job market, but the children were not thinking about it in such complex terms—they would finally get to travel and be freed from the chains their community had tied them down with.
They were accepted quickly into the circus family, finding that the other children were not so reluctant to play with them as the other students had in school. The senior member that had spoken in their favor was from a Romani community in Poland, and it was through him that Mihai learned a new respect for his own heritage. He learned to wear his identity with pride and adopted "Suyolak" as his stage name, referencing a powerful wizard in Romani folklore. Between the long hours of training and schoolwork, there was room for little else, but Mihai was content in a way that had been rare back home. Despite this, he wrote his parents often and sent what money he could.
After some time juggling with the boys he left with, he became interested in other acts and ended up training in aerial contortion and trapeze. By the time he was thirteen, he was performing extensively in the latter. He stayed with Soarele Roșu until he was eighteen, when greater ambitions caught his eye. He auditioned for and got into Cirque de la Lune and left his family of eight years with love and heartfelt appreciation for everything they'd done for him.
With Cirque de la Lune he managed to travel outside Europe, and it was with them that he first went into the United States. They toured down the West Coast and finally arrived in California, where they were slated to perform for two months. During the prep time, his friends discovered that auditions were ongoing for a small role in what critics believed would be a blockbuster, and the role in question required stunts. Somewhat as a joke, a group of them went and auditioned, not exactly expecting much of a result. To his surprise, Mihai was called back and cast. He accepted the role out of courtesy and the fact that extra money could never hurt, negotiating somewhat forcefully that his filming times be arranged around the performance days.
The stint was over rather quickly, and he didn't expect much to come of it. Half a year passed before the movie was released, and by then he was paying it little mind—that is, until a few calls came in inquiring about him, some offering positions as a stunt-double, others for minor roles. Slightly overwhelmed with the new attention, he was silent on the matter for a few days, until he finally got back to one of the callers and accepted their contract out of curiousity and a desire to experience a change in pace. He left his second circus at the age of twenty-two and headed to Hollywood to try his luck.
Surprisingly, it held out. He never quite made a "big break," but he earned enough doing stunts and taking a few supporting roles here and there. Just as he was jumping between odd job and odd job, he met a certain Ivan Ivanovich, a prolific writer of horror. It really ended up being a serendipitous meeting of sorts—they bonded over common interests, and with one thing leading to another (despite the occasional rough patches in their relationship), he ended up engaged to Ivan. The relationship has had its added bonus of propelling him and his fiancé into the spotlight, and he finds that he is doing just fine with the bit of fame. Ever since people have taken enough interest in him to rope him into interviews, he's found it a perfect venue to speak out about the issues that tainted his childhood and he has become an outspoken public figure in supporting the Romani struggle for their rights. His is a "rags to riches" story—but he has never completely shed his rags.
Credits
Name: Worldie
Birthday: 3/4
Skype: u gais know
Tumblr: u also know dis
Birthday: 3/4
Skype: u gais know
Tumblr: u also know dis
Welcome to Hollywood
May all of your dreams come true...