I think being directed and mentored by someone as inspirational

In the heartfelt words of Nargis Fakhri, we hear a truth as old as art itself: “I think being directed and mentored by someone as inspirational as Paul Feig not only improves my performance but, as a whole, makes it what it is.” These are not the casual words of admiration but the humble acknowledgment of an eternal law — that guidance, when given with wisdom and spirit, shapes the destiny of the learner as fire shapes metal. Beneath her gratitude lies the ancient recognition that no greatness is ever achieved alone; every artist, every thinker, every hero stands upon the foundation of those who have guided them.

The meaning of this reflection reaches far beyond the world of cinema. To be directed and mentored is to be refined — to have one’s raw potential molded into mastery by the hands of another who has already walked the path. Paul Feig, the acclaimed filmmaker known for his creativity and vision, represents in this context not just a director, but the archetype of the mentor — one who sees the greatness within others before they see it themselves. Fakhri’s recognition of his inspirational presence reminds us that inspiration is not mere encouragement; it is the spark that awakens hidden strength. Without such guidance, even the most gifted soul risks wandering without form, like an uncut gem that has yet to catch the light.

The origin of this truth can be traced through the lineage of human achievement. In the time of the ancients, the bond between mentor and student was sacred. Socrates and Plato, Aristotle and Alexander — these pairs remind us that wisdom and power are not inherited by chance but transmitted through connection. The master imparts not only knowledge but vision, discipline, and faith in what might yet be born. Fakhri’s reflection on Feig’s mentorship mirrors this timeless dynamic: she credits not only her improvement to his guidance but the very essence of her performance — “it makes it what it is.” In this, she honors the invisible force that shapes all creation: collaboration.

Consider also the tale of Michelangelo, who once said that every block of marble contained a statue waiting to be revealed, and his task was merely to free it. Yet, before he could free the figures within stone, he himself was shaped under the mentorship of Ghirlandaio, who taught him not only technique but patience, reverence, and vision. So too does Nargis Fakhri’s acknowledgment of Paul Feig echo the gratitude of the apprentice to the master — the recognition that brilliance is not born in isolation but cultivated through the light of another’s example.

What Fakhri also reveals, though perhaps unknowingly, is the humility that marks the truly wise. To confess that one’s success is molded by another is to set aside pride for truth. Many in our age seek to claim their victories as their own alone, forgetting that no flower blooms without sunlight. But she, in honoring her mentor, becomes greater still — for she reminds us that gratitude is not weakness but strength, and that the one who learns deeply becomes, in time, a teacher to others. Her humility transforms her achievement into something far nobler: continuity, the passing of inspiration from one generation to the next.

The inspirational mentor, as Fakhri describes, does more than guide technique; he transforms the heart. Paul Feig’s influence, she implies, infused her work with purpose and confidence, turning performance into art. The ancients would call this metanoia — the transformation of the soul. For when a mentor awakens belief in another, he does not merely teach — he resurrects. He stirs the divine within the human, calling forth the better self that longs to emerge. Every great civilization, from Greece to India, has honored this sacred exchange between teacher and disciple, seeing in it the foundation of all progress.

Thus, the lesson for us is clear: seek the guidance of those who inspire you, and when you find them, learn not only their skills but their spirit. Do not mistake independence for isolation; even the mightiest oak began as a seed nurtured by the earth and the rain. Let your mentors refine you, as the sculptor refines his stone — and in time, when your craft matures, become such a light for others.

For as Nargis Fakhri reminds us, greatness is never a solitary act. It is a symphony of souls — the artist and the teacher, the dreamer and the guide — each note made richer by the harmony of the whole. When you, too, walk in the world of creation, remember to honor those who shaped your steps, for they are the unseen architects of your triumphs. And in doing so, you continue the oldest tradition of all: the passing on of inspiration, so that what was once given to you may one day make another’s performance “what it is.”