I want to do action, romantic comedy, and I love drama.

The words of Liya Kebede—“I want to do action, romantic comedy, and I love drama”—are not simply a declaration of artistic ambition, but a reflection of the fullness of the human spirit. In them, we hear the voice of one who refuses to be confined to a single path, who yearns to embrace the many faces of storytelling. For in action we find courage, in romantic comedy we find joy, and in drama we find the depth of the human condition. To love all three is to love life itself, in its boldness, its laughter, and its tears.

The origin of this truth lies deep in the history of art and performance. From the ancient Greeks came the twin masks of comedy and tragedy, symbols of the theater’s power to express both the light and the dark. Yet alongside these, the Greeks also honored the heroic tales of warriors and kings—epics filled with action, where the body, as much as the heart, was tested. Humanity has always needed all three: the thrill of battle, the sweetness of love, and the gravity of sorrow. Together, they form the whole circle of human experience.

History offers us luminous examples. Consider Sophocles, whose tragedies taught audiences to face suffering with dignity. Consider also Aristophanes, whose comedies used laughter to pierce hypocrisy and delight the soul. And recall the epics of Homer, where Achilles and Odysseus displayed the fire of action, the weight of drama, and even flashes of humor amid strife. The ancients did not separate these genres but wove them together, understanding that to live as a human being is to walk through many tones of existence. Kebede’s words reflect this ancient truth: she seeks not one note, but the whole symphony.

Her love of drama is especially telling, for drama is the art of conflict and resolution, of hearts revealed under pressure. To “love drama” is not to seek suffering, but to recognize that through trial and tension, human beings discover their truth. Yet to balance that with the laughter of romantic comedy is wisdom, for without joy, sorrow becomes despair. And to add action is to remind us that life also requires movement, daring, and the courage to leap into the unknown.

The lesson here is clear: do not limit yourself to one mode of living. Do not seek only safety, nor only pleasure, nor only struggle. Instead, embrace the fullness of life’s genres. Let there be times when you act boldly, times when you laugh and love freely, and times when you face life’s drama with strength. A life that excludes one of these dimensions is incomplete. A life that welcomes all is rich, textured, and whole.

Practically, this means cultivating variety in your own journey. Step into challenges that demand action and courage. Create space for love and laughter, even in the midst of hardship. And when drama comes—as it inevitably will—receive it not as punishment, but as the teacher that shapes the soul. In this way, you live as an actor upon life’s great stage, willing to play every role it demands of you.

Thus, Kebede’s words, though spoken of art, echo as wisdom for life itself. Action, romance, and drama are not only genres of film—they are the genres of existence. To long for them all is to refuse a narrow life and to choose instead the fullness of what it means to be human.

So let this truth be passed down: live your life as theater in all its richness. Be bold in action, tender in love, and steadfast in drama. For the soul that embraces all three will never live half a story, but will write a tale worthy of remembrance.