Bianca Bella Sits Down with The Cultured Nerd
It’s been a few years since The Cultured Nerd last caught up with Bianca Bella, and we’re excited to welcome her back for another conversation. In this interview, we reflect on the journey she’s been on over the last few years, discuss creativity, mental health, the ever-evolving cosplay community, and what’s next for both her career and her personal journey.
It’s been a few years since our last interview. How have you been, and what have the last few years looked like for you?
It sure has! Time really flies. As a cosplayer, I’ve had to pull back this year, but have nonetheless been granted incredible opportunities, and I am grateful to still be making a lot of amazing memories! Personally, and psychologically since we last spoke, I’ve been through one of the hardest journeys of my life and am currently undergoing another. So there’s a lot more personal focus at the moment, but before all that, I’d been spending as much time as I could cosplaying and creating when I’m not working. I work for a collectibles retailer in social media, marketing, and purchasing for the past 7 years, so you can imagine how much fun I’ve been having with that, surrounded by all things pop culture five days a week, every week!
Looking back over the last few years, what is one milestone that you really feel defines this chapter of your journey?
It’s the enduring goal of proving to myself that I CAN cosplay. This June marked 10 years since a car accident that left me with chronic pain, and it’s been very challenging. Not just living with constant pain and trauma, but the stigma too. Having invisible ailments sucks because you learn to mask them, so you can function as “normally” as possible. Most people are very kind and understanding; others just don’t get it. And that’s okay. But when you’re made to feel like you’re fibbing because you “look fine”, it’s pretty soul-crushing. In part, it’s my own fault because I’m busy being strong, trying to show the world and myself that I can still do the things I love… even though sometimes I cry just trying to stand up or put on my socks. And just feel so utterly broken; just exhausted from the pain and the trying and the effort of EVERYTHING that used to be so effortless. That’s the experience for me, anyway, in a nutshell. Given the circumstances of my accident, I am so lucky to be here, and still being able to cosplay and find joy with others has been a light in my life. I can still smile, make memories, and try to make a difference for other people.
Is there something you’ve challenged yourself to do creatively that you wouldn’t have imagined trying a few years ago?
Piggybacking off the previous question, cosplaying itself, really. On a physical level, I’m so grateful I can still do it. And my friends kindly remind me that my capacity has improved, like how hard it was for me to do Spidey poses when I started cosplaying Ghost-Spider, whereas now, it’s easier. It’s easy to forget when you’re exhausting your energy just trying to function day-to-day. I used to struggle so much just getting up from a chair. It’s still hard sometimes, but I don’t think about it as much these days because it doesn’t hurt as bad as it once did. Whether I’m just used to it or it’s actually improved, I’m not sure, but I try not to question it.
When people see the finished photos or costumes, they see the final result. What’s something about the creative process that often goes unnoticed?
For me, creating is challenging because I’m tired all. The. Time. Constant pain is incredibly draining, physically and mentally, and I still need a lot of help completing cosplay tasks because of my full-time work and often struggle to find the energy to get things done when I’m not working. Additionally, the process of creation is so very, very fickle for me. I’m either hyperfixated to the point I can’t stop or I’ll “lose” that creative drive, or just feel completely uninspired and it doesn’t feel like it’s “worth” working on things. People tend to underestimate creative work (especially with the rise of short form content) and the fact that it IS work. Cosplay is hours upon hours of researching, mock-ups, learning, designing, testing, mistakes, do-overs, blood, sweat and tears until you’re happy… and even then, as most cosplayers are perfectionists, you’re still not COMPLETELY happy. The process of creation is as fulfilling as it is exhausting!
Every creator has a project they’re especially proud of. Looking back, is there one cosplay or project that still holds a special place in your heart, and why?
For me, I cosplay and participate in what I’m truly passionate about, so it’s all close to my heart. Embodying Ghost-Spider is obviously one of my biggest passions and has given me so many opportunities to make a difference in someone’s life—even if it’s a smile, just for a moment. That’s what matters most to me. Especially for young children and their families dealing with serious illnesses or life-limiting conditions every day. They’re the real heroes, and I’m so honoured to spend so much time with such strong, beautiful people. A bonus from cosplaying is that I’ve also been fortunate enough to do lots of official collaborations over the years, like working with the Good Friday Appeal and Marvel, among so many other amazing teams. One of the coolest things that has happened to myself and my buddy Christian Pillirone is that we were chosen to represent Australian Spider-Man fans in a global campaign with Sony to launch the Spider-Man: Brand New Day trailer. Sony even organised thank you messages for everyone from Tom Holland. It meant a lot to us, as we were chosen based on our love of Spider-Man through charity work. We only hope we did our community proud!
If you could collaborate with any cosplayer, photographer, or comic creator, who would it be and what would you create together?
That’s a hard question! I don’t have a lot of specifics in mind, just loads and loads of things I’d love to do. Create more fan films for Ghost-Spider is an example. Years back, I worked with Creative Frame Media on Spider-Gwen: Origins and made a cameo in Joey Lever’s Spider-Man 2: Another World. I’m always excited for photo shoots too, as they’re ideal for someone like me trying to work around chronic pain. On a personal note too, I hope to one day work again with a family friend as Ghost-Spider—Dennys Ilic. He’s an incredibly kind, hard-working and brilliant creator. We did some fun stuff when I was younger, including modeling Pure Pwnage merchandise, and being able to shoot with someone who means so much as a character who means so much to me would just be indescribable. I’m always down to work with people I love and new people too, so long as we’re gelling and the concept makes sense!
Creating can be incredibly rewarding, but it can also be demanding. How do you make sure you’re still finding joy in it after all these years?
Chasing those passions. I don’t cosplay for the heck of it, to make money or anything like that. It’s always about characters I love, with people I love. There’s very little pressure involved. It’s a fun hobby and I always set out to create beautiful memories above all else.
I’ve noticed you’ve recently been sharing the message that “mental health is physical health.” What inspired that message, and what do you hope others take away from it?
It’s a message I’ve believed in for most of my life. One always affects the other, that’s why doing all you can to look after yourself is so important. Engaging is therapy is no different to seeing a doctor for your physical wellbeing. Mental ailments can create physical ailments, and vice versa. It’s simple, really, and I believe everyone can benefit from regular therapy. Lots of people can’t stand to be alone, to be comfortable with themselves, for endless reasons. But if we have the tools, we CAN cope, heal and live more peacefully. I used to make posts every Monday about mental health before I returned to full time work, hoping that I could help at least one person feel less alone. I do plan on bringing those posts back when time and energy allows!
When you’re not creating, what are some of your favorite ways to recharge?
Video games! I’ve loved gaming since I was a kid. I love immersing myself in worlds that otherwise wouldn’t exist outside our imaginations. Open-world fantasy games set in medieval times like Skyrim are my favourites. They’re my happy place. Right now I’m hopelessly fixated on Balder’s Gate 3.
If you could step into any fictional universe for a day, where are you going and why?
IT’S SO HARD TO CHOOSE! It would be a medieval fantasy for sure, like the games I gravitate to. But the Continent? Hyrule? Tamriel? Middle-earth? There’s endless choices and I can’t decide! Just let me be a pink Elven warrior in the great wide somewhere and I’ll be happy!
If you could attend any convention in the world tomorrow, which one would you pick?
I’ve always wanted to go to San Diego Comic Con, New York Comic Con, and Dragon Con! Any one of those and I’d be over the moon, honestly. Just experiencing a con in another country would be so cool.
If someone who’s never heard of cosplay asked you to show them just one of your projects to explain why you love it so much, which one would you choose?
It’s hard to break down 14 years of cosplaying and precious to just one project. For me, it’s about my mission as a cosplayer, which is to immerse myself in memories that can make a difference. If I can help someone else smile or feel less alone, even just for a moment, I’m thrilled. I’ll tend to explain how Ghost-Spider has become my main source of inspiration and how embodying her has given me opportunities to volunteer for charity, to entertain at events and even some really cool official collaborations. Things like working with Marvel and receiving a message from Tom Holland is massive and I’m SO grateful, but it’s the connection I get to share with fans of all ages through cosplay that I treasure the most.
Before we let you go, what’s one thing you hope people take away from this conversation, and what are you most excited about moving forward, not just as a creator but as Bianca?
I hope people feel inspired to tap into their inner strength. Cosplay helped me with that through my darkest darks and lowest lows. There’s always a light at the end. A new day always dawns. I hope I can help inspire people to work through the hard times that build us, and find their light. As always, I’m most excited to continue cosplaying for that reason, and I hope to strengthen Bianca’s resolves for her own life challenges.
