Today we’d like to introduce you to Nikai Mitchell.
Hi Nikai, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
Being a creative was my dream since I was probably 13, but I grew up in a small southern town and the arts weren’t pulsing through my environment. It wasn’t until I moved to LA for college that I felt my true artistic soul begin to open up and blossom. My senior year of college was where I feel like I began to root myself in my creative voice. I began truly writing and exploring what I wanted to do creatively outside of just being an actress. I wanted to see my options. It led me to writing my first screenplay and pilot. Fast forward to now and 2025 has been the most transformative year for me as a person and artist. I have booked my first role as a lead in a feature film, and finding my voice as an artist and letting go was one of the biggest steps into finding my creative freedom. I had to surrender to looking “dumb” or all these other restrictive voices that I spoke to myself or echoed through me from others throughout the years. I accepted that being me is any and everything I always needed. It sounds so cliche, but willing to be a vessel instead of the source allowed me to be. My faith and art are what tether me to this world. Neither are a linear journey, but all the struggles and redirections have led me to living my dream. It’s the first of many which is so exciting, but being in touch with who I am as a creative will always be what feeds my soul and that will never be attached to a role or gig or screenplay.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I have struggled with mental health since I was in 8th grade. I was diagnosed with severe depressive disorder, OCD, and Complex PTSD. Being in touch with myself was one of the scariest things for me, and also one of the most vital to be a creative. By the time I reached 22, I had tried to take my life four times and added a trip to a mental facility to the roster. Each mental battle caused me to feel like I was “losing” in life and I had no purpose—which was the farthest thing from the truth. I couldn’t accept that you have to give the pain a purpose. I was so tightly bound on being so heartbroken that the pain existed. I didn’t deserve any of the traumatic events that happened to me. There’s no conjunction needed for it. Two things can be true at the same time as well, though. I also do deserve experiences outside of the realms of trauma and allowing myself do those things and God to transform my life was another hurdle.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I am a writer, actress, creative director, and film director. My heart is rooted in acting and writing, but I don’t like to limit myself. Acting is my main profession right now and what I’m currently working in. I’m currently prepping for a movie that shoots in September this year. I would say, which sounds so funny, but to this date—I am most proud of a short film I did back in my junior year of college. It was one of the first projects where I denied my perfectionism and chose to let go despite my urge to “change this” or “fix” this. That really stuck with me. I find it a little uncomfortable to “describe what I do best” or anything in that nature. I always feel boastful, but I truly think what sets me apart is myself. There is this inherent and consistent pulse in everything I work on. I think it might be because I don’t do/work on things that I don’t love to do. I don’t believe in it, personally. While all those aspects play a role in how I approach and handle projects, most importantly—I’m a vessel and that’s the mindset I keep. I pray before I touch anything because any idea or concept is not sourced from me. I am a connector for whatever God wants me to communicate. I didn’t give myself talents or gifts, and I know that I need divine wisdom in order to handle divine talents. It helps a lot for my perfectionism as well because what comes out on the page was never mine to begin with, and I know it’s sourced from a a perfect author anyways.
We love surprises, fun facts and unexpected stories. Is there something you can share that might surprise us?
Creatively, I only had two plays worth of acting experience before I ever went to my performing arts college. Non-creatively…I can’t say caterpillar correctly.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nikaimitchell?igsh=ZnJ0aWRzZWRkY3Iz&utm_source=qr
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@nikaimitchell?si=oefvuXj-Ymp43u4_
Image Credits
AMDA Black Student Union
AMDA Snapshots Ceremony
