Conversations with the Inspiring Mia Ella Mimica

Today we’d like to introduce you to Mia Ella Mimica.

Mia Ella, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
When I was four, I told my parents I wanted to be a clown. It was my way to describe being an actor. And it pretty much just stayed the plan. I graduated from Performing Arts school in Chile and after two years of work, I made my move to LA. I had also told my 1st boyfriend it wasn’t really going to work out because I was going to pursue acting here. Sometimes, I still have to pinch myself because although I said these things I wasn’t sure they’d manifest. Working in Chile on TV, theater and commercials, I got to learn from -in my opinion- the best people I could have. Starting with my college teachers who are constantly working in the field (and/or visual arts) nationally and internationally, I was constantly inspired and reinforced that I could do this for a living no matter how much I was (lovingly) warned against it. And I was very surprised, because I initially approached it as a fun side job, that some of the VO work I did back home gave me the most recognizable credits to start working in LA both in voice-over and theatrically. I guess you can only plan so much. And that keeps it fun!

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Of course, not smooth! Struggles every day especially with my own thoughts. In this industry -and life for that matter- rejection is a given and that wasn’t easy for me to accept. But I had to in order to continue doing what I love. I have also struggled with paralyzing perfectionism and impatience which would completely destroy my peace of mind and take the joy out of everything. If things were going really well for me, my mind would find a way to even turn that success into overwhelm and make me anxious. Before moving to LA, I realized I needed to stop this or I was going to be miserable no matter what. Especially moving by myself to a place where I didn’t know anyone. My thought was “I need to become wise.” Um, I’m definitely still on it but I can’t stress how different and beautiful it has been to develop a rich, enjoyable inner life that protects me from my mind and anything really, because we experience everything through it. My teacher Gen Kelsang Rigpa once asked us “Is your mind in the room or is the room in your mind?” So, for me, I found this practicing Kadampa Buddhism. But anything you do, make sure it frees you from a self-centered life and gives you meaning and joy every day no matter what you get/have or don’t.

Please tell us more about your work, what you are currently focused on and most proud of.
I am a Chilean actress located in LA and I’m probably best known for my roles in Nickelodeon’s Bubble Guppies, PBS’s Sid the Science Kid, Just Cause 4, and the leading role of Sandra in the animated series Sandra the Fairytale Detective (Disney XD, TG4, QUBO). My favorite career moment so far has been going to the Cannes Film Festival with “Adam and Miriam” (“Shot Sparrow”) and being invited to the festival’s Young Talent Corner. That was so much fun and inspiring.

Some of my TV credits include the pilots Beach, Snow, It’s A Beach Thing and an Untitled 2019 Sci-fi Pilot. Other TV series include Poppets Town, Behind the Scenes and Dinosaur Train and Sea Princesses. And feature films; Basketball Girlfriend, The Untold Story, Surrender Dorothy, the upcoming Phase Q, and LA Indie Film Festival as the lead in I-589 as well as the voice of Azula in Nickelodeon’s animated TV series Avatar: The Last Airbender.

My acting technique is mostly based on Antoni Artaud’s Theater of Cruelty with some aspects of Meisner. I believe my responsibility as an actor is being fully embodied in the role and ultimately not acting. There is also a social responsibility that comes with every role no matter how small the role or lighthearted the project is. A teacher once defined the act of representing (meaning acting) as bringing back experience for the very first time: Re-presenting. To me, any artistic exercise, even if appearing as funny, comes from an experience of pain and a deep sense of love and compassion for others. It’s to bring back is something bigger than the people making it and something words don’t reach so we bring it to life in all these different ways and audiences come to see themselves. I know I do when I go watch something or read a book, etc. It’s a true phenomenon of how the most private points of view and stories once shared become the most. With all this said, I guess what can set me apart would be how much I enjoy working with my vulnerability and I hope helping other’s hidden or hard/quirky inner worlds be shared and we can all become closer to one another.

Looking back on your childhood, what experiences do you feel played an important role in shaping the person you grew up to be?
At three – seeing my older sister go to classes – I begged my mom to enroll me in ballet classes. My grandmother would buy annual passes for the Ballet de Santiago and I think it all influenced my love for performing arts. I am also lucky that my mom was an English Literature Grad and introduced me from very young to authors like Edgar Allan Poe, Edward Albee and The Grimm Brothers which I enjoyed so much. And old black and white films like What Happened To Baby Jane and The Night of The Iguana. Everything was so brilliantly dramatic, like life or death for every character and I would sort of fall in love with all of them. I realized what a great medium it can be to bring us all closer. It’s like we’re all on in this thing called human life together and it’s much better when we open up about it to one another. Because we all have ‘it’, whatever it is. You know? I didn’t think it in these words of course, but from very young I wanted to hopefully one day help tell somebody else’s story. And I guess also mine through theirs because it’s never really much different. That’s what’s so beautiful about it and what an honor.

Contact Info:

• Website: miaellamimica.com
• Email: [email protected]
• Instagram: @miaellamimica
• Twitter: @miaellamimica
• Other: imdb.me/miaellamimica

Image Credit:
@catazarhiceramista

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