Today we’d like to introduce you to Marcha Kia.
Marcha, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
Growing up in Arlington, VA, my childhood consisted of waking up at 5 am to train at the ice rink before and after school. By my junior year of high school, I was competing at the national level for ice dancing. My path was clear: I was going to be an Olympian.
That all changed when I broke my ankle during training at 16. Although I continued skating, my Olympic dream was over. I devoted myself to my studies at the University of Virginia (UVA). Desperately trying to discover who I was off the ice, I switched disciplines several times, eventually deciding to major in Music, studying opera and Engineering. I merged my love for all my passions and interests into a career in sound post-production.
After graduation, I started working at Technicolor Sound (now Formosa) in Los Angeles. I felt at home in LA and fell in love with the entertainment industry. I was incredibly fortunate to have met my mentor, Karen Mayeda, the summer before while I was interning in LA. She allowed me to stay with her and borrow her car while I got my bearings in LA. She is one of the most incredible women I know, and she continues to be my go-to person for all things work-related, my “career mom,” if you will. She always says, “Don’t forget about me when you’re famous,” to which I respond, “Karen, my Oscar goes to you!”
Through networking, I met a fellow UVA alumnus who was an agent. We talked about our unique experiences at UVA—he talked about his time as a Drama major, and I shared a story about how I got recruited to do the Drama Department’s musical during my final semester. Two weeks later, I got a call from him saying that his agency wanted to sign me—I thought it was a joke, but it wasn’t.
Needless to say, I signed and have immersed myself in acting ever since. While my journey of becoming an actor was unconventional, it has always felt intuitive. I fell in love with acting immediately, and that love has allowed me to continue to audition and practice my craft, even in the face of countless casting heartbreaks. All these experiences have ultimately helped me learn more about who I am, how to love myself, and finding patience through this crazy journey of life.
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?
Some challenges I faced in my journey so far include telling my family that I was leaving my engineering degree behind to pursue acting, balancing finances while prioritizing acting, and something I’m still working on: my emotions.
Telling Asian parents that you’re not going into a stable career that you studied for and becoming an artist instead goes as smoothly as you might imagine. Confusion and denial, the latter of which I still receive from my dad, even after some success, come up too often in conversations about my career. Until I started booking jobs for the first 2 years or so, not to mention the pandemic’s effect on the lack of work, good news was the only news I could share with them. Although I wanted to share more of my journey with my parents, and my mom has definitely come around to support all of my ups and downs, I also recognize and appreciate my amazing support system of friends and mentors in LA with whom I can share my experiences with. Community is truly everything, and I wouldn’t be here without my friends and family. I also (now) see the way my dad supports and shows his love for me is different and was just more difficult for me to understand.
During the pandemic, I couldn’t visit my family in Japan, and my Obaachan, my grandma who raised me, was diagnosed with cancer. I was determined for her to see me on TV during this lifetime, and I received an incredible opportunity to host a very popular Japanese TV show and travel to national parks, such as Yosemite, and nature centers across the United States. My family and friends in Japan were so excited to see me, and it was such a blessing to connect with them in this way when I couldn’t see them in person. My obaachan is now cancer-free, and I have had the privilege to share with her more projects that I have been a part of! I think this was a turning point in how my family started to see my career. It was a difficult time for my family, with COVID-19 and worrying about Obaachan, and despite the physical distance, it was a celebration that brought us all together in spirit.
Another challenge was figuring out how to prioritize acting while still making money. After quitting my job at Technicolor Sound, I started teaching. I have a tutoring business, putting my engineering degree to use. I specialize in more advanced STEM classes like AP Calculus, Computer Science, Chemistry, and Physics. I also enjoy teaching music, Japanese, and theatre. I enjoy the flexibility of teaching for the most part, but can sometimes be challenging to balance it with changing schedules for acting. Having a side hustle is a given when trying to make it in Hollywood, and yet there seems to be so much shame around it; at least, there was for me. All I wanted was to make money only from acting. Now, I’ve reached that goal for the most part and I realize how naive I was to think I would be satisfied.
Which brings me to my current challenge: finding joy in the present, regardless of circumstance. How do I manage the extreme highs and lows of the industry and my emotions and find peace? With the recent strike and slowdown of the industry, I started leaning into tea ceremony. I took a class, started a daily practice of tea and meditation, and go to tea sits in LA throughout the week. Sitting in silence with community and tea grounds me in the present moment. Although challenging at times, rather than focusing too much on the future, I lean into the curiosity and excitement of finding experiences that bring me to the here and now.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I am a Los Angeles-based actress. Recent credits include “FBI” (CBS), “Prom Dates” (coming out on Hulu May 3rd!), and the 2023 Women’s World Cup Commercial (FOX). I just returned from filming “Eleanor the Great,” Scarlett Johannson’s directorial debut feature film in New York.
“What do you do? What do you specialize in? ” — Anything I can get! That’s how it works in this industry. Unless you’ve reached a point in your career where you have to choose and turn down projects, you just do the auditions your reps send you and take the bookings you can get. For me, it’s not necessarily about the kind of project (film vs. TV vs. commercial); I gravitate toward the character. Although I love musical theatre, I find the stress of being live on stage much more intimidating than TV/film.
“What are you most proud of? What sets you apart from others?” — I don’t think this sets me apart, but I am proud of how hard I’ve worked and my dedication to this journey. I think anyone who finds success in this industry has to have grit. I am also proud of my commitment to stay true to myself. In Hollywood, it’s easy to lose yourself and end up becoming something or someone you’re not. I’ve used this journey instead to go deeper into who I am to most genuinely portray any character. It’s allowed me to delve deeper into my identity as an Asian American woman. Ultimately, I love acting because I love feeling and exploring emotions and having the privilege to (hopefully) make other people feel too. I hope to bring people together through shared experiences and spark joy and hope!
What were you like growing up?
I grew up in Arlington, Virginia, and traveled to Kobe, Japan, often (1-2x a year) to visit my family. I had many interests, such as music, singing, ballet, and theatre, that I explored. When I was 5 years old, I started figure skating. I saw my friends perform in a show, and I (apparently) said I wanted to do that to my mom. My career started in singles skating then shifted to ice dancing (with a partner) in high school. Although I was extroverted and loved making friends, I had very little social time outside the rink. From elementary school, my training schedule was militaristic. I woke up at 5 am every morning to go skate, then went straight back to the ice rink after school. I loved skating, but looking back I didn’t have typical childhood experiences. I didn’t have time to play with friends after school or on the weekends. I had a lot of skating friends because that’s where I spent most of my time, but I struggled to find my place at school. Academically, I was at the top of my class. I found the time to study in the car to and from practice and during meals. I loved learning and was a dedicated student, on and off the ice. However, making friends was difficult because I was on an abbreviated schedule and often missed school for skating competitions. I could never hang out; my response was always, “Sorry, I have skating.”
In high school, I was competing at the national level for ice dancing, but when I was 16, I broke my ankle, forcing me to take time off. Although on crutches, for the first time, I got a glimpse into what a normal high school life could look like. I had time to spend time with friends from school and started forming deeper friendships. After intense physical therapy, I went back on the ice, but soon after, my partner quit skating. I was completely heartbroken, but looking back, it was a blessing that guided me to this path. I didn’t know who I was outside of skating… how exciting to have my quarter-life crisis early– a chance to reinvent and discover myself and my passions!
Something that I have carried with me for as long as I can remember is my perseverance and resilience. I like to think of this as my true talent. When I put my mind to a goal, I never give up and actively work toward it, asking for help along the way. I have skating and my education to thank for challenging and teaching me discipline. Of course, the deepest gratitude goes to my parents who raised me. My experience in a first-generation household as the eldest daughter was challenging, and I wouldn’t be who I am now, with the skills and strength to pursue my dreams, without my family.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://imdb.me/marcha
- Instagram: instagram.com/marchaitea/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcha-kiatrungrit/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@marchakia2418/videos
- SoundCloud: https://on.soundcloud.com/ujfHqaJ8fxgnv11a8
Image Credits
Stephanie Girard
Michael Bailey
Pete Thompson
Vinh Pham
