Today we’d like to introduce you to Mikey Jay.
Mikey, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I hail from Jamestown, New York; hometown of Lucille Ball. She is our god, basically. At the age of four, my mom explained to me who the lady painted all over town was and what an actor is. We didn’t have much, so the only escape was the television and playing with your imagination. I knew I wanted to be an actor, my imagination had me reenacting anything I’d see on screen throughout the 90’s and 2000’s.
I’d dreamt of doing musicals, but that dream died when my middle school music teacher called me out in front of class and told me to never sing, again. Then, I’d audition for the very few theatre productions available and I’d receive praise, but my voice was the issue in the end. During labor, my vocal cords were damaged and my baby colic only made them worse, resulting in a high-pitched voice. I was deemed homosexual in the fifth grade because of it. The rest of my academic career, I was bullied mercilessly by students, adults, and even teachers with every homophobic slur or stereotype in the book.
Jamestown was a small town with a lot of small-minded people. The abuse only propelled me to move to LA faster and after graduating in 2012, I moved to LA in 2014, to pursue acting.
Has it been a smooth road?
Besides being a man cursed with the voice of Fran Drescher? No, it has been a big ole’ struggle sundae. In 2014, I spent the entire year in a completely different climate than Jamestown, which helped ease me out of the closet. In 2015, I was homeless and living out of my car. In 2016, I moved back home after a failed suicide attempt and struggled with vivid suicidal thoughts. In 2017, I moved back out to LA a third time and went completely dark. There was so much trauma from growing up gay in a small town that I suppressed and the damage of being homeless for 15 months; my mind exploded. 2018 was spent focusing on my mental health, fighting to find the light in the darkness.
In 2019, I found it, with the help of good friends and an acting class that felt like therapy (The Actors Mark with Raquel Gardner). I had lost 100lbs with dieting. Finally, after five years in LA, I got my first ever headshots and demo reel, then started sending them to agents. But the same feedback followed, “You really know how to emote—You’re very talented—but your voice…” Then, I’d repeatedly get, “You’d be great in a Ryan Murphy production…” and I’d give the same response, “Great! That’s like the mothership calling me home!” But it’s never enough to sign me. So, I vigorously searched for help on my voice and found Claire Corff, who has taught me how to master my tones for the past year.
We’d love to hear more about your work.
What sets me apart from most actors is that I’ve had to accept that my “in” to Hollywood might not just be acting. I’m a big movie buff, you don’t want to go toe to toe with me on trivia night. I used my knowledge and wrote an original screenplay that is empowering for my LGBT+ community, the Black community, and for women. The reviews I’ve received from the ones that have read it have urged me to submit it to the Academy Nicholl Fellowship competition.
I also have another side hustle, which is art. Ever since I was little, I would draw or paint, constantly. My parents pushed me to do art for a career, but it was a hobby, where acting was my passion. I painted a mural at Andaz West Hollywood. Warner Bros bought a poster I made for It: Chapter Two last year. My Michelle Pfeiffer’s Catwoman piece was on display during Christmas at Gallery1988 to great reviews, and they invited me back, where I’ll have more posters on display this summer and fall.
What characteristic is most important to your work? And what advice would you give from your experience?
I’m a workaholic, so I’d have to say my independence. Creating keeps my mind busy. I’m constantly alone in my room; acting, writing or drawing. Currently, I’m in the middle of my memoir, about my struggle of growing up gay, in hopes to be a voice to those who need it. I’m also creating the book cover for it. As for acting, I’m waiting for Hollywood to open back up to shoot some short films.
The best advice I can give is the same as Lucille Ball, “You really have to love yourself to get anything done in this world.” I was my own worst enemy since I was eleven and it took a lot of mental focus to finally become my number one fan. I used to look in the mirror and rip myself to shreds and beat myself up for being gay Now, I’m proud and I love my voice; I look in the mirror and I’m like, “Aweeee sh*t! Is that the B*tch with the High Pitch putting the CAP in CAPTIVATING? —Yes, it is.” Once you’ve become your own soulmate, nothing can break your spirit.
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: bitchwiththehighpitch & artbymikeyjay
Image Credit:
Artwork done by Mikey Jay
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