Mizz (she/they) is a filmmaker, actor, musician and activist currently based in New York. In 2022 she received her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree, Magna Cum Laude from NYU Tisch with a minor in Psychology. One of her life’s passions is to create art focused on inclusion and diversity as well as constructing safe spaces for BIPOC and LGBTQ+ artists. Throughout her life she has travelled around the world including Malaysia, London and New York, hoping to bridge cultural gaps to cultivate more empathy and understanding within others.
Leave us a link of where to follow you!
instagram: @mizz_kamaluddin and Tik Tok: @mizz.kamaluddin
Thank you for taking this interview! Tell us the first thing that comes to mind that you're grateful for about your career!
I'm grateful that I get to work with such a diverse range of talented individuals. To go from rehearsals for the New York Theatre Festival to Kendo training for an indie short allows me to explore all the facets of me as well as get to work with different people from many different backgrounds. I think moving around my whole life I've always felt like I could never fit into a box so I'm grateful my career doesn't try to pigeon hole me but instead each project allows me to learn and grow.
What kind of inspiration influences your career that fans would be surprised by?
I think many things inspire me, I'm not sure if they'll be surprised by my inspirations but I definitely have a few. I think spending time with children and animals always inspires me, they have an innocent way of looking at the world that isn't tainted by the demands of society. All the beliefs we have accumulated over the course of our lives influences the art that we make and most of the time we stop creating because of a lack of courage to do so. I know I can get stuck in my head a lot but observing how kids explore the world without judgement and create without fear, it reminds me to approach my work with a sprinkle of childlike essence.
Who has influenced you in your career?
Definitely my family. I have the most amazing parents and siblings in the world, without their unconditional love and support I would not be where I am today. Being so far away from home it's easy to forget your roots and they remind me how to stay grounded and create from a place of love.
Who is your biggest cheerleader in the industry? Why?
My partner in crime Mariah Moss. She is a multi-hyphenate, like myself, and we've been producing and writing together for quite some time. She continues to support me everyday and I have learnt a multitude of things from her. Having a healthy partnership with her allows both of us to feel safe when creating together and I'm excited to announce our upcoming projects in the near future.
Who gives you the most critique? Why?
Oh my parents for sure! But in the best possible way. I think they're both always looking out for me and only want me to succeed, so when I receive criticism from them I know it's intent only has my best interest at heart.
Do you often follow your heart or your brain when you have to make decisions in your career?
A little bit of both. I think if I follow my brain too much it's hard to create something authentic and if I lean on my heart too much the project will be too big and never get done! A little bit of both and a sprinkle of madness is always what's needed. I want to be able to create from a place of love but be realistic with what I can create with the means I currently have.
Making decisions on how to go about your next project, what do those conversations sound like?
Deciding on the next project is always an exciting thing for me as it's the beginning of a new adventure but also a moment of reflection on the previous project. Every time I finish something, I like to take a moment to collect my thoughts and write out what I've learnt so I can take my new skills and ideas on to the next project. Besides dealing with the logistics of scheduling the conversations tend to centre around what kind of impact is this project going to make: Will I learn from this? Can I adopt new skills? Will this help or support someone watching? Will audiences feel represented, seen and heard? I care about making art that is not only positively impactful for me but also those watching.
Give us a fun fact about your latest projects:
I will be playing Lily in Young + Lucid's latest indie short, Manic Beauty, - a fun fact about this project is that it is sponsored by Film Independent, a non-profit independent media arts organization. Their vision, like the cast and crew of this project, is to promote advocacy for diversity, uniqueness and innovation. It's truly inspiring to work with other artists that have similar beliefs and want to create art that pushes the industry towards a safer space.
Best advice you've received on your performances?
Stay present and listen. The best takes or runs of a show are always fostered by spontaneity. Sometimes the process of doing the take again and again or the performance again and again can become tedious but if I stay present I can find nuances in the text or respond to something new another actor is offering.
Give us some advice when it comes to pushing forward in your career?
Figure out what you love to do and build skills that allow you to get better at that thing. Building skills takes time so doing a little bit everyday and staying consistent is better than cramming it into one day of the week. It's very easy to get burnt out that way so take breaks - It's okay to stop, breathe and check in on yourself. Also go out and have fun, the best art if fostered through experience.
Socials and all links to follow you and your upcoming performances:
Links to upcoming projects will be out very soon!