Meet Aylya Marzolf | Actor, Model, health & planet enthusiast

We had the good fortune of connecting with Aylya Marzolf and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Aylya, have there been any changes in how you think about work-life balance?
When I started out aspiring to make a living in front of the camera, I was fully in the mindset of always being on the grind, of making modeling and acting my whole life. Every day, every second needed to be working on modeling and acting. But then as the years went by, and I had my beautiful son Cassius, I realized that I had been doing it all wrong. Yes, you’ve got to work on your technique and pay attention to where you want your career to go, but honestly I was missing the part that brought richness to my work. And that was living life. Having experiences, having things of importance in life and something to say other than I’m an actor and a model and that’s it. It makes your work better, richer, more interesting, and it’s so much better for your life, your mental health, your relationships, everything really. Its a delicate balance, and its leans one way or the other often, but I listen to my body, my heart, and I know intuitively now when something is missing and try to nurture the balance of work and life.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
My career is not the big glamorous career I thought I was going to have. Instead its an ever evolving discovery of myself. I’d say to date the project that most people know me from and that holds the most special place in my heart is the show Siren, where I was an evil mermaid. To get here or even just to a place to support myself financially being in front of the camera took a lot of work, a lot of disappointment, and a long time. And like I said, I’m still evolving. I recently directed a small PSA about the food in America and the overuse of Glyphosate poisoning the food system. That is a project I was incredibly passionate and proud of. Although its not perfect and there are a million little things I would change if I could. But honestly the thing that makes me the most proud is how I learned to navigate life in this crazy industry. No one really talks about the financial instability, or the incredible stress on your mental health with all the ups and downs, or how unglamorous much of our jobs are. I somehow was able to teach myself how to budget to always stay afloat, to learn to unattach from auditions and outcomes, and to find joy in the challenges we face on set. Those things are much harder than the acting pr the modeling and no one teaches a class on how to do that. At the end of the day, I want people to know that you can chase your dreams, and have them, all while still taking care of yourself, finding your peace.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
If my best friend Samantha came to visit we would definitely do a food tour of LA. Musubi at Sunny Blu in Mar Vista, pasta at Uovo in Marina del Rey, probably a few lunches at Kitchen mouse in highland park, I’m obsessed with everything they make. Donuts at Sidecar, Sushi at Kula, Indonesian food at Simpang Asia…. I mean we would go in heavy on the food. We are eaters for sure. And then I’d have to drag her of for a hike or two. Up in Angeles Crest is beautiful and feels so far away from a bustling city, or up in topanga to climb rocks. I love a beautiful walk through the Huntington Library to see all the gorgeous plants. And then, even though we are fully grown adults, we’d spend an entire day at Disneyland. Other than that, we’d hang out at home or in my garden just talking and laughing…..and digesting haha.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I’d like to shoutout my family. Growing up I was a rebel and wanted to distance myself as much as I could. My parents were “annoying” and my little sisters seemed like such babies to me. But I’m so incredibly grateful for them and all I want now is to be closer to them. My father taught me so much about resilience, resourcefulness, and an incredible work ethic, and my mom’s nagging about eating healthy that was so annoying to me, has come full circle and inspired my own health journey and hugely influenced the way we eat in my home now. And those little baby sisters, have taught me so much about regenerative farming, gardening, and love. I’m sorry for all the years I was an angsty teenager (it was definitely more than just my teenage years), and I wouldn’t be who I am today without them.

Instagram: @freshfreckles

Image Credits
Dirk Mai Michelle Terris Eric Blackmon