Meet Hadiza Hinish | Director, Writer, Actor

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

Hi Hadiza, what role has risk played in your life or career?
I consider risk as the most common factor in any endeavor involving growth. Whether I’m preparing for a role, and wind up discovering things about myself that create an unbalance in the way I thought I knew myself, or I’m directing and I need to encourage a way for my team to narrow into the story, or even as a writer, when I pen things on the page that make me squirm because I can’t believe I was fearless enough to expose the most private of my thoughts. Risk in the end, has always cost me something, and as artists, even as people, we need to be okay with reconciling with losses, because on the fine line, there’s always a form of reward sooner or later that’s tied to the risk. I spent five years in college preparing to be, in my mind, the next Roberto Burle Marx or Andrea Cochran, and when I graduated and got a job at a really prestigious firm, I thought, that was it, I was on track, and then it started to unravel for me that I wasn’t truly on my own path, and having to reassess and redirect my career was a huge risk. Ultimately, that risk moved me across the country, it’s widened my perception of the world, made me more empathetic, a better communicator, and has pushed me to new heights. There are financial trade offs in terms of stability while I grow through this change. But in comparison to sitting in front of a computer, in the same sterile building, being part of a production team, writing several plays or creating a television series, standing on a theater stage is much more enriching to my soul.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
My art exists to me in so many forms, all of which inform the other in subtle or grand ways. What sets me apart most is two things, one, is my constant thirst to be a student of art or a student of life. I’m always looking for ways to dig deeper into forms of expression. And the second is truly exploring work as a multi-hyphenate (director, writer, actor) with a true dedication for each. I do not know where my phone is a lot of the time, and the biggest reward from that is finding inspiration right in front of me, in people’s interactions, their ways of communicating with each other, in their behavior, it gives me an appreciation for life and that translates directly into my creation of art. I always stay in acting class, I always supplement some sort of technique workshop, whether for Alexander technique, for voice, or clown. I read a lot, which helps with my writing, I watch a lot of films, independent and international cinema, and that’s just a gift for writing, acting and directing all in one. I’m very thankful Los Angeles is a city that offers access to the arts. My weeks go in rotation, where one week I’m at a dance performance, the next I’m at a play, or at a comedy show and the next I’m in my own rehearsal, or working on a film production. In February, I did a play for charity, in March I was in a showcase at the Electric Lodge in Venice, in April I shadowed Steph Green, a seasoned TV Director on a new project of hers, in May I did a staged reading, and now in June I’m in preparation for a play with acting coach and director, Kymberly Harris. And through all of that I’ve been writing. I would say where I am today stems from a constant thirst to be in creative momentum and to surround myself with artists with like energy. Last Fall I directed, produced and starred in a play at the Hudson Theatres in Hollywood, and I think till today that’s one of my biggest learning curves, achievements and to bring in this notion of risk again, something I lost a lot of stability in my personal life from, but gained so much in my creative fulfillment. What I learned from that was to embrace those that truly want to come on the journey with you, not to dwell on those that won’t or why they wouldn’t because that only blocks the road to finding others who will or invites self doubt to further creative exploration. A challenge I face constantly is the lull between projects. That in between time of profound expression, creativity, what you wish to call it. That’s when the uncertainty creeps in, what if I never make it on stage again? What if I never come up with a stellar piece of writing, again? What if no one trusts me with a vision again? And I think the answer to that is to look in the current effort you’re putting in. I can’t control my next job as an artist, but I can control what I do in the interim to keep myself ready, wholeheartedly explore just my dedication to loving art, and that’s an exercise in its own, truly. I think what’s special about my journey, I just turned 30, is it started in a little village town on the outskirts of Abuja, Nigeria, where I was born, it has taken me through living on three continents, seven countries, in the most unlikely of cities, from Berlin, to Morgantown, West Virginia, to Tunis on the Mediterranean coast, to Flint, Michigan or Dallas, Texas, everywhere! Each of those have gifted me a resilience, and have nurtured me with some sort of exposure to people and cultures I would never trade for anything, especially as an artist, it gives me confidence in my work to know I have a foundation in an appreciation of humanity.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I just had a whirlwind of family visit in the last three months, all from very different places. I’ve had people come in from London, from Abuja, or Edmonton and Harrisburg, and I always say I love LA because it’s the perfect hodgepodge of my favorite childhood cities so sharing it with family is always extra special. I can’t deny the value of starting off at home on any trip, home cooked meals, long conversations, people around the table, that I can relish. When it’s time to go out, the beach is always a great stop. There’s something about floating in the ocean or being in the sand that brings out the child in everyone, and everyone deserves that reminder of peace and fantasy. Site seeing, the best place is my neighborhood, I have a lot of pride living in Hollywood, I always take family on walks through these hills, the architecture and recognizing all that’s come before or will come after is empowering and inspiring to me. For food, I always take people to Chosun Galbee, my best friend is Korean and she let me in on that very early in my time living in LA and there is no mistake to it. It’s fantastic. For culture, Huntington Library and Botanical Gardens is just a wonderful place to get lost. I’ll save it at those four. I’m upset for people if they visit and don’t make it to those.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My shoutout ultimately goes to my family, and both parts of my family; the one I was born to, and the one I’ve created for myself along the way. My sisters informed my personality and interests, out of theirs, mine were recognized and honed in on. My parents made this unique experience out of my childhood, calling home somewhere new every two to three years as a diplomat family gave me such appreciation for people and culture. And above all, my own created family supports my artist’s dream, which isn’t an easy ask of anyone.

Website: https://www.hadizahinish.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/savcatjunglecat/

Image Credits
Aaron Scott
Gabriel Acosta
China Magno