Meet Maiara Walsh | Writer/Director, Actress

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

Hi Maiara, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
I decided from an early age that I wouldn’t wait by the phone for other people to decide my creative fate. In such an unpredictable industry, it was important for me to commit to a work ethic that would eventually allow me the creative freedom to build projects from the ground up. The moment I realized that spending hours alone writing in my room, envisioning stories and characters in my imagination, could be part of my career path, I knew I would never stop. As someone who loves many facets of the arts, filmmaking became the medium through which I could express all of my passions rather than “picking a lane” like so many people along the way urged me to do. Everyone has an idea of what you should do to be successful, of what singular path you should take, but only you can know for certain. I love acting. I love directing. I love singing, writing, making art, collaborating, set design etc… I don’t have to pick one. And I won’t. My path has taken much longer than I had anticipated, been full of unforeseeable challenges, made me question why I was even doing it to begin with, but taught me invaluable lessons and skills that I get to bring with me into the future. I now know how to take an idea and turn it into reality, and work with a community of talented and good hearted people to bring that vision to life.

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.
I consider myself a multi-disciplinary artist, which also translates to being obsessed with all things creative. I work seven days a week, and I love what I do. I started singing when I was five, acting professionally when I was fourteen, writing screenplays when I was twenty, and directing shorts/music videos in my mid twenties. I recently directed “BIGHT”, my first feature film which I co-wrote with Cameron Cowperthwaite and co-starred in, which will release in 2025. I am currently in production on an action comedy series I wrote and am directing, entitled FML.

When I’m building projects, I tend towards psychological thrillers and dark comedy. I’m having an absolute blast working on a show that is so stunt heavy, with the help of actor/stunt coordinator/producer Andreas Alfaro. I also had the honor of working on a documentary short in the Brazilian Amazon, teaching five indigenous young Kayapó women how to become filmmakers to preserve their traditions with one of my best friends, Kelly Balch. The project was created for a National Geographic grant, granted to Pat-í Kayapó.

None of this journey has been easy. I’ve never considered myself a lucky person and I’ve learned almost everything the hard way. Everything I’ve been building has come from years of struggle, persistence, nonstop roadblocks, and finding creative solutions. I should have quit a thousand times based off how unbelievably challenging the path to creative freedom has been, but I’ve learned that even if it takes me longer than anticipated, if I say I’m going to do something, I’m not stopping until I reach the finish line.

Sheer determination, grit, outside of the box thinking, collaboration, and relentless dedication to storytelling have been the backbone of overcoming never-ending challenges. Sixty percent of filmmaking is problem solving. I’ve learned and continue to learn to be flexible, resourceful, and deeply communicative. I’m so excited to share the projects I’ve been working on, as well as my process, in hopes that I can offer some guidance I wish I had been privy to before entering the filmmaking/ full time artist career path.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I love this question! I’ve lived in Los Angeles since I was ten, and a few years back I made it my goal to really explore everything LA has to offer. I always start by asking what the person is into. I’m not huge on super touristy stuff, so if you’re exploring with me, it will be a hidden gem kind of day. If we have a full week we’ll be exploring everything from the arts district downtown to Laguna Beach to Chinatown to Laurel Canyon to Studio City to Venice. But for the purpose of this answer so it’s not a novel in itself, let’s stick with a day downtown. We’re starting with coffee at Verve in the arts district, followed by a walking tour of the arts district, a visit to The Last Bookstore, and lunch at Grand Central Market. Then we’ll head thrifting, come home for a little rest, grab sushi in Little Tokyo, head to an immersive cocktail experience at The Obscure Distillery, and find some live music before heading to Level 8 for a labyrinth of exploration and dancing. If it’s a night out, chances are we won’t be getting home until the wee hours of the morning!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
First and foremost, I would not be anywhere without my parents. They are my greatest gift. They taught me values that I live by, and have been incredibly supportive through the ups and downs of life and a career as an artist. Beyond them, where do I begin? Nothing I’ve done exists in a vacuum. My core group of friends have seen me at my highs and lows, celebrated my successes, and helped me through major depression. I’m also super connected to my family and Brazilian heritage, and attribute my relentless creative energy to my Brazilian roots. Big shout out to Mark Hapka and Cameron Cowperthwaite, filmmakers/actors in the feature I co-wrote and directed entitled “BIGHT”, a psychological thriller about the dangers of open relationships, my current producing partner Andreas Alfaro, my singing coach Joannie Zajac, Peter Safran, Charlos, Jax, Sandbox, and my entire creative global community comprised of incredible actors, photographers, artists, writers, directors, acrobats, DPs, entrepreneurs, storytellers, etc… who I’ve gotten to collaborate with over the years. My gratitude runs deep.

Website: https://www.maiarawalsh.com

Instagram: @maiarawalsh

Linkedin: Maiara Walsh

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/maiara.walsh

Youtube: @MaiaraWalshOfficial

Other: Spotify @MAIARA

Image Credits
Ryan Hartford, Pearly Eyed Vision, Yori X, Tyler Newman and Steve Lucero