Meet Mehaa Mekala | Actor, Writer & Producer

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

Hi Mehaa, what led you to pursuing a creative path professionally?
I had to. It became not a matter of wanting but a necessity. I tried to do pursue medicine; I even went to college for it. I attempted many different paths and roads. What I found was I was not any less capable of studying or pursuing more academically rigorous paths like my peers, but when I didn’t have a creative outlet in my life (more specifically when I wasn’t performing), I lost sight of myself. I forgot who I was; I fell victim to the numbness and mundanity of life and work.
I struggle with this still. Many people assume the pursuit of anything artistic comes with a sole commitment to creativity. I wish! Unfortunately, that is usually a luxury only the few wealthy artists in the world have.
So much of acting, writing, music, etc. is about marketing yourself, applying constantly, and taking each rejection as a win. When you’re starting out and trying to reach a league no one you know has achieved, you have to be your own publicist, agent, and manager.
You got to fight for the chance to create.
I fear only 25% of my work currently is actually acting.
But for that 25%, you bet your ass I’m going to fight for it. That feeling is always worth it.
It feels like finally getting to breathe again; you feel it deep in your soul.
Don’t give up. That’s the only way to fail.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I just started making films with my friends. That is still what I do honestly.
The first film I ever acted in was a cooky horror film about a possessed monkey. I was working with these freshman who were so freakishly talented; I would just sit there and watch them make magic. It is still one of my favorite films I’ve ever been in. It sparked a fire in me. The fun and passion they all exuded for the love of the game.
Then my friend Min hit me up, and I ended up in a romantic short film that changed my life! Gosh working with good-hearted and talented people changes your chemistry. It’s a drug; you start feigning for it. I started getting opportunities and suddenly had a reel to show off!

That beginning part was easy. It’s got to be; otherwise I wouldn’t be addicted. What followed however was not easy.

I began chasing that feeling; chasing the thrill of making substantial work with passionate people. I took to casting sites and applied for everything. It helped my resume for sure, but oof. As you continue to push for that feeling I been talking about, you realize that is not everyone’s priority. Any work is work if you do it enough.
I have done some crazy projects that I pray people never see haha. I began modeling as a way to network too.
But life’s got a plan so you got to trust it!
If I hadn’t done all those crazy projects, I wouldn’t have met some of the crazy talented friends I have today! I wouldn’t have met my partner, who also changed the game for my career.

One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned is never treat any role, position, or project as if it’s beneath you. It is totally normal to want more and to fight for the kind of stories you want to tell. However, you never know who will change your life for the better or where things might lead. Obviously, don’t let people step on you or take your efforts for granted (because trust people will try). But working as a production assistant or an extra for people you want to work with is a great way to network. If people aren’t meeting your standards on a set or project, you can still put your all into what you can control. If anything, treat it as great practice. That is how you build a work ethic that is unbreakable. You got to love the game.

“There are no small roles; only small actors!” ~ a quote from a theater poster haha

This last piece of advice (and the most impactful) I got from my high school drama teacher Mr. Matthew Ballin. <3
“Don’t wait for the work to come to you, CREATE IT!”

For the last year, I have worn this piece of advice on me like a cape. It keeps me going. I have always been an actor. Honestly since I came out the womb, I’ve had this inexplicable need to perform and be unafraid to do anything for a laugh. Yet, in this last year, I’ve experienced more acting lulls than I ever have before. So, I turned to writing.

Writing is its own unique challenge. It is similar to acting where so much of the prep and work can be done independently. I think many people can be great writers; most of us have unique stories to tell. You, however, must treat writing like a job, otherwise you will never do it. You have to be willing to commit yourself to it for more than just those bursts of motivation.

I am currently writing a script I hope will become my directing debut. It feels so good to feel excited to act in something again. I never thought I’d be capable of such an endeavor. I’ve craved such a script that makes me alive again, so I got to make it myself.

I guess I’m learning I can do almost anything I want to as long as I try!

I want my brand, my stories, my projects to make people question everything. Our world is more divided than ever; people see each other for our differences and similarities, and that’s that.
Every story that I feel compelled to write has always focused on the gray areas. Most situations in life don’t garner a simple answer. They make us think about what we value as people and how we aim to share our compassion with the world.
I think the more we start challenging our audiences instead of spoon feeding them, the more compassionate and inquisitive thinkers we will create. People who don’t blindly follow the majority and aren’t afraid to speak out! The kind of world I would want to live in.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
If my best friend was visiting, I would take them to my house. My best friend is my sister. She should come home more because I miss her. I would lock her in her room and feed her through a tube through the door.
I guess if she asked nicely I would take her to get a chorizo breakfast burrito at Breakfast Little in SF. Don’t forget the salsa.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My family! Though this is such an orthodox path and my family are riddled with doubt of it working out, they continue to support me. Through and through, they are the reason I am who I am, and I will never be able to fully thank them for all they have done for me.

My teachers! SUPPORT THE ARTS IN SCHOOLS!
I grew up in the Bay Area and have been surrounded by the Silicon Valley mentality since a very young age. If I didn’t have theater and acting teachers like the ones I had in high school and college, I would not be here. It takes a village to raise a child. Having mentors who believed in my capabilities, believed in my heart and my passions, I would not be the woman I am today. Teaching is one of the most impactful jobs in the world; we as a society need to start paying and treating them as such.

My peers! I have such talented friends; I thank god everyday for them. To make a film, it takes a team of people all phenomenally good at what they do. This life is so competitive; it can be riddled with jealousy and fear. Yet, if you find good people who work hard and care about what they do, it makes creating seem like a fun game of jigsaw. If you can’t bring your community up with you in your success, what is the point? If I win, we’re all going to win I swear it.

Website: https://mehaamekala.com

Instagram: @mehaamekala

Other: https://vimeo.com/manage/videos/1020755723

Image Credits
Tariq Stone
Dominic Bernabe
J-Han
Christopher Thach