Meet Mia Passarella | Voice Actor & Artist

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

Hi Mia, what’s the end goal, career-wise?
Oh man, I think this is such a tough question because the bar is always changing, you know? As we begin to achieve some of the goals that we originally set out with, new ones begin to develop. As we grow and evolve as humans, our goals grow and evolve with us.

As for right now, I think what I’m looking for the most in my career is sustainability. It’s very difficult to “make it” as an artist or creative, and the definition of that can be so different for each of us! I personally just want to make art and tell stories that I’m proud of. I want to act in projects that really resonate with me (and hopefully others) while continuing to make art that does the same. And I want to be compensated fairly for it! (I will spare you the rant about the undervaluing and exploitation of artists…) I just want this work that I cherish so deeply to be able to affect others in some way and provide a comfortable life for me and my family. That’s it honestly. That’s the goal.

Now I’ll admit, that feels a bit generic. So how about some concrete goals that I have for the journey along the way? I would LOVE to do full performance capture for a character in a AAA game. I would also love to voice a series regular role in a piece of animation like the ones that I grew up enamored with, such as Avatar: the Last Airbender or Teen Titans. It would also be very cool to do a solo gallery exhibition at some point.

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 am an actor and a contemporary figurative/portrait artist. While much of my acting career has been spent on the stage, I am primarily focused right now on character roles for animation and video games. I hope to bring versatility, authenticity, and fun to every role big or small! Much of my work as a visual artist aims to explore the beauty and diversity of the female form through a modern lens, often combining elements of realism and abstraction with a variety of mediums – though admittedly I use a lot of ink and charcoal.

As a storyteller first and foremost, I think what sets my art apart is the emphasis I place on creating dynamic visuals and conveying emotion in my subjects. I want my art to also tell a story and I want the people that I depict to feel as though there is a rich inner life brewing beneath the surface.

In my acting, I think being an artist really helps to feed my imagination. I am a visual person by nature so having that well of imagination to pull on is very beneficial for me while creating characters and understanding their circumstances. In voiceover especially, you do not have the luxury of a costume or set to help bring you into that world, so being able to pull from my own inner resources to fill in the gaps is extremely helpful in portraying a variety of characters.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Oooh fun! Whenever someone comes to visit, I always have to take them to “Aroma” for coffee/breakfast/pastries. It’s such a cool spot with delicious food and immaculate vibes. “Back on the Beach Cafe” is also a fun place to go for breakfast and perfect if you are planning a beach day anyway. For the afternoon, I might suggest strolling down a street like Tujunga or Ventura to hit up some cool vintage stores or browse the variety of cute, boutique shops. Or maybe we could go to the Americana at Brand for a little shopping and lunch. A couple favorites for dinner are “Khao Soi Thai,” “Forma,” and “Don Cuco.” “Ma’s Italian Kitchen” is also great and it’s right next door to the “Roguelike Tavern,” so you can pop in there after dinner for drinks, trivia, or whatever else they have going on that night! We would also have to hit up the “Scum and Villainy Cantina” for drinks at some point and of course “Hamburger Mary’s!” Finally, October just started so I have to mention LA’s Haunted Hayride. I myself will be going next week 🙂

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?
Well first and foremost, I have to shoutout my family. They have been endlessly supportive in my pursuit of a career that holds no guarantees and I could not be more grateful for that.

My wonderful partner, Fernando (@conchodreamer) who’s belief in me is so profound, it pushes me to continue even when I am filled with crippling doubt. He is so unbelievably hardworking in his own career goals and it pushes me to do the same.

I would love to shoutout my high school theatre teacher, Sandy Stones, who once told me, ‘You are a beautiful girl who is not afraid of making herself look ugly,” which honestly had a huge impact on me as a young actor.. This type of work is ultimately a pursuit of truth. Of vulnerability and authenticity. Sometimes, that truth is ugly. Or even silly! We as actors are so often placed in uncomfortable positions and asked to bear our soul or make a fool of ourselves for the sake of the story we are telling. Fear of looking “ugly” or “stupid” or whatever holds you back. This comment helped liberate me in a way.

Australian artist, Tahlia Stanton has greatly influenced me as an artist! Her use of mixed media, abstraction and color in her work is absolutely stunning. Each piece feels so vibrant and alive. I can only aspire to capture that same sense of awe that I feel while looking at her paintings in my own work.

And I think I’ll give my final shoutout to the folks at Critical Role. An entertainment company founded by a group of voice actors, storytellers, and TTRPG players who have been one of my biggest career inspirations. Their ability to weave an endless tapestry of profound stories while leading with humanity and joy is something I really admire.

Website: miapassarella.com & art.miapassarella.com

Instagram: @miapassarella

Twitter: @miapassarella

Other: TikTok: @miapassarella