Meet Mika McCalla | A Girl Inspired by the History of Hollywood

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

Hi Mika, why did you decide to pursue a creative path?
Hello, Shoutout LA, thank you for having me! Today I’m going to share with you a sort of unexpected story on what led me to pursuing entertainment. I want you to think of this sit down of ours as sort of a Ben Mankiewicz style TCM monologue. The way Ben provides commentary and history before a TCM selection isn’t always what you expected to learn about the coming film, but it definitely leaves you more curious than you were before.

Contrary to many creatives, I started my career out behind the camera and then moved in front of it. Many of my former classmates and colleagues in the music industry started off wanting to be in bands or a solo artist, and then found themselves loving a business position in A&R, management, or PR. As a teenager, I wanted to be an artist manager. I was obsessed with the people behind the scenes, the ones in the black pants and hoodies. Looking back, what was I thinking?!? I LOVE fashion, how could I submit myself to a life without color and accessories? Oh, the pitfalls of adolescence. All jokes aside, I am extremely grateful that my career was sprouted in untraditional foundations. Learning the ropes of how the entertainment industry works has served me in many ways, especially when it comes to navigating one of the most harsh fields: film and television. I can walk into any audition and easily set my nerves aside, as knowing how talent searches are conducted provides me with a sense of calm. On a serious note, as a young woman, I have a heightened sense of what may not be a legit situation due to my business background. As many are aware, this industry can be taken advantage of by people with ignoble intentions, making personal safety an important issue to all aspiring actresses. But, having had the privilege to have worked for and with legit, professional individuals has provided me with the tools necessary to decipher the imposters.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
Let’s do it! Talking shop is one of my favorite subjects. As a proud extrovert, I can go to any event, whether it be a concert or USC alumni gala, and chat it up with the best of ’em. What makes talking about the entertainment business so effortless is that I am a massive fan of the craft. Whether it be 1970s classic musical acts such as the incomparable Eagles or Dan Fogelberg, the films and legacies of Grace Kelly or Marilyn Monroe, I am an active student of Hollywood history. If I were to recommend one album, one film, one documentary, and one memoir to a stranger who wasn’t as versed in the arts, I would know exactly what to suggest.

Album:
Their Greatest Hits by Eagles (2017)
(A collection album may be considered a cheat, but since this is my interview, I don’t care.)
Hell has frozen over because I never thought I would be able to say I worked for this legendary band. Eagles were one of the many talented acts my mom raised me to, leaving me with the awe-inspiring motivation only full circle moments as these can bring.

Film:
High Society (1965)
Grace, Frank, and Bing. Need I say more?

Documentary:
The Gleaners and I (2000)
For anyone to get into the art of documentary, I highly recommend starting with this masterpiece. I had the privilege of studying the genre of documentary in the distinguished Professor Michael Renov’s class at USC’s School of Cinematic Arts, which truly fostered a lifelong love of the genre. The Gleaners serves as a blueprint on the artistic liberty documentaries offer a director, providing a canvas for the unexpected.

Memoir:
Jeannie Out of the Bottle (2012) by Barbara Eden
If you haven’t seen I Dream of Jeannie close this interview right now and watch it, you can find the first episode on YouTube. Once you’ve seen this classic show, you should dive deeper into its lead actress. Barbara Eden is continuing to live a phenomenal life, one she has filled with amazing accomplishments and lasting legacy. Her memoir highlights her journey, the highs and lows, along with vital tidbits of advice for the aspiring actress. A true hidden gem of a book and Hollywood icon.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
If I were to host an old friend or colleague from out of town, I would treat them to what I consider the quintessential LA experience, a place I attribute as the backdrop to the first time I fell in love with the essence of this city. No, it is not a Dodger game,

– if you know me I am a die-hard fan of our Boys in Blue (World Series Champs of ’20 and ’24!!!) and consider a visit to beautiful Dodger Stadium a critical step in becoming a true Los Angeleno –

, but rather a night spent under the stars watching a phenomenal film and eating the lion’s share of delicatessen selections. Cinespia is an outdoor theater event held at the legendary Hollywood Forever Cemetery nestled between Hancock Park and West Hollywood. Trust me, I am not one who enjoys “spooky things” or wishes to spend extended amounts of time at a cemetery, but Cinespia does it right. Being able to pass by the memorials of some of Hollywood’s greatest film stars, including Judy Garland, Douglas Fairbanks, and Cecil B. Demille, puts you into a certain mindset that makes the film you are about to screen highly impactful. With multiple screenings held throughout the season, Cinespia offers a night for everyone from Golden Era selections to cult classics to even new releases. When you attend a screening, it is more than a movie, it is an event. Many people dress up in the theme of the specific film, pack robust picnic baskets of wine and charcuterie, and attend with friends from far and near.

When I was a very young teenager, I vividly remember falling in love with the idea of all the glitz and glam Los Angeles has to offer during a trip to Cinespia with friends. I couldn’t tell you what the film was, but the experience left a lasting impression on me. I remember driving up the 405 seeing the giant Los Angeles Times sign for the first time, then getting into West Hollywood and seeing the billboards for an up-and-coming band (at the time), LANY. The advisements for were their debut studio album, the record with the rose on it. Little did I know in only a few years, I would be working in the music industry with an odd-ball connection to that exact album (but that’s a different story for a different time).

Before heading to Hollywood Forever, we stopped at the famed Joan’s on Third for lunch and to pick up movie provisions. Now, Joan’s is a thriving LA staple with two locations, but back then, it felt cool to walk into a restaurant filled with “LA-type foods” and “LA people”. As a salad lover, I ordered their signature Chinese Chicken Salad (definitely not a healthy salad – it’s all crunchies!) and grabbed a pack of house-made, chocolate-covered gummy bears. I do have to note though, I come by my love for gummy bears honestly. Gummy bears are my mom’s favorite, the Haribo kind, not the chocolate kind.

Once we loaded up on provisions, we headed to the venue, where I was met with the sense of community LA can offer for the first time. The line, which I expected to be one of the standard kind, filled with people on their phones and the inescapable sense of boredom, was quite the opposite. With the sun slowly setting in the background, hundreds of Los Angelenos were soaking in the last of it while enjoying the contents of their baskets. People were talking in groups, socializing beyond their chosen companions and simply living in the moment. The feeling was truly one I will never forget. The only other time I felt this sense of community joy, the feeling of being around a large group of people who were all together happy, was at Coachella 2016. Since that day, the world has lost its sense of common courtesy and basic human manners. I wonder if, and hope, we will return to that soon.

Within this article, I have included the photographs I took from this specific day in LA, along with two photos from my first and third Coachella. The Cinespia pictures are not images I would take today, but they truly serve as a sign of the time, a time capsule of sorts, straight from 2016. Please enjoy and reminisce on your own past, allowing your mind to ponder why you started your creative endeavors. No doubt you will come to realize that sometimes the most unexpected and casual experiences are the ones that ignite the fire of your passions.

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?
Throughout my career in entertainment, whether it was my time spent working off-stage in music or on this new journey of becoming an actress, I find inspiration in those of the past. Hollywood’s history is my largest driving force on why I want to pursue acting.

The art and legacy of the craft is magical when conducted and consumed in its proper form. Today, I want to share a bit of Hollywood magic I experienced way before I even landed my first gig in this industry. An event, although mundane in format, that left a lasting impression on me. I hope you enjoy and remember to look for inspiration in everything you do.

On a personal note, I would like to thank my beautiful mom, Sheila. Without her, nothing I have ever done in life would have been possible. Yes, I have yet to accomplish anything of grand stature, but I know with her support, it is truly possible. Thank you momma for all you do – You embody beauty, inside and out.

Website: https://mikamccalla.my.canva.site

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