Meet Mizz | Creative multi hyphenate – actor, musician, model, activist

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

Hi Mizz, can you tell us more about your background and the role it’s played in shaping who you are today?
I am originally from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia but I grew up in the U.K. I think that growing up in such a diverse place like K.L. allowed me to have a deeper empathy and understanding towards people. The emphasis on community at home also showed me the importance of having people who love, value and support you. Although I now live miles away, I am grateful to have friends and family that continue to show their love for me despite the distance. Attending boarding school in the U.K. fostered my skills in performance but also taught me how to laugh at myself and to not take life too seriously. I find that a lot of British humour is making fun of each other and learning how to dish it out but also take it, allowed me to own who I am and welcome others to authentically be themselves – we all have faults and make mistakes, it’s okay no one is perfect.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I think I’m most proud of a short film called Hummingbird I wrapped early this year. It’s about a queer love story set in the 2000s, to be given the opportunity to showcase these very authentic and important stories is very fulfilling to me, people deserve to feel represented and heard.

I’m excited to see where my career will take me, there is no straight path in this industry and there are so many stories I want to tell so the potential of that definitely excites me.

Nothing in life comes easy, I think following your purpose will always have challenges but I believe these problems are only set in your path to allow you to learn and grow so you’re ready for the next hurdle life will throw at you. I’ve learnt how to love myself unconditionally on my hardest days by fostering kinder thoughts in my mind, in a society that prides itself on over working I think it’s very easy to feel useless when you’re not doing anything but I’ve learnt that I don’t have to earn love. Everyone deserves to be loved and just being kind to yourself and the world is enough.

My entire brand is about love, inclusivity and representation. My biggest mantra in life is to lead from a place of love with every action and decision I make, I want that to also seep into my art. Growing up I didn’t have role models in the media that looked like me or empathise with the experience that I had. That can make a person feel lonely and disconnected, so my goal is to be able to amplify the voices so people who have been silenced all their lives can feel seen and heard.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I’ve been vegan since I was 13 so most of my favourite spots tend to be vegan friendly places. I also like taking my friends to these spots because it shows that being vegan can be great for the environment, good for your body and still be enjoyable. There’s a place called Ladybird in the East Village that serves the best vegan brunch I’ve ever had. The ambience is trendy and fun, the music is always good and the matcha waffles are to die for!

If I had friends visiting i’d probably take them around the lower east side, china town and soho, food there is always good there (!!) and I love stumbling upon cute little boutiques and thrift shops. Since we’re already downtown we’d walk across the Brooklyn Bridge, then spend some time in Dumbo. There this weekend flea market in Dumbo that I really love to go to- artists sell their work and I can find some beautiful clothing pieces for a lot cheaper. Buying from these places allows me to support artists as well as buy second hand clothing which is a lot better for the environment.

In terms of night life, I love K town! Everything is there- we can go out dancing, go to a karaoke bar and of course access to so many flavours of soju (!) The food there is amazing, and nowadays these places have a lot more vegan options which of course I love.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
There are three beautiful women that have always been at the centre of my inspiration: my sister (Alya), Flora MacAngus (@flora_macangus) and Mariah Moss (@mariah_moss). My sister always has my best interest at heart, I know that she only wants me to succeed – every conversation we have I continue to learn so much about the world and how to be kinder to myself and others. Flora is a producer, writer and actor based in London. She recently closed her one woman show, “Permanent Marker” that received five star reviews. We met in boarding school and it is a privilege to have her in my life. She continues to teach me how to gracefully stand in my power, work hard and make decisions fearlessly. Finally, Mariah Moss is my partner in crime, we are currently co-producing and co-writing several indie projects under our production company: What If What Now Productions. She is my home away from home and continues to support me through my career endeavours. I am grateful that through working with her we have fostered a safe space that allows both of us to create freely and without judgement. I am excited to announce our upcoming projects very soon!

Website: https://www.mizzkamaluddin.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mizz.not.miss/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mizz-kamaluddin-592250221/

Others: Tiktok – @mizz.not.miss