Ella Mika: Rising star discusses “Birds of Prey” and her new series role on TBS Comedy “Chad”

Ella Mika stars in the new forthcoming TBS Comedy series “Chad.” The show follows the trials and tribulations of a high school freshman who wants to be popular — by any means necessary. 

Ella portrays Niki, the popular, younger sister of main protagonist Chad (played by Nasim Pedrad). She gave Rival the inside scoop of what it was like working alongside Nasim, who is the complete mastermind behind the series: taking on the roles of creator, writer, executive producer, and showrunner!

“It was such a good experience working with her. She’s not only funny on screen, but also off-screen when she’s just being herself. She was also so sweet and thoughtful and made sure we all felt our best when filming and working with her. Nasim and I both have younger siblings, so we were able to easily bond as siblings in the show and just relate to the situations that were scripted. I learned that it’s okay to add a bit of fun and improvisation to a comedy, as long as it’s in a good amount and she really helped me learn that to be able to do that, you don’t have to have your lines fully carved into your memory to the point where that’s all you remember.”

Ella talked about her initial reaction when she found out she had received the role.

“My audition process was very long and I got over five callbacks before I got the role. With each audition, it showed I was in the mix of being the choice so it was a bit nerve-racking waiting to see who would finally get the part. I loved my part so much, so when I got the call from Nasim telling me I got the role, I was so excited! I was so grateful to be part of “Chad” and actually as part of television history, as this is one of the very rare and interesting occurrences where a woman would be playing a 14 year old boy.”

This new project was a completely different experience for the young actress. Her day filming a comedy was much more light-hearted and fun. Unlike previous projects she’s taken on, this series enabled her to have more flexibility, as well as more room to have fun with her character and really make it her own. She said she even had one major takeaway lesson from the “Chad” experience — “You don’t have to be so serious all the time and that it’s okay to have fun with what you’re doing.” 

Unfortunately, the circumstances of the COVID pandemic has caused many projects to come to an indefinite halt, only to be picked back up at a later date — this included the filming of “Chad.” 

Ella shared what that entire whirlwind process was like:

“Safety was definitely everyone's main concern and I think the entire production team did so well to keep us all safe when we went back to filming. Two weeks prior to filming in August, all of us quarantined for two weeks. Before we flew out to film, we also got tested and as soon as we arrived, we quarantined for another week and got tested again. For our fittings, the clothes were dropped off at our hotel room, we took pictures of the outfits, and the clothes were picked up without contact. We were tested around three times a week, no matter how many days we worked that week. And we always had our masks on, with the exception of when we were doing makeup or when we filmed the scenes. There were also zones that separated the actors and the writers. There were tests that we took every day, as well to chart our symptoms to make sure we didn’t have COVID. It was definitely an interesting process.”

Diverse representation is extremely important. So many people often feel left out by not being represented in the media. However, this series aims to tackle that issue, bringing cultural identity to light and the struggles that accompany it. “Chad” provides a much-needed fresh breath of air — with its diverse and inclusive delivery and cast members.

“I am so proud to be part of such a diverse and inclusive show & cast. Growing up, I barely saw any Middle Eastern characters in shows or movies, and those I did see were mostly shown as negative characters. Being able to be part of a cast & show that is so inclusive and diverse makes me so happy, as I know that not only can audiences that are Middle Eastern relate and enjoy the show, but also others around the world no matter their culture or ethnicity. I think by having cultural identity and the struggles that accompany it as a part of the show, people will be able to relate and feel like they’re not alone in their struggles.”

 Ella spoke of her childhood, how she initially discovered her love for acting, and how she got her start in the entertainment industry:

“My childhood was full of love and happiness growing up. I was born in a loving family, back in my home country, and had so many sweet cousins and family members. My mom, dad, and I immigrated to the United States when I was one years old after we won the green card lottery. We immigrated to Hollywood specifically, and I grew up there for around five years. We came to America during the 2008 Great Depression, so finding work was so much harder for my foreign parents, but they did everything they could to make sure we lived well. We first lived in a one bedroom apartment until my little sister was born, and my parents had a stable income and were able to move to a better place. Growing up, my parents didn’t know the language very well, so I was determined to learn it for things to be easier for us. I went to school and was always, and still am, a great learner. I was also very independent growing up, and I’m thankful it stuck with me as it helps a lot with my career.

My dad used to be an actor back in my home country and for a little while in America too. One day, I went with him to work and saw how much fun the actors had and how much they loved what they did. So, I went home and continuously searched videos about actors and of them working behind the scenes to see how their day went, and it just sparked an interest and passion in me to try it out. My manager was a casting director for one of the movies my dad was in, so we set up a meeting with her to see if she would like to sign me and help me start my career. She saw potential in me and signed me, and I started auditioning at the age of nine. Here we are now, about five years later and still working together.”

As an actress, Ella states that there is always room for improvement and learning new things in every aspect. She wants to focus on her improvisation and comedy skills: “I think I have a lot of room to improve in that area, but I’m always spending time coaching and learning, as well as improving in every area possible.” 

She cited a list of actors and actresses who have inspired her along her journey and made her fall in love with acting. She hopes to one day have the chance to collaborate with some of her favorite artists:

“Margot Robbie, Johnny Depp, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Kate Winslet have always inspired me along my journey. I always seem to love any of their movies/series, but Matthew McConaughey also never ceases to amaze me. There are so many artists that made me fall in love with acting, but some are Emma Watson, Kate Winslet, Helena Bonham Carter, Anne Hathaway, and Johnny Depp. I’d love to collaborate with any of the actors I listed and so many more.”

Speaking of Margot Robbie, Ella recently had the opportunity to meet her when she landed the role of a young Helena in the Harley Quinn movie, “Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn).” Talk about a dream come true! She discussed her experience of filming BOP, a particular highlight in her early career: 

“It was a very memorable experience, as I got some of my first experiences doing certain things for the project. I got to do crossbow training - which was so unusual, yet fun to do and I enjoyed it more than I expected. I also got to experience filming with fake blood, which was something I hadn’t done before. Getting to meet Margot Robbie — one of my biggest idols — was another super exciting thing I got to do while filming, and it was so difficult not to completely fangirl in the moment.”

So what’s next for Ella? She aspires to continue working on “Chad” for many more seasons, but also hopes to work on more projects in the future that have even more emotionally and physically challenging characters; as a flexible and versatile actress, she enjoys playing just about any character and seeks to push the envelope and take on new opportunities. Whenever she’s looking for future roles and projects, she likes to look for a storyline that she’ll enjoy, diverse casting, and well-rounded characters. As of now, she doesn’t have any future projects in the works, but is hopeful that “Chad” will get renewed for a second season. 

In her free time, she loves to paint, sketch, draw, dance, cook, and bake. Reading books and listening to music is a necessity. She enjoys doing things that allows her to both release stress and express herself. 

If she wasn’t an actress, Ella would aspire to own her own business (this is a goal she is set out to accomplish, whether she’s acting or not!) and she’s also interested in becoming a physicist — “You never know though, I might end up doing all three!” 

Ella shared the best piece of advice she’s been given, her biggest dream, what makes her nostalgic, and what inspires her:

“The best advice I’ve been given —

everything happens for a reason. If you can’t control what is happening, then why worry? And if you can control what is happening, then again, why worry?

My biggest dream is to be a good person. If I am a happy person filled with love, kindness, compassion, and peace, then I feel as though I’ve done my job as a person. Of course, being able to win a few Oscars and working on big projects is a huge dream too that I’d love to achieve.

ABC soup, the movie ‘Toy Story,’ and cartoons like ‘Masha’ or the ones on the old channel Qubo, definitely makes me nostalgic since they were such big parts of my childhood.

Seeing others care for one another and just seeing some kindness in the world inspires me to become a better person and do what I love. With the smallest amount of inspiration and hope, we are able to motivate ourselves and push forward.

Ella shared some final advice for aspiring artists to keep in mind as they’re working hard to set goals and achieve their dreams: 

“My advice for aspiring artists is to have self-love and believe in yourself. At the end of the day, the person who knows you best and is always going to be there for you is yourself, so why not cherish that and love and believe in yourself. By having self love, you can also be confident, which is very noticeable and likable by everyone. Just have fun and be yourself.” 

 Be sure to follow Ella on Instagram to keep up with her creative journey! 

https://instagram.com/ellamikaofficial 

“CHAD” premieres on April 6th at 10:30pm ET/PT on TBS!

Meet the Author

Bri Rodriguez is a writer and photographer from Tallahassee, Florida. Always passionate about the arts - she’s been an avid reader and writer ever since she was a young girl - finding solace in books, exploring literary worlds, and the ability to express herself and tell stories through the written word. Her education in Commercial Photography Technology opened new doors for her artistry; she is currently in pursuit of her bachelors in English to further her studies in literature and creative writing and hone her craft. She aspires to forge her own path as a content creator and delve deeper into the entertainment industry. Bri contributes her writing to multiple publications and actively seeks out new opportunities, which led to her joining the Rival team.

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