In episode four of the Young Entertainment Podcast, Daniella and Mordechai are joined by Aliyah Mastin, a jack of all trades as an actress, singer/songwriter, and dancer. She most recently starred as Presley Collins in the hit Hulu show Paradise, which was renewed for a second season. If you’ve ever wanted a podcast to learn from the stars and get the best masterclass tips and tricks for launching your own career, you’ve come to the right place!
“Aliyah: “I’m a full plate. I dance, I sing, I act and I songwrite as well.”
Aliyah has done it all, first getting her start as young Nala in The Lion King on Broadway. Aliyah said this experience taught her to be humble and kind and paved the way to start her career. In 2019, Aliyah joined Acapop! Kids, an a capella group founded by Pentatonix, and said she absolutely loved performing.
Aliyah: “The Lion King is the reason I carry myself the way that I do on every other project.”
Her first major movie role was playing Maya in Honey Girls, and she even worked on the film with Frankie McNellis and Ava Grace, two people she had met while a part of Acapop! Kids. Talk about a small world!
Aliyah: “It was good to work with people who you know for your first film.”
Her latest role has cemented Aliyah as a rising star, as Paradise has been watched by millions and was renewed for a season two because of how popular it has become. Paradise follows Secret Service Agent Xavier Collins, played by Sterling K. Brown, as he seeks to discover the truth behind the killing of the President of the United States. Aliyah’s character Presley is Xavier’s daughter.
Aliyah gave us insight into the audition process for Paradise, and said she had already known Sterling K. Brown would play her father before booking the role. Aliyah actually auditioned in her dorm room and revealed she got the call that she booked the role while she was at a Chick-fil-A!
Aliyah: “Sterling is such a joyful guy. He has this energy he just zaps into you when he talks to you.”
Sterling K. Brown is a huge name in Hollywood, and Aliyah said it isn’t often you get to meet and work with your heroes, but this was her experience with Sterling. She said he was fun, kind, and really felt like family off screen. Aliyah said Sterling taught her to not overthink so much and focus on the moment while filming.
From the first day on set to the last of season one, Aliyah said she loved seeing the entire show come together, including the incredible music in the show. Presley went through a lot in season one and Aliyah said she’d like to see Presley break a little in season two and release all her pent up grief and emotions.
Aliyah: “The music in the show is excellent.”
We of course ended our time with Aliyah by playing our favorite rapid fire game of firsts. Thank you again, Aliyah, for chatting with us! Follow her on her Instagram at @aliyahmastin. Again, this podcast is for you, the fans! We want to know who you want to hear and learn from and have many exciting guests and stories coming up in future episodes! We’ll be releasing episodes each week so don’t forget to subscribe and stay tuned!
Consider this:
- While most auditions are virtual these days, if there is an opportunity for an in person interview, try and take advantage of this. These experiences will help you find comfort in the uncomfortable and grow your confidence as an actor.
- Fellow castmates can tell when your mind is somewhere else when you are filming a scene. Find ways to center yourself (stretching, meditation) and don’t overthink things too much, your skills have gotten you this far!
