Makenzie Moss is an actress who can be seen in the film Let Us In. The film will be available on demand and digital July 2, 2021. Let Us In is a sci-fi / thriller about a spirited twelve-year-old girl and her best friend looking to uncover the sudden disappearances of several missing teens in their small town. Mackenzie portrays the character of Emily. Although still in her teens, Makenzie joins a long line of women in film who have portrayed multifaceted characters. The depiction of women on the screen has undergone several transformations, and Let Us In creates a vivid picture of just one perspective. Meanwhile, the anguish displayed by Makenzie’s character in the movie, as she’s wrongly blamed for a murder, shows an innocent person fighting for the truth. YEM was able to speak with Makenzie about her first acting gig, when she realized she wanted to take acting seriously, and what she learned about acting on Let Us In.
Young Entertainment Magazine: Will “Let Us In” be the first time you star in a thriller/sci-fi film?
Makenzie Moss: Actually, I starred in my first Sci-Fi Thriller when I was eight called “The Charnel House”. We shot the film in Cleveland and my entire family including my dog Pickles came out to be with me. Had so much fun making the movie and also had so much fun hanging out with my family checking out Cleveland.
YEM: What was your first acting gig – theater stage or on film? What has the experience been like and are there differences between the 3?
Makenzie: My first acting gig was when my dad put my sister and me in his film when I was four years old. I had so much fun doing it that I realized then that I wanted to be an actress. From there I did a lot of commercials that lead to movies which also lead to TV. I haven’t done theater yet but that’s something I look forward to eventually doing.
YEM: What role do you feel distinguish you as an actress?
Makenzie: I think the role of Lisa Brennan in “Steve Jobs”. I was eight years old and besides being such an amazing film to be a part of there was a lot of depth and complexity with the character that I was able to really tap into and convey the true range of emotions. It was this film that I truly understood how to prepare and lock into a role.
YEM: Having been an actress from such a young age, what was it like when family, friends, and classmates started noticing and regarding you as a star?
Makenzie: Ha! Nobody really regarded me as a star. Growing up I just had fun acting and then when done I’d go to school or dance class and everyone would just treat me the same way they always did… which is how I liked it.
YEM: What was it like when you hit your first 10k followers on Instagram? What’s something someone can do to reach that goal?
Makenzie: I have to admit it was really cool… I was sooo excited. I think it obviously helped that I was on a television series but I would say the best thing to do is posts with others who have lots of followers and then post interesting pics.
YEM: What role, out of the character’s you’ve acted in, do you relate to the most and why?
Makenzie: I would probably say Emily from “Let Us In”. I just love that character. She’s so headstrong and stays true to what she believes in regardless of what anyone says or does. She’s a leader and never a follower… someone who can inspire other young girls to go for what they want in life. All things I pattern my life after.
YEM: When did you first realize that you wanted to take acting seriously and why?
Makenzie: The very first film I was in. Something just sparked when I delivered my first line of dialogue and I knew this is what I loved and that I wanted to keep on doing it. I was very serious about it at such a young age sacrificing so many things in order to continue doing what I truly loved.
YEM: Who is a role model for you that inspired you to keep acting?
Makenzie: My mom. She’s an actress as well and always gave me great guidance and support through all the up and downs. She was a true inspiration to continue acting regardless of how good or bad things got.
YEM: What’s one thing you learned about your acting on Let Us In?
Makenzie: There was a lot of physicality whether it was through combat or being chased but it taught me how to manage acting performance while doing strenous activity with choreography. I had never been presented with this in any other film so it opened up a whole new facet of my acting which I truly loved.
YEM: Are there other avenues that you’d like to explore further that’s totally unrelated to what you’re currently doing?
Makenzie: I was lucky enough to be a co-producer on this film so I’m looking forward to doing that again as well as directing which is something that has always interested me.
