YOUNG STAR ON THE RISE
(continued)
and, as we say in the South, just “good people.” That’s what made it the most challenging, working with a family of people I adore in real life but [who] had to be terrifying strangers on set. I also have a few other films releasing in 2022 that I am proud of, including one shot right here in Georgia called The Hill , with Dennis Quaid, that is based on the true story of baseball legend Rickey Hill. I play a supporting role of a young girl called Gracie who helped motivate Rickey to follow his heart and pursue his dreams of playing baseball despite a world of obstacles standing in his way, including his strict preacher father, played by Dennis Quaid. This one was a lot of fun because I wasn’t the only kid on set! WHAT KIND OF CHARACTER DO YOU SECRETLY LONG TO EMBODY? I know it seems kiddie, but I really want to play a superhero or comic book character. I actually think there is really good storytelling that can be done in superhero movies, and we see the world of film come to life in new and special ways in these types of movies! If you get past the special effects of it all and look at the acting that is involved and the emotional connections these characters make with the audience, that is what I long for. That would be a dream role for me right now—to have pretend superpowers and be able to use my real superpower of empathy to make a lasting positive impression on a young generation. Not to mention, I love doing my own stunts and superhero movies get to do awesome stunts! HOW DO YOU KEEP UP WITH FRIENDS, SCHOOL, AND OTHER THINGS BACK HOME WHEN YOU’RE AWAY ON LOCATION? Thank God for FaceTime! I have a great group of friends that I love to play with and see in person and we try to stay connected by FaceTiming and chatting and online gaming when I am away. School is great, and most of the time I am a regular student attending in person. But when I have to be on set, they are great about sending my schoolwork to my on-set tutor. YOU’RE AN ANIMAL LOVER, I HEARD. (I AM TOO.) DO YOU HAVE ANY PETS AND DO THEY EVER GET TO TRAVEL WITH YOU? I love animals, all kinds! I am particularly fond of dogs and I have my own pup, Lulu, that I play with and dress up for fun. I even direct my own home videos of her playing dress up and interacting with my dolls and toys
in fun and silly ways. It’s fun to have her travel with me when she can, but in situations like New Zealand where she couldn’t come, the production was so sweet to take me on field trips to the zoo or even bring crew members’ cats and dogs to set so I could snuggle with them in between takes! YOUR ACTING CAREER IS TAKING YOU ALL OVER THE WORLD. WHAT’S THAT LIKE FOR YOU? I’ve been fortunate enough in life to get to travel the world outside of acting too. I’ve already been to 19 countries and count- ing! It’s one thing that my par- ents are adamant about exposing me to other cultures around the world and learning about ways of life of other people. You may not know it, but I am actually
Harris in No Exit
Photo courtesy of Disney
part Japanese and it’s a big part of my life with my mom being half Japanese and her side of the family mostly in Japan. I’m blessed to have my grandmother in Atlanta teach me things about the Japanese culture and my heri- tage. I think having half my family be from the opposite side of the globe and the other half be from right here in Georgia—it’s a pretty special blend. WHAT DO YOU WANT TO DO WHEN YOU GROW UP, AND WHO DO YOU WANT TO BE? Who knows what the future will hold. I hope to be acting and modeling and eventually directing for years to come, but one thing I do know that I want to be when I grow up is inspirational. I hope that I can inspire someone through storytelling and bring empathy to the world, because when others can feel and appreciate the feelings of others it makes for a better world. I’ve always been so sensitive to others’ situations—I really feel for them, good and bad—and I think of [empathy] sort of as my superpower because when you appreciate what others are going through, it creates an understanding of that person. And understanding is key to connections.
“ I think of [empathy] sort of as my superpower because when you appreciate what others are going through, it creates an understanding of that person. And understanding is key to connections. ”
@1milaharris
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