We were lucky to catch up with Mira Khaziran recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Mira, thanks for joining us today. When did you first know you wanted to pursue a creative/artistic path professionally?

When I learned you could get a bachelor’s degree in theatre. I grew up taking dance classes (ballet, tap, jazz) and got involved in theatre during high school. I always loved creating, rehearsing, and performing. At one point, I definitely dreamed about being a prima ballerina, but as I got older, I got more and more unsure about what I was supposed to be doing with my life––and then an injury put a hard stop on the dancing.

I went to college because my parents said I had to, and as a child of immigrants, I did just that, even without any idea of what I would major in. By chance, I found my way into an acting class at my school’s theatre department in the fall and, by that spring semester, I called home to let my mom and dad know I would be officially declaring my major in “Theatre with a concentration in Performance”.

It seems silly to think back on it, but until that moment, I’d never even considered acting as a viable career for myself. I was always a little sheltered, so I didn’t really know that you could go to school to study the performing arts––it just seemed like a thing that people did in movies, ironically enough. And it was probably also due in part to a lack of representation: I never saw people who looked like me in movies, on TV, or in magazines, etc.

Mira, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I’m incredibly fortunate that my parents have always supported my decision to become an actor––especially my mom. She took me to my first live performance when I was just six years old: “42nd Street” at the Orange County Performing Arts Center. I was OBSESSED. We’ve seen dozens of plays, musicals, and ballets together since.

Once I figured out acting was The Thing I wanted to do with my life, I had to figure out where I fit into the craziness of this industry. I always felt a little out of place and unsure of myself growing up, as I’m sure many of us did.

I’m a first-generation Assyrian-American whose parents immigrated from Iran, so explaining my cultural and ethnic identity was something I learned how to do early on in life. Particularly growing up in the early 2000’s, being “ethnically ambiguous” meant I was constantly being asked, “What ARE you?” It cemented in my young mind that people didn’t know what to do with me and––whether or not that was actually true––it reinforced that feeling of not fitting in.

After lots of growth and healing, however, I am glad that this was my experience. It’s made me even more proud of my identity and now I see it as tool to better myself, my art, and my impact.

I feel strongly that artists have a social responsibility to their communities. Art and theatre have always been political and revolutionary––even if it’s not the central theme of the piece––and so every thing that an artist creates should be done with great care. I think an artist’s greatest asset is to love learning, exploring, and researching every little thought that crosses their mind. To expose yourself to as many perspectives and possibilities as you can so that your art is the product of the best version of yourself. I love performing, but a lot of the time my favorite part about being an actor is getting to deep dive into my character and play and explore in their world. I want to know everything about them and ensure my portrayal of them does them justice because, even if they are just a work of fiction, there are real people out in the world who might see this character and connect with them deeply and emotionally. So I guess what it’s really all about is connection.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

I’ve lived and worked in three major cities in the United States. Every move felt like the right one at the time, yet they were all incredibly difficult decisions to make and were influenced by both external and internal factors: relationships, a pandemic, a sense of “there’s more for me out there”.

While in college, I had created a solid home base in DC as a company member at a regional theatre; I loved the work I was doing there, but I also didn’t feel completely and totally fulfilled. Then I was in my early 20s and New York had been on my mind since I first visited the city in high school, so I thought, why not now? In New York, I managed to make connections with some amazingly talented and inspiring creatives who opened doors for me in ways that are still coming to fruition even now. But I was again feeling that itch that something wasn’t quite what I wanted it to be. Fast forward to 2022, I moved to LA and the last two years have been a whirlwind: I’ve experienced some of the highest highs and lowest lows of both my life and my career since moving back to California, and yet I somehow feel firmly that I’m supposed to be here.

We hear so many different stories and variations on “the actor’s journey” and what steps you’re supposed to take to “make it”. We also hear that no two stories are the same and what works for one person may not (probably won’t) work for another. I think what that really means is you have to follow your gut, trust your instincts, and not be afraid to pivot and start again. And, in reality, starting again isn’t starting over. It’s more like leveling up. You bring with you everything you’ve learned from your previous experiences and apply it to the new chapter you’re in, and then just let life take you where it may.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

Of course there’s the desire to be financially stable by doing something I’m passionate about, but happiness is the what it all comes down to.

I had a professor who told one of my acting classes in college, “If you can imagine yourself doing anything else, do it.” I think about that constantly––it’s almost always in the back of my mind––and every time I meditate on it, I come to the conclusion that there is literally nothing else I would rather do with my life.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://mirakhaziran.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mirakhaziran/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnUxcdQTQgeIuraDFxkjZAw/featured

Image Credits
Johnny Shryock AJ Danna