M akaela BRYANT

By Rebeca Herrero

Makaela Bryant is a beautiful up-and-coming Puerto Rican actress who has set her eyes in Hollywood. She is brilliant, beautiful, and talented. Her past as a bodybuilder shaped her world to become a woman to watch in the acting industry. Her photo session in New York City was a delight, and her future films will make people look out for this stunning future star. A Q&A for her fans.

What made you get into acting?

My mother used to put me in all the plays as a child, so I guess you can say I was trained since birth. However, I always loved the idea of storytelling and experiencing worlds outside of my own so I fell in love with acting pretty early. Angela Bassett has been a major inspiration and I always loved her fire and how she brought so much life to her characters. I wanted so much to be like her, so I honed my skills at an early age.

Describe your beginning in the industry. I began my career during COVID of all things. My first mo- vie was Manifest: The Interview, directed by Carleton King. From there, I've gone on to secure other roles as both supporting and lead, many of which are filming this year. To say my passion drives me, would be a severe understatement, I'm always on the go and usually must sacrifice personal time to get ahead, but I wouldn't have it any other way.

What are the most challenging aspects about your craft?

Being emotionally fluid, that is very hard. As an actress or visual storyteller you have to separate your emotions from your work sometimes. Therefore, if your character is happy and that day you may have gotten the "worse news ever", you still have to perform. I didn't realize it until I became an actress, that your emotions are both your biggest asset and your biggest weakness.

Tell us about yourself?

I am from a large family. My parents are Althea Wright and Anthony McCully. I also have my mother’s husband and bonus dad Eddy Wright, who plays such a large part in my life, these are my parents. I am the third eldest of eight children and my family is very diverse. I come from humble beginnings, where I watched my mom fight for her dreams and also watch two people who were like additional grandparents to me, Fernando Rodriguez and Marisol Anita Rodriguez. They showed me what a "fulfilled life" looks like.

You’ve had an interesting career as a bodybuilder. How did that help you in your acting career? Bodybuilding has helped me standout for sure. Being an actress that's fit, and lean has brought attention to me in positive aspects that it sets me apart from other actresses.

How do you stay in shape?

I would like to say I live in the gym pretty much. I love going to the gym whether I’m happy, sad, overwhelmed or busy, I’m there all the time. I find it so comforting to be able to fall into my own world with my music and it's just me, the weights and what I’m working on. It’s truly the only thing that drowns everything out and it's so therapeutic for me being in such a demanding-transparent career. I wake up at around 5am and I do an hour of fasted cardio, then return in the evening between cast meetings and work on my lifting regime (which is focused on training certain muscle groups based on the day).

Do you continue with the bodybuilding image or do you focus more on your acting career now?

I still train and eat like a bodybuilder, but right now my focus is on my career. I've been told not to "overdo it" which is a very real struggle for me, because I love working out. However, most of my characters are "soft" and "feminine". I have to be careful not to visually overpower my male counterparts.

How was the process of getting an agent. Grueling and still is. I am with MJI and I had to interview like everyone else. However, getting an agent is very much dependent on both visions aligning and if my brand is clean as well as desirable.

How do you prepare as an actress?

To prepare I take the advice of my good- friend and partner Jean Francois-Cavelier and that's first, grab a good glass of wine and read the script. The goal is to know it, inside and out and the tone of the film. Then go into building my character and how she fits into the film or what my place may be in the plot. How does my character add to what and where the story is going. This includes scoring the script, identifying transitions and why the writer put them there to fully grasped the feel of the movie.

You are from Dallas but are here in NYC doing this great photo session. How does it feel? It feels surreal and amazing to be doing this shoot and working with Art Bodega. I understand it's a very luxurious and premier magazine so I don't take this opportunity lightly. It's so very important to me. I feel this is going to catapult my career in a very positive direction.