Mila Monte has millions tuning in each week because of her hilarious, albeit slightly raunchy, skits during lunch. What they don’t realize, though, is the fact that she’s analyzing each one, watching each video like it’s an audition for a role she has yet to be offered.
The Miami-based creator draws attention through short and hilarious videos. Monte’s fans believe that she, too, is just another social media influencer looking for a deal with brands. Monte, however, is engaging in the most covert action in the world of digital media. She utilizes social media like a huge class in acting that she didn’t sign up for.
“I never set out to be a social media person,” Monte asserts, dispelling the need to curate a personality in the world of content creators. “I’ve always wanted to become a real actress, someone that people can relate to,” she reveals.
Here’s the interesting part. Monte didn’t begin her process by submitting herself to the obligatory Disney Channel tryouts and theater club résumés. Monte was a hairstylist, studying faces in the mirror all those years. She learned the subtle signals in the faces that reflect truth and acting. Monte could have continued through the typical avenues casting directors use. Actors her age have casting directors calling on them. Monte has a studio, director’s chair, and focus group all her own.
A viral video delivers far more views than an Off-Broadway theatrical release. Monte gets to conduct screen tests in front of audiences far larger than those in Off-Broadway, and gets immediate reactions he would never receive in drama schools.
There’s a conflict she faces, too, in her process. The social media platforms would like her to remain small and digestible, and Monte develops piano skills, keeping ferrets, reflecting her interest in storylines, rather than simply planning her posts. She wants the freedom to create her art, even when working in an environment where predictability is the greatest asset.
The industry needs to take notice. Monte epitomizes a breed of artist who didn’t have to ask permission and brought their audience together before representation. Monte has accomplished the difficult work. She has gotten people invested. The issue isn’t whether Monte can act, it’s the extent she’ll reach.
