Marissa Bode, Anna Cathcart And Keyla Monterroso Mejia Are Winning The Streaming Era Of Hollywood

Key Concepts: Hollywood Career Journeys, Early Career Development, On-Set Learning, Impact of Pandemic on Auditions (Self-Tapes), Mentorship and Observation in Acting, Social Media as a Professional Tool, Personal Branding vs. Character Portrayal, Streaming Services' Impact on Industry, AI in Entertainment Industry, Diversity in Hollywood, Challenging Viewpoints in Storytelling.

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The discussion features three successful women in Hollywood – Anna Cathcart (star of ExoKitty), Kayla Cromer (star of The Studio), and Marissa Heart (star of Wicked) – reflecting on their rapid career advancements within the last 12 months and the evolving landscape of the entertainment industry.

Recent Successes and Pre-Breakthrough Activities

The panelists have all experienced significant milestones:

• Marissa Heart: Wicked became the highest-grossing musical adaptation of all time. A year prior, she was "chilling" and focusing on artwork, needing to be busy.
• Kayla Cromer: Her show, The Studio, swept the Emmys, including Outstanding Comedy Series. A year ago, she was in Mexico shooting for the first time in a different country.
• Anna Cathcart: ExoKitty, in which she stars, was number one on Netflix upon release. A year ago, she was attending UBC in Vancouver, anticipating the release of ExoKitty season 2 and stressing about midterms. She clarified that it's not confirmed to be the final season.

Initial Spark and Entry into Hollywood

The panelists shared their diverse entry points into the acting world:

• Anna Cathcart:

  • Started acting unexpectedly at 12 years old, with no prior family connection to film/TV.
  • Booked the lead in a PBS Kids show, Odd Squad, after her first film/TV audition.
  • Had to move from Vancouver to Toronto for seven months, with her mom taking a leave from work to support her.
  • Key Argument: Starting young allowed her "space to learn" and "be a clueless kid," asking questions without being perceived as unprofessional. She contrasted this with adults entering the industry who might be judged for not knowing on-set protocols (e.g., "101" for needing to pee, hitting a mark), which are not formally taught. She feels privileged for her family's support.

• Kayla Cromer:

  • Did not find early success, starting around 14 but not breaking through until 24, about 10 years later.
  • During the interim, she worked as a barber, a family trade on both sides.
  • Impact of Pandemic: The shift to "self-tapes" during the pandemic was her "big break." Before, casting directors saw limited numbers (e.g., 40 people), but self-tapes allowed them to see hundreds, increasing her chances.
  • Her first major role was on Curb Your Enthusiasm. She entered the industry during COVID protocols, which felt normal to her as a newcomer.

• Marissa Heart:

  • Grew up doing local community theater in Wisconsin, initially "just for funsies."
  • By high school, she decided to pursue acting seriously, focusing on the "craft" and "subtleties."
  • Attended a performing arts college.
  • Booked Wicked a year after graduating, following a series of virtual callbacks and self-tapes. She immediately called her parents "sobbing" with the news.

Lessons Learned from Industry Legends

The actors discussed advice received or observed from their high-profile co-stars and collaborators:

• Marissa Heart (on Wicked):

  • Found it intimidating working with "some of the most talented people ever" (John Chu, Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo, Jonathan Bailey).
  • Key Advice: Cynthia Erivo told her, "you can just be." Marissa often gets "in her head" and needs to remind herself to "take a breath."

• Kayla Cromer (on comedy sets):

  • Prefers observing rather than directly asking for advice.
  • Key Observation: Successful comedy scenes, especially with improv, require "openness" and "allowing the scene to take shape," not "being married to your choices," and "truly being present." She noted this in "comedy giants" like Larry David and Quinta Brunson.

• Anna Cathcart (on ExoKitty and Jenny Han's universe):

  • Grateful to still be in the same universe, having auditioned at 13.
  • Character Development: Re-finding Kitty was like "meeting an old friend" and figuring out "who are you now?" and her story arc.
  • Mentorship: Grateful for the "wonderful cast" of To All the Boys I've Loved Before, who served as "amazing role models" during a "pivotal time" (summer before 9th grade), helping to "shape" her.

Impact of New Technologies

The conversation shifted to how streaming, social media, and AI are transforming the industry:

Social Media Engagement and Personal Branding

• Marissa Heart:

  • Uses Instagram for "sharing resources and mutual aid," leveraging her platform for activism.
  • Uses TikTok for "silly goofy" content, connecting with fans by "being myself," and creating a "safe space" for her demographic. She separates this from her "work itself."

• Kayla Cromer:

  • Initially experienced "bullying" online and was afraid to post, fearing negativity.
  • Over time, "amazing opportunities" (campaigns, trailers) pushed her to post more.
  • Currently striving for "authenticity" in her content, as she gravitates towards "real people, real things."
  • Pressure: Acknowledges "huge pressure" to be active but now sees it as a "privilege" to have things to post about and opportunities like "brand deals" and "money."

• Anna Cathcart:

  • Views social media as a "wonderful tool" to reach people, regardless of industry.
  • Personal Branding: As a "professional overthinker," she feels pressure to treat posts like a "billboard" for her career, a "company," or a "business."
  • Control: It's her "one place" as an actor to "control" her image and show "who I am," unlike character roles.
  • Strives for "authenticity" but balances it with supporting her acting career, sometimes doing "brand things" to "stay working when you're not on set."

Streaming Services

• Anna Cathcart:

  • Global Reach: Streaming has changed the "landscape," allowing shows to reach "so many different corners of the world" at the "push of a button."
  • Diverse Content: It has created "space for more diverse content" and encouraged networks to take "risks" because "there's something for everyone now."
  • No Rule Book: It has "changed the rules," with "no rule book anymore" for how content goes "viral or get big."
  • Loss of Magic: Expresses concern about "losing some of the magic of like going to a theater," citing the immersive, communal experience of watching Wicked in cinemas versus on a phone.

• Kayla Cromer:

  • Increased Opportunities: Grateful for streaming because she "was not working prior to streaming taking over." She notes that network TV had limited prime-time slots (e.g., three), while streaming offers "hundreds and hundreds of shows," leading to "more job opportunities" and auditions.

Artificial Intelligence (AI)

• Marissa Heart:
  • Strong Opposition: "I don't love AI if I'm being completely honest."
  • Job Displacement: Views AI as "scary" because it's "artificial intelligence" that takes "away jobs from real people and real actors."
  • Likeness Concerns: References the actors' strike, which fought against having their "likeness taken" by AI, and the emergence of "AI actresses."
  • Craft vs. Machine: Emphasizes that acting is a "craft that has quite literally been people have worked on for centuries."

Future of Hollywood

The panelists shared their hopes and expectations for the next five years in Hollywood:

• Anna Cathcart:

  • Unpredictability: Excited by the unknown, as she couldn't have predicted her current situation five years ago. She maintains an "open mindset" about the future, acknowledging both discomfort and potential positivity.

• Kayla Cromer:

  • Adaptability: Similar to Anna, she acknowledges the constant "shifts" (COVID, streaming, AI) and the inability to predict the future. Hopes to "still be around" and working to "find out" what comes next.

• Marissa Heart:

  • Diversity: Hopeful for "more diversity within the industry across the board," specifically mentioning "more disabled actors on screen" and supporting her "super talented disabled peers."
  • Challenging Storytelling: Excited to see "more stories kind of like Wicked that challenge viewpoints" and make audiences "think about things like goodness and and wickedness," leading to "totally different perspective[s]" after viewing.

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