Inspirational Women In Hollywood: How Nikki Mckenzie Is Helping To Shake Up The Entertainment Industry

An Interview With Guernslye Honoré

Look at auditions as an opportunity to perform and play! Put your joy into it. Actors can sometimes get in our own way, by being negative and looking at auditions as a chore. Instead reframe it as a chance to do what you love! You love to act, so here’s your opportunity to act. Also when you love what you do, and you’re having fun, the audience feels it watching you on camera. That spark is undeniable and it’s magnetic to watch. So bring your A game, a good attitude, and treat your audition as a chance to play.

As a part of our series about Inspirational Women In Hollywood, I had the distinct pleasure of interviewing Nikki Mckenzie.

Originally from San Francisco, Nikki Mckenzie is a Filipina American actress known for her excellent comedic skills and dramatic depth. She’s an alum of the CBS diversity & Paramount Showcase and is a comedian. Her newest project is the Christmas rom-com “A Vineyard Christmas.” She plays the lead role of Heather Rivera, host of the popular show “Read Between the Vines.” The film is available on VOD now via XUMO and PLEX TV (Both free to watch). Next up she will be seen as the lead in another romantic comedy, “The Wedding Contest,” coming to the US 2024 and avail now to stream in Canada on Apple TV.

Notable roles include Magnum PI, Seal Team, Hawaii Five O, Lonestar 911, Allison on “The Joe Schmo Show, The Full Bounty”, and David Spade’s “Fameless” on TruTV. She also has an extensive background in theater and improvisation and studied at UCB and the Groundlings. She showcased her strong improvisation and comedy skills on the hilarious prank show “Prank Encounters” hosted by Gaten Matarazzo (Stranger Things). She performs regularly at UCB with her house team “Moon Goon” every first Saturday of the month, and frequently does standup in the LA comedy scene.

Thank you so much for doing this with us! Our readers would love to get to know you a bit better. Can you tell us the story of how you grew up?

Thanks for having me! I was born in the Philippines. I like to joke that I’m the real “thrilla from Manila”. Watch out Manny Pacquiao! Fun fact, I was born with a clubfoot. My feet were put in casts for the first few months of my life and I learned to walk with special shoes like in Forest Gump. I don’t remember it, but I do know that’s why I’ve always had a good sense of humor. I immigrated to America when I was 3, and I remember getting the chickenpox as soon as we landed! But I didn’t care because I got to hang out with my Lola (grandma) and eat as many Nestle Crunch bars as I wanted. My sister and I grew up with a single Mom in the San Francisco Bay Area, till we were adopted by our step Dad when I was 10. This is why my last name is Mckenzie and why I sound like an Irish newscaster.

Growing up, I was a goofy kid who was obsessed with Disney and musical theater. I loved writing plays, acting out movies and singing karaoke. I made my stuffed animals and my family, be my audience whether they wanted to or not. So I guess I’ve always had the acting bug. I did my first play in highschool when I was sent to an all girls catholic boarding school. This “boy crazy” girl’s dream! Not! But in the end, it was truly the best thing that could have ever happened to me. As a teen I was deeply insecure, shy, and self critical. I blame it on being a virgo. And the fact my family was not shy about calling me an “ugly duckling”. At the time it was tough, but it taught me to love myself, not take things too seriously and it made me develop my charm and wit. Acting was my outlet and the thing that LIT me up! I’ve been in love with it ever since.

Can you share a story with us about what brought you to this specific career path?

I stumbled into acting, twice, by accident. I had always loved performing but only for my family. The people pleaser in me was terrified to perform for anyone else. I truly would have rather sat on a porcupine. My freshman year, my high school was having auditions for the Secret Garden and I had always loved that musical. I decided to audition but when I saw the other students, I bailed and cried hysterically the entire night. It was so dramatic you would have thought that NSYNC had died. My friend Nicole took pity and dragged me to the drama room the next day. She said that if I cared that much, I needed to “put my big girl panties on” and ask to audition. With my tail between my legs, I asked if I could audition to be in the chorus. My drama teacher was so kind and he let me sing my favorite song, “On My Own” from Les Miserables. The next day when the cast list went up, I was cast as the lead. And my life changed forever.

The second time I accidentally fell into acting was in college. At the time, my family was not supportive of me being an actor. No one in our family had ever done it, and we had no examples of professional Filipino actors in mainstream American media. My family sacrificed a lot to immigrate to the US and they wanted me to have a stable job and a “good life”. I was commanded to pick a “real major”. The rebel in me chose English Lit, (jokes on me?) but I kept taking drama classes because they were fun. My junior year the head of the department pulled me aside and told me I had enough Theater Arts credits to do a double degree. She said “ What are you doing? You clearly belong here.” It was at that moment that I realized there was no more denying it, It was the thing I always came back to and I love it!. That’s when I decided to commit to it as a profession.

Can you tell us the most interesting story that happened to you since you began your career?

The story that crosses my mind is a recent one about chance and fate. I’ve been at this career for a long time and I’ve had high highs and low lows. Last year was tough because I was getting close to a lot of big projects (chemistry tests, screen tests, pins and avails) that weren’t going my way. I was burned out and disheartened. I got an audition to be a lead in a rom com and the curmudgeon in me was screaming “what’s the point? They aren’t going to hire a Filipino to be the lead anyway!”

Ironically, I love rom coms! I often wish life was one giant romantic comedy. I was going to pass on the audition because I wanted a break and I was going to visit my husband’s family in Philadelphia. But when I boarded the plane, my TV wasn’t working. Out of pure boredom, I pulled out the script and read it. To my surprise, I absolutely fell in love. I knew I had to audition and I told myself that this audition would be just for me. I wouldn’t have any attachment to getting the role, because it was probably a long shot, but I was going to do it because the material brought me joy. Three days later I found out I booked it! It was my first lead in a rom com! It’s streaming now on Apple TV and City TV in Canada and it’s called “A Wedding Contest”. Directed by Panta Mosleh and starring opposite Giles Panton. It was one of my favorite experiences to date because the cast and crew were amazing and Panta let me improv and play. I have an extensive comedy background at UCB and the Groundlings so it was my happy place. I am forever grateful to God, fate, the universe, mercury in retrograde, whatever you wanna call it… for that fateful broken airplane TV.

It has been said that our mistakes can be our greatest teachers. Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?

One of the funniest mistakes I made was when I booked a guest star on the TV show “The New Normal”, starring John Stamos. Like all millennials, I was a fan of Full House, obsessed with the Olsen Twins and in love with Uncle Jesse. I had worked with other celebrities in the past, but this was the first time I was starstruck. John introduced himself professionally, kindly and welcomed me to the set. I was so excited, I giggled way too much and stumbled out a “thank you?” I secretly wanted to put on my best Michelle Tanner impression and say “you’ve got it dude”. But I refrained. We went to rehearse the scene and afterward, the makeup artist approached me and said “girl, I don’t know what’s happening but you’re bright red. There’s no makeup that can cover it. Get it together”. When I saw myself in the mirror I was horrified to discover that I was blushing so much from talking to John that I looked like a human cherry tomato! So I stopped talking to him cold turkey (sadly) and just focused on the work. Thankfully the redness went away, and my scenes went great. But I did learn to leave my little girl crushes at home when I’m at work.

None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story about that?

The interesting thing about acting is that there are so many people who contribute to your success. There are casting directors, producers, writers and directors who are fans of your work, who you might never meet, that play significant roles in your wins. Maybe they aren’t on set when you shoot or maybe they’re fans but you didn’t get the gig, but they think of you for something else. It’s such an intricate web of connections, it can be impossible to trace where your wins come from. But I do know they all matter. Good acting work and perseverance will always eventually lead to jobs, and each job leads you to the next job. Work begets work.

I’m eternally grateful to my team. My manager JC Robbins and my agents at SMS Talent have stuck by my side and believed in me through thick and thin. Having that support system in this industry is a game changer. It makes the tough times bearable because you’re not alone and it makes the good times sweeter, because when you do win, you all win! I am also incredibly grateful to Dorey Poder and the CBS Diversity showcase. That opportunity launched a new chapter of my career. They saw a talent and comedian in me that I hadn’t yet discovered in myself. That experience gave me the confidence and platform to come into my own.

Last but certainly not least, I would never be where I am today without the love and support of my husband Ryan Perez-Daple. He’s my rock, my self tape reader, my confidant and the best acting coach I’ve ever had. He always tells me the truth, showers me with love and adoration and calls me on my bullshit if he sees me “acting” or sees an inauthentic moment in my auditions.

You have been blessed with great success in a career path that can be challenging. Do you have any words of advice for others who may want to embark on this career path, but seem daunted by the prospect of failure?

If acting is what you love, and there’s nothing else you’d rather do, pursue it wholeheartedly. Always strive to grow, work on your craft, hustle and DO NOT give up. Oftentimes the thing that separates success from failure, is that the people who succeed don’t give up. Talent and hard work are undeniable. If you always continue to hone your skills, and be the best actor you can be, you WILL eventually work.

This career isn’t linear, sometimes it’s one step forward and two steps back, but the important thing is that you keep moving forward. Also don’t compare your experience to anyone else’s. It really is a journey and not a race. Some people get their big break in their teens, some people get their big break in their 60’s. Trust your purpose. Trust your journey and know that your jobs will never miss you. Rejection is protection. It’s so difficult, but essentially, rejection leaves space for a better opportunity.

Every industry iterates and seeks improvement. What changes would you like to see in the industry going forward?

I would love to see more diverse leading actors in Film and TV, especially from the Filipino American community. The industry has made big strides in diversity and inclusion since I started acting, but there’s still a lot more work to do. Asians, especially South Asians, are still greatly underrepresented in Entertainment. Growing up I didn’t see a lot of actors like me on screen. It’s only recently that Filipino actors are getting opportunities to be leads, and those parts are still few and far between. I want to be part of that change. I want to be a household name that highlights Filipino American culture and identity through my art, and paves the way toward normalizing diversity on screen.

You have such impressive work. What are some of the most interesting or exciting projects you are working on now? Where do you see yourself heading from here?

The project I am most excited by right now is my Christmas Movie “A Vineyard Christmas”. It’s streaming now on Amazon’s Freevee, Xumo and Plex. It’s about a TV Host and wine maker who save a vineyard and unexpectedly fall in love. It was written by Katie Wilbert, directed by Ana Valine and starring myself and Victor Zinc Jr. This movie was incredibly special to me because the character was rewritten to be Filipino just for me. I’ve never had a studio or writer cater a part to reflect my own culture and background. It was an absolute honor! Katie interviewed me and put Tagalog and my own authentic Filipino family traditions into the film. I even got to have another Filipino actor on set, (a first for me) Vincent Ross who played my Dad. It was awesome to get to share our culture with the cast and crew. Growing up I had never seen a Filipino lead in any rom com or holiday movie, so this opportunity was a dream come true!

This movie is unique because it’s also about celebrating different cultures and family traditions. Katie is German, so her German traditions and family recipes, like her Oma’s Christmas cookies are in the film. We also get to celebrate Haunukkah because my best friend in the movie, played by Brittany Clough, is Jewish. So it’s a love story, and a celebration of diversity and family. Both the family you’re born into, and the family you choose. The cast is fantastic, there’s a ton of Christmas cheer, yummy food, and wine-derful ice wine! See what I did there? :p What more could you ask for? It was a blast to make and I hope you all love it as much as I loved making it.

Next up I’d love to keep doing projects that light me up! I love that feeling of being on set and feeling so inspired that the day flies by. It would be great to do more rom coms. I’d also love to sink my teeth into sci-fi, and do a marvel movie or 5. I want to be an actor of influence and make an extraordinary name for myself in Hollywood.

We are very interested in looking at diversity in the entertainment industry. Can you share three reasons with our readers why you think it’s important to have diversity represented in film and television? How can that potentially affect our culture and our youth growing up today?

Highlighting different cultures and traditions in entertainment normalizes diversity on a massive scale. And that’s powerful because representation gives voice and celebrates what makes us all different and unique. I think oftentimes, racism and ignorance come from a lack of exposure to things and people different from you. When we expose ourselves to the “other” and normalize diversity, it cultivates a positive environment where differences are not only normal, but appreciated.

The world is a melting pot of so many different cultures and traditions and they are all important and beautiful! Everyone deserves to see themselves reflected in the media because it makes us feel valued and seen. This is also extremely important for our youth, because the media can help shape their beliefs, increase their empathy and expand their worldview.

What are your “5 things I wish someone told me when I first started” and why?

1. Look at auditions as an opportunity to perform and play! Put your joy into it. Actors can sometimes get in our own way, by being negative and looking at auditions as a chore. Instead reframe it as a chance to do what you love! You love to act, so here’s your opportunity to act. Also when you love what you do, and you’re having fun, the audience feels it watching you on camera. That spark is undeniable and it’s magnetic to watch. So bring your A game, a good attitude, and treat your audition as a chance to play.
2. The moment I stopped approaching auditions worrying about being “right for the part” and started doing what lit me up and felt authentic to me, I started working. I love treating every audition like I am shooting it on set. It’s not only way more fun, but it gives you ownership and confidence over your work. My mentality is “this is what I would do with the part” and this is what artistically feels right in my gut. The powers that be can take it or leave it, but If I do it from that place of artistic power and fun, I can walk away from the audition regardless of the outcome, proud of my work.
3. You are enough! It’s so easy to compare ourselves to others and get caught in the hamster wheel of “I need this job! I need to be what they want me to be.” No! That’s just noise. Tune it out. Know that you are ENOUGH. No one else can do you, and being authentically you is what will ultimately book you, YOUR parts. You’re fantastic, and worthy exactly as you are. Don’t be anyone else but you. Also cultivate a self care practice so that you love yourself and know how awesome you are, even in the face of rejection. So much of the rejection with auditions is like dating. Try not to take it too personally. Sometimes you vibe, sometimes you don’t. But you keep putting your best foot forward and you trust that the right job will come.
4. Have a full life and do things that bring you joy outside of the business of acting. Sometimes you work a lot and sometimes you don’t. It’s important to not define your value by whether you’re working or not. Having hobbies that light you up is crucial. For example, I’m on a UCB house team called “Moon Goon” and I love doing sketch comedy with them. We don’t make money but it’s so fun and it comes from the pure delight of making comedy. I also love doing standup. It’s thrilling and scary (in that exciting roller coaster kind of way), and it’s something I can do artistically, without anyone else’s permission. I also love food, traveling, hiking, yoga, karaoke, and dancing. And I am intentional about pursuing these activities outside of work.
5. It’s so important to cultivate your support system. Know who your people are and cherish them. Whether it’s your family, your friends, your coworkers, your lovers, your book club or all of the above. I believe that this career is always better when you’re in community. My relationships are my anchor. When I have my wins, I have people in my corner rooting for me, and celebrating with me. When I have my losses, I have loved ones to cry to, and people to pick me up when I’m down. There’s so much rejection and competition in this industry, that having strong relationships has saved me because I never feel alone. They make me feel loved and supported regardless of work outcomes.

Can you share with our readers any self-care routines, practices or treatments that you do to help your body, mind or heart to thrive? Please share a story for each one if you can.

I love self care! It’s been a game changer for me. Here are some of my favorite self care practices.

1. I meditate in the morning when I wake up and before every audition, shoot, or performance. I love using the Insight app (it’s free) and they have a feature where you can search for specific meditations depending on what you need. For example you can find everything from dealing with anxiety, to finding an abundance mindset, to affirmations for a good day. It also has a feature where you can choose the time, so you can do a 2 minute or a 40 minute meditation, depending on what your schedule allows.
2. I love to journal! I like to do it first thing in the morning or last thing before bed. I can decompress and download my whole day and thoughts without any judgment. It’s so freeing! I also like to do a list of the 5 things I am grateful for.
3. I love listening to self help podcasts when I’m making breakfast and getting ready in the morning. It immediately puts my mindset in a positive space. So much of our thoughts and feelings are affected by what we expose ourselves to, and the morning is a wonderful time to set yourself up for success by listening to self help. Some of my favorites are The Expanded, Almost 30, Armchair Expert, Know Thyself, and the Jay Shetty Podcast.
4. Work out! Moving my body and having a healthy relationship to my body and mind is monumental to my mental health. It helps me release stress, boost my mood and feel good in my skin. I love doing Class Pass because I like being in different work out environments. Some of my favorites are Pvolve, Hot yoga and reformer pilates. I also love to hike with friends.
5. I love the To Be Magnetic program. It’s about manifestation and cultivating the life you want by healing your inner child and raising your self worth. It’s woo woo meets science. I’ve been doing this program on and off for the last 3 years. It has helped me self reflect and grow, in a way talk therapy hasn’t in the past.

Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?

My favorite life quote is “be so good they can’t ignore you” by Steve Martin. I think this applies to everything in life, not just to career. If you do your best and put love, hard work, goodness, dedication and intention, into your goal, you can’t go wrong. You will achieve what you’re striving for. Even if it oesn’t look exactly as you planned, good things only come from this mind set.

You are a person of enormous influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be?

If I could inspire a movement it would be about the importance of love and human connection. I think so much sadness and depression comes from people feeling alone. We all need to be loved and seen, and the quickest way to do that, is to reach out to one another and cultivate community. It can be through simple conversations, shared experiences or hobbies. There is so much sadness in the world with poverty, war and hate. But I also believe that there is so much goodness in people. When we remember each other’s humanity and show love, it’s powerful and healing. We are reminded that at our core, we’re not all that different from one another.

I think that’s why I love acting so much. There is a magical connection on set when you get to create stories with your fellow actors. There is also a magical connection with an audience when you touch people’s hearts and make them feel. I love when you can move a viewer to relate to your character. When someone sees themself in you, I think it’s the highest compliment. Actors can be such wonderful reflections of the human experience. I digress but I would love to be of the movement of love and connection.

Are you on social media? How can our readers follow you online?

Instagram is @nikkitabanana17!

This was so informative, thank you so much! We wish you continued success!

About the interviewer: Guernslye Honoré, affectionately known as “Gee-Gee”, is an amalgamation of creativity, vision, and endless enthusiasm. She has elegantly twined the worlds of writing, acting, and digital marketing into an inspiring tapestry of achievement. As the creative genius at the heart of Esma Marketing & Publishing, she leads her team to unprecedented heights with her comprehensive understanding of the industry and her innate flair for innovation. Her boundless passion and sense of purpose radiate from every endeavor she undertakes, turning ideas into reality and creating a realm of infinite possibilities. A true dynamo, Gee-Gee’s name has become synonymous with inspirational leadership and the art of creating success.