Artenzza

Kai-McAlvin

Actor

About

Kai McAlvin is a gender fluid actor based in Atlanta, Georgia. They have been acting pretty much all of their life, and they love it.

Kai started with musical theatre and started acting for film professionally in the beginning of 2021. Ever since they were little, they knew that this is what they wanted to do with their life. Slowly but surely, Kai is making their dreams a reality.

"Achieve greatness & don't ask for permission first"

Interview

When did you start to get interested in acting?

I was super young when I started at a community theatre. Singing was always something I was passionate about but when I got up on that stage it was a completely different world. While I am on stage, I am a whole different person.

Being able to create tons of different characters throughout the years was so inspiring. From the moment I stepped on stage for the first time, I knew deep in my heart that acting would play a huge part in my life.

If you were an advertisement, which would your slogan be?

Achieve greatness & don’t ask for permission first.

Which is the part you enjoy the most about acting?

My favorite part about my craft is building a character. Being able to create a totally different person into my own is so magical. That’s what makes storytelling so much fun! You get to add so many of your own elements to that character, and build from there.

You must ask yourself the tough questions like “what is my character thinking at this moment in time?” and truly be in their mindset. To be fully immersed in a character can become exhausting and you’ll want to give up, but don’t! It takes time & effort but the end result is always so worth it.

Most artists say that through their art they learn more about themselves, heal injuries… In which aspects has acting helped you?

I struggle with severe anxiety & depression. Without acting, I do not think I would be here today. Whenever I am feeling anxious I use an app on my phone to find me a monologue and I start memorizing.

When I was younger, I thought I was just distracting myself but now I know I do it because I love it! Life can be so tough sometimes but knowing in the back of my head that I have opportunities to do what I love eases my stress.

What does acting mean to you?

My art is my safe space. When I am acting, I feel like I am on top of the world and I’m unstoppable. Ever since I was a kid, when I would feel anxious or unsure, I would go to my room and learn a monologue for fun. Or I would search up scenes online and try to be like my favorite actors.

Acting is my comfort and I don’t know where I would be in life right now without it.

Who are your idols?

I truly look up to Sadie Sink as an actor. She is extremely talented and my dream one day is to work with her. Sadie has this way of acting where you can tell exactly what’s on her mind by just looking at her facial expression. One day, I want to be able to do that.

To tell a story without saying a word, that’s impressive!! Another one of my idols is Chandler Riggs. I knew him through a community theatre when I was younger & he is the one who made me realize that acting for film is the ultimate goal. The first time I met him he told me to “keep auditioning” and I have listened to him.

Chandler gave me that confidence to get my professional headshots and I even auditioned for my first talent agency when I was 11! He probably does not know how much those 2 words have changed my life forever.

If you didn’t like acting, what would you like to do?

I would definitely be a screenwriter. I am currently writing a short film and I feel as though having that acting experience is helping me put my story together. This also would allow me to still have that storytelling aspect without acting. The dialogue is such a huge part of any project and I find writing very inspirational.

Do you consider that nowadays there are more or less opportunities for new artists? Why?

There are definitely more opportunities, now more than ever. Social media is the backbone for artists. It’s how we promote our work, share our talent, and sometimes find jobs. They didn’t always have these outlets to showcase your work.

Most actors in today’s day and age start out as ‘influencers’ on TikTok or Instagram and that is how they grow their platform. There are also so many casting websites nowadays as well which gives small independent filmmakers the opportunity to bring their stories to life.

What would your idyllic life as an artist be like?

In a perfect world, I’d want to be acting on set everyday. Sadly, it’s a tough industry and not everyone can have that luxury right off the bat. Until I get to that point I will continue to take classes, workshops, anything to help me further my education in performing. Putting in the work is the most Important part about acting, and I will always stand by that mindset.

Which are your upcoming projects?

I currently have a few projects in the works! I have 2 different VoiceOver projects, A ‘Huey Magoo’s commercial, a short film, an Oculus VR commercial, & a student film. Typically when projects of mine premier I post about it on my instagram so keep an eye out!

Kai-McAlvin

Projects

Do you want to know more about Kai McAlvin? You can find some projects below.