Having been involved in the arts, mostly as a dancer and musician, since the age of five, Natalie Malaika has always had a passion for performing. However, her love for the art of acting didn’t start until she was cast as the lead in her first school play, The Yard, in elementary school. Her eyes then turned from the stage to the screen when she saw one of her junior high schoolmates in the Jessica Alba film Honey and knew that is where she belonged. Natalie, who has since found her place within the film and TV industry has now appeared in numerous productions including The CW’s Charmed, Hallmark’s Good Witch, ABC’s Conviction, and the feature film Picture Day with Tatiana Maslany. We had the pleasure to catch up with Natalie to discuss her career and aspirations.
Hi, Natalie! Thank you for granting the interview. Congratulations on your career to date. How did you get into acting?
Thank you so much! Well, I’ve been involved in the arts in one way or another pretty much all my life, but my interest in acting specifically started to flourish in junior high. I was in every school play or musical that I could possibly be in; always finding a way to be in front of a crowd. One of my classmates at the time had just worked on the movie Honey with Jessica Alba, her brother was doing voice work for cartoons and all I knew was that I wanted in on that world. Following junior high, I attended an art high school and was surrounded by so many people who were able to steer me in the right direction. I eventually signed with my first talent agency, and so it began!
You recently appeared in the Netflix thriller ‘Fractured’ alongside Sam Worthington, and in Neon Cinema Films’ The Color Rose.’ Please tell us more about your roles and what first-time audiences should expect?
It’s a story about a husband and wife, Ray (Sam Worthington) and Joanne (Lily Rabe), who stop at a local hospital on their way home from visiting family after their daughter gets injured. Of course, nothing goes right at the hospital and their simple visit leads to a spiraling of dark and twisty events and a mystery that goes unsolved until the very end. Amazing writing. My character plays a very pivotal role in basically blowing up Ray’s world and initiating his downward spiral.
In The Color Rose – I won’t say too much since it hasn’t premiered yet – you can expect a twisty, turny, dark storyline! Lots of mystery, lots of little pieces to a puzzle that’ll eventually come together by the end of the film.
You’ve appeared in several popular programs including The CW’s Charmed, Hallmark’s Good Witch, ABC’s Conviction, and the feature film Picture Day with Tatiana Maslany. Which have been your most enjoyable roles to date and why?
Honestly, they all hold a special place in my heart. Working with Tatiana was incredible, she was so nice and down to earth. Picture Day was also my first serious gig so that’s pretty special, plus it allowed me to attend my first film festival at TIFF so that was awesome. On Conviction, I learned I have the capacity for delivering dramatic, emotional work. Charmed was a super cool set, and working with Sarah Jeffery was fun. So they’re all special!
To date, what has been the biggest challenge you’ve faced as an actress?
Never knowing why I didn’t book a role. This is especially difficult when I feel really connected to the material. As an actor, you face more rejection than probably any other career field and you are very rarely provided with an explanation. I think that has been the most challenging part. But it’s also incredibly rewarding when you receive a “yes”. So you got to take the good with the bad!
Are there any actors, directors, and producers you’d be overjoyed to work with?
I recently worked with Niecy Nash and she is someone I wanted to work with, so I feel quite lucky about that.
Gosh, there are so many people I would love to work with one day, but Ava DuVernay and Lena Waithe are the first to come to mind. They’re creating work right now that is so relevant to our social climate, work that speaks to so many people. It forces you to think about the world we live in and the changes we need to see within it. Working with one or both of them would be a dream come true.
Do you have anything else in the pipeline we can look forward to?
I have a film coming out on January 18th on Lifetime called Stolen By My Mother: The Kamiyah Mobley Story in which I worked with Niecy Nash. It’s based on a true story and was executive produced by Robin Roberts. This was a fun and memorable one. I can’t wait for people to see it!
So where can we keep up to date with your activities?
You can keep up with me on Instagram at @nataliemalaika. Thanks, Occhi Magazine!
Images: Courtesy of Rashelle Campbell
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