Meet Melody Parra

 

We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Melody Parra. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Melody below.

Melody, thanks so much for taking the time to share your insights and lessons with us today. We’re particularly interested in hearing about how you became such a resilient person. Where do you get your resilience from?

Resilience is a quality I have always admired. Ask me 10 years ago and I would say resilience means seeing something through to the end, no matter what obstacles, challenges or bumps you have to face in order to achieve your desired outcome; the investment would always be worth it. Now I would say that my definition of resilience has greatly changed over the years: for the better. Google the word and the definition that pops up is something along the lines of “the ability to withstand, overcome and recover quickly.” For me, the very root of my resilience comes from perspective and the ability to shape a positive narrative from experiences that may have turned out differently from the way I had initially hoped or planned. The result no longer holds the weight it once did for me, for now I see the true power of resilience lies in what I can take away from the whole of the experience. It is that very perspective which has lightened the load of any moment in my life. I think part of being resilient is not only showing strength & grace during trying times but carefully choosing what trying times are truly worthy of having that very strength and grace poured into. Like any other quality, resilience can grow, diminish or transform, which is why it must also be cherished and cherished as something that is not limitless. For me, it’s about proudly cultivating a life where I give myself and others grace in transforming alleged failures into valuable lessons and celebrating what I gain from such moments as equally as I celebrate the joy from what I consider my successes. Speaking of joy, I would also say that now I practice resilience when there is a hard moment in situations or with people where the majority of our experiences have been filled with joy and understanding. I’ve learned that the ability to let go of situations where you are feeling drained in the name of being “resilient” is equally as important in order to preserve that very resilience within you. Resilience so beautifully reminds us that challenging times will get better because nothing lasts forever and when it comes to our own goals, resilience can also remind us that true strength does not only lie in absentmindedly enduring but also having the ability to start anew.

Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?

I am an artist and to me, creating is the best feeling in the world. While I also direct and produce on the side, I spend the majority of my artistic career as an actress. I am so grateful for 2024 and all the new, exciting work it has ushered in.

On the production side, I am so honored to have been cast as Nonda in Bampire and to now have jumped on board as an associate producer. “Bampire” is a thrilling, horror comedy set in the 90s set to be released in October 2024. Check out the links attached for the film’s media coverage and Indiegogo campaign. It is a flick you won’t want to miss.

This year I have largely been working on vertical series that are made for mobile streaming apps. These projects are also known as the equivalent of modern day soap operas or mini soaps and they have really carved a space for themselves within the entertainment industry landscape. I was fortunate to book the lead role of Marcela Accardi in “Mafia Queen” now released on the EA Shorts App and have super fun major supporting roles in “The Wolf Queen in Human Guise”- streaming on the Shot Short App-where I play the second in command within a powerful wolf pack. Doing stunts for the role of Stephanie in this mini-series was one of the highlights of this production. I am a very active person so any time a role requires choreography for stunts, dancing or just getting to live in my body a little extra, that’s the cherry on top for me.

Another upcoming series we just wrapped on was the first time I got to play a villain and I have to tell you, I absolutely fell in love with my character who was named Laura. Portraying a villain was a distinct artistic exploration in the realm of duality for me because to me it was important to clearly show the passionate behind her motives right alongside her petulant, calculated ways. I remember reading a quote by Alan Rickman once stating “So you can’t judge the character you’re playing ever” and that really stuck with me. For the role of Laura in “Locked in a Luna’s Body,” the lovely director -Matt Macedo- and I were laughing about her antics and he said “She’s evil.” And I answered “No she’s just misunderstood and she loves hard whether you want that love or not- you’re getting it.” We just burst out laughing because there was so much conviction in my words at that moment. I was living out that character’s loyalty to her perception of the way things should be and when you think about it that’s how we seek to live out our own lives as well; and that’s the beauty of acting. We as actors get to wear so many skins and with portraying different flavors of people comes the responsibility to honor their truth. It’s that ability to allow humanity to shine through in each role that I love the most about acting, because even though we largely root for the heroes in the stories we watch, I think it adds a special touch when we end up rooting for the villain a little bit too. And who can’t relate to the fun in being a little wicked or naughty from time to time? If nothing else, it makes for a great story.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

Discipline, the desire to grow, and patience. I am a big believer that with discipline, you can pretty much achieve just about anything. Throw in a little patience and the willingness to adapt and you can make magic out of life.

I think when you have a genuine love of something and you choose to do it every day not out of the need for recognition or praise but rather for the joy it brings your soul, that’s all the reason you need to keep doing it. So I would say that whatever path you’ve chosen, be sure your reasons for choosing it are based on your own happiness rather than the approval of others. Once you’re certain your heart is in the right place, then work on daily habits that will help you set aside the time to continue growing every day in your chosen field. Sometimes when you’re pursuing a passion, you’re juggling so many other things at once- working odd jobs, having to balance a crazy schedule with a personal life, etc.- that it becomes easy to feel drained from the chaos of temporary measures that have now turned into extra demands. So start small, bust start somewhere and keep going. Run toward what gets you closer to your calling- even if that means starting with 5 minutes a day dedicated toward getting where you want to go. Do that every day and the results will come. Enjoy the process and lean into the belief that by putting time and love into working on something that makes you happy, you have already won so much: you have made your soul sing for those moments.

What do you do when you feel overwhelmed? Any advice or strategies?

For me, balance and peace are a priority. If I start to feel overwhelmed whether that means I’m tackling too many things on my end or whether it’s stemming from things outside of my control, I like to unplug and get in my body. I love to go for walks, a run or get a quick workout in. I really value listening to my body, so if I feel I just need a break, then I will happily take a nap or a nice, long bath and follow up either with a favorite movie and a favorite meal. Be good to yourself: in order to take care of anything, you need to take care of you first.

Contact Info:

Image Credits

Jenna Nimri

Yuxin Li aka Ashur

Zoe Wassman

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