Meet Myia Treat

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

Myia, thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts with us today. We’re excited to dive into your story and your work, but first let’s start with a broader topic that might be stopping many of our readers from pursuing their dreams – haters, nay-sayers, etc. How have you managed to persist despite haters and nay-sayers that inevitably follow folks who are doing something unique, special or off the beaten path?

Growing up in a small southern town, a career in such a creative field like Acting and the entertainment industry wasn’t quite understood. The high school I attend put so much pressure on students to know what they wanted to do with the rest of their lives during their Freshman year at 14 years old. I fortunately knew at a young age what I wanted to spend my life pursuing, but to my disadvantage, the career I wanted wasn’t one that was easy for those around me to accept. I spent so much of my high school experience trying to think of other career paths that I might want to pursue. I would listen to those around me telling me that Acting was not a stable and practical job and that in order to make a living I would have to have a back-up plan or just do something entirely different. I really took those opinions to heart because they were coming from people I cared about and looked up to, so I thought about different career paths like being a teacher, a doctor, or even a lawyer. The more I thought about those jobs and imagined myself doing them, the more I realized that I didn’t want to be a doctor or a lawyer, I wanted to act like I was one. In that moment I knew that no matter what other people were saying to me, it was ultimately my decision at the end of the day because it was my life. No matter if I would have stayed in my hometown and chose a traditional job, someone somewhere would still have something to say about it. Putting my dreams first and moving to New York City was one of the best decisions I have ever made, not only for my career but for my personal life and I am so thankful that I dared to ignore the nay-sayers that told me I wouldn’t be able to make it. Being able to learn at such a young age how to trust that I know what is best for myself and not listen to the voices of other people telling me what they think is best for me, is something that I carry with me to this day and remind myself when I experience negative opinions from others. Trust yourself and follow your gut because even though it’s easy to be defeated when you get so much negativity and hate thrown at you, you know what’s best for yourself and you know what you can accomplish no matter what anyone else says!

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?

Being a young Actress and Model getting my start in the entertainment industry has been quite intimidating from time to time but overall worth it and so rewarding in the end. I am originally from Mountain Home, Arkansas which is a small southern town with little to no tie to the entertainment industry in any way. Growing up I would participate in pageants, theater, dance, and other performance-based activities. I always knew that I was drawn to the stage and to the act of telling a story through performance whether that be telling a story through a dance number or through a play that I was a part of. Because of that desire, I was led to pursuing a career in Acting. 

After graduating high school, I moved halfway across the country to New York City at 18 years old to pursue my dreams. I attended New York Film Academy where I was getting my BFA in Acting For Film. As soon as I arrived at NYFA in New York City, I told myself that I was going to make the most of every opportunity that I was given. I was able to start networking with other students in different departments like the filmmaking, cinematography, and photography programs. Within my first year, I was in a handful of photoshoots and over 100 different short films. Working on so many different short films gave me more film experience but it also gave me content for my acting reel and my website. 

Not only did I network and make connections with my peers, but I made connections with my professors who were working industry professionals. By building professional relationships with my professors and giving my all to furthering my craft, I was given many different opportunities to grow as an actress. In my 6th semester, I played one of the main characters named ‘Nora’ in my section’s film called “DUST” which was shot on location in Staten Island with a professional crew. In my 7th semester, I played the lead ‘Maxima’ in my Play Production Performance of “The Hunchback of Seville”, where I was challenged as an actress in the physicality of performance. And in my final semester at NYFA, I shot my thesis film that I wrote and edited called “Where Did Wonderland Go?” where I explored the story of Alice in Wonderland going through different circumstances. I also had the opportunity to make connections with professors that extended outside of the classroom. I got to be a part of a pilot reading for a television series, be a part of a voiceover series, be a script reader for auditions for a feature film, and be a part of the crew for the filming of a teaser for the upcoming film ‘Girl in a Glass Box’. 

Since graduating college in April and already having so much experience under my belt I have been auditioning for more short films, being a part of different photoshoots, and furthering my connections within the industry. This business is one that is very uncertain and while I’m not exactly sure what comes next in my career, I am enjoying being part of such a creative industry where I’m able to do what I love every day.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

I believe that the main things that have truly impacted me on my journey and helped me get to where I am in my career now would have to be my determination, my love for acting, and the supportive guidance I have had along the way. I always acknowledge that if I wouldn’t have been so determined and committed, I wouldn’t be able to be where I am today and I wouldn’t have stuck with following my dreams. My determination to find a way to create my place in this industry as an actress always pushed me to keep going. Even though I experienced people doubting me, people not understanding why I’m so passionate about acting, and even feeling like the deck was stacked against me at times I was able to get through it because I knew that I would always do what it takes to make it happen.

My determination goes hand in hand with my love for acting. I have always wanted a career that didn’t feel like a job and to me, that meant doing what I love every day. By working on films, being a part of sets, and photoshoots I got to experience the type of environment that is cultivated every day. Working on a film set is not for the weak and I learned that you have to truly love doing it to be able to keep doing it. I have had to be on set at 7 am, causing me to have to get up and leave my apartment early in the morning before sunrise to then film for over 10 hours. After being on set all day, I wouldn’t get back home until late at night and then I would have to get up the next day and do it all over again. It can become exhausting, busy, and so tiring at times, but what keeps me showing up and being a part of these projects is the fact that I love doing it. For me, it is so rewarding to be able to be a part of telling a meaningful story and I honestly couldn’t imagine doing anything else.

However, even though I have always been determined to turn my love of acting into my full-time job, my journey would look so different if I hadn’t had all of the guidance and support that I have received these past couple of years. Going to college and having the opportunity to work with so many like-minded creative peers and professors allowed me to become more comfortable and open in my love for performing. When you are surrounded by people who understand your desire to act or to be a storyteller, you become inspired and through that experience, I was able to really feel like I could give my all to my learning. While focusing on how to deepen my knowledge of my craft, I was able to learn from incredible professors and feel so supported on my journey. Through the support and guidance I was given from my professors, my confidence in my acting and my abilities grew. I discovered that not only did I believe in myself, but other people believed in me too.

Every journey has its ups and downs no matter the path you may be traveling, but focusing on yourself and the good parts of the journey will always help keep you going. I know wholeheartedly that without my determination to pursue my dreams and the supportive guidance I have had along the way, I wouldn’t be able to be where I am now and right now I am closer to my dreams coming true than I would have ever imagined.

What would you advise – going all in on your strengths or investing on areas where you aren’t as strong to be more well-rounded?

Know your strengths! It’s crucial to recognize what you excel at and where your talents lie. Understanding these areas not only boosts confidence but also provides a solid foundation for navigating various challenges. However, it’s equally important to acknowledge areas where improvement is needed. Embracing growth and evolution in different facets of life is a valuable ability we possess.

Being well-rounded doesn’t mean striving for perfection in everything—that’s unrealistic. Instead, it’s about being open to enhancing skills that may not be your strongest. While you don’t have to allocate all your attention to these areas, don’t dismiss opportunities to improve either. Trying new things and sometimes failing are essential for learning and progress. As someone once advised me, “fail forward”—allow yourself to stumble and learn from setbacks to move forward effectively.

Personally, I’ve encountered situations where I had to confront my weaknesses and decide whether to stay within my comfort zone or push myself to improve. Admitting a weakness can be daunting, but every time I’ve chosen growth, I’ve never regretted it. Whether it was developing patience as a leader or refining my skills as a dancer, investing in these areas has always paid off in the long run.

By embracing both strengths and opportunities for improvement, we foster a balanced approach to personal and professional development. This mindset not only enhances our abilities but also enriches our journey toward achieving meaningful goals.

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Image Credits

Photos were taken by Shalom Kpadeh at showtimedidthat – https://www.instagram.com/showtimedidthat/

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