Grammy Award-winning singer Mya has been doing double duty with her recent album K.I.S.S. (Keep It Sexy & Simple), which was released in Japan and her latest film, The Heart Specialist, co-starring Zoe Saldana, Brian White, Terrence J and Jenifer Lewis.
Ro caught up with Mya for an exclusive interview where she talked about her chemistry working with Brian White, her awkward sex scene, and the roles she’d like to play in the future.
Tell us about your role as Valerie in the The Heart Specialist.
Well, Valerie has a past situation with Brian White and she basically has a father that is very significant in the movie who kind of teaches him a lesson about himself, love, and how to treat a woman. He learns to love her after being the ultimate player. Obviously there was a sex tape when they were in a relationship and he has to give it back because she gets really pissed. And that’s pretty much it in a nutshell, she’s not going to take it anymore.
What was the chemistry like between you and Brian on set?
Brian is funny … he’s hilarious, so he made everything comfortable. My father was actually on set and we had to do a flashback scene, actually a dream sequence where he falls asleep and he’s reminiscing and fantasizing and that was a little difficult with my dad in the room until he had to remove himself.
How did you prepare yourself mentally for your dad being in the room?
It was a little awkward being that you had to put yourself in a relationship in the bedroom and go through a couple of motions as you would in a relationship naturally. But when your father is very uncomfortable, especially a father like mine, he’s very protective, I’m just glad he removed himself [laughs].
What are some other challenges you’ve had to face while acting?
I think every time you put yourself in a situation you learn the process. I’ve never taken a lead role other than television, crime shows, and one independent film on BET. I just pace myself. Some of the challenges are finding a good script. Something that you can actually connect to, that has a budget and that has support. This movie [The Heart Specialist], I actually found my part in 2006 and Dennis Cooper is the director and I know that he was doing it all himself in the beginning and that takes a long time. Just like the assembly of an album. So that’s one of the challenges when doing independent work and I’m so glad that it all came together and it’s actually a quality romantic drama.
What other types of roles would you like to play in the future?
A villain, assassin, or the athletic roles. I’m definitely into romantic comedies as well and a wide array of roles as an actress. It’s about what’s available and what’s supported as well. I’m not opposed to doing independent roles.
Something that I really want to do is just sit down for a week, and this would be over the course of obviously several weeks, and watch “Saturday Night Live.” Just tape and rehearse and film and see what that process is like, because it’s live television so it’s a little different from sitcoms, syndicated TV or movies. I’m so interested in doing something live because I come from a theater background.
