Tracie Hunte: This is The Takeaway. I'm Tracie Hunte, in for Melissa Harris-Perry.

Male Actor 1: I hope we're in agreement about Maria Sophia because we watched her video, and we didn't like it. We loved it. We flipped for it. She's incredible.

Tracie: Keyla Monterroso Mejia cemented her stardom the moment she stole scenes on the HBO comedy, Curb Your Enthusiasm.

Female Actor 1: You want bald children with no brains? Go right ahead.

Actor Keyla: I don't have to listen to you. If I want to see Larry, oh, I will see Larry. Let's just take five.

Tracie: The 25-year-old made a huge impression and even got the attention of Quinta Brunson, which landed Keyla the role as the worst teacher's aide at Abbott Elementary.

Actor Keyla: Ashley Garcia, Frankford, Philly, old enough to know better, young enough to shiish. I'm here at Abbott as an aide because I'm helpful as hell. That's why I've been at four schools in four months, because everyone wants a piece.

Tracie: Now Keyla is taking the lead.

Keyla: Hi, I'm Keyla Monterroso Mejia, and I'm starring in a new Netflix show called Freeridge.

Tracie: Keyla stars as Gloria, a high school girl with the weight of the world on her shoulders.

Actor Keyla: Have you seen the box with all my baby stuff? I'm trying to find the silver spoon Tia Maria gave me. I think I could get a good chunk of change for it, with silver being so valuable these days, maybe even $150.

Female Actor 2: More like $310.

Actor Keyla: Really, you think?

Female Actor 2: That's what I got for it.

Actor Keyla: You sold it?

Tracie: Janae Pierre spoke with Keyla for The Takeaway.

Janae Pierre: Keyla, thanks for being here. We are elated to have you.

Keyla: Thank you. I'm so excited. This is so cool. I don't think I've ever done something like this before. I'm excited.

Janae: Now, before we get into your new project Freeridge, I want to ask about your time on Curb Your Enthusiasm. Could you tell me who Maria Sophia is? Talk about how you landed that role.

Keyla: Oh, my gosh. Yes. She changed my life completely and everyone at Curb Your Enthusiasm, but she is this very loud, confident woman who doesn't really understand social cues or processes things normally.

Female Actor 3: Okay, Maria Sophia, I'm going to record this and pretend like this is not even here. I wanted to talk to you about that David boy.

Actor Keyla: Larry.

Female Actor 3: Yes. That's his name, Larry David.

Actor Keyla: What about him?

Female Actor 3: I feel like you're being seductive right now. You're talking to your mother.

Actor Keyla: We're not close.

Female Actor 3: In real life, do you ever talk to your mother like that?

Actor Keyla: No, I don't seduce my mom. What is wrong with you? God.

Keyla: She's [unintelligible 00:02:48] there. Oh, my gosh, that whole experience has been one of the best things I think that's ever happened to me, and I feel so grateful. It was right there, audition, it came through in a normal way. I auditioned, I didn't really think much of it. I remember being super nervous because I didn't think I was good in this improv format or just really understood what they wanted in a way. I was really nervous. I was like, "I don't know." I sent in a tape, I thought, "Okay, whatever happens," but I didn't think anything of it.

Sure enough, I think a week later, I got the role. They took a chance on me, because I had nothing on my resume at the time and I didn't have any professional credits, and they just gave me a shot, and I'm so grateful.

Janae: You mentioned improv. There's a lot of improv on Curb Your Enthusiasm. Was that something that you were excited about?

Keyla: Hell, no. Am I allowed to say that? I'm so sorry. No, I was not. Oh, my goodness. I think maybe later on in life I'll be excited for that type of one. I think because it was my first time being on a professional set, and it was my first time really doing anything of this magnitude, I take a lot of comfort in being prepared. When you have lines, you know, like point A and point B and you just know where it's going to end, how it was going to start, everything else is unpredicted. For the most part, you have as a roadmap. That in improv, that doesn't happen. I was super nervous, I'm not going to lie. I think it's the worst I've ever felt about myself.

Janae: Is there any scene that sticks out?

Keyla: You know what? The dancing that I do when you first meet my character, that sticks out all the time.

Male Actor 2: She also dances?

Female Actor 4: Yes.

Male Actor 2: Show them how you dance, baby.

Actor Keyla: Okay, one, two, three.

Male Actor 3: [beatboxes] We were lined.

Male Actor 4: That's very good. Very good. Bravo. Yes. Excellent. Good job. Very good.

Male Actor 2: That's not the whole thing. There's a flip at the end.

Male Actor 4: I'm sure.

Keyla: I have a phenomenal partner in that season, this Marques Ray who plays my dad. He, first of all, just an incredible person, but also an amazing actor and improviser. That was all his idea. That was completely in the moment, and it was so much fun. I think it helped shape the character. He was just like, "Yes, my daughter dances," and I was like, "Okay." I just got to follow him. I was like, "Yes, okay."

That sticks out of my head all the time because it's such a fun scene, and I think it really helped shape the character for the rest of the season.

Janae: I want to switch over to talk about Freeridge. You play a character named Gloria, who is the daughter of immigrants and the unofficial matriarch of her home and her friend group. Do you relate to Gloria at all?

Keyla: Oh, my gosh. So much. My parents are both immigrants, and I am the oldest daughter. I have one younger brother. [chuckles] There's a lot of life to pull from there. I think, at one point, I remember actually being exactly like Gloria, and not necessarily at her age, but at a different time in my life. I remember just being so caught up in everyone else's world in what they were doing, and so consumed by their problems and trying to fix their things that they had going on. I remember how frustrated and how angry I was at the world at that time. I think that's something that Gloria is going through at the time when you meet her in Freeridge.

Female Actor 5: Stop stressing. Things will work out like they always do.

Actor Keyla: Things don't just magically work out. They work out because I figure them out for you.

Female Actor 5: Yes, because I have faith.

Actor Keyla: Faith is [bleeps] having a plan, doing the work. That's what gets you money.

Keyla: I understood where that was coming from. It was interesting because I went to therapy to be able to deal with these issues of why am I meddling in everyone's life. Why is this happening? I think I learned the tools to not-- They have this thing where it's like, live and let live. That was really interesting, to go back in that mindframe of having moved on from these issues. That was not the best, but it was really interesting, and I had a lot of fun. I really empathize with my character a lot.

Tracie: After the break, more of our conversation with Keyla Monterroso Mejia, here on The Takeaway. This is The Takeaway. I'm Tracie Hunte, in for Melissa Harris-Perry. Before the break, Keyla Monterroso Mejia was sharing what it meant for her to play Gloria on the Netflix show, Freeridge. Let's hear more of her talk with Janae Pierre.

Janae: It's a funny show. It's hilarious, but it also deals with some really heavy topics. What are some of the things Gloria is dealing with throughout the show?

Keyla: It's really nice, because I think it's a super fun show, and it's really light-hearted, but it's fun as it actually is also because you get to see these characters in different situations, but specifically Gloria, she goes through a lot. I think it's a rollercoaster for her, where you see her fighting with her sister.

Actor Keyla: This is your fault. No more. I'm done. You can officially start taking care of yourself.

Female Actor 6: Green sauce with enchiladas. That's what I want for dinner.

Keyla: Then she has a crush, and she falls in love.

Male Actor 5: You think about me?

Actor Keyla: A little.

Male Actor 5: What do you think?

Actor Keyla: The standard, are you getting enough sleep kind of stuff?

Male Actor 5: I don't. Not with you always on my mind.

Actor Keyla: Come on. Shut up.

Keyla: Then you realize that her dad is dealing with a really, really horrible health scare.

Actor Keyla: Dad, sit.

Male Actor 6: How is it that you got expelled, and I'm the one having to sit down and talk?

Actor Keyla: Because you're lying about your cancer.

Keyla: It's been such a roller coaster as an actress to be able to play, but it's been so fulfilling. I think being in the swinging comedy for a while, it was nice to have a more dimensional character. I think in the past, the characters that I've done that I've been so grateful for, you've only got to see them in one certain way. It was really nice to be able to play with Gloria and get to show different sides of her. It's been super fulfilling.

Janae: This is your first leading role, right?

Keyla: Yes. Oh, my God.

Janae: How has that been?

Keyla: Crazy. Crazy in the best way. It's been so much fun, and truthfully, with other roles, I've been so grateful to be on set. It's been like a day here, a day there. With Freeridge, it was the best feeling because I remember when I was just trying to become an actress. I would have little days here and there throughout the year where I would act. I'd always say, "No matter what happens tomorrow, no matter what happened yesterday, today, this is your job. This is what you're doing for today." It was crazy to now, only a couple of years later, come back and think for the next foreseeable future, for the next couple of months, this is your every day, this is what I get to wake up and do.

I remember being like, no matter how tired I got, or how crazy, this day was just having so much fun. It's like this overwhelming feeling of gratitude every day and I'm like, "Oh, my god, I'm living my dream. I get to wake up and live my dream every single day for a while." That was the best thing and I feel so so grateful.

Janae: Yes. I was completely joked out when I saw you on Abbott Elementary teaching children about their body yadi yadi yadi yadi.

[laughter]

Female Actor 7: Don't worry about me, I'm not even here.

Actor Keyla: I'm here to teach you about the human body yadi yadi yadi yadi yadi yadi, bones, blood, meat.

Okay, wait. Hi, my class, you guys would know this if you did your homework. Hello, right up here, guys, right up here.

Girl, is that mushroom?

Keyla: Oh, my gosh, that was-- all these opportunities I've never seen them coming because I'm just like, the things that I've been able to do. Abbott was really something that I just couldn't believe it that. That was completely, with [unintelligible 00:11:51] , I'm so grateful for her as well. She just commented on my Instagram one day after seeing an episode of Curb. Sure enough, months later, I got a call from my agents that, "There was this role, and they wanted to reach out about it." Then next thing you know, a couple of months after that, there I am at Abbott Elementary. That was just so surreal.

I say this all the time, especially because I think these actors has these opportunities that are really cool when you get to see them cool to your family, that makes any sense? My brother was a huge fan of Abbott Elementary. I remember when I booked Curb, he told me, he's like, "Oh, you peaked through. Enjoy this, because you're never going to do. This is like you started early." I was like, "Okay, that's nice." Sure enough, when I got out of it, he was like, "You know what I said that you peaked? I lied." I remember, "Yes." We were both in disbelief, honestly. I was like, I couldn't believe that I was able to be a part of that show.

It's also really surreal to be a part of something that you watch, you know what I mean? To be like, oh, my God, being there and being on the set and working with everyone was like, "What the heck's going on?" Everyone is so kind, and so funny, and just so incredible that it was not only were they so happy to be there, but it was also a great learning experience. The whole mockumentary format, but also just with everyone there. They're just top to bottom, some of the most talented people I've ever worked with. It was a wonderful experience. I'm so so grateful for it.

Janae: Now, you're from Southern California, not too far from Hollywood, but you're someone from the area we don't often get to see represented on television. How do you feel being part of that representation for many Latinas?

Keyla: You know, I've been asked this question, I've never really known how to answer it. Until recently, I figured it out. You know what it is? It's, "Oh, my God, this is so cheesy. I hate them." This is truly what it feels like. It feels like a gift. The universe and whatever's out there gave me a present, and the present is that I get to be a part of this. Especially for me growing up, I also didn't see much representation, but the people that I did see, I remember how it made me feel and how it gave me so much hope and how it made me emotional. I had all these feelings and to see myself on screen it was really undescribable, and the fact that I get to be a part of something that maybe in some way pushes that forward. If someone gets to see themselves in me in whatever capacity, that's like a gift because I think, wow, this meant so much to me when it was happening to me, and now to be a part of it is like anything I just have so much gratitude.

I don't know how I got so lucky. I really don't but being part of a project that has diversity and shows representation, I feel so lucky and it's a gift, and I hope people are able to resonate with it.

Janae: Yes. Keyla Monterroso Mejia, actor, artist, and the star of Netflix's Freeridge. Keyla, thanks so much for your time today.

Keyla: Thank you so much. This is actually really fun.

 

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