Mila Harris, Growing Up In The Spotlight

Dress by SECIL AKKAYAl at FLYING SOLO
Rings by KEANE
Hair Accessories by Stylist Own

Raised among movie sets and scripts, Mila Harris has learned to balance the spotlight with the everyday rhythm of growing up. At only fifteen, she’s already defining what it means to be a young actor with big dreams. Born and raised in Atlanta, and before she ever stepped onto a set, Harris was already staging homemade scripts and discovering how performance could bring stories to life. 

Her breakout role in Tyler Perry’s Young Dylan gave her not only an early taste of comedy, but the daunting task of surviving live audiences. Since then, Harris has worked alongside icons like Sir Anthony Hopkins in Mary and has shared the screen with Justin Long and Kate Bosworth in the upcoming thriller Coyote.

Now balancing high school with Hollywood, Harris is living proof that dedication and creativity grow side by side. With dreams of one day embodying a superhero or supervillain, she’s building a career defined by range and resilience,—while still enjoying all that comes with being an ordinary teenager. 

Left:
Dress by Rough and Tumble Vintage at FLYING SOLO
Jacket by Karina Nasywa Bakri
Ring by KEANE
Right:
DARCEY KNIT TANK by alice + olivia by StaceyBendet
Where to purchase: available at alice + olivia by Stacey Bendet boutiques and aliceandolivia.com
BEAUTIFUL EMBROIDERED JEAN by alice + olivia by StaceyBendet
Where to purchase: available at alice + olivia by Stacey Bendet boutiques and aliceandolivia.com
Pearls by Stylist Own

You started acting at eight years old. What first drew you to acting, and what do you remember about those early experiences? 
I’ve always liked to tell stories since I was little. My parents would always find me writing short scripts and then having my dog Lulu and I acting them out. I love being creative—and storytelling through scripts and songs are always a fun way for me to express myself.

Growing up in Atlanta, did your hometown influence your journey in the entertainment industry?
Yes, there is definitely a boom in the film industry in Atlanta, but it also helps that my family is in the business too. My dad is a producer so I’ve always grown up around sets and I know what it takes to really get a project from script to screen.

You got your start on Tyler Perry’s Young Dylan. What was it like working on a Tyler Perry set at such a young age?  
It was a fun experience to be on a Nickelodeon show as a kid and then being able to work with the amazing Tyler Perry was such a bonus. It was a comedy show, so it gave me an opportunity to work on that part of my craft. We actually had earpieces in and had to work around a laugh track when delivering our lines so that was a cool new experience too.

You’ve appeared in a variety of genres, from family series like Young Dylan to sci-fi and thrillers. How do you prepare for these different types of roles and adapt to them?  
The different types of roles is what I live for. It really gives me the opportunity to explore all parts of acting and stretch my creativity muscle. Every genre is unique and I find that preparation is really more about understanding each character and what they are going through in the moment—so the preparation is kind of the same no matter the genre.

You’ve worked alongside industry icons like Sir Anthony Hopkins in Mary. What was it like learning from actors of that caliber, and how do you apply what you’ve learned to your own performances? 
Getting to work with the icons and any adult actors is always amazing. With Sir Anthony Hopkins, he just has an energy that is so captivating especially as you watch him work. Getting to observe those who have been around doing this for way longer than me is always so inspiring because I get to pick up advice and tips and really figure out the things that may work for me too. I am starting to really develop my own process of how to prepare and keep in the moments.

Shirt by MELKE
Skirt by MELKE
Shoes by Kate Spade
Socks by Stylist Own
Earrings by KEANE
Bow by Stylist Own 
Rings by KEANE

How did your experience portraying young Mary differ from your previous roles, and what did you find most challenging about stepping into a historical character? 
It was a journey getting to know young Mary when there is very little text about her childhood written down and not much in scriptures about her at this age. I really had to take the basic info we know about her like the family she came from, her daily life and journey to the temple, and her unique story of Jesus’ birth and the Angels’ message about her destiny. From that I tried to just think about what a girl under those circumstances would feel like, and what I would feel like and then use that for the character.

Can you tell us about your new thriller, Coyote? What can you share about your character and the story without giving too much away? 
Coyote is a “survive the night” thriller that really takes you on an emotional journey but also weaves in comedy too. It’s a fun journey and working with both Justin Long and Kate Bosworth was a memorable experience.

What was it like working alongside Kate Bosworth and Justin Long on Coyote, and did you pick up any tips from them while on set?
They are incredible not just as actors but also really grounded and funny too. We did a lot of improv on set and they are masters at that so I learned how to use the “yes, and” foundation of improv and really play within a scene.

Left:
Dress by MEGAN O'CAIN
DENIM SKIRT by alice + olivia by StaceyBendet
Where to purchase: available at alice + olivia by Stacey Bendet boutiques and aliceandolivia.com
Shoes by FRANCO SARTO
Earrings by MING YU WANG New York
Right:
Dress by SECIL AKKAYAl at FLYING SOLO
Rings by KEANE
Hair Accessories by Stylist Own
Shoes by Sam Edelman
Socks by Stylist Own 

As a young actor still in school, how do you balance your education with your career? Balancing school and work is definitely one of the biggest challenges as a young actor but having a solid team to support you helps to keep things running smoothly. Between my parents, the set tutor, my school, and production we just keep everyone in the loop and communicating so it all gets done and it's like I was never out when I return in person again. I’m very lucky to have everyone supporting me so that I can pursue my dreams too.

When you’re not on set, how do you like to spend your free time? What hobbies or activities help you unwind? 
When I’m not on set, I’m just doing my normal teenage-kid things like hanging with friends and I am on the cheer team at my school—so football games and competitions are part of my after school and weekends. I love animals, so anytime I can go horseback riding or hike with my dog, you’ll find me doing that. And of course, watching as many movies and shows as I can for fun and also for working on my craft more too.

At fifteen, you’ve already accomplished so much. Looking ahead, are there specific types of roles or genres you’re most excited to explore in the coming years? 
Yes, that's the good thing about acting. There are always new stories and roles to tell and explore. I would love to be a superhero or supervillain on screen one day, or maybe even both in one.

Who are some of your biggest influences in acting, both past and present, and what have you learned from them? 
There are so many I could list but some of my top ones are Samara Weaving and Anya Taylor Joy. I would also love to work with M. Night Shyamalan one day. Samara and Anya are phenomenal at being grounded and real and just have a kind of stillness while also showing the big emotions. It's the small movement of the face or the eyes or just really being grounded and present in the moment. M. Night Shyamalan is a master at telling stories that always have a surprise twist—all with a deeper meaning still weaved in too.

CREW CREDITS:
Talent: Mila Harris
PhotoBook Editor-In-Chief: Alison Hernon
PhotoBook Creative Director: Mike Ruiz
Photographer: Paul Westlake
Fashion Stylist: Alison Hernon at Exclusive Artists
Hair: Timur Sadyq using Matrix
Makeup: Dmitry Potapov
Assistant Fashion Stylist: Grayce Salaguinto
Fashion Stylist Intern: Laura Pico
Tearsheets by Daniel López, Art Director, PhotoBook Magazine
Interview by Sabine Obermoller, Contributor, PhotoBook Magazine
Location: Blonde Studios

RELATED STORIES

Alison Hernon#actress, #Atlanta, #Coyote, #Hollywood, #teenager, #Tyler Perry’s Young Dylan, #Kate Bosworth, #Justin Long, #animal lover, #horseback riding