For her first recurring character role, Paulet Del Castillo appears in ABC’s Mixed-ish as Micaela, which is a prequel to comedy series Black-ish, and is about a family living in the 1980s who have moved from a commune to the suburb. Paulet has also worked on a few short films, recorded for educational videos and has theatre experience including A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Chatting with us, Paulet tells us about playing Micaela in Mixed-ish, filming a show set in the 1980s and what she enjoys about performing on stage.

You play the role of Micaela in Mixed-ish, can you tell us about the character?

Micaela is an outcast who really just wants to fit in. When Rainbow finds her eating lunch in the bathroom, they bond over being left out of the normal social terms of middle school.

For those that haven’t seen the show, can you say what it’s about and why would you recommend watching it?

Mixed-ish is a show about a mixed family who moves from a commune to the suburbs in the 80s and has to deal with the struggles of being mixed at that time. I would recommend it because it is a fish out of water comedy and it also talks about very important topics that everyone should learn about.

How was it filming a show set in the 1980s?

I love it! The best part is the wardrobe. The fittings are always so much fun and every time I try something, my mom, a cast or a wardrobe member will tell me about how they owned part of my outfit when they were kids.

What was it like reading the script for the first time and learning the role?

It was one of the coolest things! I get excited with every script because it’s so cool to see my character develop on the show.

How long were you filming for the series?

I started filming in August 2019 and I wrapped in March this year.

How has it been playing the role of Micaela as your first recurring character?

It has been a lot of fun! Everyone is really nice on set and the cast and crew are amazing!

You’ve appeared in a few short films, what were these like to work on?

They were great! They helped prepare me for this role and taught me to get used to being in front of a camera.

We understand you’ve performed in theatre, can you say about some of the shows you’ve performed in?

Some of the theatre shows I’ve performed in are A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Beauty and the Beast and more! I love both theatre and film acting because they allow me to express myself in different ways.

What do you enjoy most about performing on stage?

The best part of performing on stage is the anticipation of the performance because you only perform a certain number of times and you can’t redo a performance. Once you step on that stage it’s go time and that makes it a lot of fun because everyone puts their all into it.

What are educational videos like to be part of?

They’re really cool and, since they’re for younger kids, it really allows for an actor to become very animated and that’s a lot of fun.

Have you always had a love for acting and how did you get into it?

I’ve always been a very extroverted person and not very shy so when I decided to audition for my first play when I was in second grade, I loved it, and someone saw me and told my mom to take me to an acting studio for me to attend!!

What are some of your favourite TV shows to watch?

I enjoy, or should I say love, watching The Office. It is one of my favourite shows and I just love Dwight Shrute and Jim Halpert’s bromance. I also enjoy watching FRIENDS and Glee.

How do you like to spend your time away from your career?

I would love to go to either law school or medical school. I am taking courses for both now in high school and I really enjoy it!!!!!!!!

You competed at last year’s Thespian Festival and qualified for nationals, how was this and can you say more about it?

This was a great experience and it really helped me love the art of acting even more. They have a lot of seminars throughout the day and it was great to see things from many people’s point of view.

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