Aliyah Mastin plays Presley Collins in the new political thriller series Paradise, with Sterling K. Brown as her on-screen father Agent Xavier Collins, and the series (which was created by Dan Fogelman) premiered on Hulu in January and streams on Disney+ in the UK. Further screen projects for Aliyah include the Netflix documentary Stamped From the Beginning, and she played Maya in Honey Girls for her first screen role, which is a film based upon a top-selling Build-A-Bear Workshop line, with a cast including Ava Grace as Charlie and Frankie McNellis as Alex, both of whom Aliyah was part of Acapop! KIDS with. As a stage actor, Aliyah made her Broadway debut playing Young Nala in The Lion King, and her upcoming work includes the renewed Series 2 of Paradise and she is writing music and hopes to release songs this year. Chatting to Aliyah, we found out about playing Presley Collins in new political thriller series Paradise, filming as Maya in Honey Girls and her time as Young Nala in The Lion King on Broadway.

Can you tell us about the new political thriller series Paradise and how would you describe your character Presley Collins?

Paradise is a Hulu series that may have you screaming, crying, stressed out, and driving yourself crazy trying to figure out its secrets. Side effects may vary. Presley is the oldest child of the Collins crew and is very serious about the wellbeing of her family. She’s warm, witty, and played by me! Haha.

How is it working on a show created by Dan Fogelman and was there anything that drew you to the series?

I consider myself a very lucky gal to not only work on a show as cool as this one, but to do it surrounded by such kind people. I didn’t know much about the series before signing on, I just knew that I’d be playing Sterling K. Brown’s daughter, forcing him to eat egg whites, that was all I needed to know.

What was it like finding out you’d booked the role of Presley and how did you prepare for filming?

It was amazing! It’s always great booking a job, especially one you really, really wanted. The preparation was honestly a bit hectic. I was in college at the time, and had three days to move all of my junk out of my dorm. With the help of my friends, I got all my stuff packed, and was on a flight to Los Angeles that next morning. As far as preparing for my character Presley, I wrote down everything I knew about her, including conversations with the writers, any notes Dan gave me during the audition, and some of my own notions I got from that.

What is Presley like to play and how is it working with Sterling K. Brown as your on-screen father Agent Xavier Collins?

Presley is a joy to play! She allowed me to do things on screen that I’d never done before, so she was the perfect amount of fun and challenging. It was the most fun playing her whenever I worked with Sterling, because he gives you so much in a scene. I learned a ton just from watching him. He really is an incredible role model. I’d play his daughter forever if I could.

How do you find the experience on set of Paradise and what do you enjoy most about being involved with the show?

The experience was one of a kind. I consider it divine intervention to be placed in this project at this time in my life and career. What I enjoyed most about being involved in the show was being able to be a student. I was allowed to come to set during my free time to sit and learn behind the camera. The directors happily answered any questions I had, which says a lot about the environment, because those can be really stressful jobs. I took some time off of school while filming, so that was my school. I look forward to learning more in Season 2.

Paradise premiered on Hulu in January, and is currently streaming on Disney+ in the UK, how has it been seeing the response to the series and having it be renewed for a Series 2?

It’s been so much fun to see everyone get so invested and excited about each episode. I enjoyed hearing everyone’s theories. I’m so excited for Season 2! Not only because I get to do it again, but because I’m genuinely interested in seeing how the life is outside of the bunker.

We understand you were part of the Netflix documentary Stamped From the Beginning as Phyllis Wheatley, can you tell us about this?

I was honoured to embody Wheatley because she was the first African American woman to publish a book of poems. That was no easy journey for her to complete and it is important for her story to be heard. I was grateful to be a part of telling it.

What was Maya like to play in Honey Girls and how was it having her as your first screen role?

Maya was my first on-screen role, so it’s an experience I’ll always carry with me. It was during the time of quarantining, so I was grateful to be able to work at a time I did not see possible. I got to film in Canada and created some beautiful friendships while doing so.

What do you feel you learnt from working on Honey Girls and how was it being part of a film based upon a top-selling line from Build-A-Bear Workshop?

I learned how many people it truly takes for a film to be made. Many (including I once) pay attention only to the people seen on screen, but none of those scenes can be done without the camera department, sound, technicians, transportation, editors, background, location scouts, and countless others. It was a great first time experience. I also find it pretty cool that my first film was under a company that I grew up loving, and was directed by a female director, Trey Fanjoy.

How was it filming alongside the rest of the cast, which included Ava Grace as Charlie and Frankie McNellis as Alex, and recording the music?

It was lovely to experience my first film with people I knew. I knew them both really well from an acapella group called Acapop! KIDS we were in together. We were all very elated to see each other when we auditioned. It was like filming with family.

What are some of your stand-out memories from playing Young Nala in The Lion King and making your Broadway debut?

The Lion King was the best part of my childhood. I wish I could share every moment. One of my stand-out moments was when the other cubs and I put on our own ‘Lion King Jr’ production, and performed it for the entire cast in between shows. I’ll never forget how they all showed up for us. They even sang background for us, haha. We were so taken care of and nurtured at that show. I also remember for Halloween, the cast created a haunted house backstage, and all the Broadway kids from other shows came to the theatre and celebrated with us. The Lion King was the best experience I’ve ever had and the people there are the reason I carry myself the way I do.

How did you get into acting and was it always something you wanted to do professionally?

Honestly, it just kind of happened. I was a ‘busy body’ as a child, as my mom would say, haha. Always moving, singing, dancing, unapologetically everywhere I went. My mom didn’t really know where to put it, but people kept telling her to put me in local theatre, and eventually she did. I started and just never stopped.

Do you have any favourite films and TV shows to watch?

I have a few comfort films. I love Annie (the 1982 version), Coraline, Showgirls, 10 Things I Hate About You, Twilight, The Fifth Element. My favourite TV show is Scandal, and I love cartoons.

How do you like to spend your free time?

I enjoy taking dance classes, watching live theatre, reading, lazy hangouts with friends, as well as going out with them, and doing silly things with my siblings. They’re young, so I get to feed my inner child when we hang out. I got to bedazzle my dad’s head thanks to them, haha.

What are you hoping this year brings for you and do you have any further projects coming up that you can share?

I hope to have music released late in the year. I also spend a lot of my free time songwriting and I’d definitely like to exhibit the musician in me. I am also really looking forward to Season 2 and reconnecting with my Paradise folks!

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