Estella Kahiha filmed on location in Puerto Rico for the new sports drama film Undercard, which released in the USA on Friday 27th February and is available to stream now in the UK, and she played Meka alongside Wanda Sykes as her on-screen aunt Cheryl ‘No Mercy’ Stewart. In last year’s Blumhouse psychological thriller film The Woman in the Yard (which released through Universal Pictures), Estella played the lead role of Annie, working with Okwui Okpokwasili as Woman and her on-screen family Danielle Deadwyler as mother Ramona, Russell Hornsby as father David and Peyton Jackson as brother Taylor. Alongside Estella’s fellow cast members Danielle and Peyton, she attended the movie screening in Atlanta at the Plaza Theatre, and Estella has recently been nominated for the 2026 NAACP Image Awards for Outstanding Performance by a Youth in a Motion Picture for her portrayal of Annie. Further screen work for Estella has seen her play 6-Year-Old Callie (Marsai Martin) in the Nickelodeon/Paramount+ sports comedy film Fantasy Football, which was one of her first screen roles, and she’s filmed episodes of BMF and Will Trent. We talked to Estella about filming on location in Puerto Rico for this year’s film release of Undercard, playing lead character Annie in Blumhouse film The Woman in the Yard and how it felt being nominated at the 2026 NAACP Image Awards.

How was your time filming on location in Puerto Rico for the new sports drama film Undercard, which was released in the USA on Friday 27th February?

Being in Puerto Rico for such a long time felt like a whole adventure. The air smelled different, like ocean and food all mixed together, and the people were so friendly. I even tried new food – some I liked, and some I was like, “Ok, maybe not again”. It was hard being away from my friends for so long, but my parents would remind me why I was there and of how proud they are of me for doing this at such a young age. By the time we wrapped, I didn’t really want to leave. I felt like I had become a little more brave.

Can you tell us about Undercard, and who do you think the film will appeal to?

Well, I didn’t get to see the whole movie because my parents say it’s inappropriate for my age. It’s a boxing movie, but it’s not just punching and fighting. It’s really about family, feelings, forgiveness and second chances. I think this film will appeal to different people. It will appeal to people who like boxing and sports, and also to people who like stories about hope and families.

How would you describe your character Meka and what was she like to play?

Meka is very strong. She doesn’t say a lot, but you can tell what she’s thinking and feeling. She’s been through a lot of things for a little kid, which makes her tough, and she doesn’t trust people right away. She cares a lot about her family and wants them to be honest with her about what’s happening around her.

Playing her was kind of hard sometimes because I had to show a lot of emotions without talking. I had to practise using my face and eyes in the mirror instead of using words.

What was it like meeting and filming with your on-screen aunt Wanda Sykes (Cheryl ‘No Mercy’ Stewart)?

It was sooo cool meeting Wanda Sykes! I was a little nervous at first because I recognised her voice from the movie Ice Age!! I thought that because she was so famous, she might not believe in me, but she was really kind and made me feel comfortable. She told me that this was her first drama and that we’d learn some things together. She made it easier to play Meka by checking on me after the emotional scenes.

In last year’s psychological thriller film The Woman in The Yard, you can be seen as Annie; what was it like on set and was there anything you found most challenging about the project?

OMG, playing Annie was super fun! Being on set was like being in a whole different world because it was kind of spooky, and my life is not like Annie’s at all. We worked long days, but between takes we laughed, played games, I talked with crew, and I even did school work and rested a little.

We did most of the scenes many times, so I had to remember my lines and be ready. I liked the challenge. It made me feel really proud, like, “Wow, I’m really doing this!”. I also loved passing by crafty for a treat!!

What I found most challenging about this project was wearing the same exact clothes every day for every scene!! I thought that was gross, until I found out that the clothes are washed every single day and they had lots of each item. I just had to be really careful in them.

How was it finding out you’d been cast as a lead role in a Blumhouse film (released through Universal Pictures) and what was it like getting into character?

At first, I was like, “Is this for real?”. I thought my parents were playing a joke on me. I started screaming and running around the house with my sister – it was just the happiest moment ever.

I was also a little nervous because Annie was such a big role. Getting into character was not easy because Annie is so brave, even when she’s scared, and I usually just scream and run! I had to use my imagination to be strong, even when the woman was in the yard and getting closer to the house. Creepy!!

What did you enjoy most about working alongside the rest of the cast – Danielle Deadwyler (mother Ramona), Russell Hornsby (father David), Peyton Jackson (brother Taylor) and Okwui Okpokwasili (Woman), and what are some of your favourite memories from filming?

What I enjoyed the most about working with the The Woman in the Yard cast was being around so many strong and talented actors. It made me feel really special and inspired that they chose me for this lead role. They were all so kind to me, and I felt like I could learn something from each of them.

I really enjoyed the times where I could watch them going deep into their emotions and connecting with their characters. They became the character! Everyone made me feel comfortable, like I was part of a big team.

Some of my favourite memories from filming were all the fun moments in between scenes, like laughing with Ms Danielle, dancing with Ms Okwui, and being silly with Peyton. Oh, and I can’t forget the stunts!! Learning to do my own stunts was really, really exciting!! Being on set didn’t feel like work – it was FUN!!

How did you find the experience attending the movie screening with Danielle and Peyton in Atlanta at the Plaza Theatre in March 2025?

Very interesting because I still didn’t get to see the full movie! But being there with Ms Danielle and Peyton was well worth it. Ms Danielle had me cracking up as usual, and Peyton was joking around just like a big brother. It felt like a big family event. It was special, and I’m never going to forget it.

You have recently been nominated at the 2026 NAACP Image Awards for Outstanding Performance by a Youth in a Motion Picture for your portrayal of Annie, how did this feel?

It felt sooo amazing, and like a WIN to just be nominated, and a little bit like a dream! When I found out about the nomination, I was like, “Wait… really? Me?!”.

I felt super happy and excited, but also really grateful. Playing Annie meant a lot to me, and to be recognised for it made my heart really happy. I thought about all the hard work, early mornings, and the practising, and it made me proud of myself.

I was also really thankful for my family and everyone who helped me, because this took a lot of work!

It just made me want to keep working hard, keep learning, and keep chasing my dreams!

What do you remember from playing 6-Year-Old Callie (Marsai Martin) in the Nickelodeon/Paramount+ sports comedy film Fantasy Football for one of your first screen roles?

Whoa, that seems like so long ago. What I remember the most is that Kelly Rowland, who played my mom, was so sweet and taught me to go with what felt natural in the moment. I still do that.

The birthday cake they used was blue and white, and they had about 100 of them!! I wanted to eat a bite in every take!! That’s the day I learned that not all set food is real and eating on camera can be hard. When I wrapped, they gave me the only real cake to take home. Man, that cake was amazing!!

Can you tell us about filming episodes of BMF and Will Trent?

Filming an episode of BMF was really cool because I got to see how movie magic works! They had smoke machines that made everything look darker and all dramatic, and the costume team did something super funny – they took brand-new clothes and shoes and made them look old and worn out! It was so cool watching them drill on shoes until they had holes! They even made the house look dirty and older, like we went back in time.

When I filmed an episode of Will Trent, I learned even more behind the-scenes stuff! I got to meet a body double who looked a lot like me, but she was an adult. She helped block my scenes until they were ready for me, which was so interesting.

We also had a gun handler there making sure everything stayed safe. It’s crazy that I later worked with him on The Woman in the Yard!! While filming, I accidentally got a bloody nose, and the set medic helped me right away. He was so nice and made sure I was okay. It showed me how everyone on set works together to keep you safe while you’re having fun acting!

How did you originally get into acting?

Well, ever since I was really little, I have always loved performing. I used to put on shows in my living room for my family, like singing, dancing and imitating characters. Sometimes I would even make my family be in the audience whether they wanted to or not.

I was dancing for a studio and some talent agents asked us to audition for a commercial. We didn’t book it, but were offered the opportunity to submit individually to that agency for representation. My parents thought I was too young and almost declined, but after more thought, I auditioned for representation and was signed! I’m so glad they made that decision!!

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

Ohh, Percy Jackson is my favourite movie!! I think it’s so cool how he finds out he’s a demigod and goes on all these big adventures! There must be a lot of stunts and movie magic, and I love that stuff! The action and magic makes me feel like anything is possible.

For TV, I really like The Thundermans because it’s so funny. They have superpowers but still act like a regular family, and sometimes I wish my family had powers like them too! Watching shows like that makes me excited to keep acting and maybe be in something just as fun one day.

How do you like to spend your free time?

In my free time, I love to dance, sing and put on whole shows at home for my family. When my sister joins me, we create something special and it’s like we’re on a Broadway stage!

We also ride bicycles through the neighbourhood, go roller skating and ride our four-wheeler, which is super fast! I really like spending time with my family. We play games, watch movies and just chill together.

One of my favourite things ever is travelling to different countries with them and learning about different cultures. It makes me feel like I’m on a real-life adventure! I also like to hang out with my friends. We just talk, laugh and have fun being silly.

What do you find most enjoyable about being an actor?

What I enjoy the most about being an actress is getting into character. It’s like playing dress-up or pretend when I become these characters.

Being on set is super fun too because I get to meet new friends and learn new things every day. I usually hang out with the hair and make-up crew because I love what they do.

Do you have any projects coming up that you can tell us about, and what are you hoping this year brings for you?

I’m working on some really exciting things right now, but I can’t talk about them yet because they’re still a secret. I wish I could though!

I can say that I’ve been having a lot of fun practising my lines, dancing, and meeting new people. I love when I get to use my imagination, so that’s been really cool. I’m super excited for everyone to see what’s coming when it’s finally ready!

I’m hoping this year brings so many fun opportunities. I really want to keep acting and getting better every single day and even do more stunts.

One of my dreams is to book a role in a kid-friendly film or even a Disney movie! That would be, like, AMAZING!! I’ve watched SO many Disney movies, and being in one would feel like stepping into a magical world.

I also want to meet cool people on set and travel to different places to film. I want to show other kids that dreams can come true.

And of course, I want to have time to relax and just hang out with my family and friends too.

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