The post Meet Owen Cooper: 15 Years Old, Emmy Winner, History-Maker appeared first on My Lemon Magazine.

The post Squid Game’s Viral Doll Voice Belongs to Her appeared first on My Lemon Magazine.

Photography Lydia Canbakal

Make-up Christine Hazelhurst

From an early age, Akira would often sing and dance for the clients at her mother’s hair salon. It was one of her mother’s clients who suggested she attend a commercial audition, a first taste of success which ignited her passion for performing.

Now you can find this amazing actress starring in the Walt Disney box office hit “Captain Marvel” and in the Netflix movie “We Can Be Heroes”.

She’s also appeared in some major hit television series like “Family Reunion” and “This is Us”, and her credits include a stint on “Grey’s Anatomy” and “Criminal Minds.”

Outside of acting, Akira enjoys being a pre-teen. She roller skates, makes and edits her own YouTube videos, and spends time with family and friends. At school she enjoys studying maths, history and English and loves to write and share stories.

LEMON Magazine [LEMON] – Tell us a little bit about your life as a pre-teen girl?

Akira Akbar [A.A.] – I love skating, shopping, thrifting, and hanging out with my friends in my free time!

[LEMON] – What role have you enjoyed the most?

[A.A.] – I like all of them but playing Fast Forward in “We Can Be Heroes” was super fun because I got to work with a bunch of kids my age!

[LEMON] – Is it more demanding to shoot a movie or a TV show?

[A.A.] – I would say doing a TV show is more demanding because you get a new script every week and most of the time, they shoot back-to-back, so they expect you to nail it every time.

[LEMON] – You were a model before being an actress and worked with big brands like Nike and Levi’s. How did acting become part of your life?

[A.A.] – I would always watch TV and memorise lines from shows and it made me realise that I wanted to see myself on TV one day! So, since modelling and acting are in the same business, I mentioned it to my agent and she signed me up right away.

[LEMON] – What’s been your biggest scare while working?

[A.A.] – My biggest scare was when I worked on “Captain Marvel”. When I first saw the skulls in full costume, I freaked out because they were so detailed. I thought they were real!

[LEMON] – What’s one dream you would like to see come true?

[A.A.] – Me being in a horror film or show is definitely a dream come true of mine! I also really want to live in New York. That is my dream place to live.

[LEMON] – We heard you love to sing. What’s your favourite song of all time?

[A.A.] – I love singing “Love On Top” by Beyoncé, just because it’s a classic and it’s one of my favourite songs.

[LEMON] – Is it difficult to reconcile school with your career?

[A.A.] – At times, but overall, not really. Right now, I go to a private school and thankfully everyone has been super helpful with my schedule, so I’ve been able to keep my grades up and keep working.

[LEMON] – How do you keep yourself disciplined?

[A.A.] – Probably shutting off my phone or not hanging out so I can focus on my work. It’s easy to get distracted so doing what you need to do to get your stuff done is the best bet. “Work hard, play later” is definitely my motto.

THIS OR THAT:

Beach or pool? Pool

Dog or cat? Dog

Spaghetti or pizza? I love both!

Dancing or singing? Dancing

Summer or winter? Both

Nutella or peanut butter? Peanut Butter

Be invisible or able to fly? Be Invisible

Instagram or Twitter? Instagram

Sandals or sneakers? Sneakers, but sandals on a hot day

Vegetables or fruit? I like a bit of both!

READ FULL INTERVIEW AT LEMON Nº11

The post Girl-crush appeared first on My Lemon Magazine.

By Lara Franco Gomes
Photography courtesy of Mya Xeller

She lives in Connecticut and has held many national titles, including the 2019 Miss Teen World America, Connecticut, and 1st Runner Up at Miss Teen World America, Las Vegas. She is currently the 2020 Connecticut Royal International Miss Teen and will be heading to Florida this July to compete at the International level. Alongside her pageant career, she has a deep commitment to community service and will soon be holding fundraisers for her organisation All About Pink, which has partnered up with the non-profit “More Than Likes.” She has modelled at New York Fashion Week with several designers, starred in music videos for up-and-coming recording artists and has appeared as a cover and print model for various national magazines. She also dances and sings and has performed at venues such as Citi Field stadium in New York. 

LEMON Magazine [LEMON]: Tell us what being a beauty pageant queen is like.

Mya Xeller [M.X]: Pageants have brought out the best in me and made me grow into the inspired young lady I am. It is more than the beauty; it is about the brains behind the beauty and the drive you have to make a true difference in this world.

[LEMON]: How did “Next Big Thing” impact your life?

[M.X]: Being a part of “Next Big Thing NYC” has been absolutely amazing. Not only did it provide me experience and a footstep into the TV world, but it provided me with friendships that I may have not formed if I didn’t film for the show. One of my favourite moments of the series is in Episode 4. I got very hurt, so although the circumstances weren’t great, it was really heart-warming to see how much my friends care about me!

[LEMON]: What is it really like to film a reality show?

[M.X]: Since Next Big Thing NYC was my first time ever filming for a TV show, I really had no idea what I was getting into and what it would be like. After the first day of filming, I quickly learned that EVERYTHING gets caught on camera, and that it takes a very long time to film. It’s not a one-time shot kind of thing; scenes usually need to be filmed multiple times which can be tricky with reality TV since it is real life.

[LEMON]: Who is your biggest inspiration?

[M.X]: My biggest inspiration is my mum because although she works hard every day to be able to provide for my family and me, she still has the time to fill the shoes of my #1 best friend. She is my biggest supporter, my best friend, and overall, my biggest inspiration. 

[LEMON]: If you had to choose between singing, dancing, modelling and acting, which one would you pick?

[M.X]: I would pick modelling. But I am passionate about everything I do so that is a very hard choice to make!

[LEMON]: How is school going?

[M.X]: I am doing school completely online this year and I am loving it! I am very independent and responsible, so handling my work at home on my own is not a problem for me!

[LEMON]: What do you love to do in your spare time?

[M.X]: In my spare time I love to take self-care time… do face masks, self-tan myself, sitting down to watch a good movie with some nice snacks!

[LEMON]: Did you feel pressure to fit in with society’s standards while growing up?

[M.X]: I did feel some pressure growing up, but now that I have matured mentally and emotionally, I am more aware of the fact that I am me and that is beautiful. Everyone is meant to be different, that is what makes everyone personally unique. I am human, and still have days where I find myself feeling self-conscious or comparing myself to things I see on the internet, but I reassure myself that everyone is beautiful in their own way and that not everything we see on social media is real!

[LEMON]: What’s the best and worst thing about having accomplished so many things at such a young age?

[M.X]: The best thing about having accomplished so many things at a young age is that I can now be a role model and inspiration for younger people who look up to me. The worst thing about it is that I was introduced to the cruel world of social media at a young age and was exposed to mean people behind screens. I learned from an early age that social media has its pros and cons!

[LEMON]: What’s the best advice you can give to other teens that look up to you?

[M.X]: The best advice I have for anyone who wants to pursue a similar career path to mine is to never give up and never change for others. The industry is very competitive and you will be told no and turned down for jobs and hated on, but if you give up, you’re giving the haters exactly what they want! Be 100% your genuine self, keep working hard no matter what anyone says, and your time will come!

[LEMON]: What comes to mind when you think of lemons?

[M.X]: A mental image of warm weather, beaches and nice refreshing drinks comes to mind!

@myaxeller

The post She Does It All appeared first on My Lemon Magazine.