thePULSE
Victoriahope McAuliffe
Worcester native Maya Morales is a multi-faceted, artistic powerhouse whose acting repertoire includes television, film and stage. Morales began acting at age nine, but her desire to perform began as a toddler.
“I remember being into artsy stuff because my parents had me start dancing at age two. I did the Nutcracker ballet, which was my introduction to performance, and I just caught the bug.”
Morales said Worcester’s arts and cultural community is rich with opportunities for kids and teens. “My parents were dedicated to searching out programs for me to get involved in. I went to acting camps and all sorts of programs that were offered throughout the city that helped me develop my craft.”
In 1997, she was selected to join the cast of Zoom, and the excitement the community felt was tangible. Copies of the newspaper article highlighting her achievement were handed out at church, and every child in the congregation watched her debut episode. Since her days on Zoom, Maya has appeared in multiple films and television series.
Recently Morales starred in Jinn as Tati. “My character kind of acts as a vehicle to Islamophobia, and that’s something I don’t relate to. I can relate to the insecurities and jealousy and second guessing, especially regarding sexuality and how girls present themselves.”
Jinn is a thought-provoking film, written and directed by Nijla Mu’min, released nationwide in November. Jinn’s writer crafted an alluring screenplay utilizing elegant prose and imagery, creating authenticity that compelled Maya to join the project. “The film was written poetically; the director would write about scarves blowing in the wind and use beautiful descriptions, what motions actors would be doing.”
Portraying racial and religious discrimination that people of color face when converting to Islam, Jinn highlights the impact on their identity, the complexities and joys of the mother/daughter dynamic, and how young love strives to exist within the microcosm of the Muslim community.
Former coursework in Islamic studies provided Morales with insight into issues facing Muslims in America and the discrimination they have faced. Despite her grasp of Islam, comprehending the level of anger and fear Tati experienced proved strenuous.
“The preparation for portraying Tati and accessing the negative aspects of her identity, especially her difficulties accepting Summer converting to Islam was challenging. Delving into where the origins of someone who is struggling with that enough to lash out was hard, because I’m not Islamophobic.”
Through Jinn’s depiction of Islam in America, its cast and crew hope to enlighten and educate people who have consumed misinformation spread by the media.
Serving as both an artist and activist, Morales said, “Being around the film and screenings gave me hope and joy to be part of these difficult conversations. The difficulty came from having girls come up to me after screenings and tell me they got kicked out after telling their parents they converted to Islam.”
Her hope? “That people will engage in dialogue around this, and it will spark people to talk about multiple themes within the film. I also hope it serves as a hug or safe space for people who haven’t ever had representation. I have so many people come up to me and say they have never seen themselves on television. Jinn can incite a movement. It’s so easy to say we need more intersectionality, but it’s often created without authentic narratives. It’s so important to see the beauty of people just being people. Just let people freaking be people; just let them be.”
Despite her budding success in Los Angeles, Morales still remains connected to her community in Worcester, which initially nourished her artistic spirit, and she credits Worcester for her development as an actress.
She fondly recalls performing at Foothills Theater as a child. “RIP Foothills Theater. I loved that place. I also attended The Hanover Theatre Youth Summer Program and took advantage of multiple opportunities available through my school and church.”
She specifically recalls the joy she felt during band and choir practice while attending Abbey Kelley Foster Charter School in Worcester. “My choir and band teacher were the only people who looked like my sister and I. She was this strong and brilliant person who looked like us and was incredibly impactful. My choir teacher had us sing powerful spiritual songs. It was amazing.”
Morales’ advice for aspiring local actors? “Take advantage of the small community that Worcester offers. LA is so large, it gave me the appreciation for the small community I left behind. Aside from training and learning whatever you can, don’t limit yourself, and don’t forget to live.”
You can follow Maya on Instagram @hellomayamo and watch Jinn on Google Play, Itunes and Amazon Prime.
