Hi Mia, how has your background shaped the person you are today?

I’m originally from Miami. My mom was a nurse for almost 50 years in Miami and my dad was an artist. As funny as this may sound, I am literally 50% my mom and 50% my dad. He was very influential in the Miami art scene beginning in the early 1960s. He and his artist buddies started the Coconut Grove Arts Festival, selling their art on the sidewalks during that time. Being the child of an artist makes for a very rich childhood and I was taught love, open-mindedness, and acceptance of people of all colors, backgrounds, shapes and sizes. As for my mom, she was the practical parent, having a long-time career in nursing. I am a CPA by trade and learned the importance of having a stable career from my mom. I found my creative side later in life in acting, performing improv, and filmmaking,

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
Acting and filmmaking. The acting bug came in 2007 from doing a testimonial for a local cable company. It may sound funny, but I absolutely loved the hair and makeup experience, and posing for the camera. From that point, I knew I wanted to be in front of the camera, but knew I should get some training. I took improv lessons where I learned about emotion, listening and performing in front of an audience. Making people laugh was quite a high! Wanting to act in film came after that. I became part of the small film community here in Miami, and I’m always networking. I’ve met many filmmakers and actors, and have booked several roles simply from that. Filmmaking came recently when I wanted to write about a part of my life and star in the film. I premiered “The Wrong Door” in May 2020. It is about a battered wife who escapes an abusive husband, something I actually did in 2004. I’d say that was the biggest challenge I had to overcome and once I did, there was no looking back. I am currently submitting the film to festivals all over the world. I’ve overcome many challenges in life (including a stroke in 2018, from which I fully recovered), but I have always stayed positive. I think this is the key to my desire and drive. Also, I don’t take myself too seriously, and I always have a sense of humor. You have to remember to just have fun. I can’t imagine being any other way.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Well, I’d probably take them to do the touristy things, like a boat ride at Bayside so they could get a nice view of the city from the water. We would take a day to go to the beach and hang out under the sun and enjoy the ocean. Then I’d take them to walk along Ocean Drive and have a late lunch or early dinner at one of the hotel sidewalk cafes. If the timing were right, we’d check out the Wynwood Art Walk so they could get a sense of the local art scene. I’d take them to an improv or standup comedy show. On a Friday night, I would take them to my regular karaoke spot, Cariflex, a small Jamaican restaurant with amazing food, great hosts and a lovely crowd with some phenomenal singers.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I dedicate my shoutout to my dear late sister Laura Scornavacca Duchaine. She was not only my sister, but my best friend. We were very close growing up, always laughing and improvising. She unexpectedly passed away this past March. She taught me so much about acting, the business, and how to “be” in the acting world. She was my number one fan and instilled a great amount of confidence in me by recognizing my talent and encouraging me to keep going. I wouldn’t be where I am, or who I am, without her. I know she is watching down on me and is very proud. I’d also like to give a shoutout to my children, Colt, Maverick and Alana. They have always been extremely supportive of me following my dreams at this point in my life. They tell me I am an inspiration to them which is just beautiful. They are my best friends and I am so blessed to have them.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/miascorna/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mia.scornavacca

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