Alisha Mullally is an Actress who has appeared on Netflix's "13 Reasons Why" and Amazon's "Back Stabber". Born and raised in Danville, California, Alisha holds a BFA and has been involved in the dance and acting industry since she was only eleven years old.
Alisha enjoyed success from an early age and was featured on the long-running soap opera "Days of Our Lives" and numerous commercials for well-known brands including Coca-Cola, Toyota, Macy's, Cisco, Outback Steakhouse and Nickelodeon. Alisha has also participated in voice-over work for commercials on both television and radio, and she has appeared in six feature films.
Last year, she completed an international tour where she traveled with "Disney Live! Mickey's Music Festival" where she had the honor of starring as the lead dancer and actress. She is now planning to do a series of commercials for Kellogg's Special K Cereal.
Alisha is also a certified Barre/Pilates Instructor and an avid animal lover who volunteers her free time with both the Orange County Coastkeepers and local shelters. She recently discussed her career, her current projects, and her future ambitions.
Dancing
Blasting News (BN): You started acting young, so how did you first get interested in this art form and how did you break into the industry?
Alisha Mullally (AM): I pretty much came out of the womb dancing, acting, and singing, and I’ve never stopped.
It’s just been my life. I did a pageant -- Miss Junior America. I ended up winning and there was an agent that saw me there. I was ten. My parents wouldn’t let me start in Los Angeles so I started in San Francisco, which is where I’m from. I booked my first audition, a commercial for Toyota. I was sold after that, it was over!
BN: You also dance -- so what came first, an interest in dancing or acting?
AM: Dancing! I always played sports and danced. I was a kid with way too much energy, and it was a really good creative and physical outlet.
BN: How many styles of dance are you trained in, which one did you start with, how did you branch out into others, and which ones do you hope to embrace in the near future?
AM: I’m trained in basically every style, because I got my bachelors in dance and we had to study basically everything. I started with jazz, which is still my favorite. I became obsessed with dance from there and wanted to learn every style possible from there.
Acting
BN: You've done a lot of commercial work, so what are some of the most memorable ads that you have been involved in?
AM: Special K and Outback Steakhouse. Special K was memorable because they closed down the street and had a camera crane, which was pretty cool. I remember Outback Steakhouse because I got to eat onion rings and Sprite all day because I played a little girl eating dinner with her family. I basically made myself sick.
They kept saying “You don’t have to eat it every time!” but of course I did because I was eleven. It was the best day ever.
BN: You have appeared on "Days of Our Lives" which is a really long-running show, so what character did you play and what was it like to be on set?
AM: I played young Deidhra Hall. It was incredible because she’s such a good actress and she’d been on that show since it started. To play her young and getting to watch her work was a huge learning experience. Everything on set was so fast too, so it was exhilarating.
BN: You have also appeared on six feature films, so what kinds of characters did you play and what would you consider to be your "dream role" if you could choose any kind of character?
AM: I played a smart girl in both “12 Dogs of Christmas” movies and loved being the know it all character. In “Allie's Sleepover Club” and “Soc Hop” I played the sweet innocent quirky girl and I feel that reflects who I truly am the most. My dream role would be anything that takes me out of my comfort zone. Something that challenges me both mentally and physically.
BN: Can you tell us a bit about your shows on Netflix and Amazon and the characters that you portray?
AM: On Netflix, on “13 Reasons Why” I play Sadie, the ultimate nice and cool girl. She loves playing saxophone; it’s basically her whole purpose in life. On Amazon, I’m in “Backstabber” and I play Aurora. She’s a high energy annoying girl in every social situation.
She’s just too loud and too obnoxious. But she’s got a really big heart, which totally redeems her. One role is drama and one is comedy, so it’s been cool to get to stretch my acting muscles.
More
BN: You also appeared in "Disney Live" and traveled the world! What were some of the highlights of that experience and do you hope to do more live events or theater work in the future?
AM: After touring for almost two years, I have to say, it’s nice to not be on the road all the time. At the same time, it was incredible to tour the United States and South America, and to get an opportunity to see the differences in culture everywhere, in food, music, and energies everywhere I went. The highlight was getting to perform at Madison Square Garden.
It was a total dream of mine, and getting to fulfill it was cathartic.
BN: You love animals and do a lot of volunteer work so can you tell us a bit about the Orange County Coastkeepers? What do you think the average person can do to help animals in need?
AM: I didn’t grow up by the beach, so it was nice to spend mornings on the beach, even if I was just picking up trash. At the same time, it felt good to know that I was helping out, improving the lives of the sea animals. I’ve always loved animals because I grew up with cats and dogs. Something anyone can do that I try to do as well is find a nearby spot with delicious vegetarian meals. An average person could do the same- it combines not eating meat with a yummy treat!
Actually, one of my favorite restaurants is a vegan place. I go there so much that my friends all tease me about how much I love it.
BN: What are some of the best things about working in the entertainment industry and what projects are coming up next for you?
AM: Working with and meeting creative and passionate people is the best part of working in the entertainment industry. You’re always surrounded by talent and geniuses, literally. Working with the cast of “13 Reasons Why” was one of the greatest examples of that. My Taco Bell ad is coming out this summer. It’s just a voice-over, but it was still tons of fun. “Backstabber” comes out in the fall, which I’m very excited about. I’m also still waiting to hear back on the fate of a few shows. It’s all very exciting, and that feeling of positive anticipation is part of what keeps my energy always buzzing.
