Check out our interview with extremely talented and influential activist and actress Kausar Mohammed who can be seen on the hit CW series, THE FLASH and NETFLIX’s hit animated series, JURASSIC WORLD: CAMP CRETACEOUS.
Kausar plays Dr. Meena Dhawan a.k.a “FAST TRACK” on THE FLASH. Her character, described as a titan in the scientific community, “Fast Track” leaves a balance for a lot of scientific experimentation, but she has a moral compass. She then realizes that she has a gift of power, super-speed to all humankind. The Flash is currently on and you can catch her throughout the season. Kausar is pulling double time on TV, as she returns as “Yaz,” one of the fan favorite lead animated characters in Dreamworks/Amblin’s hit show, Jurassic World: Camp Cretaceous. An animated science fiction, action adventure of a group of teenage campers who become stranded on Isla Dublar, when multiple dinosaurs escape their habitats. The series also stars Sean Giambrone, Jenna Ortega, Ryan Potter, to name a few.
Kausar who wrote and starred in the holiday romantic comedy, The Syed Family XMAS Even Game Night, premiered at the 2021 Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF).
Follow Kausar @Kausartheperson
Describe yourself in 3 words?
Curious, goofy and creative
How did you get started into acting?
From an early age, I knew I liked doing theater, especially comedy. In elementary school, I participated in the popular play, the nutcracker. I ended up playing a clown and unlike other clowns, I was very bad at somersaults, actually it was really embarrassing, haha, even though I was really trying. So, I told myself to just go with it, take it in, I’m a clown, but I’m going to be committed. When it came to the the show, it was a great moment and I remembered how fun it was to make people laugh in real time, so that was a big moment for me, an inspiration to get into acting.
How has this changed your life?
It’s incredible how it’s changed my life, you have a more introspective way of looking at things and I’m more compassionate with myself. A big part of acting is able to see every character, role and see it with love, compassionate through their eyes and you are only capable of doing that if you know
yourself.
What is the best and worst part of being an actress?
I would say the value as an actor is one of the best parts of being an actor, along with the variety, experience you get to do it in, with… I get to live a life of a superhero, in one of the roles I play and that’s something that doesn’t come around a lot. I also get to learn new skills that I would never do in my daily routine of life. I would say one of the worst things is not having control over our own schedule, that is challenging.
How do you prepare for a role?
Prep begins from the audition faze, the script. I ask myself, how do I apply ME to this? And what I have to do for me to be in this situation? The first part is personalization, after that it comes with researching background info, anything outside my own experience, then analyzing the script and memorization. The biggest part is writing/doing what is not on the page.
Tell us about your work in popular hit CW series “THE FLASH” and
NETFLIX’s hit animated series “JURASSIC WORLD: CAMP CRETACEOUS?”
In the Flash, I play a scientist, Dr. Meena Dhawan, a Superhero, titan in the scientific community. I go by the name, Fast Track, who is in central city. I essentially find a way to have super powers, where I build a machine for speed force and you get to see how that plays out in the series. In the series arc, I have to learn how to juggle super powers, flash and things she loses along the way. I play Yaz, one of the most athletically inclined characters who
loves to do things on her alone, a bit of an introvert. Throughout all these seasons, Yaz slowly starts to come out of her shell a bit more and by this season, you see the transformation, which is really apparent. Yaz has discovered a bit more of herself and has found a family, she gets to explore the power of relationships, especially in a totally different way.
Now tell us about your experience on writing and starring the
holiday romantic comedy “The Syed Family XMAS Even Game Night?”
The Syed Family XMAS Even Game Night is this queer rom-com short film that I wrote and starred in. It’s directed by Fawzia Mirza, who is also an amazing Muslim, Pakistani director. The story came out of wanting to see a queer couple, who is of color … partially within a Muslim family … who at the end of the day get their happy ending and get the acceptance from their family. I really workshopped it with Fawzia to make sure it was centered in comedy and centered in funny moments. Of course, having that heart but at the end of the day, how can we just have fun with this. There’s a power in being able to
laugh at ourselves.
If you have to pick in order, what goes first, Actress, Director or
Writer?
I’ definitely not a director, but I would say acting and writing goes hand in hand, each one makes the craft better.
What kind of roles do you like or would like to play and why?
I love roles that challenge you and I’m open to a lot of different roles, especially the ones I haven’t gotten yet. If I had to choose one right now it would have to be playing the bad guy, the villain, I would LOVE to play the villain in role for sure!
What is the most rewarding part of your work?
The people I get to work with, all the cool sets, the lifestyle of it.
What’s your advice for the newer actors?
Get specific, try all the things, so you can find what makes you happy and keep doing that, go after it.
What would say are the greatest lessons you learned so far in this business?
No one else knows your worth better than you, so believe it and stick to it, even if they don’t see it yet.
How would your best friend describe you?
I love all my best friends, but I would have to say, hard working, funny and who loves to dance on tables, haha!
If you are a book, what would be the title of the book and why?
Adrienne Maree Brown “Emergent Strategy- Shaping Change, Changing Worlds” the book is incredible, it talks about the human relationship to change, a self-help, but a design of our futures in how we want to live because change is constant.
What advice would you give to your younger self and why?
Rest is as important than work.
What book should every entrepreneur read?
Wants to move social Mindy way, social change.
What is your favorite healthy food?
Fruit and popcorn, all kinds of fruit… I can’t think of a fruit I can’t eat, oh and oatmeal, I’m an oatmeal countousier!
And your favorite cheat food?
Chocolate, dark chocolate!
What is your own definition of happiness?
Living the life like my dog Theo
If you could meet someone living or dead, who would it be and why?
Malcom X
Best advice ever given?
Pave things your own way….
Do you support any charity?
Absolutely! There are a couple: For The Gworls, The Okrca Project, Las Fotos Project, Plan C, etc.
Where do you see yourself and your career in 5 years from now?
Actively writing and acting in my own projects and through producing. I would love to provide platforms for other POC, Queer and female voices in this industry.
Favorite song? Why?
Hips Don’t Lie, Shakira, heard it in 7th grade and I made everyone in my school call me Shakira!
What do you think of Social Media?
Take it in doses.
Where we can follow you?
IG: @Kausartheperson
Twitter: @KausarMohammed
Book: Who Is Wellness For? – FARIHA RÓISÍN
Quote: “It is our duty to fight for our freedom. It is our duty to
win. We must love each other and support each other. We have nothing
to lose but our chains.”- Assata Shakur
Movie: The Others, Black Swan
Tv Series: The Office
Favorite Food: Chocolate
Travel Destination: Cape Town
Sports Team: Angel City Soccer Team
Credits
Photographer – Nolwen Cifuentes @nolwencif
Styling – Sharmila Ray @saywhatfoo
Makeup – Danielle Haxton @daniellehaxtonmua
Hair – Harper @harperartist
