Check out our interview with talented actress Mirabelle Lee who can be seen playing the recurring role of Sonia Little in the new Disney show, “Saturdays”.
The show is getting great reviews; one says: “Kids into fashion, music, and performance will find this sitcom irresistible. The teen characters in Saturdays manage to feel both super cool but also incredibly wholesome and relatable. Saturdays also fills a gap in TV representation, since there have not been many kid-friendly sitcoms with an all-Black cast since the That’s So Raven/Sister Sister/Smart Guy era of the 1990s and 2000s.”
Follow Mirabelle @anaismirabelle & @mirabellelee
Last time we talked, you shared your experience in the movie “Slapface.” What is the feeling of movie success and if you are looking to do more movies in the future?
The response to Slapface was so amazing! Slapface has been a part of my life for so long and I’m overjoyed to hear that everyone loves it as much as I do. Yes, I would love to do more movies in the future! Working in film is always so much fun and I can’t wait to create my own movies one day. One of my aspirations is to become a screenwriter.
Tell us about the new Disney show, “Saturdays?” And about your role as Sonia Little?
The show Saturdays follows Paris Johnson (Danielle Jalade) and her two best friends Ari (Peyton Basnight) and Simone (Daria Johns) and their love of roller skating, specifically at their local skating rink, Saturdays. It’s such a warm show about family, friendship, and rollerskating and I’m so happy to be a part of it. My character, Sonia, skates on the rival team and in the series is a foe to the character Paris Johnson. Sonia has a lot of attitude and you can always find her saying some sort of snarky remark to the girls. I love her, she’s so much fun to play because of her intense confidence! Sonia is a part of a skate crew called Too Cute For You that goes head to head with Paris Johnson’s crew – the We-Be-Girlz. There is an amazing heated season finale where the two teams go head-to-head!
How was the casting for this show?
The casting for Saturdays was a very long process for me, I auditioned for so many characters on the show! Surprisingly, I auditioned more as opposing characters than my own! In total, I did around 6 callbacks for Saturdays and for three different characters. But when they sent Sonia along, it just felt right. I only did one producer’s session for Sonia and a few weeks later, I booked the role! I was ecstatic. From there, I immediately went into skate training with the other girls and it was so much fun.
How do you prepare for a role?
I prepare for a role by making some sort of Pinterest board or Spotify playlist inspired by the character. Clothing and music taste is a big part of your character’s personality and I find that when I do that, I’m able to understand the character on a more personal level.
What kind of roles do you like or would like to play and why?
I love doing drama but also enjoy comedy! Super dramatic roles where I have to cry are always very fun but on the contrary, working on specifically single-camera comedies are very enjoyable!
If you weren’t acting, what would you be up to right now?
If I wasn’t acting, I would be screenwriting! I have been spending my summers in a summer screenwriting class which I love! More recently, I entered one of my scripts into the Indie Short Festival contest and won an award for Best Short Script! I think I would also dive more into directing as well. If we are talking about not doing anything in the entertainment industry, that would be so hard! But possibly something in media or maybe even entertainment law!
How would your best friend describe you?
I asked my best friend Amir to answer this question and he said, “I would describe you as ambitious, smart, funny, passionate, creative, and stylish.”
What book should every entrepreneur read?
Life as an entrepreneur can sometimes be stressful so I would recommend reading any book that provides you with escapism, whatever that looks like for you. For me, it’s reading a lot of romance novels. While corny at times, the corniness is sometimes exactly what I need to help me calm down and forget about anything that could be stressing me out.
What’s next for Mirabelle Lee in 2023?
What’s next for me this year is the launch of my and my twin sister Anais’ new skincare line called, Reflect. Reflect is inspired by identical twin’s mirrored reflection. The message behind Reflect is to embrace and love yourself and the way you look in the mirror. The products are designed for the Gen Z market and will be affordable but have a luxurious high end quality. Anais and I are working with British green chemist, Karen Drake who has developed a new technology based purely on sustainability. Reflect’s products are unique because they will use only modern green chemistry materials. The great thing about Reflect is that a percentage of the proceeds will be contributed to our Beatrice Martin Foundation to promote literacy in underserved communities.
Anais and I created the Beatrice Martin Foundation, which is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that encourages and promotes literacy amongst underprivileged youth. We named the foundation after our great grandmother (Beatrice Martin) who encouraged our grandmother to rise out of poverty through reading and education. Through the Beatrice Martin Foundation, we hope to spread the joy of reading and provide the next generation with the skills they need to thrive in society. Both of these projects mean so much to me and I’m so happy to announce them to the world so everyone can benefit from them, whether it is by boosting your confidence in your skin or introducing new books to your classroom!
Where do you see yourself and your career in 5 years from now?
In five years, I see myself preparing to graduate from university and also working on some sort of film, ideally one that I wrote and act in.
What is your favorite song to belt out in the car/for karaoke?
My favorite song to belt out in the car is either Dear John or Back to December by Taylor Swift.
Where can we follow you?
You can follow me on Instagram at @mirabellelee and @anaismirabelle. You can also follow me on TikTok at @mirabelleblee and @anaismirabelle
Photographer: @lenamelnik
