Maika Monroe

Maika’s first acting role was in the horror film Bad Blood in 2006. Her excellent performance in recently released thriller The Guest sees her playing the grieving sister of a fallen soldier sharing the family home with a mysterious stranger claiming to be the friend of her dead brother. She has just started filming for her latest role in the upcoming film adaptation of the young adult book, The 5th Wave, about an alien invasion, in which she plays a character called Ringer, opposite Chloe Moretz of Kick-Ass fame. We asked her about her career so far.Did Maika want to be an actress from when she was very young?

When I was in elementary school I always loved school plays but I think my real interest was sparked when I was thirteen and on the set of an actual movie. It was a horror film, so I got to see how they did all the special effects. I loved every aspect of the film. I was supposed to be a background line dancer for one scene but I ended up going to the set every day because I was so intrigued with the process. I worked with the makeup artists, special effects, the director and the producer. They were all super-nice to me and they ended up writing a one-line speaking part for me in the film! So, since I was thirteen, yes, I have known that I wanted to be an actor.Maika completed her studies online while she did her kiteboard training. How did she find that experience?

I moved to the Dominican Republic with my mom in the last semester of my senior year in high school, to train for competing in kiteboarding. It was hard because my dad stayed in Santa Barbara. I needed to train in a place that was windy almost every day and the little town of Cabarete was perfect. In retrospect, I think it was one of the best things I’ve ever done in my life. I didn’t have a cell phone, no car, so all the technology that is such a big part of our lives, I just did not have. And I loved it! Even the internet was sketchy! I finished my high school studies online and my mom made me take Spanish classes as a condition of us moving there. So every morning I would take a scooter to my Spanish class and train all afternoon on the water. At night I would do my online studies.

Maika is very busy, designing clothes, modelling, starring in movies and kiteboarding – how does she juggle all these things?
Well I started off doing all those things! Now most of my time is spent on set but I kiteboard whenever I have time off filming. I think it’s very important that you have other hobbies and interests that you enjoy. Kiteboarding keeps me grounded. Hollywood is a crazy-fast lifestyle but when I‘m on the water I leave that world behind…

It’s all happening pretty quickly for you right now, Maika. How do you see your career progressing in the future – would you like to try stage or TV work, for example?
I love movies – that’s where my heart is but I also like exploring new things so we’ll see!

Is there a particular director you would like to work with in the future?
One particular director? Ha! There are so many I’d like to work with! Wes Anderson, Kathryn Bigelow, Terrence Malick, Woody Allen…

Can you tell us a bit about your character, Ringer, in the upcoming movie, The 5th Wave?
I’m a badass! Really good with guns! Read the book….! (The 5th Wave, by Rick Yancey)

Is a career as an actor everything you thought it would be?
I love acting and I truly feel like it is what I was put on earth to do. I am always pinching myself to make sure this isn’t a dream!

What is your all-time favourite, cosy-night-in movie?
Right now, I’m binge-watching The Killing TV series. It’s just so good! For related articles on and careers in acting and drama click here