Meet Mikki: Actress, Author, and Voice of Creativity
Meet Mikki: Actress, Author, and Voice of Creativity
Mikki wears The Seamed Barrel Jean in Vintage Espresso
Tell us more about who you are and what you do!
My name is Mikki Hernandez and I'm an LA-based actress, voiceover artist and writer. My "day job" is voicing commercials, which I'm very grateful to do while auditioning for TV/Film projects. I have also voiced a couple of video games (TBA soon!) and love doing live theater and indie film. My debut children's book, Cake Mix, is out in the world as well, which is a fun project I'm super proud of.
What led you to pursue acting?
After college, I worked at a movie studio and quickly realized that the office life wasn’t for me. I started taking acting classes after work just for fun, and found myself challenged in the best way. The experience brought me back to my roots as a dancer, where being active in my body always felt most natural, and it unlocked a pull I’d always felt toward acting, even if I hadn’t seen it as a real possibility before. Meanwhile, at the studio, I watched many colleagues put aside their creative passions for stability, and it made me realize I wouldn’t be happy following that same path. So when I was eventually let go, I took it as the push I needed to commit fully to acting, and I’ve been pursuing it ever since.
Mikki wears The Petite Slim Wide Leg in Dark
What is something that you love and something you find challenging in the film industry?
I absolutely love how artists from so many disciplines come together to bring a story to life. It’s such a collaborative process, and I deeply admire the individual crafts—writing, directing, cinematography, set design, costumes, and beyond. It truly takes a village, and being on set is one of my favorite places because everyone is working toward creating something that doesn’t yet exist—which feels magical and exciting.
One of the challenges, though, is staying patient while waiting for bigger opportunities to come along. I have big dreams but I know I can't control the timing. For me, it’s a daily practice of showing up for myself—staying curious, continuing to train, and finding balance—so I can keep growing as both an actor and a person in a healthy way.
Mikki wears The Seamed Barrel Jean in Vintage Espresso
You also wrote a children's book! What inspired you to write "Cake Mix?"
A few years ago, I was volunteering as a reader in an elementary school and driving all across LA to pick out books from public libraries. I noticed how difficult it was to find stories featuring diverse characters, which inspired me to create one that could add more representation. I had always heard the advice to “write what you know,” so I chose to tell the story of a mixed kid, drawing from my own experiences as both a child and an adult to highlight voices too often left out of children’s books.
I was obsessed with baking when I was young, so it felt fun and whimsical to use that as a metaphor for being mixed and to spark a conversation kids could relate to. In many ways, Cake Mix is the book I wish I’d had growing up, and it’s been an incredible experience to see how the story has resonated with students and families from so many different backgrounds.
Mikki wears The Petite Slim Wide Leg in Dark
How do you manage your different creative pursuits and stay organized?
In my early twenties, I worked as an intern and executive assistant in fast-paced environments, where I learned how to manage a slate of projects at once. That experience has definitely given me the ability to keep several tracks going while maintaining a grounded business mindset. I take things one day at a time, rely on plenty of to-do lists and timers, and stay flexible by shifting my focus to whichever avenue has the most momentum.
What advice would you give aspiring actors?
Ah such a big question! Top suggestions would be...
- Be specific and unapologetic about the kind of career you want.
- Study the path of actors you admire.
- Try not to compare yourself to others. It's so hard, but it's essential for your mental health.
- Invest in your mental health! Whether that's therapy, coaching, meditation, etc. Find what works for you.
- Center your self-worth on who you are, not just what you do or accomplish in your career.
- Value and cultivate genuine friendships and relationships with people who share your values, work ethic, and goals and who will celebrate your wins as you celebrate theirs.
Mikki wears The Petite Slim Wide Leg in Dark
What do you like about your Just Black Denim jeans?
They are sooo comfortable yet also feel refined! I am a big jeans person and enjoy the versatility they bring to my overall low key sense of style. It's important for me to feel like I can wear jeans in a more casual way yet also feel put together for seeing a show or going out to dinner. The quality of JBD is top notch. I love the unique color of the Vintage Espresso Barrel Jean – adds such a cool, effortless vibe. The cut of the Petite Slim Leg is so satisfying as a petite girlie who loves an intentionally baggy look. It's been fun to piece both pairs with different tops and I am so happy to have them in my jeans rotation.