Today we’d like to introduce you to Thais Maya.
Thais, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
Oh dear… It could be a movie, or a novel, or even a TV series.
I’m originally from São Paulo, Brazil, but I grew up in a small city called Araras – it’s countryside and I still love it.
My family moved from the big city of São Paulo to the small Araras because of my mom’s work…
Since I was a kid I always wanted to work as an actress, but in Araras there wasn’t many opportunities to follow this goal. I was doing theater over there, with the goal of taking it professionally one day in my life.
My family didn’t really have the financial conditions to support me going to a private school or University, so when I was 15y old, I was tested to gain entry and study Geomatics at a renowned public school and after successfully passing, I eventually became a Geomatics technician. Geomatics helped me to get into where I am now.
When I was 18 I decided to move back to Sao Paulo where I began to work as a Geomatics technician and invested my earnings in acting, completing my studies in two of the most prestigious acting schools in Brazil, “Studio Beto Silveira” and “Wolf Maya”, eventually becoming a professional actress dedicating all my time to my passion.
However, I always knew I wanted more, more than “just Brazil”… For some reason, since I was a kid I felt I wanted to “be like those actresses in the movies” – and those “movies” were not from Brazil…
After working in a few plays, short films and being part of TV commercials, with my mother’s and family’s support, I first moved to Australia to experience a foreign country. In Sydney, I attended NIDA (National Institute of Dramatic Arts). And ready to take my career to the next step, I came to California, where I started to focus on cinema.
This is a very short summary because between these lines, there were many challenges, like learning a new language (I never spoke English before and I went to Australia by myself), also personal challenges like the passing of my beloved mother and both grandmothers… Among other ones, but with faith in God and focus, I keep overcoming those.
As I say, the sky isn’t the limit. There is no limit.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Whenever I remember about those challenges I had, I think how did I overcome them??
We all have challenges, we all go through so many moments where we simply need to find a “solution”.
I never forgot the day I arrived in Australia… I was so happy and “lost” – I wasn’t sure if I was doing the right thing. I chose Australia because while you are an English student, you are allowed to work – in the US it isn’t possible.
Learning English was a huge step and then, I started working in a Brazilian restaurant in the third month I was there. I spent around three years and half in Australia, studying and working.
When you live in a different country (specially when you don’t know anyone who has done this before), you have to learn the culture, you have to learn how to be far from the ones you love and to simply know your goal clearly in your mind and do everything you can towards it…
When I arrived in the US, I had my boyfriend who I met in Australia and who also wanted to come to the US too, for business purposes. It was a blessing that both of us wanted to move here!!
But right after we arrived, I had the news my mother was diagnosed with lung cancer. I was about to ‘start living the dream’, but… My mom was Everything To Me. I didn’t know what to do, because she was so happy to see me getting where I wanted to be (she was truly the one who would give everything she had to help me if I needed…), and in my mind, I wasn’t sure what to do… I really didn’t.
I had two choices – leave everything and be with her for those last moments, or keep the faith for the cure, and visit her for a few months and come back here for more few months, etc… This second option didn’t “feel nice”, but “felt right” because I put myself in her shoes and the last thing I wouldn’t want to see would be to see my daughter ‘sad’ and ‘giving it all up for me’… So, in the meantime, I got married (we got married in Brazil, so my mom could be part of this special moment!), we tried it all for her cure and… She went closer to God. Before her, just like that, my both grandmothers too.
It was an “emotional struggle” I lived for a while, but my mom went to the other side knowing that her daughter is still living the life she wanted for me.
Thank God I have a beautiful family that also supported it all together.
In addition to that, there were also challenges like learning how the acting/modeling Industry works here, also the American Accent (remember, I first learned English in Australia! LOL!!), etc…
We’d love to hear more about your work.
I’m a grateful Brazilian professional actress and model.
I was praised by one of the biggest TV directors from Brazil – yes, that happened! Besides that, a short film where I play the leading role, was selected to be part of the biggest Brazilian Film Festival in the US, the Los Angeles Brazilian Film Festival. I’m thrilled! But I still have so many goals to achieve in this life!
My art isn’t for me, it is for the others. I simply love to touch my audience’s souls, moving them to a better “state of heart & mind” through my work.
I also love being able to communicate to the World (I now speak English and Spanish fluently) and I’ve been positively taking advantage of this massive growing social media to share my modeling/acting content, in a fun and motivation drive.
So, what’s next? Any big plans?
The Brazilian film and TV industry has been growing globally in the recent days and I hope to be part of projects where the US and Brazil work together.
I also have some music projects too. As a hobby, I sing and play guitar (my dad is the one who’s inspired me!! He’s a great player!).
If I get where I want to, I want to open Arts Centers for children with disabilities (mental & physical).
I hope to give you all more great news soon. 🙂
Contact Info:
- Website: www.thaismaya.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/thaismayaofficial
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/thaismayaofficial
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