MALLORY LOW

If you have Netflix, you might’ve seen their new original show called “The Chair,” out right now. The show is led by the inimitable Sandra Oh, and has an amazing supporting cast. One of whom might be a new face to you (but who certainly isn’t new to the business), Mallory Low. Mallory plays a teaching assistant to Bill Dobson (Jay Duplass’ character), and is recurring throughout the series.   
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When you’ve been in the business for years, you know this career is a journey. And I just love seeing the journey of talented artists like Mallory, working on all these incredible projects. A multi-hyphenate, Mallory is blazing trails in front of and beyond the camera, as well as making her mark in the voiceover world.

I have a feeling the universe will soon feel her impact, and I hope her story will inspire you, as it has me, to continue working on your dreams!
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​Tell us a little bit about yourself, where you’re from/grew up and how you got into acting/voice over?

I was born and raised in Los Angeles, California.  I started acting around the age of seven in various commercials.

​At 16, I booked my first series regular role on a Nickelodeon show called, “Just For Kicks,” which was executive produced by Whoopi Goldberg. 

 ​My mom was the one who initially got me into acting.  She worked alongside my first agent as an assistant and would bring me to the office with her. The agent ended up meeting with me, and I charmed her with my innate singing ability by singing her my ABC’s and the rest is history.

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​​How did you get cast in “The Chair,” and what was the audition process like?

 
The audition process for the “The Chair,” was a bit different than other auditions I’ve had in the past. Because of Covid, all the auditions were self-tapes; also, I found out about the audition through a good friend of mine. He was connected with Jay Duplass, and he recommended me for the role of Lila.

A few days later, I received the initial audition from casting, then ended up getting a callback with new sides to self-tape with. I didn’t hear anything for a few weeks and had already concluded that I didn’t get it. But to my surprise, my manager called me in the beginning of January and said, “Time to pack your bags, you booked the role.”

​I cried. A lot.

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​What was it like shooting, working with the cast and crew?
 
I am not going to lie; I did have imposter syndrome at times. However, I tried to not let it consume me. Working with such a talented cast, not to mention the queen, Sandra Oh, filming out of state in Pittsburgh; just the mere thought of all of that was a bit intimidating. But, on my first day on set in the make-up trailer, Sandra came up from behind me, grabbed my shoulders, shook me and said, “You’re here, you’re here, welcome!” After that very moment I knew I was going to be okay. Being welcomed with open arms from Sandra Oh, Amanda Peet, Jay Duplass, director Dan Longino and the rest of the talented cast and crew reconfirmed the fact that I deserved to be there. Their professionalism and warmth set the tone for the entire shoot.

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Working on set was an absolute dream for me. I could see that both Sandra and Jay were big on specificity in their choices, but they were openminded to hearing other ideas. Since it was a first season, I think everyone was trying to figure out the “tone” of the show together. So, it was definitely a collaborative environment.

​I loved everyone’s work ethic and how respectful and kind they were to every single person on set, no matter what their role was. It made everyone feel at ease and comfortable which resulted in everyone delivering their best work, creatively.

​This whole entire experience was a huge learning experience for me, and I am so incredibly grateful to have been a part of it

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​Co​uld you tell us a little bit about your VO career, and what’s been your favorite project to work on and why?

I feel that my VO career has just begun. Since I started my career on-camera, I still feel like a complete beginner in this new world of VO. As a kid, I dabbled in some VO, then on-camera sort of took over from there.

Then, about 7 years ago, I got back into VO after taking a phenomenal VO class, which I attribute to my bookings. 

It’s really hard to single out a favorite project, but I loved voicing Livewire/Leslie Willis on Cartoon Network’s, “DC Superhero Girls,” Madam M in the video game, “Final Fantasy Remake,” and most recently, my first series regular as Chizu, in the upcoming new Netflix show, “Samurai Rabbit: The Usagi Chronicles.”

​All of these characters have their differences, but what they have in common is that they are all strong, passionate, badass female characters. And I love that about them!

What’s something surprising about you that people don’t know?
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Usually, I would say that I sing, and my favorite genre to sing is R&B, but I feel like that information is on the internet already. So, here’s something better: I love to watch mukbang videos before I go to sleep, and I dream of one day having my own food vlog channel or mukbang channel. I am a huge foodie.
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​If you could work on your dream project, with no regard to budget, what would it entail/be about, and who would you work with?
 
Well, obviously the project would feature a strong, Asian female lead who overcomes her challenges and comes out on top. I’m currently writing two pilots — a musical dramedy and a sci-fi mystery. Even though I love playing and watching characters that have strength, I also admire characters that show their vulnerable side. Their imperfections. There is something so raw and human when you see the struggle and how it affects them. And I feel that showcasing that vulnerability in challenging times and having the perseverance to overcome it, is a strength in itself. I think I’m describing every single project Sandra Oh has been a part of. I guess that answers who I’d work with. Haha.
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​There are a lot of ups and downs in this industry. Can you tell us one of your worst "down" times, and how you overcame it/are overcoming it? What's the best advice you've heard and how do you apply it to your life?​

Ups and downs, in my opinion, come with the industry. Unfortunately, there will be tons of them. I can’t pinpoint a specific “down” time, but I can talk about my struggles and how I try to overcome them.

For instance, I’ve always struggled with my self-worth and comparing myself to other people in the industry. I still do, to this day at times. Instead of being envious of other fellow actors, I try to reframe the perspective with the thought of being happy for them and with the belief that my time will come.

We actors don’t usually receive a lot of good feedback, reassurance, or any confirmation that we are good at all and that we’re “on the right path.” Because of that, we’re always questioning our worth. Is the work that I’m putting out there, good enough?

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​I’ve learned that we must trust ourselves, and trust the fact that if we don’t book, it has nothing to do with us as people and human beings. It might not even have anything to do with our work. But there is something so powerful in the acceptance of that.
 
With that said, the best advice I’ve heard is: don’t look for the approval of others. We can’t be everyone’s cup of tea and that’s okay. In the end, all we can do is try our best and if we gave it 100%, that’s all that matters.
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​Where would you like to ideally see yourself in five years?

​Hmm. Ideally, I’d love to be a show runner or directing an episode of a show that I’ve written.
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Also, I see myself getting nominated for an award-winning performance and WINNING!

​Yes, I’m absolutely putting all that energy out there in the Universe.

What tips and suggestions would you give to people aspiring to do what you do?

One of my biggest tips and suggestions is to take classes and continue developing your craft. Even though I’ve booked jobs, I still continue to learn and keep an open mind.

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Acting, whether it’s on-camera or voice acting, is  like a muscle and you’ve got to keep working it or else it gets rusty.

I also suggest finding opportunities to gain experience. If you aspire to act, act. Be part of short films or productions where you can do just that. Immerse yourself in your craft as much as possible.​​

How can people find more about you, or reach out to you?

You can find me on social media.

My handle is: @mallorylow on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
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Honestly, I’m not heavily on social media but I love interacting with people and try to as much as I can. 

Connect with me!

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Huge thank you to Mallory for doing this interview!

​Check out her projects mentioned above, and let us know in the comments if you have any questions for her, or have enjoyed her work!