MENASA Film TV Actors Virtual Open Call Hollywood Diversity Initiative Announced
Apr 9, 2021
Studio For Performing Arts LA and Walid Chaya have announced an upcoming diversity initiative with a free virtual open call that offers actors of MENASA descent the opportunity to showcase themselves to a panel of VIP film and television industry professionals.
Los Angeles, United States - April 9, 2021 /PressCable/ —
Studio For Performing Arts LA and Walid Chaya have announced their next virtual open call diversity initiative on May 8th, 2021, to help performers of MENASA (Middle East, North Africa, and South Asia) descent raise their acting profile and visibility to a panel of film and television talent agents, directors, producers and casting professionals.
More information is available at http://walidchaya.com/diversity
The upcoming open call is free and produced by Studio For Performing Arts LA’s director Walid Chaya. The initiative gives performers from the underrepresented MENASA regions the opportunity to showcase to talent representatives a prepared one-minute film or television monologue.
As a recent study by the MENA Arts Advocacy Coalition showed, only 1 percent of all television actors are of MENASA descent. This underrepresentation can make it difficult for upcoming MENASA performers to find work and struggle to be seen by casting directors and other industry professionals. Studio For Performing Arts LA is working to help performers from these areas get a foot in the door through their virtual open call.
The open call is free to enter and is scheduled to take place on May 8th with appointments booked between 10 am and 2 pm PT. Participants will meet virtually over Zoom to allow performers to sign up regardless of their location. The initiative is open for performers of ages nine and up who are of MENASA descent and able to legally work in the USA. Confirmed performers will be asked to present a one-minute film or television monologue online for a VIP panel of Hollywood professionals.
As a MENASA actor himself, Walid Chaya personally understands the challenges and struggles of those trying to get into the industry. Having worked on television shows such as ‘The Blacklist: Redemption’ and ‘Madam Secretary,’ Walid hopes to share his experiences and insight to help others find success through his work at Studio For Performing Arts LA.
The upcoming open call is part of the studio’s scheduled series of events to assist performers from different background and regions around the world. These diversity initiatives help performers to improve their exposure and be considered for professional acting opportunities. More information about the acting studio and its upcoming events can be found online: http://studioforperformingarts.com
A spokesperson for Studio For Performing Arts LA said, “We strive for equality and to amplify the voices of actors from underrepresented groups, especially in the film and television landscape.”
Interested parties can find more information by visiting http://walidchaya.com/diversity
Contact Info:
Name: Michael O'Sullivan
Email: Send Email
Organization: Premiere Media PR
Address: 1680 Vine Street, Los Angeles, CA 90028, United States
Website: http://performingartsworld.com/
Source: PressCable
Release ID: 89004539
More News
Clockwork, Warner Bros’ New Specialty Label, Is Making Jump To Skydance – The Dish
EXCLUSIVE: Warner Bros’ new Christian Parkes-led contemporary film label Clockwork, which we first told you about in December, will be making the segue to the newly merged Paramount-Warner Bros company now known as Skydance. Clockwork was on an internal list of Warner Bros labels shown in-house at Paramount. In addition, we’ve heard from reliable sources […]
‘Free Elizabeth Holmes’ Group Defends Convicted Theranos Founder at ‘You Can See Everything’ Doc Screening: She’s ‘Innocent and Needs to Be Free’
In the wild A24 documentary “You Can See Everything,” Elizabeth Holmes still maintains her innocence in her Theranos fraud case despite being sentenced to 11 years in prison. It turns out, there are a few others who share her beliefs. Ryan Elhosseiny, who runs a group called Just Blood, claims that Holmes is innocent and […]
Best Horror of October 2026: ‘Other Mommy’ Goes for the Heart, ‘Carrie’ Returns, Josh Hartnett Hunts for Sea Monsters and More
Welcome to Horror Explorer, a curated column showcasing the month’s best movies, series, books and everything else spooky worth checking out. I’m William Earl, the executive digital director of Variety and the publication’s resident horror enthusiast. Please drop me a line at [email protected] if there’s something I should check out for next month’s missive.
‘American Idol’ Contestant Caleb Flynn Sentenced to Life in Prison Without Parole for Wife’s Murder
Former American Idol contestant Caleb Flynn has been sentenced after being found guilty of murdering his wife Ashley Flynn. The […] The post ‘American Idol’ Contestant Caleb Flynn Sentenced to Life in Prison Without Parole for Wife’s Murder appeared first on Just Jared - Celebrity News, Entertainment News & Photos.
Pam Levine Exits Netflix as Marketing & Publicity VP (EXCLUSIVE)
Pam Levine, Netflix’s marketing and publicity VP for the U.S. and Canada, is out at the streamer after a year and a half in her post, Variety has confirmed. Levine joined Netflix in April 2025. She managed all publicity and marketing for all film and TV series for the U.S. and Canada. She reported to […]
Sebastian Stan Explains Why He Turned Down Lead Role in ‘Vampire Diaries’
The Vampire Diaries could have looked very different! The hit teen drama ran for eight seasons from 2009 to 2017 […] The post Sebastian Stan Explains Why He Turned Down Lead Role in ‘Vampire Diaries’ appeared first on Just Jared - Celebrity News, Entertainment News & Photos.
‘Coven Academy’ Star Malina Weissman Unpacks Briar’s Backstory, Her Take on the Love Triangle and Her Hopes for Season 2
SPOILER ALERT: This story contains spoilers for “Coven Academy,” now streaming on Disney+. Nestled amid a tree-lined New Orleans exterior is a boarding school host to witches and warlocks alike in Freeform and Disney+’s new young-adult drama. “Coven Academy” stars Malina Weismann as Briar, a grieving teen who shows up on the doorstep of what […]
The City Leader Who Revived Central Park Dies at 85
Gordon J. Davis was New York City’s first Black parks commissioner and one of the most effective. He also led Lincoln Center.
Kaytranada Performs as Alix Earle, Omar Apollo & Jasmine Tookes Celebrate CHAM’s New Undergarments Line in L.A.
CHAM celebrated its latest launch with a very Los Angeles party! The brand gathered friends, fashion insiders and celebrities at […] The post Kaytranada Performs as Alix Earle, Omar Apollo & Jasmine Tookes Celebrate CHAM’s New Undergarments Line in L.A. appeared first on Just Jared - Celebrity News, Entertainment News & Photos.
Jeffrey Archer Dies: Bestselling ‘Kane & Abel’ Author & Politician Was 86
Jeffrey Archer, the prolific British author and former politician, has died at the age of 86. Archer’s publisher HarperCollins confirmed his death in a statement, revealing that the Kane & Abel writer died “suddenly and peacefully at home” on Monday. A cause of death was not disclosed. Archer, a former Conservative member of Parliament, sold […]
Mikayla Nogueira Says Ex Cody Hawken’s Overdose Led to Divorce
Mikayla Nogueira is getting candid about what led her to divorce Cody Hawken. The beauty influencer detailed how her ex-husband had relapsed multiple times in his sobriety journey during their...
5 New Shows to Stream This Week on Prime Video, Hulu, and More
From "Carrie" to "Avatar: Seven Havens" The post 5 New Shows to Stream This Week on Prime Video, Hulu, and More appeared first on TheWrap.
Recommended
Nyle DiMarco Joins ‘All’s Fair’ for Season 2
YOUR NEWS, OUR NETWORK.
Do you have Great News you want to tell the world?
Be it updates about your business or your community, you can make sure that it’s heard by submitting your story to our network reaching hundreds of news sites across 6 verticals.