Our premiere episode of Coffee Talk features actress, comedian, influencer, Sasha Merci. We discuss her approach to content creation, film and writing as a Dominican-American woman growing up in the Bronx. We also chat about what it means to be authentic and vulnerable during challenging times.
Sasha Merci is comedian/actor who was born in Bronx, NY. Her parents are both immigrants from the Dominican Republic. Her rise to fame were her social media rants on that later turned into comedy sketches. Her talents landed her a lead role in HBO’s serious drama De lo Mio.
Q. WTF are you influencing? What does it mean to be an influencer?
A. I feel like these influencers right now are just walking commercials and that’s good for them cause you could make a lot of money— there’s no knocking the hustle. I’m more of a creator and I want to transcend further than instagram. I don’t want to stay stuck as an influencer promoting brands. I want to be able to create movies, create series, create shows and you know, win awards too!
Q. Tell us about the movie (Del Lo Mio), what was your role and what are you hoping to come out of it?
A. The film is about these girls are born and raised in NYC but their culture is Dominican. Their parents go back to the Dominican Republic to sell their grandmother’s home which is like the anchor of their culture and how they identify as. The grandparents pass away and inherit the house and now they have to sell it with their brother. They never grew up with their brother, they grew up with their grandmother, so they now have to rekindle that relationship.
Q. What do we have to look forward to from Sasha Merci in 2021?
A. I’m writing my own short film right now, so I wanna get that done and you’re gonna see more of me on the screen. The short film is going to be a little more dramatic, even though de lo mio is dramatic it’s still a contrast, a different angle, from what I do on my daily basis on instagram.
Q. How does that transition work for you, coming traditionally from comedy and being this funny character to stepping into a more of a dramatic role?
A. Well the interesting thing about that— people say this all the time, comedy is hard..harder than drama. So, some people say, a comedy can become an actor, but an actor can’t become a comedian.