Movies & TV / Columns
Mikaila Maei On Her Role In Hard Redemption, Working On Martial Arts Films
Image Credit: Jino Kang and Christine Lam
The 411 Interview: Mikaila Maei
Mikaila Maei is an actor who, according to her IMDb page, has been acting in short films and feature films since at least 2014. Maei has appeared in such short films as Fresh Souls (2014), Danny the Dragon’s 60th Birthday (2021), and Half-Day (2022) and the feature films A Very Lovely Dress (2015) and Refuge (2017). Maei’s latest effort as an actor is the indie action flick Hard Redemption, directed by Jino Kang and Christine Lam and now available to rent and buy via Amazon Prime Video (check it out here). In this interview, Maei talks with this writer about making Hard Redemption, working with co-directors Jino Kang and Christine Lam, and more.
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Bryan Kristopowitz: How did you get involved with Hard Redemption?
Mikaila Maei: I saw the casting notice and immediately remembered one of my childhood goals. My Mom is from Hong Kong and showed me a lot of martial arts films growing up. Kung Fu Hustle (2004) was a household staple, which definitely contributed to the dream I’d had of being in a martial arts movie. I even made my Mom put me in karate because I was convinced it would come in handy on set one day. I auditioned, had a callback, and my childhood self was vindicated when Jino and Christine cast me.
BK: How did you approach your character Jojo?
MM: When you play someone very different from yourself, you look for something universally human to connect to. Not everyone can relate to being a gang member who enjoys killing for the fun of it, but people can empathize with being angry and wanting to take it out on the world. The script already did a great job laying the groundwork for why Jojo is the way she is, so stepping into her shoes felt natural, and also a little cathartic. I also made a playlist I’d listen to on the way to set to get into her headspace. My favorite song was “Everybody Wants to Rule the World” but the version of it that Lorde sang for The Hunger Games.
BK: What sort of martial arts background do you have and how did it prepare you for your part in Hard Redemption?
MM: I have a brown belt in karate, but it had been about a decade since I’d trained. We had a few fight rehearsals, which helped a lot (and reminded me how out of shape I was), and Jino was great at adapting the choreography to fit our skill levels. I think I was supposed to do a somersault at one point, which he quickly cut after seeing me attempt it.
Also, my Mom, who has zero martial arts experience, learned the entire fight sequence just to practice with me at home. So if it looks good on screen, thanks Mom! I do have a video of her practicing with me, which she will never let me post.
BK: Describe your working relationship with Hard Redemption co-directors Jino Kang and Christine Lam.
MM: They’re genuinely two of the best directors I’ve worked with. They created such a comfortable environment and had great communication with us as actors, which meant I could fully focus on acting without ever feeling stressed about anything else. The set always felt fun, safe, and collaborative, and I looked forward to each day we got to work together!
BK: What was it like working with your fellow Hard Redemption cast members, especially your fellow Goblin gang members?
MM: A lot of the cast were real martial artists, so I was working alongside people with all kinds of experience, from seasoned actors to first-timers. That mix made it really fun because we all learned from each other (I definitely got help leveling up my fight skills). Everyone was hardworking, passionate, and just great to be around.
BK: What was the hardest part of making Hard Redemption for you as an actor? What was the easiest?
MM: The hardest part was definitely the fight scene, since, as I mentioned, I was about ten years out of practice. At one point I found out an actual skilled martial artist had been passed on for the role, and I was like, okay, I really need to sell this now!
In all seriousness, the easiest part was everything else. Jino, Christine, and the whole cast and crew made the experience feel easy because everyone showed up prepared, professional, and ready to have fun.
BK: Do you have a favorite scene in Hard Redemption?
MM: I love the scenes between Jojo and Mondo (played by Troy Carbonel). We had these fun little comedic moments, and I really liked the contrast between our characters. It felt like a mini buddy-cop movie dynamic.
BK: Is working on a martial arts action movie difficult? How does it compare to other types of movies?
MM: Martial arts films give you a bit more room to play. There’s a suspension of disbelief that lets you have fun with your acting choices. I could lean into Jojo’s craziness more because the genre supports that kind of heightened performance in a way more grounded films don’t.
BK: Any moviemaking heroes?
MM: He isn’t in the martial arts world, but I love Jon Favreau. He’s so innovative and always pushing storytelling forward in really immersive and creative ways. I actually got to meet him earlier this month, and he’s just as incredible of a person in real life.
BK: Any upcoming projects you can tell us about?
MM: Right now I’m really focused on content creation. Since I love acting, it’s been so fun getting to create and star in my own videos. I’ve been working on a lot of projects across YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok (@magicbymikaila), and I’ve been lucky enough to have had some really cool opportunities to go behind the scenes and visit the sets of my favorite shows and movies.
BK: What do you hope audiences get out of Hard Redemption?
MM: I hope people enjoy the fight scenes, maybe laugh a little, and ultimately connect with the idea that redemption is worth fighting for.
BK: Any interest in appearing in a potential Hard Redemption sequel?
MM: Spoiler alert: my character wasn’t exactly thriving at the end there. But she’s tough, I’m sure she’ll be fine. I’d absolutely love to come back for a sequel. I told Christine at the premiere to call me anytime, so Christine and Jino, if you’re reading this, call me!
BK: Do you think you could take on a martial arts gang by yourself in real life?
MM: I get winded walking up the stairs, so, unfortunately no. My best shot would be running away but I’m not that fast either, so really I should just avoid martial arts gangs altogether.
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A very special thanks to Mikaila Maei for agreeing to participate in this interview and to david j. moore for setting it up.
Hard Redemption is now available to rent and buy via Amazon Prime Video (check it out here)!
Check out the official Hard Redemption Facebook page here!
Check out my review of Hard Redemption here!
Check out Mikaila Maei’s official website here, official Instagram page here, official Tik Tok page here, official YouTube channel here, and official IMDb page here!
Mikaila Maei headshot image courtesy of Mikaila Maei. All other images courtesy of Jino Kang and Christine Lam.
