Interview: Arista Arhin

NiceGirlsTV recently chatted with Arista Arhin who you might know from Star Trek Discovery on CBS All Access or Bajillionaires which currently airs in Canada. The Toronto native is definitely one to watch and at only 14 years old is sure to have a long career ahead of her. 

The character of Michael Burnham in Star Treck is a a strong character and a role model for girls and women. How does it feel to play her younger self?
First of all, it is a humbling experience to be part of the iconic Star Trek Universe and I’m pinching myself every day to see if it’s real. On top of that, playing Michael Burnham has been very rewarding in the sense that she is a very strong character, a leader and a role model for girls and women. What I most admire about Burnham, perhaps, is her determination and dedication to each task she takes on, and I am truly thankful to play such a daring and brave character. Young Burnham has done certain things that I have never thought about doing, and I am thankful that I have gotten the chance to experience so many cool things through her character.

How did Sonequa Martin-Green’s portrayal of Michael Burnham inspire or challenge you as you prepared to play young Michael?
Sonequa and I built a very strong connection from the beginning, and I was always able to talk to her about different scenes involving Burnham. Portraying Young Michael Burnham was both inspiring and challenging. Burnham is a new character within the Star Trek franchise, and the first human to be raised on Vulcan, so telling her story was very interesting. As someone who plays her in her childhood, I made sure to study the way in which Sonequa is telling her story. It was very inspiring to see how she reconciled Burnham’s internal conflict between her human emotions and Vulcan logic.

We haven’t been able to see much of Bajillionaires here in the U.S. What can you tell us about Alicia Windsor and her future on Bajillionaires?
My new show Bajillionaires is a brand new comedy about a group of kids who run a start-up company out of a parent’s garage. They are constantly making new inventions that will hopefully change the world for the better. The show promotes positive messages such as youth empowerment, the importance of friendship and believing in yourself. The character that I play is Alicia Windsor, and she is the team’s newest member as the company’s Chief Product Designer. She is a DIY engineering genius who constantly makes prototypes and codes. She is also very private and likes to keep her personal life to herself while trying to be the best friend to everyone.

How does it feel to play two exceptional young women who are very different?
It was very fun to switch between two completely different genres, comedic and dramatic, and play characters who are very different, and who still share some traits such as commitment to work ethic and high intelligence. I felt inspired and challenged to tell their stories.

As an actor, what is your dream role?
Now that I have played the comedic and dramatic roles, I’d like to someday explore the world of horror films.

Photo Credit: Mark Binks

What are your aspirations outside of acting?
My aspiration has always been to excel in school and keep a healthy balance of my academics and acting. I also like to stay active and play volleyball, softball, ping pong and take dance classes.