An Exclusive Interview With Child Actor, Paniz Esmaili

Child actors bring purity, outspoken emotion, and integrity to the film industry. Movies like Home Alone, Harry Potter, Despicable Me, A Quiet Place, Christopher Robin, The Grinch, and Mary Poppins Returns are heartfelt because of the child actors in the movies.

Recently, I got the chance to speak with Paniz Esmaili, a child actor from Iran. And during our talk, I noticed how earnest and excited she was to speak about working on movie sets. This wasn’t rehearsed or canned, it’s honestly from her heart.

Working As A Child Actor

How does working as a child actor feel like, well, one would think it would be as easy as showing up and saying a few lines. But contrary to popular belief, it’s as difficult as working as a full-blown movie star.

Paniz shared that, at times, she finds herself nervous because of all the lights, professionals, and camera equipment staring at her. It took some time for her to get over this and this was only because she built up the notion of pretending they weren’t there. 

Apart from this, as a child, she gets bored easily when told to sit still for scenes or memorize lines for a role. All in all, she’s surpassed these difficulties through months of dedication, determination, and help from her parents.

Being Unique

Finding your own voice in any industry is very difficult. As a child actor, there are a lot of factors that can hinder you from the fame you seek. 

A good example is the fact that there are thousands of other kids out there trying to get the next part. The industry is highly competitive and the rejection is endless. Although she’s a successful actress, Paniz shared that she still puts in extra effort to ensure she’s different from the rest. 

She’s achieved her own unique voice by being authentic. Authenticity is a key factor when it comes to setting yourself apart from the rest. Always have that at the back of your mind.

Fending Off Stress

As humans, we face obstacles daily. Obstacles come in different forms, be it financial, emotional, or physical. But the most important thing to note is that obstacles must be overcome for us to make progress in life.

To ward off stress, Paniz ensures that she takes time off from her acting roles to hang out with friends and play games with her parents. This helps her truly appreciate the little things in life.