Not all Brits in LA Members live in Los Angeles: in fact a fair number are scattered around the globe.
This week’s Meet a Member is Niya Hill who lives in London
Since you don’t live in Los Angeles how did you end up joining Brits in LA?
A couple of my friends on Facebook recommended Brits in LA as they saw I was planning a trip there to promote our short film Grimsby Girl. One was Italo Ali who was the first AD on the film and is a very good friend of Eileen Lee.
Have you ever visited Los Angeles? – if so we would love to hear your impressions of the city.
I’ve never been to LA before and I’m so excited to visit for the first time. I’ve just watched Once Upon A Time in Hollywood so I plan on driving my hire car through Beverley Hills and just soaking it all in – I can’t wait! It’s extra special as I’m coming for the first time to go on to Idyllwild International Film Festival where Grimsby Girl is being screened. It’s also been nominated for 8 awards there so all fingers and toes are crossed!
Do you think you could ever see yourself moving to LA, if not tell us what keeps you in London?
Well never say never right? Workwise I’m open to all opportunities and who knows what’s around the corner. At the moment, my two daughters are settled in their London schools and London has so much to offer as a place to live. But we all like to keep our options open in this forever-changing world…
Do you have a hidden gem (special place in the town where you live or where you are from) that you want to share with us?
I’ve lived in London for over 30 years now and when I thought about this question it’s funny how I ended up with parks and green spaces….when I lived in north London it was 100% Hampstead Heath…such a beautiful vast expanse of nature in the city. When I lived in Hackney it was Victoria and Clissold Parks and now I’m in South London…my local park Myatts Fields and Dulwich Park. We are so lucky that London has so many green spaces. You’d be mad to live in London and not appreciate it’s cultural offerings so another hidden gem has to be the South Bank for the galleries and theatres but also the fresh-ish air, it being on the river.
My hidden gem in my hometown of Grimsby is definitely Humberston Fitties Chalet Park where we have a little beach house and the beautiful sandy beach there. A wonderful bolthole away from City life.
Why would you recommend other overseas readers joining Brits in LA?
If you’re heading out to LA then it’s a great starting point to get sound tips and advice. You feel really supported especially if you’re going alone as I am. Eileen Lee has been so welcoming and I look forward to meeting her at the regular brunch meeting they have.
*We hear you have been working on an exciting project. Care to tell us more about it?
The exciting project for me at the moment is of course our short film Grimsby Girl which I wrote, co-produced and act in. It’s a dark comedy spoof of the Kill Bill films and is about a girl from Grimsby living in London, who takes on an alter ego to seek revenge (albeit a comedic one) on all those who diss her for being a Northerner. It’s beyond exciting and we’re all chuffed to bits that its message and theme has translated on to the American market as it’s also won a Remi award at the Worldfest Houston International Film and Video Festival as well as doing really well in the UK film festivals. Grimsby Girl is also co-produced by the Actors Screen Collective in London, a wonderful, supportive and talented group of actors, writers and producers and we’ve some exciting new projects in the pipeline.
Lots of our members join our group Brits in LA seeking out words of wisdom – what is the best piece of advice you’ve been given?
It’s a quote I read by Melissa Rosenberg “Don’t give up. You’re going to get kicked in the teeth. A lot. Learn to take a hit, then pick yourself up off the floor. Resilience is the true key to success.”
Lastly , how can we find you on the Internet ?
Twitter: @Niya Hill
Instagram: NiyaHillActor
IMDbPro: Niya Hill
