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What's up everybody, welcome back to the All Things Croatia podcast.
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I'm your host, Stanko Zovak, and I'm bringing you the best of Croatia from around the globe.
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This episode is brought to you by Adriatic Tours, the best place since 1974 to book
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your cruises, tours, flights, and simply All Things Croatia.
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Use the personalized code, allthingscroachia, to get a special discount and book your trip
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to Croatia today.
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For more information, go to www.adriatictours.com or click the link in the description.
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Now eat a modalia and let's get started.
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Well welcome back to the podcast everyone.
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On this episode we have special guest Ella Mische.
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Ella is a Croatian writer and actress living in the US who has worked on many different
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projects, including writing her own works, working with Adam Sandler, and projects for
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Croatia's higher tech.
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In this episode we're going to hear her story of immigration and how she's repping Croatia
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and the film industry.
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Ella, thanks for coming on the podcast.
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Thank you, Stan Kozowak for having me and I think it's wonderful that you have your own
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podcast displaying all of us fantastic Croatian people around the world.
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So thank you.
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Yeah, I'm glad you're enjoying it.
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I appreciate you taking the time for coming on the podcast here.
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I know you're busy, you've got a busy career, but before we get started with that, I want
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you to tell us a little bit about growing up because you were born and raised in Trogir.
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How was that?
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Actually I've never been to Trogir.
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Yeah, Trogir is one of the most beautiful places, you know, in the coast.
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As most of us that come from the coast would say about our smaller or bigger towns that
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are islands.
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I was born in Trogir and I moved to the States when I was 12 because of my mom's music career
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and my mom's a singer.
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And we didn't know if we would stay right away, but it just sort of happened that we
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just ended up staying for so long.
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But yeah, growing up in Croatia, to me, you know, it's at an early age, it was like stuck
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in time.
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So, you know, I remember friends from like fifth grade and I still, every time I see
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them now, you know, in the Riva or something, I'm like, oh, hey, you know what?
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To me, they're still 12.
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To me, we kind of pick up conversations from years gone by and it's always has some sort
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of big nostalgia and sentimentality to me, you know, and it's so wonderful to see my
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friends go on and have families, great careers.
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So I miss it.
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The big challenge when I moved here, I didn't really speak English whatsoever.
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And I mean, I understood a bit, but what made it worse is that I was very, very shy.
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It was like the shyest kid you could ever find and these days I'm more of a blabber
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mouth, but back then I was super shy.
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And even if I knew how to say something, I just wouldn't.
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And I used to just read a lot.
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Like very nerdy spend time at the library with like an English American, you know, translating
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dictionary.
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And before we kind of had flip phones, they couldn't really do what our phones would say.
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So it was very tough when I first moved and I hated it here.
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And I was like, I want to go home to my grandpa and just like a set life that we had.
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It was really beautiful growing up, you know, and then slowly but surely as a root to love
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America as well and found myself here.
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It took a while.
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But I huge change.
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Yeah.
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Is that you were what 12 years old when you left?
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Yeah, I was 12 and it was a very tough, tough time to sort of pluck someone out of, you
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know, and I was very like traditional kid, you know, it was very hard, but it took some
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time and then I always found that writing helped me through like I wrote poetry short
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stories that later switched into stage plays.
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My first stage play ever wrote after I graduated from college was called Manhattan Lavender,
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Manhattan, New York, where I'd been living.
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And then Lavender makes me think of home, you know, like fields of lavender and stuff
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like that.
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And it really talks about a person that comes out of college and is identifying, you know,
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as a Croatian at the time, nobody knew what that meant, you know, like, you know, well,
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it's a small country right next to Italy and we have the bluest sea because the plankton
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from the African Gulf comes up and they're like, what are you talking about?
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You know, so, so I tried to incorporate that into it was tougher before, but now I'm so
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glad that I was born there.
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Because what we bring as individuals to a gigantic country like America, it's so important
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to have the individualism of culture or whatever that may be for the person, you know, and
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have the difference because those are the things that stand out that make somebody go
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like, oh, like, you have a slight accent or are you Italian?
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Like where are you from?
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And then all these new conversations pop up.
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And of course, I feel like Croatia has become just, you know, the new French Riviera, I
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would say, in the world of tourism and everyone going there.
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So I'm very proud to be Croatian.
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Yeah, Croatians in general, for some reason, are I feel like the proudest people, like
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every Croatian is always so proud.
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You'll always find each other in, you know, all parts of the world, other Croatians.
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I don't know, it's crazy, but it really, I really feel like Croatians are just the
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proudest people.
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I don't know.
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Well, there's a lot to be proud of.
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You know, the athletes we have, I mean, this World Cup, I mean, did you watch a little
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bit of the World Cup?
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Yeah, I watched all of it.
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Yeah, so I kind of bought between New York and LA in chunks of time and I was here in
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LA and I was up at 6am watching the game and sat at this cafe and I, next to me, there
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was this girl and she's like, oh, you're Croatian?
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I'm like, yeah.
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And of course, I'm like yelling and, you know, and she's like, you know, I lived in
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Croatia for like 10 years as like exchange student.
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I'm like, what?
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And she was born in India, then moved to the States, moved to Croatia, came back and it
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just, Croatia's become a part of her culture too, you know, so I was just so wild to, to
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seem very unexpected, but yeah, we're very, and she was very proud of her Croatian side
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too, you know, she was rooting on just wild.
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So that's pretty cool to see.
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I sort of, one more question on that line of thinking before, you know, get into your
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career a little bit.
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You were talking about, you know, your identity and self identity as a Croatian as an American,
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was there a point when you were, maybe when you first moved or as you were growing, you
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know, up over there in the US that you felt like, like one or the other, like, oh, I want
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to be American, I want to fit in and then maybe later on in life, that's when you sort
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of embraced that, you know, dual identity and Croatian, but I also have, you know, this
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American side as well.
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Yeah, well, when I was younger, let's say middle school, it was very difficult.
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A lot of kids get bullied obviously in school and my bullying had nothing to do with like
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being Croatian, it was just like being young and kids picking on each other.
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So it was very tough.
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But later, what's funny is when I'm here in the States, I don't feel American enough.
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When I'm in Croatia, I don't feel Croatian enough.
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Because there are particular things like in, let's say people here in the States say, oh
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my God, you're like, you kind of have like a different mannerism, you know, outside from
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like a thin, you know, pinch of accent that comes in and out sometimes.
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But they're like, oh, you could tell that I'm different, that I wouldn't like do certain
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American things.
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Like it took me a very long time to like wear sweatpants, but you know, back in the day,
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which is like a very American thing to me, you know.
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I still cannot do the flip-flop thing and sock that out here in LA.
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I just, like, I still cannot do that.
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So for me these days, for a while, I felt like I don't really belong in either place.
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But then I, as always, you have to flip it to the positive.
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It's like, I get the best of both worlds.
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And I feel like if I had been born here, I would have been cut off of so many little
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things in life that you learn, let's say, through your grandparents, through your parents
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that live in a different place where simple things like in Croatia, growing up, you know,
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we had stuff, we had things, let's say Christmas, you get one or two things.
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There was never a thing like I came here and then my stepbrothers and step sisters would
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open up like 20 presents.
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I'm like, I would feel so, not that they couldn't, my parents couldn't afford it, they could,
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but I would just feel so odd, like they're just so much here.
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And I feel like a lot of times people in the States kind of never mind the fact that there's
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so much of every, so much opportunity, so many things.
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You don't just get like one carton of milk, you'll just get like three buying in bulk,
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I feel like is a U.S. thing versus back home.
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I don't know, maybe, and I'm talking like about the 90s, you know, my grandpa used to
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go to the grocery store every day to get the fresh bread and it smelled so good and fresh.
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And just like those things that like when I walked the streets of Throgir, I still smell
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it and the people that are long gone, they come back through the smells and these beautiful
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little traditional things.
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That's what I miss the most, but I appreciate both.
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I think having two makes me like a different fuller person to myself.
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Well, we were just talking off camera, you mentioned that you're able to go back what,
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once a year, almost every summer?
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Yeah, sometimes I go every summer, a couple of, two, three years ago I worked on a TV
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show called What's Up America, which we shot here, but even four years before that, I worked
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on a really nice docu-series for MasterCard called Five, about five women all around the
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world, sort of really perspiring in their businesses and the business sort of came from something
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very sad part in their lives and they switched it to a positive and now they're striving.
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So I got to be in Croatia like twice a year.
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I was there to shoot that for two months, came back here and then came back again for
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the summer.
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So twice a year or once a year depends on work, honestly.
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Well, you mentioned the What's Up America, we might as well get into that now since you
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brought it up.
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What was that and how did you get involved in that?
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So What's Up America was during what I like to call the Covidian era.
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So I became a part of that.
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A producer Sandra Basso from Croatia called me and she said, you know, we have these series
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where we want to interview business owners in the United States during Covid to be like,
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you know, it was kind of like the ending sort of of Covid and where are they now, how they're
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affected, where do they think they're where they're going.
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And so we did a bit in New York.
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It was the West Coast, Washington sort of interviewed like all these people.
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They, the producers from Croatia were supposed to come here, but at the time all the European,
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like everything was kind of shutting down and nobody could, I guess, come to the States.
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I believe that was what was going on.
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So I was on the airport on the way to Seattle and she called and she's like, I can't come,
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you're gonna have to run the show by yourself.
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Like, you know, it was myself, camera and sound.
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And that was it.
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So I had to write the stories into me, the person, and every two days it was a new city.
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Like, okay, great, no problem, sure.
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You know, and I really love that kind of work.
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Obviously like docu series where you get to, you know, ask questions to me is like easier
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and you get to learn so many wonderful people around the States.
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So that's how that came about.
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And the co-host was, you know, Croatia's renowned Mr. Goran Milić, who's, you know,
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had a tremendous career.
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So and funny enough, up until today, we've only ever met through Zooms.
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So made the show, went on hire, and it was during COVID.
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So it did really well.
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Everybody watched it.
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And I believe they're on third season now.
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I think it's called WhatsApp Israel or something.
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So yeah,
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Oh, that's pretty cool.
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It sounds like a cool experience.
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Have you been able to, I mean, do you have plans to work with any other?
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Because I was only for a Croatian audience, right?
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Did they dub everything into Croatian or subtitles?
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In Croatian, I spoke half Croatian, half English in it.
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And it was, yeah, it was all for Croatian audiences.
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And I believe it's maybe on YouTube now too.
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I'm not sure what kind of the deal is with the TV station there.
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I don't know what.
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Do you have plans to continue working on projects with Croatia or in Croatia?
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I would love to.
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Yeah, I would love to shoot a movie there.
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I would love to.
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Most of my work kind of has been here outside of those two projects.
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But I would love to, you know, I would just love to.
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Yeah, yeah, beautiful scenery for shooting movies, especially, I guess, like summer movies.
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Lately there's been a lot, I think.
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So many films, TV shows.
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I mean, it's the most beautiful backdrop.
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You can make it look, you know, it's medieval.
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It could be contemporary.
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It's a beautiful place.
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Yeah.
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Well, aside from Croatia, what sort of other parts of your career have you been involved
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in as far as, you know, writing and acting?
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So I've, you know, a graduate of from Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York as an actor started
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off with, you know, acting a bunch, writing stage plays, which moved into writing, like
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short films and features.
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So these days I act, produce, direct and write, obviously.
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I feel like it's a time where in my industry, unless you get very lucky or know someone,
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you can't just do one thing, at least for me.
225
00:15:53,600 --> 00:15:58,000
Like I actually love the part of me that's a producer.
226
00:15:58,000 --> 00:16:00,200
You just kind of like write your own stuff.
227
00:16:00,200 --> 00:16:03,880
You put it together or, you know, you get hired on different projects.
228
00:16:03,880 --> 00:16:06,280
Suddenly, like everyone's like, oh, you're producing.
229
00:16:06,280 --> 00:16:11,320
To me, it just means really putting it together, making it happen, whatever you need to do,
230
00:16:11,320 --> 00:16:19,000
whether that's acquiring cast or figuring out finance or getting on board, rest of creatives.
231
00:16:19,000 --> 00:16:21,520
So yeah, I've had.
232
00:16:21,520 --> 00:16:26,000
It's hard to explain so many things from Daki series to TV stuff.
233
00:16:26,000 --> 00:16:32,840
My latest project was the movie Hustle, Adam Sandler film that's on Netflix.
234
00:16:32,840 --> 00:16:37,600
So that was one of my first actually, you know, gigantic studio pictures that I had
235
00:16:37,600 --> 00:16:38,600
done.
236
00:16:38,600 --> 00:16:45,720
I came onto the project on the producing side as cast associate to all the NBA guys.
237
00:16:45,720 --> 00:16:48,760
So it was really kind of working with them.
238
00:16:48,760 --> 00:16:54,280
And it was amazing because basketball was not a big part of my life.
239
00:16:54,280 --> 00:17:00,880
And I feel like I now know everybody in the NBA and I want a lot of the games and I root
240
00:17:00,880 --> 00:17:03,320
forever the team that my friend is on.
241
00:17:03,320 --> 00:17:07,440
And it's a whole new perspective on basketball.
242
00:17:07,440 --> 00:17:08,440
That's awesome.
243
00:17:08,440 --> 00:17:10,240
Yeah, I love basketball.
244
00:17:10,240 --> 00:17:11,600
I love Adam Sandler.
245
00:17:11,600 --> 00:17:13,440
So for me, that was a great movie.
246
00:17:13,440 --> 00:17:17,560
What was it like working with basketball players when you're used to working with actors?
247
00:17:17,560 --> 00:17:21,800
Did they seem natural or you could, you know, tell where there's some that were better than
248
00:17:21,800 --> 00:17:22,800
others?
249
00:17:22,800 --> 00:17:25,800
That's a great question, actually.
250
00:17:25,800 --> 00:17:31,840
They I believe because, you know, to be in the NBA, you have to be very disciplined.
251
00:17:31,840 --> 00:17:33,360
So they actually would listen.
252
00:17:33,360 --> 00:17:35,280
They were really fantastic.
253
00:17:35,280 --> 00:17:40,840
Want you, I feel like, you know, the lead with Adam, he was just a natural talent.
254
00:17:40,840 --> 00:17:44,480
I don't think he knows how talented he is with acting.
255
00:17:44,480 --> 00:17:49,320
Some people just have it and he just brought like this truth and vulnerability to it.
256
00:17:49,320 --> 00:17:52,240
He just sort of had it.
257
00:17:52,240 --> 00:17:56,240
And the rest of the guys were really easy going.
258
00:17:56,240 --> 00:18:00,600
If there was like an issue, it'd be just like, oh, wait, so now we like have three hours
259
00:18:00,600 --> 00:18:01,840
just to go to the trailer.
260
00:18:01,840 --> 00:18:07,000
But like, why can't I just go home, you know, like you shoot scenes in certain parts.
261
00:18:07,000 --> 00:18:11,480
So that would be kind of like funny to like explain to like, well, actually, so now we're
262
00:18:11,480 --> 00:18:14,640
doing this and then this other thing's going to happen.
263
00:18:14,640 --> 00:18:18,120
And so it's confusing at first, but they got it.
264
00:18:18,120 --> 00:18:24,840
And everybody was very happy to be there, you know, and to be a part of such a big film.
265
00:18:24,840 --> 00:18:29,640
And Adam is so wonderful.
266
00:18:29,640 --> 00:18:37,640
The kindest person on earth, pretty much just normal down to earth human being like, I'll
267
00:18:37,640 --> 00:18:45,200
never not be nervous to even stand next to him because there's just so much respect to
268
00:18:45,200 --> 00:18:48,520
the work he does, who he is.
269
00:18:48,520 --> 00:18:51,640
I thought like by like day 40, I'd be like over it.
270
00:18:51,640 --> 00:18:56,720
But he'd be like, hey kid, like I wore a Brooklyn t-shirt one day.
271
00:18:56,720 --> 00:18:58,800
He's like, hey kid.
272
00:18:58,800 --> 00:19:01,440
So like, like he would just start talking about whatever.
273
00:19:01,440 --> 00:19:02,440
And I'm like, uh-huh.
274
00:19:02,440 --> 00:19:03,440
Yes.
275
00:19:03,440 --> 00:19:04,440
Uh-huh.
276
00:19:04,440 --> 00:19:07,640
And I'm like, I'm just sort of backing away as if to like leave because we're like on
277
00:19:07,640 --> 00:19:14,520
set and like, why would you bother talking to me if you don't need anything from me?
278
00:19:14,520 --> 00:19:15,520
You know?
279
00:19:15,520 --> 00:19:20,560
But he wanted to know what I'm doing at the time of the feature that I produced in New
280
00:19:20,560 --> 00:19:21,560
York coming out.
281
00:19:21,560 --> 00:19:22,760
He's like, oh cool.
282
00:19:22,760 --> 00:19:23,760
How many minutes?
283
00:19:23,760 --> 00:19:24,760
Oh cool.
284
00:19:24,760 --> 00:19:25,760
Who edited?
285
00:19:25,760 --> 00:19:26,760
Where'd you do color?
286
00:19:26,760 --> 00:19:28,560
I'm like, Adam Sandler.
287
00:19:28,560 --> 00:19:30,920
Like, I'm like, you're Adam Sandler.
288
00:19:30,920 --> 00:19:31,920
Who cares what I did?
289
00:19:31,920 --> 00:19:33,920
I'm like, it doesn't matter.
290
00:19:33,920 --> 00:19:39,200
I was like embarrassed and I forgot my own name.
291
00:19:39,200 --> 00:19:40,200
Yeah.
292
00:19:40,200 --> 00:19:44,200
Yeah, you said down to earth.
293
00:19:44,200 --> 00:19:45,200
That's what I was going to ask.
294
00:19:45,200 --> 00:19:46,200
Yeah.
295
00:19:46,200 --> 00:19:47,200
He seems super down to earth.
296
00:19:47,200 --> 00:19:50,920
And I always see videos of him like just playing basketball and then, you know, anywhere
297
00:19:50,920 --> 00:19:55,960
he goes, he's just wearing like basketball shorts and a big t-shirt or something like
298
00:19:55,960 --> 00:19:59,040
doesn't dress like he's a celebrity, you know?
299
00:19:59,040 --> 00:20:00,040
Yeah.
300
00:20:00,040 --> 00:20:02,040
He's just very nice.
301
00:20:02,040 --> 00:20:03,040
Yeah.
302
00:20:03,040 --> 00:20:06,040
And he's one of my favorite actors and comedians.
303
00:20:06,040 --> 00:20:08,000
He's speaking of comedy.
304
00:20:08,000 --> 00:20:13,480
You said you told me that you love comedy and you were working on a sitcom or you finished
305
00:20:13,480 --> 00:20:14,480
a sitcom?
306
00:20:14,480 --> 00:20:15,480
Yeah.
307
00:20:15,480 --> 00:20:22,440
So recently I got hired to be head of development at a new film production company called the
308
00:20:22,440 --> 00:20:26,680
American Trivadors and you'll hear about it shortly.
309
00:20:26,680 --> 00:20:30,480
We have a couple of films in pre-production.
310
00:20:30,480 --> 00:20:33,000
Some are about to start shooting, et cetera.
311
00:20:33,000 --> 00:20:35,640
So working on a TV, it's a sitcom.
312
00:20:35,640 --> 00:20:41,320
I can't talk, like I can't say the title of it or really in depth of what it is, but
313
00:20:41,320 --> 00:20:45,080
it's a lot, it's set in LA.
314
00:20:45,080 --> 00:20:47,720
And so being out here is so great.
315
00:20:47,720 --> 00:20:53,400
And I'm just catching those moments of what LA is and these little nuances about it that
316
00:20:53,400 --> 00:20:55,600
we are pushing through the story.
317
00:20:55,600 --> 00:20:58,520
So I love doing that.
318
00:20:58,520 --> 00:21:00,440
It doesn't feel like a job.
319
00:21:00,440 --> 00:21:06,760
Every day I wake up, I have coffee and I just start working and then work with my producer
320
00:21:06,760 --> 00:21:10,080
and the CEO of the company.
321
00:21:10,080 --> 00:21:15,680
And it really just feels like you get to go out and play every day.
322
00:21:15,680 --> 00:21:16,680
And I have to pinch myself.
323
00:21:16,680 --> 00:21:20,400
I'm like, is this my job to just create something cool and fun?
324
00:21:20,400 --> 00:21:27,200
It's very hard, but also the opportunity to get to do something like this from a kid
325
00:21:27,200 --> 00:21:34,840
like that was born and raised in Croatia to work in Hollywood, let's call it, with some
326
00:21:34,840 --> 00:21:36,760
wonderful people.
327
00:21:36,760 --> 00:21:43,760
And above all, have the opportunity to create something that I like and stand behind.
328
00:21:43,760 --> 00:21:47,080
I just never thought would happen.
329
00:21:47,080 --> 00:21:48,960
So it's kind of amazing.
330
00:21:48,960 --> 00:21:55,400
Yeah, that's sort of the dream, I guess, Hollywood, going to Hollywood and everything
331
00:21:55,400 --> 00:22:01,560
like that, especially coming from a small town, Throgir, who could say, compared to LA,
332
00:22:01,560 --> 00:22:02,560
for sure.
333
00:22:02,560 --> 00:22:03,560
Yeah.
334
00:22:03,560 --> 00:22:04,560
Yeah.
335
00:22:04,560 --> 00:22:07,440
That's awesome that you get to be creative like that.
336
00:22:07,440 --> 00:22:11,520
And speaking of creativity, I saw that you're also a songwriter.
337
00:22:11,520 --> 00:22:13,000
Is that true?
338
00:22:13,000 --> 00:22:14,000
That's true.
339
00:22:14,000 --> 00:22:17,080
I don't really talk about this, but sure.
340
00:22:17,080 --> 00:22:20,680
So I come from a music family.
341
00:22:20,680 --> 00:22:26,600
My mom is Tommy Michelle Tomimishe in Croatia.
342
00:22:26,600 --> 00:22:30,600
And my uncle was the piano player in the 2D fruity band.
343
00:22:30,600 --> 00:22:33,240
I don't know if you know the band.
344
00:22:33,240 --> 00:22:35,040
It's not very familiar.
345
00:22:35,040 --> 00:22:36,040
You would Spotify.
346
00:22:36,040 --> 00:22:41,560
You'll be like, okay, they were quite really known in the 90s back home.
347
00:22:41,560 --> 00:22:47,840
So I grew up with gigantic music influence in my life, more than film even.
348
00:22:47,840 --> 00:22:51,360
And yes, I write songs.
349
00:22:51,360 --> 00:22:54,360
I've written for some others.
350
00:22:54,360 --> 00:22:56,920
I've recorded some stuff of my own.
351
00:22:56,920 --> 00:23:02,120
But honestly, I have about like 40 of my own songs that I've written music and lyrics.
352
00:23:02,120 --> 00:23:06,480
I play the piano, just write them and I do nothing with them.
353
00:23:06,480 --> 00:23:11,520
They're sitting in the drawer and I play, you know, almost every day wherever there's
354
00:23:11,520 --> 00:23:14,240
a piano, I'll hop on and sing something.
355
00:23:14,240 --> 00:23:22,200
My friends know like I sing and I write stuff, but you know, I'll do it at parties and things.
356
00:23:22,200 --> 00:23:23,880
But that's a really nice question.
357
00:23:23,880 --> 00:23:25,600
Thanks for putting me on the spot.
358
00:23:25,600 --> 00:23:26,600
Yes, I do.
359
00:23:26,600 --> 00:23:27,600
I love it.
360
00:23:27,600 --> 00:23:30,240
It's a really, I love it so much.
361
00:23:30,240 --> 00:23:36,280
I'm gonna work on putting it maybe in movies or somehow make use out of them.
362
00:23:36,280 --> 00:23:39,280
Because I do love them.
363
00:23:39,280 --> 00:23:44,040
Music to me is like a release whenever you're writing a script or even working on a
364
00:23:44,040 --> 00:23:46,480
character, I was just like turn around, play a song.
365
00:23:46,480 --> 00:23:49,080
I'm like, okay, great, back to work.
366
00:23:49,080 --> 00:23:56,280
So I feel like maybe that's why I don't talk about it even, you know.
367
00:23:56,280 --> 00:24:02,440
Sometimes I'll pull stuff out, you know, but I should dedicate more to that or include it
368
00:24:02,440 --> 00:24:03,440
in every day.
369
00:24:03,440 --> 00:24:04,440
Yes.
370
00:24:04,440 --> 00:24:05,440
Yeah, that would be awesome.
371
00:24:05,440 --> 00:24:07,960
But yeah, it's hard to, I play the guitar as well.
372
00:24:07,960 --> 00:24:13,880
I don't sing, but I've put together made songs and I have to sing on them because I'm doing
373
00:24:13,880 --> 00:24:16,960
everything myself and it's a little, it's scary.
374
00:24:16,960 --> 00:24:19,280
I'm embarrassed, you know, my voice and stuff like that.
375
00:24:19,280 --> 00:24:22,400
So I don't like to show people and tell people about that.
376
00:24:22,400 --> 00:24:27,480
But yeah, I've got some songs recorded too that I won't show to the world either.
377
00:24:27,480 --> 00:24:29,760
But I think that you should.
378
00:24:29,760 --> 00:24:31,800
That's because I'm a horrible singer.
379
00:24:31,800 --> 00:24:39,800
No, it doesn't matter if you sing from the heart, just put it out there.
380
00:24:39,800 --> 00:24:40,800
It doesn't matter.
381
00:24:40,800 --> 00:24:44,000
I think all the great artists went to judge themselves.
382
00:24:44,000 --> 00:24:47,400
We wouldn't have some of the greatest art in the world.
383
00:24:47,400 --> 00:24:52,360
So just do it and don't worry about what happens later.
384
00:24:52,360 --> 00:24:53,360
What happens later?
385
00:24:53,360 --> 00:24:55,360
Well, I do worry about that.
386
00:24:55,360 --> 00:24:58,240
So I'll try, I'll try to take your advice.
387
00:24:58,240 --> 00:25:04,880
I've got one last deep dive question that I found on the acronym, right?
388
00:25:04,880 --> 00:25:13,520
I think it's NCAAF, the Croatian Federation when you were on the list of 40 under 40,
389
00:25:13,520 --> 00:25:17,120
top 40 under 40 Croatian Americans.
390
00:25:17,120 --> 00:25:23,080
And I saw that you were in, you were on SNL in a sketch with Daniel Craig.
391
00:25:23,080 --> 00:25:24,080
Yeah.
392
00:25:24,080 --> 00:25:25,080
Okay.
393
00:25:25,080 --> 00:25:30,080
The Croatian Federation of Something Association, something.
394
00:25:30,080 --> 00:25:33,120
I'm gonna have to Google that right now so I don't get it.
395
00:25:33,120 --> 00:25:34,520
It's been a couple of years.
396
00:25:34,520 --> 00:25:35,520
Yeah.
397
00:25:35,520 --> 00:25:37,720
That was like a great honor to be appointed.
398
00:25:37,720 --> 00:25:42,600
And I met so many other wonderful like 40 under 40.
399
00:25:42,600 --> 00:25:45,040
But that happened like when I was under 32.
400
00:25:45,040 --> 00:25:47,800
So it was like, whoa, this is cool.
401
00:25:47,800 --> 00:25:48,800
It's nice to be recognized.
402
00:25:48,800 --> 00:25:51,400
It's a wonderful group and an organization.
403
00:25:51,400 --> 00:25:57,840
And what I love the most is that they had this big event and I got to meet other Croatians
404
00:25:57,840 --> 00:26:03,840
similar age from all around the States, you know, and that I just loved it.
405
00:26:03,840 --> 00:26:10,280
And they're just extraordinary people, you know, really great humans, wonderful, successful
406
00:26:10,280 --> 00:26:12,560
group of young people.
407
00:26:12,560 --> 00:26:15,480
Daniel Craig got SNL thing.
408
00:26:15,480 --> 00:26:16,480
This is what it was.
409
00:26:16,480 --> 00:26:19,320
It was about, it's been some time.
410
00:26:19,320 --> 00:26:24,840
So when 007 came out, this was like seven years ago, I want to say.
411
00:26:24,840 --> 00:26:28,680
Yeah, about seven years ago, that movie came out.
412
00:26:28,680 --> 00:26:35,800
So my agent calls me and it was like 7pm and she's like, Hey, do you have a belly dancing
413
00:26:35,800 --> 00:26:36,800
outfit?
414
00:26:36,800 --> 00:26:37,800
Do you know how to belly dance?
415
00:26:37,800 --> 00:26:39,680
And I'm like, yeah, of course.
416
00:26:39,680 --> 00:26:42,360
And I'd never belly danced in my life.
417
00:26:42,360 --> 00:26:45,960
And she's like, okay, so can you come into an audition?
418
00:26:45,960 --> 00:26:53,480
It's like for SNL belly dancing scene, you know, it's like an intro scene that leads
419
00:26:53,480 --> 00:26:59,120
into a Daniel Craig, whatever scene with like the Charlie's Angels parody.
420
00:26:59,120 --> 00:27:00,720
Basically that was the thing.
421
00:27:00,720 --> 00:27:03,080
So I'm like, oh yeah, sure, I'll come.
422
00:27:03,080 --> 00:27:04,080
You know, so I did it.
423
00:27:04,080 --> 00:27:10,000
I auditioned the next day she calls and she's like, okay, so you'll just come in like the
424
00:27:10,000 --> 00:27:14,720
live taping of SNL and like the choreograph it, whatever.
425
00:27:14,720 --> 00:27:18,120
So that was my bit with Daniel Craig.
426
00:27:18,120 --> 00:27:19,440
And he just looked amazing.
427
00:27:19,440 --> 00:27:24,160
He looked like Madame Tussaud like in a suit, like perfect.
428
00:27:24,160 --> 00:27:28,960
Just also one of those moments where you just can't speak or anything.
429
00:27:28,960 --> 00:27:32,600
Luckily, I remembered the choreography.
430
00:27:32,600 --> 00:27:33,600
It was Mary Ringwald.
431
00:27:33,600 --> 00:27:38,560
I don't know if I'm saying her character or the actual, I forget the other actress's
432
00:27:38,560 --> 00:27:39,560
name.
433
00:27:39,560 --> 00:27:43,040
She's got red curly hair on SNL.
434
00:27:43,040 --> 00:27:45,640
I hope none of these guys see this.
435
00:27:45,640 --> 00:27:49,880
It's terrible, I haven't talked about it.
436
00:27:49,880 --> 00:27:51,520
It's been like seven years.
437
00:27:51,520 --> 00:27:58,800
So for God's sake, she's a known person anyway, but it was a great, great fun to work with
438
00:27:58,800 --> 00:28:00,960
him and all of that.
439
00:28:00,960 --> 00:28:04,840
So sometimes in the industry, just say fake it till you make it.
440
00:28:04,840 --> 00:28:05,840
Just belly dancing.
441
00:28:05,840 --> 00:28:06,840
Yes, sure.
442
00:28:06,840 --> 00:28:09,000
Go, you'll figure it out.
443
00:28:09,000 --> 00:28:10,000
That's awesome.
444
00:28:10,000 --> 00:28:11,000
Yeah, I got to try new things.
445
00:28:11,000 --> 00:28:13,000
Got to get your foot in the door and just.
446
00:28:13,000 --> 00:28:14,000
Yeah.
447
00:28:14,000 --> 00:28:15,000
Yeah.
448
00:28:15,000 --> 00:28:21,680
Well, I got two last questions for you here as we're winding down to the end of the episode.
449
00:28:21,680 --> 00:28:25,200
And actually I found the acronym and I'll say it right just to get that on record, the
450
00:28:25,200 --> 00:28:27,200
NFCACF.
451
00:28:27,200 --> 00:28:34,080
And they come out every year with the top 40 Croatian Americans under 40 years old.
452
00:28:34,080 --> 00:28:39,520
So the first one, they're just quick questions, favorite food to eat when you're in Throgir
453
00:28:39,520 --> 00:28:41,800
or Croatia in general.
454
00:28:41,800 --> 00:28:42,800
Black risotto.
455
00:28:42,800 --> 00:28:43,800
Yeah.
456
00:28:43,800 --> 00:28:47,880
I'm not a huge risotto fan, but I had the black risotto and I really liked it.
457
00:28:47,880 --> 00:28:51,320
I forgot the color on the coast I was, but it's very.
458
00:28:51,320 --> 00:28:52,320
Yeah.
459
00:28:52,320 --> 00:28:58,520
Black risotto or scampi, you know, scampi with some Swiss chard.
460
00:28:58,520 --> 00:28:59,520
That's it.
461
00:28:59,520 --> 00:29:00,520
Love it.
462
00:29:00,520 --> 00:29:02,680
And last question for you.
463
00:29:02,680 --> 00:29:06,600
I need you to give us your top three movies of all time.
464
00:29:06,600 --> 00:29:09,600
Oh my God.
465
00:29:09,600 --> 00:29:17,000
North Hussle, number one, and my God.
466
00:29:17,000 --> 00:29:19,600
Everything Ever By Guillermo del Toro.
467
00:29:19,600 --> 00:29:20,600
Okay.
468
00:29:20,600 --> 00:29:23,040
Love him.
469
00:29:23,040 --> 00:29:25,400
And great expectations.
470
00:29:25,400 --> 00:29:29,040
The film with Ethan Hawke and Gwyneth Paltrow.
471
00:29:29,040 --> 00:29:32,320
That's also maybe a decade old film.
472
00:29:32,320 --> 00:29:33,320
Wow.
473
00:29:33,320 --> 00:29:37,400
I was expecting some, some comedies, some Adam Sandler or something.
474
00:29:37,400 --> 00:29:39,200
Well, I started with Adam.
475
00:29:39,200 --> 00:29:40,200
I started with Hussle.
476
00:29:40,200 --> 00:29:41,200
But no, I love.
477
00:29:41,200 --> 00:29:42,200
Hussle, I didn't.
478
00:29:42,200 --> 00:29:43,200
Okay.
479
00:29:43,200 --> 00:29:44,200
I didn't have the same.
480
00:29:44,200 --> 00:29:45,200
Yeah.
481
00:29:45,200 --> 00:29:46,200
Well, that was a great movie.
482
00:29:46,200 --> 00:29:48,200
Classic, classic films.
483
00:29:48,200 --> 00:29:49,200
Yeah.
484
00:29:49,200 --> 00:29:50,200
Yeah.
485
00:29:50,200 --> 00:29:51,200
That's good then.
486
00:29:51,200 --> 00:29:52,200
You've got a good mix there.
487
00:29:52,200 --> 00:29:56,200
Well, I want to thank you so much for taking the time to come here on the podcast.
488
00:29:56,200 --> 00:30:01,200
If you want to shout out, you know, your website or Instagram or any, you know, social
489
00:30:01,200 --> 00:30:06,200
medias or any links, you know, you can do so now before we end the recording.
490
00:30:06,200 --> 00:30:14,200
I suppose, follow me on Instagram for more fun and what I'm up to at Ella Miche.
491
00:30:14,200 --> 00:30:15,200
Thank you.
492
00:30:15,200 --> 00:30:16,200
Okay, great.
493
00:30:16,200 --> 00:30:20,200
And I'll, I'll have you send me those links if you don't mind and I'll put them, you know,
494
00:30:20,200 --> 00:30:23,200
in the description so everyone listening can go ahead and click on that.
495
00:30:23,200 --> 00:30:26,200
But Ella, thank you so much for coming on the podcast.
496
00:30:26,200 --> 00:30:27,200
I really appreciate it.
497
00:30:27,200 --> 00:30:30,200
Thank you for having me and thank you for doing this.
498
00:30:30,200 --> 00:30:32,200
I think it's a fantastic platform.
499
00:30:32,200 --> 00:30:34,200
So thank you so much.
500
00:30:34,200 --> 00:30:35,200
I appreciate that.
501
00:30:35,200 --> 00:30:36,200
Thank you.