Interviews

Published on September 5th, 2014 | by Jameelah "Just Jay" Wilkerson

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Meital Dohan: Labors Of Love

Please tell me your whole inception into entertainment – When did you first become interested in it? And, how did it all begin for you, Meital?

It feels like I’ve been entertaining since I exited the womb, but it really began when I started studying acting as a teenager. So, I started on the stage, which still feels like home, and then I made my way to TV & film sets.

Where exactly do you hail from? And, with that being said, growing up who all did/do you consider to be your strongest influences?

I come from a small village in Israel outside Ra’anana. Growing up, I was always a huge fan of major artists like Andy Warhol, (Jean-Luc) Godard…People that lived outside the boundaries of normal society. At present, I still admire those people, and I’m drawn to people who really take risks and really fight for the art that they believe in.

At what particular point in time actually did you opt to pursue entertainment on a professional level?

I don’t think it was ever a conscious choice in the way that I said, “Oh, I think I’d like to be famous now!” I started performing and the audience wanted more from me, so I kept doing that. From there, I was nominated for the Israeli Academy Award and came to the U.S. where I did Weeds, Monogamy, Woke Up Dead and it just kept going and going. I think you realize the need to do something professionally is when the thought of doing anything else just doesn’t even enter the equation.

As you just mentioned, your break-out role came courtesy of the popular Showtime series Weeds, correct? So please tell me how the role of ‘Yael Hoffman’ actually came about?

My agent sent me to meet with the casting director and then I was on a plane, and then I was on set, and then I had a dildo, which is of course my famous scene where I put the moves on Justin Kirk’s character [‘Andy Botwin’]!

Since you are both a budding actress and international singing sensation, do you have a specific personal preference when it comes to the two of these innate talents?

It’s funny because that’s the question I’m asked most, and the question I never have an exact answer for! I find that singing and acting are like my two babies…I love them both but differently. Sometimes, I wake up and I just want to be in the studio writing songs and making music. Other days, I want to be on a film set. When you’re acting, you’re trying to lose yourself inside the character you are playing. When you’re singing, you get to play the amplified version of you. So, it’s interesting how that dichotomy plays to the self; one is denying the self, and one is indulging in it. I think I really need both, which is why I use both to my artistic advantage!

Your last single entry “Give Us Back Love,” has become quite a huge hit for you — So, how exactly does that make you feel?

I feel really lucky that it found its audience, and it was such a labor of love creating that song. It’s really incredible when you work so hard at something, and then the end result is a great reception from your fans. It’s definitely more than the icing on the cake because it actually drives me to wake up every day and do what I do.

As an extension to that last question, how then do you actually classify your overall sound and/or style?

I don’t like to box myself in by genre, but I definitely have created my own hybrid pop, fusing elements of Hip-Hop, dance and electro-pop, into something that sounds uniquely my own.

What do you feel it is exactly that will continue to sustain you in this grueling business of entertainment?

Maybe it’s my secret snake diet, or maybe it’s my ability to see the future? Seriously though, I try to give the audience something that comes from a need to express myself, while looking at the work that needs to be done socially, instead of thinking what would entertain them in a casual way because I do feel you have to push things to an extreme to help make a point, or spread a message.

Do you have any other outside/additional future aspirations, maybe even completely away from entertainment?

Of course! I’m very active with philanthropy, and want to continue dedicating more of my time to helping the world be a less corrupt, heartless place. Right now, I support ‘Friends of Sheba,’ an organization that provides the best medical care to anyone in the middle east, no matter their race or color. This is really important to me because I value human life and think we all need to band together to bring equal and fair medical care to everyone.

To date, what has been your biggest career moment, at least thus far anyway?

It’s so hard to chose, but I think it felt really great to be Top 10 on the Billboard charts. As a newcomer to the music scene, who put out only three songs in her life, it felt like I was being embraced by a new community and that’s an exceptional feeling. Winning the Tony Award in Israel wasn’t so bad either!

Looking ahead, say five or ten years from now, where do you see yourself?

I’ll be building a villa on the moon facing the sun. *She announces with a big grin*

As for the immediate, what’s next for you?

I’m finishing my album and recording new music, which is really creatively fulfilling. I’m also working on a TV series that I’m really excited about and is in development.

Is there anything I left out or just plain forgot to mention?

Maybe my pet tiger Charlie? Or, have you already met? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eqeQwBzWdbk

Any “closing” thought(s) for our readers?

Stay yummy and give back love to everyone that loves you, or just anyone yummy enough to deserve your love… “YUMMY”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a4JWVzAvXIk …”Give Us Back Love”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=noO0F8O-bNo

@meitaldohan

By: Todd Davis



About the Author

Publisher and CEO of The Hype Magazine. Follow me on Twitter @HypeJustJay


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