In this episode, Mishu sits down with actor, writer, comedian, and filmmaker Ilse Zacharias Rivera to talk about what it means to create your own permission slip. They dig into how her new podcast Ilse Will Say became acts of self-definition—and how podcasting, performance, and filmmaking all feed the same muscle of showing up as yourself.

They talk about learning to trust your collaborators, what happens when you stop overthinking and start doing, and how to find joy (and sanity) in a career that can feel like a casino. Ilse opens up about writing the stories she wasn’t seeing on screen, balancing ambition with community, and why she believes “being yourself is a muscle.”

🎭 Ilse Zacharias Rivera is a multitalented storyteller whose work spans theater, film, standup, and podcasting. She wrote and produced The Knockout, which premiered at Steppenwolf Theatre, and her screenplay La Chupacabra was a finalist for the Sundance Institute’s feature development program. As a performer, she’s appeared in The Exorcist (FOX), Chicago PD (NBC), and Dirty Business (Chicago Latino Film Festival). Her latest venture, Ilse Will Say, blends comedy, curiosity, and cultural critique—“smart, playful, and totally me,” as she puts it.

We talk about:
 → Letting go of perfectionism and embracing momentum
 → Turning networking into genuine connection (and comedy)
 → Trusting collaborators and knowing when to walk away
 → Why being yourself is a creative practice, not a personality trait
 → Doing the work anyway—especially when no one asks you to

Follow Ilse at @ilsezacharias and her podcast @ilsewillsay
Visit ilsezachariasrivera.com

Listen to more episodes at mischiefpod.com and follow us on Instagram and TikTok at @mischiefpod
Produced by @ohhmaybemedia