In this inspiring episode, Damien Swaby sits down with multi-hyphenate creative Karina Michel—an actress, model, producer, and Emmy-winning executive producer. Karina shares her fascinating journey from a childhood dream in Northamptonshire to navigating Hollywood auditions and eventually leading impactful storytelling projects as the head of Tallulah Films.
🗣️ Topics Covered:
- Karina’s early acting dreams and her modeling break with Ford Agency
- Auditioning for Baywatch and what she learned from the process
- Life on the set of Dexter and how method acting impacted the environment
- Her transition into producing, and lessons learned from both sides of the camera
- Behind the scenes of her award-winning documentary Heart of FLPD and Oscar-shortlisted Little Miss Sumo
- The importance of telling untold stories and spotlighting social issues through film
- Navigating the evolving landscape of entertainment with streaming, AI, and Zoom-based filmmaking
- Advice to young creatives: “Just start—even imperfectly. That’s how momentum builds.”
🌍 Plus:
Karina reflects on balancing creativity with business, her go-to spiritual and grounding practices, and the emotional strength it takes to wear many hats in the entertainment industry.
🎙️ About the Guest:
Karina Michel is the host of Kofi Entertainment Unfiltered, a podcast exploring the journeys of artists and creatives. She has worked on over 100 productions and continues to champion underrepresented voices through film and media.
📌 Key Quote:
“Inspiration is everywhere. You don’t always have to look for it—sometimes the story finds you.”
Connect with Karina Michel
Instagram: karinamichelofficial
Podcast: Coffee with Karina - Entertainment Unfiltered
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