“What you offer a character is everything that you are”: Identity On and Offscreen with Mouna Traoré

Words: Kay Knofi / kayknofi

Introducing Mouna Traoré / _mounatraore, the actress you must keep your eyes out for. Actually, you’ve probably already seen her. From where? Oh, from Umbrella Academy, where she plays cult-follower Jill. She’s also starred in American Gods and Netflix’s Self Made: Inspired by the Life of Madam C.J. Walker, based on America’s first African American self-made millionaire. Mouna may be best known to her fellow Canadian natives for her role as doctor Rebecca James in Murdoch Mysteries, a period and crime drama. 

We spoke with Mouna about the complexities of her characters, from dark themes of anxiety and fate, to the fact her Umbrella Academy character even has her own cult following on the internet! A woman of many pursuits, we just had to discuss Mouna’s involvement in communities that emphasize the importance of BIPOC creativity and mental health. 

With Mouna hitting all the right notes, it’s exciting to think that such an authentic and socially progressive actress is getting the attention she deserves.

Courtesy Mouna Traoré

You studied Caribbean studies at university, with minor in African studies and Buddhist Psychology. How on earth did you get into acting from there?!

I actually started acting long before I went to University. I knew I wanted to be an actor from a very young age and I took extra curricular classes all through elementary and middle school, as well as attended arts camp in the summer. I went to a performing arts high school and that’s where I really began to imagine a career for myself. My last year of high school is when I got an agent. I went to University because I felt it was expected of me. I started out in the drama program, but when it became clear that I couldn’t audition or work while in the program, I chose to prioritize my career and changed majors. I decided to study subjects that were meaningful to me, knowing I was never going to pursue professional work in any of those fields.

Do you think exploring different characters allows you to explore different sides of yourself?

I think exploring different characters allows you to reveal different sides of yourself, if you’re liberated and creative enough to do so. I think that what you offer a character is everything that you are - and if you explore with curiosity and not judgement you’ll always discover aspects of your personality and behaviour that are new or have yet to be explored.

“Condor” (2018) is a thriller series about spy technology that could, in theory, save millions of lives. You said that this theme draws people in, as it’s something “a lot of us have anxiety about”. Why do you think we’re fascinated with “what if” situations?

I think it’s human nature to constantly be searching for answers, especially when we have no idea what direction were heading towards. In an era where technological advancement is increasing at a rapid rate, I think it’s healthy  for people to question and speculate about the possible consequences of our technology. I think the human brain is wired to try to make sense of unanswered questions and mysteries, because diffuses our anxiety and potentially gives us a sense of security. I’m always thinking about “what if”... I think that’s why I’m obsessed with sci-fi fantasy!

How did it feel for your character on Umbrella Academy, Jill, to be so well received? There’s Jill fan art, memes and even a cult on Reddit dedicated to her!

There’s a reddit thread??? Wow that’s wild! This is the first I’m hearing of this. Whew! That’s amazing! I never expected to get this kind of reception. I’m so grateful really, because I think the moment Jill shares with Ben is so adorable and special, and something we desperately needed to see. It’s hard not to have a soft spot for Ben, so I can understand why so many people would be excited to see him have a romantic moment.

You’re quite vocal on Instagram about approaching mental health from a holistic perspective. For example, the link in your bio is a wellness directory for Black communities in Canada. Why do you think this is so important to discuss?

I come from a family with a lot of people who struggle with mental health issues, and I think the traditional more clinical ways of dealing with mental distress are outmoded and often dehumanizing. My sister works at CAMH (Centre for Addiction and Mental Health), and she offers me new perspectives all the time, based on her work. I also believe that black people have a tendency to ignore mental health issues within our community, because of stigmas attached, and the way mental health institutions have been used to violate and oppress our communities. I hope that by offering resources specific to our community and engaging in open conversations around mental health, it normalizes these experiences and allows black people to get the help and support they may need.

Congratulations for hosting the first Collective Culture online event! Can you tell us a bit about the organisation?

Collective Culture is a platform that prioritizes the voices of BIPOC creatives within and beyond Canadian borders through the development of multidisciplinary programming and content. Founded by my friend Keesha Chung, CC is all about using its platform to highlight the work of artists and creators, and produce events to cultivate community. I came on as a contributor in 2016, and have worked with Keesha on a select few projects. This year, as a result of the pandemic, we’ve been curating digital conversations in collaboration with Centre Never Apart Montreal. We have one coming up in October, and I can’t wait to announce it!

Your character in American Gods, Ruby, experiences grief from the loss of family. Central to her character are the themes of fate and God. What’s your personal take on fate?

I’m still trying to work it out! I don’t think I can give you a definitive answer on what fate is because I don’t fully know what it means to me.

What do you think is the significance of representing Black female success in the media, like we see in Netflix's Self Made?

I think it offers a different kind of representation than what many of us have seen growing up. Especially in historical representations, I feel like there’s always been a strong focus on the experience of enslavement and then it jumps straight to the civil rights era. There’s so much that’s happened in between and so many myths that need debunking. There are many black women in history that have been influential and their work has yet to be elevated and acknowledged in mainstream media. It’s exciting that we’re starting to see that, so that younger generations can see themselves and the stories of their ancestors represented.

What has auditioning/shooting/being an actor in general been like during COVID-19? How has your career been altered?

It’s super weird. I’ve had a lot of zoom auditions, which always feels unnatural. I’ve also had a lot of self tape auditions, but that’s something as actors that we’re always doing. Things are a lot slower, less predictable. I feel like I’ve had to grieve any expectations of what I thought would happen this year, because so many productions have stopped or have been rescheduled. I feel like my career is on pause. I’ve had the opportunity to work a bit here and there but I have no idea what to expect going forward. On the upside, I’ve had a lot of voice gigs! Even booked a few, which is nice! Not something I expected for 2020.

If you could choose one place in the world to visit right now, where would it be?

I would go back to Croatia. I absolutely love that country. I’ve been there twice and I’ve been dying to go back. I was hoping to visit this summer but Covid put a stop to that!