MEET MARUSHKA
THE SHOW MUST GO ON
Marushka Almeida is one of the creative minds behind Get Up Aisha, available on CBC Gem.
Name: Marushka Jessica Almeida.
Currently: I’m one of the creative minds behind Get Up Aisha – a series that follows Aisha Rehman, a type-A Pakistani Canadian student who, after getting diagnosed with depression, tries to apply a checklist approach to curing the incurable. It’s available on CBC Gem!
My life in 50 words: I’m a writer/producer, currently a part of the Canadian Film Centre’s Comedy Story Room Intensive. I’m in development on another show called Bad Accountant with my Get Up Aisha co-creators Rabiya Mansoor and Nisha Khan, and have another show, POVme coming out. It is a late-night sketch show by and for kids!
The writer in me took flight when: Growing up, I was a very angry kid and was put in anger management where I learnt to process my feelings through journaling and writing. Eventually, I moved on to writing poetry and music and then to essays and short stories, before eventually finding screenwriting.
The artiste in me wishes: For everyone to be given equal access and opportunities to tell their stories so that the weight of representation wouldn’t fall on just a few people.
My favourite line in literature: “I wonder who it was that defined man as a rational animal. It was the most premature definition ever given. Man is many things, but he is not rational.” – The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde.
Favourite colours: Forest green, royal blue and black.
Favourite designer: That would be Inkquisitive. A talented illustrator and designer who takes real issues and transforms them into beautiful art.
Favourite movie: A hard one to answer as it changes every day. Today’s favourite is Celina Sciamma’s Portrait of A Lady on Fire.
Favourite musicians: Cesaria Evora, Stromae, System of A Down, Snarky Puppy and Nancy Ajram
Favourite songs: Another tough one that constantly changes, but my current favourites are Kate Bush’s Cloudbusting, J.I.D’s Working Out and Lifafa’s Nikamma.
Favourite TV shows: Bojack Horseman, Station Eleven, PEN15, Fleabag, Succession and It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia.
Favourite ice cream flavour: Plain ol’ chocolate.
Favourite cuisine: Currently it’s Korean – I’m always up for some gomtang soup.
Favourite restaurant: Mapo in Koreatown on Ossington. The absolute best food and service.
Favourite sport: Table tennis.
Favourite sportsperson: Russell Westbrook. I don’t know why but there’s something mesmerizing about watching him play, I can’t look away!
Favourite author: The legend and icon that is Kazuo Ishiguro. I only have two books left of his and I’m reading them so slowly because I just don’t want to run out.
Favourite activities: Reading, walking in graveyards and listening to music (usually also in graveyards).
I hang out: Mainly at home or at this gorgeous park right by my house.
I’m freaked out by: Snakes and hypocrites! Two very scary things.
I need: To learn to accept boredom and how to relax. I’m not very good at it.
My role models: Nisha Khan and Rabiya Mansoor. How they’ve managed to create while staying true to who they are and their visions as creators has been so inspiring. It’s been the best reward working with them.
Tips to save the planet: Become the CEO of a fossil fuel company and burn it down from the inside.
In a perfect world: Work would not be mandatory but a choice. Survival and basic income would be guaranteed to everyone. Our days would be filled not with “I have to do” but “I want to do”.
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