Meet MK Kopp

Today we’d like to introduce you to MK Kopp.

Hi MK, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I was born and raised here in Nashville, performing in regional theater and local commercials. I took every possible acting and dance classes that I could (shoutout to my parents).

In 2014, I moved to New York to study acting and writing at Sarah Lawrence College. While in school, I studied aboard at the Prague Film School and Moscow Art Theatre School, which really solidified my desire to pursue the arts professionally. After graduating, I spent two years in the city, primarily working in theater. I performed in tiny blackbox spaces – sometimes with just the director and a sleeping elderly person in the audience. My friends were forced to watch me do cringe-worthy improv shows, all while I worked several jobs and auditioned for anything and everything.

In 2019, I founded a production company called La Loba Films (named after the Mexican folklore). I produced, co-wrote, and co-starred in my first short film of my own, and we had some decent success in the film festival circuit. I was desperate to tell my own stories, and I lucked out with finding some artistic soulmates who were eager to do the same.

I had just opened a play in Los Angeles (the very same play I had once performed for three people!) when the pandemic hit. Rather than flee back to my small one-bedroom apartment in New York, I stayed with family in Florida then found myself with family back in Nashville. After continuing to extend the trip week after week, I finally decided to rent a U-Haul and schlep my whole life from New York down to my hometown after six years away. The start of a Hallmark Christmas movie, no?

Some of same talented artists who helped me with my film project in 2019 (Lizzie Morgan, John Ward, and Alex Munro) crashed in my NEW small one-bedroom apartment, and we worked on another short film together. I co-wrote the story with Kiarra Goldberg all while she tuned in remotely from Canada (please sponsor me, Zoom). We decided to skip the film festival circuit and posted it online early 2021. Through an alignment of the stars, Daniel Cramer, a classmate of mine from the Prague Film School saw the film and pitched it to Sony Pictures, where he works as a comedy scout. And one day, completely out of the blue for me, he DM’d me on Instagram saying Sony wanted to buy it!

So by the end of 2021, I sold the short film to Sony and landed Anna Weinstein (Avalon Management) as my manager. I say it was an alignment of the stars because I spent years in New York seeking representation. It wasn’t until I moved to Nashville, fell in love, and started making projects again just to fill my creative soul that I finally made this advancement in my career.

Anna sends me on auditions that I would otherwise not have the opportunity to be seen for, and we have been working to continue growing my career as a writer.

I’m currently in production for my third short film, a dark comedy/slasher called CHIPPER. It’s based on a feature film I wrote earlier this year.

I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
New York City can be brutal; I spent most of my days stressed and sweaty. They’re not lying when they say that there are quite literally hundreds of talented actors who look identical to you. It was disheartening at times. “The Artist’s Way” by Julia Cameron became my lifeline by the end of my time living there.

All that to say, I have beautiful friends and fellow artists who made New York not only bearable to endure but remarkably special.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I am an actor, writer, producer, and director. I’ve been acting for my whole life – professionally since I was in high school. The pivot to writing and producing really came from the lack of opportunities I was given in the Film/TV industry in New York. Three years later, I’m producing music videos, writing short and feature films, and with my upcoming project, directing for film as well.

Any advice for finding a mentor or networking in general?
A professor once told me to focus on networking horizontally rather than vertically. While it is important to connect with professionals who are further along in their careers, I think it is crucial to find those at your level. They’re the ones you’ll be coming up with in the industry, so build strong connections with them and brainstorm how you can help each other out.

Contact Info:

• Website: marykathrynkopp.com & lalobafilms.com
• Instagram: @marykathrynkopp, @itsmkkopp &. @lalobafilms
• Facebook: Facebook.com/lalobafilms
• Other: https://vimeo.com/lalobafilms