Myha’la Herrold is an American actress who is well known for playing the role of Harper Stern in the British television drama ‘Industry’ (2020).
Wiki/Biography
Myha’la Herrold was born as Myha’la Jael Herrold [1]Unity Care’s YouTube Channel on Saturday, April 6, 1996 (age 25 years, as of 2021), and she hails from San Jose, California. Her zodiac sign is Aries.
Childhood picture of Myha’la Herrold with her mother
The daughter of a cosmetologist, Herrold spent most of her childhood in the beauty salon in California where her mother worked. Herrold first got interested in acting at the mere age of six when she started starring in the community theatrical productions in her hometown. In 2014, she completed her schooling at Archbishop Mitty High School in San Jose. During her childhood, Herrold was a prominent member of Archbishop Mitty’s performing arts department and the Children’s Musical Theater San Jose. Despite being practically raised in a beauty salon, Herrold had a complicated relationship with beauty since her childhood. In an interview she said,
Growing up, I was heavily influenced by this eurocentric idea of what beauty is and so I always felt ‘othered’. It really started to affect how I felt about myself was when I was 16, turning 17. I had this mantra where I’d tell myself, ‘You’re beautiful,’—but I couldn’t help feel so insecure, wishing that I had anything but my own body, my own face.”
Thereafter, she pursued a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Acting/Music Theater at the Carnegie Mellon University School of Drama in Pittsburgh. [2]Showcase Carnegie Mellon University 2021
Physical Appearance
[3]Showcase Carnegie Mellon University 2021 Height: 5’ 1″
Hair Color: Brown
Eye Color: Brown
Family
Myha’la Herrold, an only child, was raised by her mother, Susan Herrold, who is a cosmetologist.
Myha’la Herrold with her mother Susan Herrold
Affairs/Boyfriends
Myha’la Herrold’s boyfriend, Armando Rivera, is a professional footballer player at the College of the Desert (COD) in Palm Desert, California. COD Football is a member of the American Division-Mountain Conference in the Southern California Football Association (SCFA).
Myha’la Herrold with her boyfriend Armando Rivera
Career
In 2017, she made her Broadway debut when she secured herself the role of Nabulungi in the national tour of the popular musical comedy ‘The Book of Mormon.’ In the play, Nabulungi is the daughter of Mafala and the love interest of Arnold Cunningham, who dreams about going to Sal Tlay Ka Siti one day.
Myha’la Herrold in The Book of Mormon (2017)
She made her film debut in 2018 with ‘Rehabilitation of the Hill’ in which she played the role of the background. She appeared in the 2019 indie romantic drama film ‘Premature’ in which she played the role of Dymond.
Premature (2019)
She also starred in the 2019 short film ‘The Tattooed Heart’ as Lulu. Later, in the same year, she made her television debut when she appeared in an episode of the American anthology series ‘Modern Love’ as Tami.
Myha’la Herrold in Modern Love (2019)
In 2020, she came into the limelight with the British television drama series ‘Industry’ in which she played the role of Harper Stern. The series follows the lives of a group of young graduates who compete for a limited number of roles at a leading international bank in London. In the series, Harper Stern is an ambitious, sharp-witted, twenty-three-year-old woman who must navigate through the treacherous reality of the competitive industry, which is clouded by greed, sex, drugs, and impossible expectations, to secure herself a high-end job.
Myha’la Herrold in Industry (2020)
In 2021, she starred in the film ‘Plan B.’
Myha’la Herrold in Plan B (2021)
Tattoos
- ‘Babygirl’ inked on her chest
- A woman’s face inked on her right thigh
- On her right arm, she has ‘Sweet’ inked above a heart tattoo with ‘MAMA’ inscribed in it
- ’96’ inked on her left shoulder
- A rose tattoo on the left arm
- “Salad,” her cat’s name, inked on her left thigh
- “Hungry” inked on her right arm
- “Full” tattooed on her right arm
- Others
Facts/Trivia
- While growing up in California, she lacked self-confidence as the only Black or even mixed-race person in the all-white community. It was her mother who helped Herrold to wrestle this issue and taught her daughter that beauty was intrinsic. In an interview with Vogue, while sharing the most important lesson she learned from her mother, Herrold said,
That it was less about aesthetics and more about taking good care of yourself and self-expression. It’s about who you are, not what a person looks like. She also taught me how to do facial massage.”
- She is the recipient of the award for best lead actress at the Bay Area High School Musical Theatre Awards (2013) for playing the role of Olive in the musical ‘The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee.’ She was also honored at the California High School Musical Theater Awards (2014).
- Her special skills include cheerleading, stunting, juggling, IPA proficiency, track and field hurtles, and sewing.
- She has earned her Equity card, a proof of membership in the Actors’ Equity Association of the United States.
- Just nine months after she graduated from the Carnegie Mellon University in 2018, Myha’la Herrold landed the role of Harper Stern in the HBO series ‘Industry’ and filmed for the pilot episode, directed by the celebrated American actor and director Lena Dunham.
- She often posts various pictures on her Instagram account displaying her unshaven armpits, a bunch of tattoos, and imperfect body to encourage body positivity among her followers.
Myha’la Herrold Instagram post
- She has a septum piercing, and she also wears a nose ring.
- Myha’la Herrold is fond of pole dancing and finds it liberating. In an interview, while talking about pole dancing, she said,
It’s really liberating. Sex and sexuality are connected to my relationship with beauty and health. I had always admired pole dancing and stripping—I thought it was such a fascinating world.”
References