Actress Keyla Monterroso Mejia, known for "Abbott Elementary" and "Curb Your Enthusiasm," opens up about adjusting to fame and finding joy in unexpected moments.

Hollywood

Keyla Monterroso Mejia, recognized for her performances in popular television series such as 'Curb Your Enthusiasm' and 'Abbott Elementary,' reflected on her rapid ascent in the entertainment industry. She discussed her breakout role as Maria Sofia Estrada and expressed gratitude for the opportunities that have shaped her career.

Despite her professional success, Monterroso Mejia spoke openly about her struggles with body image and self-doubt, noting that acting has helped her appreciate herself more. She credited her upbringing in Hawthorne, California, as the child of Guatemalan and Mexican immigrants, for fostering her creativity and resilience. Monterroso Mejia remains optimistic about her future, embracing new roles and the unexpected turns her career continues to take.

Keyla Monterroso Mejia reflects on life after hit shows

You may recognize actor Kayla Monterosso Mejia from hit TV shows like Curb Your Enthusiasm and Abbott Elementary. I met up with the breakout comedy star at a cocktail bar in Manhattan for her very first speakeasy experience. Through these doors. Okay. Looks like it might just be a hot dog spot, right? There's a guy eating hot dogs, but follow me in. Okay, so, give me this phone, dude. Okay. Oh, my God. Pick up the phone and dial one. Push that door open, and a completely different world awaits you. Oh, my God. Amazing. Perfect. You nailed it. I'm so excited. I'm so excited. What I first became aware of you was on Curb Your Enthusiasm, which I think was your first, like, real, like, acting role. And I just remember thinking to myself, who is this actress? Like, she's so funny. She's so good. I want to talk to you about that David boy. Larry. Yeah, that's his name, Larry David. Well, what about him? I feel like you're being seductive right now. You're talking to your mother. Are we not close? You were so good as Maria Sofia Estrada that I thought to myself, this is going to sound bad, but I was like, wait, is she really just a bad actress that Larry hired? Maybe. No. If you ask my brother, yes. I just remember thinking, like, no, he only works with the most supremely, insanely talented people. Oh, my God. And that's you. Oh, my God. And that's you. Yeah, I owe them everything. That was a crazy experience. And I could have never imagined that that was going to be the thing that launched me. But now I'm like, oh, I'm so grateful. But, like, it's crazy to think that I did that. And I want you to meet my boobay. Your what? My grandmother. Since landing that breakout role only four years ago, Montarosa Mejia has been on a steady rise to stardom. I'll be the eight of your dreams. With humorous appearances in hit comedy shows Abbott Elementary... Like, my 56-year-old aunt is going to have some real sexy secrets. Turns out, she kind of did. ...Running Point, and most recently, The Studio, where she plays an assistant to a Hollywood executive portrayed by Seth Rogen. Okay. Oh, my God, would it be okay if I asked for a selfie? No, don't, don't, don't, don't, don't. But in spite of the 27-year-old's zany roles on the big screen, she's been open about her internal battles with body image and self-doubt behind the camera. Now that you're having all of this incredible success, have those insecurities gone away? No, no, of course not. No. I think now I'm just not as judgmental as I was before. Of yourself? Yeah. I think before I was in a really negative headspace about so many things. And I think having an outlet to sort of express myself has really allowed me to appreciate them more in a really funny way, I think, because it ended up being that those are the things that people really enjoyed. Monterosa Mejia has been enjoying the unexpected journey herself, coming a long way from her roots in Hawthorne, California, growing up as the child of immigrants from Guatemala and Mexico. My mom truly allowed me to be messy, and my home always felt like a playground, every part of it. And it really, I think, made a world of a difference. At the time, she had no idea that it would grow into this passion that now is acting. She was just letting me be a kid, and I had so much fun. Rebecca, don't touch me. Today, that fun continues. Are you... I've never seen a credit score this low. Through a list of acting roles that keeps on growing. Congratulations. Just give me a sense of, like, how you see your future. If you would have told me at the beginning, before I was starting, write out a list of the shows that you want to do, the roles, the things, all of it, it would have not been as good as, like, the things that actually happened to me. The universe has been so good to me, and so I hope to just be acting and be happy, but I'm open to receiving whatever's out there. Something tells me she's going to be acting for a very long time, because she's incredible. She is really incredible. I mean, honestly, I think they could build a whole comedy around her. Oh, yeah. And running point, she nails it.

Russia pummeled Kyiv with the largest drone attack of the war, injuring at least 23 people and damaging buildings across the capital only hours after U.S. President Donald Trump spoke with Russia's Vladimir Putin, officials said.

Kyiv

Ukraine Invasion

Russia hits Kyiv with largest drone attack after Trump-Putin call

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Jerusalem

More than 80 people killed in Gaza in one day

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Global Tariffs

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Gilimanuk

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Tecoluca

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Manhattan

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Madrid

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Tehran

Iran Strikes

Iran nuclear program degraded by up to two years: Pentagon

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Lhasa

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New York

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Boise

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Madison

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Everglades

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Moscow

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Thailand's Constitutional Court on Tuesday suspended Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra from duty pending a case seeking her dismissal, adding to mounting pressure on a government fighting for survival on multiple fronts.

Bangkok

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Israeli strikes killed at least 60 people across Gaza on June 30 in some of the heaviest attacks in weeks as Israeli officials were due in Washington for a new ceasefire push by U.S. President Donald Trump.