Interview with Maze Felix
Maze Felix is one of the actors involved with the horror anthology series Give Me an A. The anthology was produced and organized by Natasha Halevi who created the project as a response to the overturn of Roe vs Wade. Felix stars in the short “Plan C,” written and directed by Megan Rosatti.
Maze Felix (they/them) is a queer trans nonbinary AAPI Chinese Transracial adoptee. They are in multiple avenues of work that include: American Sign Language Interpreting, Community Building/Customer Service/Social Media with a Queer and Trans Owned business, and Acting. Through acting, they discovered a reconnection to themself and have reclaimed their own power in telling their story and experiences through art. Acting has been extremely liberating for them in their exploration of the nuance of the intersections of their identities with race, culture, sexuality, and gender. In their spare time, they love to hike, travel, play ultimate frisbee and spend quality time with friends and chosen family. They also have a deep love for ice cream, cows, and are a proud guinea pig parent of two.
I was able to ask Felix some questions about their involvement in Give Me an A and their experience as a non-binary person navigating a post-Roe world. My interview with them is included below!
Content Warning: discussions of abortion, sexual assault, racism, and transphobia
TH:How did you first get involved with Give Me an A and what was the casting process like for the project?
MF: Megan Rosatti, the director of “Plan C” in the film Give Me an A, was in conversation with my manager Noga Wind at Queer Up Agency. Megan had found my profile and had expressed interest to Noga in speaking to me! They were searching for a non-binary person, who looked both young for their age and someone who authentically represented communities that are often underserved and overlooked, such as the LGBTQIA and BIPOC communities, specifically surrounding abortion rights. I met with Megan one day on a virtual call, and we found a deep connection to one another and to each other’s individual experiences surrounding abortion rights. We both felt an immediate trust and comfort with one another.
TH: What intrigued you about Give Me an A and why did you decide to sign on?
Can you give us a summary of your segment “Plan C” and your initial takeaways from the short?
MF: I was intrigued about the project, honored to join, and decided to sign on to bring awareness that abortion rights extend beyond the binary and that multiple genders are affected by the overturning of Roe vs. Wade. While it was a brief role, it was certainly a large role to fill in meaning, knowing that I was representing multiple underserved and underrepresented communities and identities that have limited access to abortion rights and resources. I still carry this role with honor. It should be emphasized that this project was all volunteer, where producers, writers, actors, and creators from all over came together to unite, brainstorm, and rightfully respond to the overturning of Roe vs Wade through art and film. It was an anthology of 15 different short films that were all completed in less than 2 weeks of one another. The visionaries and leaders of the film, Natasha Halevi, Megan Rosatti, and so many more spearheaded the entire project.
In my segment “Plan C,” there is an option, which is emphasized as the most effective and positive option, for contraception that is called “Plan C.” This contraceptive essentially psychologically changes your ability to emotionally care and support the apathy and lack of concerns of conceiving. The most horrific and eerie part of this short is that it is framed as the most “consensual” option that exists, while entirely removing the option to have any other voice but consenting to conceive. For my part, I play a young, non-binary, patient of color, which is not only very relatable but a real experience for me, whose life has been very hard and has a lack of resources. It is hinted that there have been sexual assault experiences occurring in my life and now I am seeking support and help from my doctor’s office on options for contraception. The ad and commercial for Plan C has been playing in my head throughout my doctor’s appointment, and all I can visualize is a white, cis woman, who represents those who have the most access and support to these options, and all I feel is stuck and forced to choose this option so I no longer care about caring. The irony of it all is that there is no other option but Plan C. Hearing Megan Rosatti’s vision and brilliant ideas with writing, directing, and accomplishing this horror short gave me chills when I first met with her, and I accepted this role with great honor, as she put so much trust and love into me.
TH: What was your experience like working on the project itself?
MF: I felt an immediate sense of comfort and safety while working on the set of Give Me An A. Megan Rosatti particularly made it an intention and point to use my correct pronouns and introduce me as such to the cast and crew and those moments made the biggest difference to my experience on the project as someone who is non-binary and uses they/them pronouns! I felt seen and included and felt I was autonomous with how I represented myself! Megan put so much trust in me in my character (as the patient) and I am forever grateful for that honor! She also checked in to make sure I felt safe on set both with the topic of abortion rights, Roe vs Wade, and with my identity. She has a warm, welcoming presence and felt like a chosen family member to me.
TH: Were you at all involved with other segments of the project or what was your reaction to viewing them for the first time? What other segments stood out to you and why?
MF: I wasn’t involved in any of the other segments but I was able to witness and watch the outstanding talent during the screening and premiere! Each segment stood out in its own way, where it exposed the terror and abusive truths of our system in the most ironic, eerie, creative, and terrifying way.
TH: Have you worked in the horror genre before? If so, how was this experience different than others? If not, how was your introduction to the scene?
MF: This was actually my first time entering the horror genre. I was initially really intimidated by it, but since working on GMAA, I have now loved discovering this new fun with exploring and want to work more with this genre! I have also continued to explore horror and thriller in my weekly acting classes and training and have now found a deep appreciation, care, and fun toward this genre. I think especially with this heavy topic, it is easy to get into your head about the topic itself and I expected myself to have a hard time to get out of that headspace, especially since it was so personal and fresh to me and also for so many on and off the work set. But I also had so much support on and off set and made sure I practiced self care before and after, so I could openly and safely explore this tough topic and the authentic feelings of anger while we were shooting the scene.
TH: The topic of reproductive health is so often centered around the experiences of cis women, could you speak to your experience as a trans artist working on a project about reproductive health? How was the project able to support you and reflect your own experiences in relation to reproductive care? In your opinion, where can we go from here in a post-Roe world?
MF: The film exposes truths on how our reproductive health system has been unjust, inaccessible, and exclusionary. It elaborates that there is a lack of body autonomy for folks of all and any gender. Particularly with our short, “Plan C,” the film highlights that there is a dire need and importance of inclusive language when having conversations about reproductive health. The issues surrounding reproductive health, contraception, and body autonomy affects ALL genders, not just cis women, and all races. There is a lack of resources for those of marginalized identities. As a trans person of color, I have often felt overlooked in the healthcare system, and it is tiring to witness my white cis peers obtaining necessary care and resources before any other person within a minority community and identity to the point I no longer trust the healthcare system. The conversation needs to start early on, during adolescence, which means inclusive language should be used early on. Some messages the audience should takeaway is that all genders are fighting the same system, and in order to support the autonomy and bodily rights of one another, we also need to address the intersectional issues of racism, gender, and sexuality and how gatekeeping affects folks of those marginalized communities and resources are oftentimes withheld from them.
TH: Where can we find your work and do you have any other upcoming projects?
MF: You can find me on social media and Instagram at @hi.there.im.maze where I often will post projects I have been a part of, as well as just personal moments in my life that are important to me and my identities, such as hiking, being open about polyamory, community building and my love for my guinea pigs!