Maya Misaljevic: Growing up in front of the camera
From Young Starlight in The Boys to Elaine in IT: Welcome to Derry, Maya Misaljevic is building a career where fear is not an obstacle, but part of the process.
Some actors discover their calling over time. Maya Misaljevic practically grew up inside hers.
Born in Toronto, the actress, singer, and dancer began working in front of the camera at a very young age. Today, her name is closely associated with Elaine in IT: Welcome to Derry and Young Starlight in The Boys, two productions that have introduced her to audiences around the world.
In conversation with Casa Zoreli, Maya recalls that her first role came when she was just six months old. What began as an early experience gradually became a career she genuinely enjoys—and one that continues to evolve with every project.
From the world of "The Boys" to "Derry"
If The Boys introduced her to the world of superheroes, IT: Welcome to Derry brought an entirely different kind of challenge.
As Elaine Morrison, Maya stepped into Stephen King’s universe as a popular young girl within the so-called Pattycakes, the group that holds much of the school’s social power.
“Playing Elaine has been the role that has transformed me the most so far because it challenged me, and it was so much fun to play a character who is so different from who I am in real life.”
That contrast became an opportunity. Rather than reducing Elaine to the role of the “mean girl,” Maya sought to understand her motivations and contradictions.
Because acting is not about becoming identical to a character. It is about finding the truth that makes them real.
Learning to live with fear
Fear is one of the themes that runs throughout our conversation. Early on, what concerned Maya most was the feeling of being watched and judged.
Over time, she realized she did not need to eliminate that fear in order to move forward.
“It took me time to understand that fear is not an obstacle, but part of the process.”
Today, she turns it into momentum. She reads, researches, and understands the context before stepping into a character, while continuing to train in acting, dance, and singing.
Away from set, she finds balance in her family, her friends, and the things she enjoys when she is not working: baking, dancing, making TikToks, or simply going out.
An identity that dresses, too
Fashion is another form of expression for Maya. Her style begins with comfort, but leaves room for more intentional, narrative choices.
At the IT: Welcome to Derry premiere; she chose a lilac Bronx and Banco dress inspired directly by Elaine. The purple worn throughout her character’s wardrobe followed her onto the red carpet, paired with a distinctly ’60s-inspired aesthetic.
The look was more than just a dress: it was an extension of the character beyond the screen.
What comes next
Maya continues to expand her creative world with projects such as Don’t Trust the Quiet Ones and La Befana, where, alongside acting, she will have the opportunity to sing.
Her career already spans television, film, voice work, singing, and dance. But more interesting than the number of credits is the direction her career is beginning to take.
Maya does not seem in a hurry to become a definitive version of herself. She is learning to choose characters that challenge her, navigate outside judgment, and protect the life that exists beyond the cameras.
In this edition of Casa Zoreli, Maya Misaljevic captures a very particular moment: that of an actress who has already stepped into some of the most recognizable worlds in contemporary television, yet still holds on to something far more interesting than a perfectly constructed image:
the curiosity to discover who she will become next.
