UNFILTERED
WRITER: Lauren Dickson
INTERVIEW CONDUCTED BY: Chris Saunders
The actor has been on the come up for a while, but with The Sex Lives of College Girls, she’s firmly in the spotlight – British charm and razor-sharp wit intact.
Confidence isn’t just a quality Mia Rodgers possesses – it’s something that feels innate, stitched into the way she carries herself both on and off screen. With natural charisma and a knack for delivering sharp, unforgettable one-liners, she’s been quietly making waves for a while now. From her debut as Jasmine Marks in BBC’s Trauma, where she held her own alongside heavyweights like John Simm and Adrian Lester, to her captivating performance in Caroline Hajny’s Diary of a Ghost, Rodgers has steadily carved out a space for herself as an actor with depth, nuance, and a magnetic screen presence.
But it’s her role as Taylor in The Sex Lives of College Girls that has truly put her on the map. As a character who effortlessly dismantles fragile male egos while navigating the often-overlooked struggles of being a queer college student, Taylor resonated with audiences in a way that felt both refreshing and necessary. And for British fans, there was an extra thrill in seeing Rodgers fully embrace her London accent on screen, grounding her performance in something that felt unmistakably her own.
At just 24, Rodgers has already established herself as an actor with staying power. She’s effortlessly cool but refreshingly self-aware, delivering humour with razor-sharp precision while never shying away from the emotional vulnerability that makes her characters feel real. There’s an ease to her performances – something warm and familiar – that makes it feel like you’re watching a friend on screen, someone you’ve always known.
Before Rodgers found herself playing Taylor in The Sex Lives of College Girls, she had dabbled in just about everything – fashion, prop buying, retail, even singing. But acting, she says, always felt the most natural. Now, with her first major role under her belt, she’s reflecting on what it means to step into the spotlight, navigate new experiences, and find confidence in her own voice – both on and off screen.
Chris Saunders: Hey Mia! Let’s start easy. We obviously know you’re British – where in the UK are you from?
Mia Rodgers: I live in North London, like the Arsenal bit of North London. I love it. I’ve lived here my entire life. I don’t think I could leave it. I’m bad at change.
CS: So, does that mean a future move to America is off the cards?
MR: I mean, I’ll go wherever the wind, or work, takes me. I love traveling, I really do, but it’s always nice to have a base. I spent some time there last year. I feel like it’s a process of becoming comfortable with your surroundings in a new place. When I first arrived, I thought, I’m never going to feel comfortable here, but of course, the longer you stay somewhere, the more natural it feels.
CS: It’s interesting, growing up in London. I feel like it gets such a bad rep. I grew up here too and feel I was super lucky in that aspect to be in such a vibrant city.
MR: We won the lottery already. It’s amazing. It’s my favorite city in the world.
CS: So, I read that when you were growing up, you were performing at first – you used to sing and then switched over to acting. I also read you tried to get into fashion for a little bit at some point. Tell us about that?
MR: Yeah, I’ve had so many careers. I’ve done fashion, prop buying, waitressing, the whole singing thing, retail – like, honestly, you name it, I’ve tried. Acting kind of felt like a natural trajectory from singing. I feel like most actors can sing, or dance. I have two left feet, so dancing was never for me. I can sing, but I felt way more comfortable acting than singing. I find singing extremely exposing and revealing. I used to get such stage fright when I would sing, but acting, on the other hand, is so freeing. I didn’t have to be me whatsoever, and over time it’s worked out, but it definitely took some time to get here.
CS: Would you say overall there’s less pressure on acting in comparison to singing?
MR: I don’t think so in the grand scheme of things at all, but for me personally, yes. I found I was very insecure when singing because I went to an all-girls school, and there was always shame put on you for trying something new. So, as a pre-pubescent teen, naturally my acting just kind of flourished over the vulnerability of singing. In more recent years, I’ve gone back to singing. I’ve missed it so much, and I’m glad that I came back on my own accord rather than – because you know when you’re slightly good at something half the time, you resent it in a weird way – and now I’ve gotten to a place where all I do is miss it and want to be back there, but I have to start from the beginning. So, I’m slowly getting back into it, which is nice.
CS: What would be your karaoke song?
MR: Oh my God. For years, it was ‘Creep’ by Radiohead. Such a classic. However, I’m no longer allowed to sing it because I had a really drunken incident during karaoke one Christmas, where I had to be pulled off stage, and I told everyone to “fuck off” because they tried to take the mic off me. I apparently followed that with a rendition of ‘Teenage Dirtbag’ as well, which I have no recollection of. So, I’m slightly scared of karaoke nowadays.
CS: And in terms of being a creative person, were your parents also creative, or were you the complete opposite?
MR: Yes, my family are all creatives. I think if I turned around and said, “Hey, I want to be a scientist,” they’d be extremely confused. My mum worked in advertisement photography for years, and my dad studied as a tailor, and now owns his own creative agency. Then my brother is an artist and prop maker – so, kind of in the same field, but an extremely creative household.
My dad’s agency is very fashion-oriented, so it’s a big part of my life, and it will forever continue to be. You asked earlier if I’d tried fashion at some point, I wanted to be a designer, a journalist, a fashion buyer, and then I just decided that I didn’t want to do fashion. I love it as a hobby, I don’t think I can make it my career. Luckily, a lot of what I’m doing now brings me into the fashion world slightly. So it’s kind of the best of both worlds.
CS: It’s probably nicer that way, you’re still part of it but don’t have to worry about going through the whole super intense academic route.
MR: Yeah, the idea of going to Uni was never for me, even when I was in primary school.
CS: What was the first thing you wanted to do when you were younger? Was it singing?
MR: No, actually, I wanted to be a teacher when I was a kid. I just loved school. I used to come home and make my mum play teachers and students. She would be the student, and I’d be the teacher. I’d read the register and sit on my little chair, and she’d answer in different voices, being like, “here” or “absent.” And then it was to be a fashion designer, and then it was to be a singer. I’m not very good at making decisions.
CS: Moving to more modern times, you’re starring in The Sex Lives of College Girls. Now that the series is aired, have you had much time to reflect on the whole experience?
MR: Yes, definitely. With the show being out in America first, airing from October, I had time to internally process it being out. When I go over to America, people would say, “Hey, I watched it,” which is just nuts in itself, but it wasn’t yet in my daily life, whereas now my friends and family have watched it, and all of their responses are making it more real, especially as this is my first big job. For my family and friends to see it and have such a positive opinion of the show made it all more real.
CS: I can imagine. Did you watch it with your family and friends?
MR: I did. I had a watch party with my parents and my girlfriends on the day that it was released. We had drinks and pizza and watched the first couple of episodes. We caught ourselves fast-forwarding and rewinding to see my parts, which was really funny.
CS: Amazing, assuming they all have very positive things to say?
MR: Yes, and if they don’t, they’ve definitely not told me!
CS: What was it like joining an existing series? I can imagine it’s a bit like being the new kid at school?
MR: Definitely. I got the role within days of auditioning, so it happened so quickly. Then, getting the official green light, getting my visa, and actually heading to shoot was about 6 weeks. I didn’t really have time to think about the grandeur of it all. My main focus was just getting there and knowing my lines. Then I arrived on the lot [of Warner Bros.], which was just iconic. There’s history everywhere you look. I got hit with such impostor syndrome. But everyone was so nice and really took me under their wing. But yeah, now you mention it, it was totally like the first day at school. The show is a lot of sex, drugs, and rock and roll, but the story follows the girls’ friendship, and the cast felt the same. They gave me instant advice and made me laugh, which was so comforting.
CS: Being British, we always look over to America and see that crazy college experience, and I kind of wish I could do that. You obviously didn’t get to experience it authentically, but you had a taste of it. How was that experience?
MR: 16-year-old me would be so gassed to be in a frat party, holding a red cup. The sets are so realistic, so yeah, it was so fun to have that American college experience. Also, looking at it from a British 24-year-old’s perspective, I was just thinking, “This is mad, if half of this is real, how on earth do they get any work done?”
CS: Did you go to any American parties beforehand to prepare for your role?
MR: Unfortunately not. When I was there, I was a bit of a hermit because everything was so crazy, and I equally didn’t really know anybody at the beginning. As time went on, the girls in the show took me out, and I made some really nice friends. But definitely no frat parties, that’s for sure.
CS: You said in an interview Taylor being unapologetically herself was inspiring to you. I wondered if you find it difficult to be yourself unapologetically sometimes, and did playing Taylor awaken that part of you?
MR: Yeah, I think it’s such an interesting one, because I moved there not knowing anyone, so naturally I had to step out of my comfort zone. Like I said earlier, I’ve lived in the same area my whole life, so to turn that on its head and do the complete opposite was something I didn’t realize I would struggle with. My character Taylor is unapologetically herself – open-minded, strong-willed, super sarcastic – all these incredibly strong traits. I thought I was as Mia, and I am, but it was conflicting. Taylor and myself were both taking on new parts of the world, starting new journeys, and it was a weird, serendipitous crossover. After a while, I was able to process those insecurities alone.
CS: You were also recently in a short film called Diary of a Ghost, which is massively different from The Sex Lives of College Girls. What was it like jumping between two such different genres?
MR: So, Carrie, the director of Diary of a Ghost, I’d met briefly 6 years before. When I finished drama school, she messaged me telling me I’d be perfect for the role of Hayley in her short film. I read the script and loved it. Short film is just such a great medium, and something that I think every actor needs to do to get their foot in the door. The biggest difference when it came to shooting, in comparison, was most scenes just took one take, unlike The Sex Lives of College Girls, where it’s like 30 takes per scene. I also think the differences between American and British sets are very apparent. The way they run is so different. But it’s a piece of work that I’m really proud of. It’s hopefully going to be made into a future film. It’s just all about funding, but it’s done really well in the film festivals.
CS: I also wanted to have a quick talk about Trauma, which I read is the first role you ever got booked for. Looking back now, how did that experience help shape the person and actor you are today?
MR: Honestly, when I got that role, I was so ecstatic. I thought I’d made it. The BBC, John Simm, Adrian Lester. I was like, “I’m a big deal.” It was amazing. I cried! Small roles on big productions are good – you just learn so much because there’s less pressure on you, and you have more time to take everything in and learn. I’m such a fan of John Simm and Adrian Lester too, who I used to watch with my dad. I just thought he was the coolest guy in the entire world. And then to go to running lines with him, that’s when I was like, “This is exactly what I want to do.” And I think getting to know what you want to do for the rest of your life at such a young age is such a privilege.
CS: What are the rest of your plans for 2025 – not just career-wise? Any new skills you want to learn? Anything you want to tick off the bucket list?
MR: Yes! I want to learn to drive so badly. I’ve tried a few times, but I’ve never actually sat my test. I’ve also fallen out with two driving instructors for saying women can’t drive. My reaction, I think, is totally fair. So, I would like to learn that skill, definitely. And focus more on music and singing.
Photographer BARTEK SZMIGULSKI
Videographer EWAN MCINTOSH
Stylist JUSTIN HAMILTON
Styling Assistant LORNA LANE
Styling Assistant ANAIRN KAINES
Make-up Artist KELLY CORNWELL
Hair Stylist JOSH KNIGHT