Meet Mercedes Blanche. Outside of her impressive social media following, she has established herself as a rising actress with guest roles on hit shows such as The Boys and Robyn Hood. Originally from Hungary, this content creator is more than just another viral TikTok star, so don’t box her in. In between her busy schedule snagging auditions and creating content, Disrupshion Magazine got a chance to catch up with the creator on her leap into Hollywood and navigating her rising career while staying true to herself.
Interview:Â Angel Neal @angel_stylistbehavior
Cover Design:Â Elizabeth Helmich
Photographer: Storm Santos @stormsantosÂ
Hairstylist: Elia Elia @eliaraadeliaÂ
Makeup: Gina Scarsellato @sunchildbeauty
Hair and Makeup Assistant: Dominic Denha @domdenha_Â
Producer: Lokii Reis de Silva @lokiiproblematic
After recording yourself on TikTok and YouTube, the term influencer kind of fell into your lap. So was there a specific moment that you realized becoming a social media influencer could be a lucrative career to pursue full time?Â
I think it was around 2021 when my TikTok majorly blew up. I started getting offered a bunch of brand deals and began to be approached by agents and agencies to sign with them. At that point in time it became my main source of income. I was working in healthcare at a 9 to 5 job, as an assistant at a clinic. The switch up was interesting, I made much more from social media than at the regular job. So, at that point is when I realized that I needed to make the transition and focus on content creation as my full time job.
Â
So social media, as you already said, has been a big part of your journey, but we currently see you shifting and branching out more into the acting and entertainment world. How has it been navigating both at the same time?
I think the two come hand in hand because you know, if you’re an actress or actor you may already have a social media fanbase because of people who admire you for the shows or films they see you in. For me, it was the opposite. So I started off with social media and then I started to book acting gigs. I joined the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) about four years ago, and then I was offered my first major first role, which was The Boys. After that I was on Robyn Hood for two episodes, and then the SAG strike hit. So, along with other actors, I had to put my career on pause for a year. But now it’s picking up so I’m auditioning every week, so fingers crossed.
You found your niche in producing dancing and humorous video content on TikTok. Most of your videos have a flare for comedic satire, do you have an interest in pursuing the comedy sector of film and TV?Â
Yes, that would be nice. My content shifted from dancing videos, which I started just for fun when COVID hit. Then I found myself doing more comedy skits and satire videos and I collaborated with a bunch of comedians. Right now, my content has just been going in that direction, which I don’t mind because it’s entertaining so people can relate. I love to make content people can relate to or get some kind of information from. I used to do a bunch of educational videos on Eastern Europe and the U.S. about our cultural differences, and those were very popular.
Your following is impressive and you’re adored by millions. What do you feel has contributed to your success on TikTok or just social media in general?
I think consistency has been the biggest key for me. There were days when I posted three and four times a day. And as I said, I collaborated with a bunch of people, especially in LA. I used to fly from Toronto to LA just to shoot with people who fit my niche and were worthy of collaborating because we had something in common. So it was a mutual collaboration most of the time, and that was a big part of my success. I like posting, and the challenge of testing the algorithm or making it to the For You page and being consistent.
Most days we love social media, you can make millions of dollars on it. But do you think social media is a blessing and a curse? Or how do you feel about that?
Well, that’s a good question. Social media definitely has its downfalls when it comes to bullying and rude comments. I just had this conversation two days ago with my agent because she keeps deleting comments under my Instagram posts saying things like ‘oh, you gained weight.’ I think she’s pregnant and you know, stuff like that so it can be disturbing sometimes. And it's young people who are just  kids. Sometimes they’re just bullies on TikTok and Instagram. But I think if you can overcome the hate side of things and you can put it aside, it’s a blessing because so many doors have been opened for me ever since my socials blew up. As I said, I’m very grateful and I just get a lot of work. I make money and I can pay my rent. I’m okay financially because of social media.
You mentioned that Harry Potter was a series that kind of  sparked your imagination and interest in the world of acting. But besides Harry Potter, do you remember your first cinema memory, a show or a movie that resonated with you?
 It’s so hard to pick because there were so many movies I felt like I connected to, but I would say I really liked Forrest Gump. I know, it’s a darker movie and very emotional. It’s not a satire and comedy. The fact that Tom Hanks was able to transform into this character, to me, was mind blowing. That sparked my interest to do research on films and movies, learn how actors prepare, and how they become another person.
So what do you love most about acting?
I love the ability to show other personalities and other sides of you, which you wouldn’t even think that you’re able to do. For example, I have a very interesting accent because I used to live in Budapest, I’ve lived in Toronto, I’ve lived in Mexico and now I live in the US. So I just feel like I picked up a bunch of accents at the same time. I had an accent coach for Robyn Hood and it was just very interesting to see what I can do if I push myself to do something. You know when you read the script, and you’re like ‘Oh, that’s not me. But I would love to try this. Like, how does it look on me?’ That’s the best part of being introduced to a new character personality.
What’s the most challenging aspect of acting for you?
 I love to move out of my comfort zone. To be fair, most of the time, I’m an Eastern European girl. I get boxed in as the hot blonde woman who gets roles that match how I look. But there was one time I auditioned for a role where I would be a mother and I would have to dye my hair dark, no makeup, no nothing. It was the opposite of what people are looking for when they audition me. I’m excited and would love to try to do something like that.  I guess the challenge is people seeing the different layers I’m capable of as an actress.
Let’s talk about The Boys. You played the role of  X-ray? What was the process like preparing for the role like, getting your face molded? The costume fitting? I’ve interviewed someone from that show. I know it can be tedious, it can take so much time. But how was that bringing the character to life?
When I went in for the audition, I was so excited. Then my agent called me and said that I got it and I had to go for the face cast and outfit fittings. A bunch of scenes didn’t make the cut. I remember because it was already a long scene. There were some definitely cool shots, which should have been close ups of X-ray having conversations. Those were super cool. The process was 16 days and we were shooting in Toronto. We had a trailer we moved in, the makeup people were amazing. They were working nonstop because there were like 20 of us who were superheroes. So that was a very intense scene. Not going to lie, it was crazy. We barely slept more than three hours a day.
How about your role? Maddie in the TV show Robyn Hood? What did you learn most about preparing for that role? I know you already spoke about the language barrier.
It was just very cool to work with an accent coach. I had never done that prior to this show. I had to work with the coach to try to bring out more of an American accent or like a Californian accent. We had readings for two to three hours and that was super cool. The crew was amazing. I wish they would have added more to the story. It was like a remixed version of Robin Hood into a Hip Hop version of how she handled challenges and phases or just life in general. It was a short job opportunity and the only thing I wish was that the story was a little longer.Â
What does your daily life look like right now? How does your family feel about your success so far?
I only have my mom. She’s super proud. She’s still in Europe so I’m here by myself, in LA right now. My days are extremely busy. I shoot, do interviews,  go to events or premieres, and I audition a lot. Auditioning is probably the most challenging part because sometimes I’m on the road and I get an email that I need to submit an audition in two hours so I have to rush back home. Then I have to learn the script, print it out, have someone read with me, and just submit the audition tape. It’s hectic, it’s very stressful, and it’s just a lot of small things together. You have to really be on top of your time management skills for this kind of lifestyle.
Do you have a process you do for self-taping to get in your zone?Â
Not necessarily but I do love to have a clean and minimalistic background. I have a backdrop in my car and in my room at all times because I like to just cover the background so you don’t see the mess or anything behind me. If I have to self-tape I want the focus to be on me.
What’s your relationship with fashion? What type of brands are you into? Is that something you want to dive deeper into in the future?
Fashion has always been around me. I always have wardrobe people and people who provide outfits. I have brands I work with, they send me outfits. I wouldn’t say I really follow or pay attention to fashion. I’m not crazy about it. To be honest, I’m really just very simple and comfortable when it comes to style. You know, I’m a one-color sneakers kind of person. If I have to go to premieres, I have people who dress me, but in real life, I’m very simple.Â
What you described is a very Americanized aesthetic of fashion. Jeans, sneakers and comfortability. It seems you relate more to the American style than European girlie aesthetic? Because it’s definitely two different types of aesthetics.
Since I’ve been here, I invested in some Lululemon leggings because that was very popular here in California. I kept seeing girls wearing them. I bought those but nothing else. As I’ve said its more so a focus on comfortability for me.
We know English is not your first language, when did you learn it?
My father was Canadian. I lived in Canada and Hungary as well because my mom is Hungarian. I kind of grew up speaking both. I still have the accent, obviously. I also learned some Spanish and, fun fact, I also can use sign language.
So what advice would you give to someone who’s trying to become a content creator but English is not their first language?Â
Oh, I think that shouldn’t be a problem. It depends what language they speak, who the target audience would be, firstly, their country. I would just use the hashtags based on their country or location. I genuinely think anybody could be or can be a content creator, if they put the time and effort into the process of creating and they make quality content. I would say, quality over quantity. If you have a very nice niche, go for something you’re interested in just keep posting and you can really blow up. I can guarantee you that.Â
What do you think is the secret sauce to having a successful Tik Tok, Instagram or YouTube?
It has a lot to do with the algorithm and a bunch of things within the app. This is very important if you’re about to post something because if your content is not something people can relate to, or it’s not trending or you’re not following certain trends, people are not going to watch your videos. What makes your video go viral is the first four seconds of a video. Lately TikTok has been pushing one minute or longer videos so when you talk it's very authentic and original. Those videos tend to do better than just the short clips.
You’re followed by so many people, do you ever feel pressure to always post the right thing or say the right thing? People are very sensitive these days, do you ever have to stop and think, should I really post this?
Yes, there are so many drafts on my phone, which I wasn’t able to post because my management said ‘hey, I wouldn’t do that at this moment.’ There are also some things like politics I am not allowed to post or say because my audience is a melting pot of cultures. There are always some people who agree with you and others who disagree with you. That’s one of the reasons I focus on comedy, because everybody likes jokes, relatable or funny videos and pranks. So that’s something you cannot really go wrong with. But if I were someone who talks about religion, politics, or sexuality, there would definitely be a huge mess around me. I think you have to be careful what you post or say or what you represent in general.
What are you looking forward to in the future and what’s next for you?
I’m really looking forward to more auditions. I’m really trying to get myself onto Netflix and maybe HBO or some bigger networks. That would be very nice because I already did a bunch of Canadian TV channels or cable TV networks. It would be nice to do a bigger show where I can create some magic and hopefully become a series regular.
Keep up to date with Blanche’s whirlwind of projects and journey as a content creator and actress below.
Stay connected: