An exciting new talent is bursting onto screens this week. Bill Dubuque, the co-creator of the acclaimed series Ozark, is launching a fresh crime drama titled M.I.A. The show is set to showcase a rising star destined to capture attention in the years ahead.
When and Where to Watch M.I.A.
The compelling thriller series arrives on Paramount+ in the UK and Peacock in the US on Thursday, 7th May, with all nine episodes dropping simultaneously. Set against the backdrop of Miami and the Florida Keys, the series follows Etta Tiger Jonze, the determined daughter of a notorious drug-running family whose saga culminates in tragedy. After her family is wiped out, Etta must navigate Miami's dynamic underworld to forge her own path, ultimately rising to become one of Florida's most formidable crime bosses.
Who Is Shannon Gisela?
Taking on the role of Etta is newcomer Shannon Gisela, making her professional screen debut with a dynamic leading performance that is set to establish her as one of the year's most promising talents. According to Gisela's IMDb biography, like her character Etta, she hails from South Florida and was raised by a Venezuelan mother and an Irish-American father. She earned a B.S. in Psychology with a Specialty in Leadership Studies from the University of Central Florida, where she participated in improv groups and launched her performing career with a Saturday Night Live x Upright Citizens Brigade Scholarship.
Early Career and Projects
Her previous work includes a number of short films, among them projects that have screened at the prestigious Sundance and Slamdance Film Festivals, alongside supporting parts in the TV movies Dose and The Secrets We Keep. More recently, she provided voice work for Netflix's animated adult sitcom Strip Law, which launched earlier this year and features Severance's Adam Scott and Abbott Elementary's Janelle James. M.I.A. marks her first significant live-action role.
Personal Life and Social Media
At present, it remains unclear whether Gisela is single or romantically involved. The actress has remained tight-lipped about her private and family life, mostly sharing snaps of herself and occasionally her friends across her social media channels. In an Instagram post from May 2022, she reflected on her choice to relocate to California exactly a year prior, revealing she "met a bunch" of people and "fell in love" with one. She also confessed the year had been "challenging" and that she had grown comfortable spending time on her own.
"I'm convinced that getting good at being alone is so you can get reaaally good at being there for others SO," Gisela added, before encouraging her followers: "Anyway, with that I urge anyone who's thinking of doing something wonderful and scary, do it!" At her most recent red carpet appearances, including the M.I.A. premiere at the Miami Film Festival, Gisela was not sporting an engagement or wedding ring.
M.I.A. premieres Thursday, 7th May on Paramount+.
