Fitchburg native Mikayla Soo-ni Campbell living her dream out in Hollywood

FITCHBURG — City native Mikayla Soo-ni Campbell recently hit the red carpet out in Hollywood for the premiere of “By Any Means,” a film out in theaters now that she is an executive producer for.

The movie released by Paramount Pictures on Sept. 4 stars Mark Wahlberg and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II and is directed by Elegance Bratton. It follows a notorious mafia hitman and a young Black FBI agent who team up to investigate the murders of civil rights leaders in 1966 Mississippi.

“I’m excited for the world to see this film, not just for entertainment purposes or the stellar performances by Mark and Yahya,” Campbell said following the Sept. 1 red carpet affair at the Paramount Theater in Los Angeles. “It’s based on true accounts that took place in Mississippi in the 1960s, including some unconventional, vigilante justice against members of the KKK.”

Oscar winning song writer Diane Warren wrote the film’s theme song “By Any Means,” which is performed by David Kushner and The Isley Brothers. Warren is known for writing a series of blockbuster hit songs including Aerosmith’s “I Don’t Want to Miss A Thing,” Celine Dion’s “Because You Loved Me” and Cher’s “If I Could Turn Back Time.”

In her role as an executive producer, Campbell raised and brought capital partners to the project, which is near and dear to her heart.

“It touches on all things civil rights, with an appropriately supportive amount of action to keep audiences engaged,” she said of the one hour and 47-minute movie. “Stories that shine light on subjects of social impact are truly my favorite stories to tell. Film is a unifier, cultivating compassion and critical thinking in the masses.”

The story is inspired by the true history of the FBI turning to Colombo crime family hit man Greg Scarpa to extract information on unsolved civil rights worker murders when official channels stalled. Abdul-Mateen II plays FBI agent Wayne Strider, who investigates a wave of murders targeting civil rights leaders in Mississippi . With the perpetrators protected at every turn, the bureau forces him to work with Greg Scarpa, a mob hit man played by Wahlberg whose brutal methods leave no one untouched.

“By Any Means” is currently playing at Athol Cinemas 8, Blackstone Valley 14: Cinema de Lux, and Showcase Cinemas Woburn, among other theaters in the region and state.

Campbell grew up in Fitchburg, where her family still lives, and after attending school there through 10th grade, she transferred to the Walnut Hill School for the Arts in Natick as a theater major her last two years of high school. She then completed four years of college in just over two years before moving on to earn a master’s degree in screen acting with a distinction from The Royal Central School of Speech and Drama in London.

Since then, Campbell’s resume has grown immensely. The 36-year-old has appeared in numerous television shows including “Doctor Odyssey” in 2024 and she had a recurring co-star role in AMC’s “Monogamy” as well as appearing in films such as “Little Women,” “Chateau” and the lead role in “Atilla.” Her Korean and European/Greek background lends well to her ethnic ambiguity, making her a versatile actress.

In what she describes as “an unexpected turn of events,” Campbell fell into producing nearly three years ago and has now added “By Any Means” to her executive producer credits that also includes “The Cut” starring Orlando Bloom, John Turturro and Caitriona Balfe.

Up next Campbell will be “switching back to my actor hat” with a role in an episode of the new “Baywatch” reboot coming out on Fox in January. But for now, she is basking in the glory of being on the “By Any Means” team as an executive producer, a truly monumental and meaningful achievement for her.

“It’s an honor to be a part of it and seeing my name up on the big screen was a profoundly emotional moment and a dream come true.”