Aliyah Mastin is an American actress, singer and stage performer whose career has develo ped across Broadway, film and television. She is best known to recent audiences for playing Presley Collins in the thriller series Paradise, but her professional journey began much earlier with theatre and musical performance. She made her Broadway debut as Young Nala in The Lion King and later made her first on-screen appearance as Maya in the 2021 musical film Honey Girls. Her work has since expanded to projects including Stamped From the Beginning, And Just Like That… and Paradise, giving her experience across several different forms of entertainment.
What makes Mastin’s story particularly interesting is that her career has not been built around acting alone. She developed her performance background through singing, dancing and theatre, became involved with Acapop! KIDS, and has also spoken about songwriting and her interest in releasing original music. Her role in Paradise represents an important stage in that development because it has allowed her to portray a recurring dramatic character alongside established performers such as Sterling K. Brown. Rather than being a newcomer with no professional background, Mastin entered television with years of performance experience behind her.
Who Is Aliyah Mastin?
Aliyah Mastin is an American actress and performer who has worked in theatre, film and television. Her most recognisable television role is Presley Collins in Paradise, a drama created by Dan Fogelman and led by Sterling K. Brown. Presley is part of the Collins family and has a meaningful connection to the show’s central storyline, allowing Mastin to play a character who develops across multiple episodes rather than appearing only briefly. Her performance in the series has introduced her to a much wider audience than some of her earlier projects.
Mastin’s professional background began with performance at a young age. She has explained that her family noticed how naturally she enjoyed singing, dancing and performing, which eventually led her towards local theatre. That experience developed into a Broadway opportunity when she joined The Lion King as Young Nala. She later transitioned into screen acting, beginning with Honey Girls. Her career therefore shows a gradual progression from live performance to film and then to recurring television drama, with each stage giving her a different type of professional experience.
How Old Is Aliyah Mastin?
Aliyah Mastin was born on April 11, 2005, and entertainment profiles list Chattanooga, Tennessee, as her birthplace. She is 21 years old in August 2026. Her age is particularly relevant when considering her career because she began performing professionally while she was still young and accumulated experience in several areas of entertainment before reaching her current television role. Her early start has given her a longer professional learning period than someone who begins acting for the first time as an adult.
Her career timeline also shows why age alone does not fully describe her experience. By the time she appeared in Honey Girls, she had already gained stage and musical performance experience, while her work on Paradise placed her in a much more demanding dramatic setting. She has also discussed learning from directors and other professionals while working on Paradise, suggesting that she continues to treat each production as an opportunity to develop. Her relatively young age therefore sits alongside a professional background that already includes Broadway, film and television.
What Role Does Aliyah Mastin Play in Paradise?
In Paradise, Aliyah Mastin plays Presley Collins, the teenage daughter of Xavier Collins, who is portrayed by Sterling K. Brown. Presley is presented as intelligent, responsible and strongly connected to her family. Disney+ describes her as a sharp-witted teenager who is mature beyond her years and helps care for her father and younger brother. These qualities give the character an important emotional position within the series because Presley is affected by the events surrounding her family rather than simply observing them from the sidelines.
Mastin has spoken about the experience of playing Presley and working with Brown, describing him as someone from whom she learned a great deal. She has also explained that she enjoyed having substantial material to work with and valued the opportunity to observe how the production operated beyond the actors themselves. The role has consequently been significant not only because it increased her public profile, but also because it gave her sustained experience in a serious television drama with an established ensemble cast.
What Movies and TV Shows Has Aliyah Mastin Appeared In?
Aliyah Mastin has a relatively focused but varied screen résumé. Her first on-screen role was Maya in Honey Girls, a 2021 musical family film centred on young performers and their musical ambitions. She later appeared in Stamped From the Beginning, a historical documentary film, and has a credit connected to And Just Like That…. Her most substantial television role is Presley Collins in Paradise, which has given her considerably more screen time and character development than her earlier appearances.
| Movie or TV show | Year | Role | Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| Honey Girls | 2021 | Maya | Film |
| Stamped From the Beginning | 2023 | Phyllis Wheatley | Documentary film |
| And Just Like That… | 2025 | Millie Ensemble | Television |
| Paradise | 2025–2026 | Presley Collins | Television |
These credits demonstrate a noticeable change in the type of material she has taken on. Honey Girls allowed her to work in a music-focused youth production, while Stamped From the Beginning involved historical subject matter and Paradise places her inside a fictional thriller with family and political elements. This variety is useful for understanding her development because she has not simply repeated one type of role. Instead, her work has gradually introduced her to different genres, audiences and production environments.
What Was Aliyah Mastin’s First Movie?
Aliyah Mastin’s first on-screen role was Maya in Honey Girls, released in 2021. The film follows three young musicians whose friendship develops as they navigate a talent competition and secretly form a musical group. Mastin appeared alongside Ava Grace and Frankie McNellis, and the production combined acting with music and performance. Mastin has described the film as an especially memorable project because it was her first experience working on screen.
The production also introduced her to the practical side of filmmaking. Mastin has explained that working on the film helped her understand how many different professionals contribute to a finished production, including camera, sound, technical and production teams. She also had an existing connection with some of her young co-stars through Acapop! KIDS, which made the experience more familiar. Looking back at Honey Girls alongside Paradise shows how much her professional environment has changed from a music-focused family film to a continuing television drama.
Did Aliyah Mastin Perform in The Lion King?
Yes. Aliyah Mastin performed as Young Nala in The Lion King on Broadway, making the production an important part of her early professional career. Broadway experience gave her exposure to one of the most demanding forms of acting because performers must maintain concentration, timing and energy during live performances without the opportunity to stop and repeat a scene. Mastin has spoken positively about her time with the production and has remembered it as one of the most meaningful experiences of her childhood.
Her Broadway background also helps explain the strong performance foundation behind her later screen work. Mastin has recalled spending time with the other young performers and participating in activities connected to the show outside performances. The experience exposed her to professional actors and a large production team at an early age. Moving from The Lion King into film and television then allowed her to transfer those live-performance skills into environments where cameras, multiple takes and more intimate acting techniques become central to the work.
How Did Aliyah Mastin Start Her Acting Career?
Mastin has explained that her acting career began because performing was already a natural part of her childhood. She enjoyed singing, dancing and entertaining people, and her family eventually encouraged her to try theatre. Local theatre gave her a structured introduction to acting before she progressed into larger professional opportunities. This path eventually led to Broadway and then to screen work, creating a career that developed through experience rather than appearing suddenly after one successful audition.
Music was another important part of her development. Her involvement with Acapop! KIDS connected her with other young performers and strengthened the musical side of her abilities. That background became particularly useful when she joined Honey Girls, where the story centred on young musicians. Her progression demonstrates how different creative skills can support an acting career: singing helped with musical productions, theatre developed live performance discipline, and film and television eventually required her to adapt those skills for the camera.
Is Aliyah Mastin Also a Singer?
Yes. Mastin has a background in singing and has been involved with Acapop! KIDS, a youth-focused a cappella group. Her musical experience is not separate from her acting career because singing and performance were among the activities that helped lead her towards theatre when she was younger. Her role in Honey Girls also connected naturally with this background because the film focuses heavily on music and young performers.
Mastin has also discussed songwriting and her interest in releasing her own music. In an interview, she said she spent time writing songs and hoped to release music, showing that her ambitions extend beyond acting. This gives her career another dimension because she has experience both performing material created for productions and developing her own creative ideas. If she continues pursuing music alongside acting, her professional identity could eventually encompass several connected areas of entertainment.
Why Is Aliyah Mastin Becoming Popular?
The biggest reason for Mastin’s growing recognition is her role in Paradise. The series introduced her to viewers who may not have seen Honey Girls or followed her earlier theatre work. Because Presley Collins is a recurring character, audiences have more opportunities to become familiar with Mastin’s performance and to see how the character fits into the wider story. Her work alongside Sterling K. Brown has also helped place her within a high-profile ensemble cast.
Interest in her career is also driven by the contrast between her earlier and later work. Someone searching for the actress behind Presley Collins may discover that she had already performed on Broadway and appeared in a musical film before Paradise. Her background in music adds another reason for audiences to follow her future projects. Mastin is still developing her career, but the combination of stage experience, screen work and musical ability gives her a broader professional foundation than a single television credit would suggest.
What Is Aliyah Mastin Doing Now?
Mastin’s most prominent recent work is her continuing role as Presley Collins in Paradise. The series has allowed her to remain part of an ongoing story and develop a character across multiple episodes. Her experience on the programme has also provided opportunities to learn about filmmaking beyond acting. She has discussed spending time observing directors and asking questions about the production process, demonstrating an interest in understanding the wider craft behind television.
Alongside acting, music remains an important part of her creative interests. Her previous work with Acapop! KIDS and her comments about songwriting suggest that she may continue exploring music in the future. At this stage, however, it is better to focus on her confirmed work rather than make assumptions about unreleased projects or future roles. Her career is still developing, and Paradise represents an important platform from which she can pursue additional opportunities in acting and music.
(FAQ’s)
Who is Aliyah Mastin?
Aliyah Mastin is an American actress and singer known for playing Presley Collins in Paradise. She also appeared as Maya in Honey Girls and has professional theatre experience, including playing Young Nala in The Lion King on Broadway.
How old is Aliyah Mastin?
Aliyah Mastin was born on April 11, 2005, making her 21 years old in 2026. Her birthplace is listed as Chattanooga, Tennessee. Her early start in theatre and music helped her build professional experience before moving into film and television.
What role does Aliyah Mastin play in Paradise?
Aliyah Mastin plays Presley Collins, the daughter of Xavier Collins, who is portrayed by Sterling K. Brown. Presley is an intelligent and responsible teenager who has an important relationship with her family and becomes part of the wider story of Paradise.
What was Aliyah Mastin’s first movie?
Aliyah Mastin’s first on-screen role was Maya in Honey Girls, a 2021 musical family film. The movie follows young performers who become involved in a music competition and develop a friendship through their shared musical ambitions.
Was Aliyah Mastin in The Lion King?
Yes. Aliyah Mastin performed as Young Nala in The Lion King on Broadway. Her Broadway experience was an important part of her early career and helped establish her professional background in theatre before she moved further into film and television.
Is Aliyah Mastin a singer?
Yes. Aliyah Mastin has a background in singing as well as acting and was involved with Acapop! KIDS. She has also spoken about songwriting and her interest in creating and releasing original music, showing that her career extends beyond acting.
Conclusion
Aliyah Mastin has developed a strong foundation as a young performer through theatre, music, film and television. Before gaining wider recognition as Presley Collins in Paradise, she had already performed as Young Nala in The Lion King on Broadway and made her screen debut as Maya in Honey Girls. Her later work in Stamped From the Beginning and And Just Like That… added further experience and showed her ability to work across different types of productions. Her role in Paradise is currently the clearest highlight of her screen career, giving her a recurring character with meaningful family relationships and a continuing place within the show’s storyline. Working alongside Sterling K. Brown has also provided valuable professional experience, while Mastin’s comments about learning from directors and exploring filmmaking show her interest in developing beyond acting alone.
Overall, Mastin is best described as an emerging actress and multidisciplinary performer with substantial experience for her age. Her Broadway background, musical ability and growing television profile give her several possible directions for the future. Her involvement in Paradise has strengthened her screen presence, while her interest in songwriting leaves open another creative path. Whether she continues primarily in acting, expands further into music, or combines both, her existing experience provides a strong foundation for future opportunities. Her career is still developing, but the range of work she has already completed makes her a performer worth following as she takes on new projects.
