Actress Meredith Thomas chatted about starring in the short-form series “Aliwood,” and submitting for an Emmy Award.
The show is also vying for an Emmy nod in the “Outstanding Short Form Comedy, Drama, or Variety Series” category.
How was your experience in Aliwood?
All of my scenes in “Aliwood” are with Iranian-American actor, writer, and creator Ali Zahiri.
Ali and I met 10 years ago on a World War II mock-buster, so I already knew he was a talented actor—but I had no idea how funny he was until our mutual friend, writer and coach Amisha Patel, reconnected us through his script.
Getting to work with Ali again, and having the comedy polished to perfection by director Alex Goyette, made for a near-perfect experience.
My only complaint? I didn’t get to work with all the other hilarious and talented women in the series. Maybe in Season 2!
What did you like most about your character?
I love how seriously my character takes her work—which makes her unintentionally hilarious.
Hollywood is full of “Elle Miller” types, and I had a blast playing this foul-mouthed, politically incorrect woman.
After so many “women in peril” roles, it was a joy to return to comedy and land back on the Emmy ballot. There’s no crying in “Aliwood”!
How did it feel to submit an Emmy reel for this project?
This marks my return to the Short Form category after a five-year hiatus. A lot of thought went into the decision to submit “Aliwood”—especially since, like each year since 2017, I was prepared to be on the ballot in lead and /or supporting in a television movie.
I had other projects that could’ve been in contention this year, like Peacock’s “A Nanny to Die For” and Lifetime’s “Make or Bake Christmas.” But I wanted to champion an independently produced project in a category that’s still finding its footing on the ballot.
Since I chose to only represent short form this year, submitting “Aliwood” was both exciting and a little scary.
Indie short-form series rarely make it onto the ballot anymore when they do are competing against the networks, and the performers are competing against stars, but I’m proud we took that chance.
Speaking of Meredith Thomas’ 2025 Emmy reel submission, it may be seen below.
What motivates you each day as a performer?
Honestly, sometimes being a performer is the only thing that motivates me each day.
Seriously, what I love most about being a performer is being a storyteller. Some stories are funny, some are tragic—but we keep telling them in our way to reflect the hideously beautiful nature of life and hopefully help us get through it.
What do your plans for the future include?
A nap. I’ve had something on the Emmy ballot for most of this year—from News & Doc to Daytime to Primetime —so yes, a nap feels well-earned.
After that, I’ll go back to fostering hope and supporting the underdogs and independents!
What are some of your favorite mottos to live by?
I’m big on acronyms that remind me of what matters most, so I write my own. A couple of my favorites: FLOW, which stands for “Follow Love Over Work,” as well as “WOKE,” which means “Working On Kindness Every Day.”
What would you like to tell our readers about “Aliwood”? (What’s the one thing you want them to get out of it?)
With “Aliwood,” creator Ali Zahiri set out to break the mold of how Middle Eastern stories are told. He pointed out that so many of those narratives center around trauma, politics, or religion.
This time, he just wanted to make people laugh—even if it’s just for a short time in a short form.
With everything going on in the world, I think that’s a powerful act in itself. And I think he more than succeeded.
To learn more about Meredith Thomas, follow her on Instagram.
