For a lot of children who’ve grown up in famous families, the term “nepo baby” can trigger some uncomfortable conversations. But Mia Fevola, the eldest daughter of Brendan and Alex Fevola, willingly, and refreshingly, cops it.
“I definitely am one,” she says with a laugh to Woman’s Day. “Obviously having my family’s surname has given me so many opportunities in life. I know how lucky I am.”
However, Mia, 25, adds, “I am working hard to break out of being in my parents’ shadow, become my own person and trying to have my own achievements.”
STEPPING IT UP
Just one of those achievements is competing in the new season of Seven’s Dancing With The Stars.
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And despite having superstar parents who’ve experienced all of the highs and lows of the reality dance competition before – Alex in 2010 and Brendan in 2012 – backing her, Mia admits to still feeling out of her depth.
“I’m naturally quite an introverted person, so this show was definitely diving in the deep end, headfirst,” she says. “I was absolutely petrified I could not stop crying. I was so emotional and overwhelmed.”
“But I’ve never experienced a feeling like after I finished that first dance. I felt so proud of myself, and it was so rewarding to know that all of the hard work you put in has paid off.”
THE BEST COACHES
Mia says that while her dad, AFL great Brendan, 44, was “so supportive” and helped her practise her moves around the living room, it was her mum Alex, 48, who helped her mentally.
“Dad had a completely different experience because he doesn’t really deal with anxiety or nerves. He’s a very confident person,” she says. “But my mum had a very similar experience to me. She was extremely nervous, particularly back then.”
“She was going through a tough time at that stage. She just had a baby [daughter Lulu] and it was hard for her to juggle that. She had a lot of really good advice for me.”
“She just told me to leave Mia at the door and when you step on the dancefloor, step into your character. That really helped me,” she notes.
FEEL THE FEVOLA
Mia says she couldn’t be prouder for getting through the series, and it’s given her the confidence to pursue more TV.
“I would love to end up somewhere in TV,” she says. “I am studying psychology at the moment and working as a makeup artist in the family business, so I’ve got some other things that I am pursuing, but I do see myself doing TV one day.”
