Haley Kalil Is In On The Joke—And That’s Why Everyone’s Watching

Photo Credit: Haley Kalil

Haley Kalil didn’t plan on becoming one of the internet’s most beloved content creators—she just made people laugh, stayed radically herself, and watched it take off. A former Sports Illustrated Swimsuit model with a background in biomedical sciences and a surprising knack for absurdist comedy, Kalil has turned TikTok and YouTube into her playground. With millions of followers and a viral presence that spans red carpets to lab coat cosplay, she’s redefining what it means to be both stunning and self-aware in the creator age. But behind the wigs, sketches, and “girl in STEM” punchlines is a sharp, strategic mind—and a woman who’s been underestimated too many times to take any of it too seriously.

Photo Credit: Haley Kalil
Your social media audience is incredibly engaged. How do you maintain that balance between being personal and professional online?

I guess I don’t really have much of a balance because what I post online is exactly who I am. I want my audience to get to know me for me. I never want to play a character or act differently than I do in real life (unless of course, I am playing an obvious character in a skit). I grew up idolizing celebrities and celebrity culture… but I never felt like they were “real people.” I want to be as real as I possibly can because I owe that to my audience. I wouldn’t be living my dreams if it wasn’t for them!

Do you approach each platform differently, or do you stick to a similar strategy across the board? Can you share any social media hacks for readers?

Get to know the culture of each platform. YouTube shorts is different than Instagram reels which is a different than TikTok & Snapchat spotlight. Every app has a very different culture. Of course, I’m only one person and I edit, film, write, produce, and post every single thing on my page. I do not have a content team. It’s just me & my phone! So of course, for the sake of time, I syndicate a lot of the same content across platforms. But when I do have the time, I create individually for each app. For new creators, I’d suggest just scrolling on each app for an hour or so a day (if you have the time). That’s what I did when I first started and it helped tremendously to understand the different platforms!

You work with many brands and do sponsored content. How do you choose the partnerships you align with, and how important is it for you to stay authentic in those collaborations?

Trust is everything to me. The only reason I have a platform or even have the ability to work with these brands is because people have chosen to hit that follow button. I only work with brands I use & love. I never want a young girl seeing a product on my page and spending her last $15 on it… and then I don’t even use it. It’s my responsibility as a content creator to only advertise brands I spend money on in my everyday life.

How has creator culture changed since you first started in the space? Do you think it’s shifted in a positive or negative direction?

I love the creator space because it allows access to the entertainment industry in ways we’ve never seen before. What used to be only accessible by those with celebrity family members, trust funds, or industry connections…. can now be accessed by someone with creativity & a phone. It’s a much-needed expansion of the entertainment world, so we are starting to see new ideas, concepts, and storylines that the cozy, cushy lives of traditional Hollywood could never dream up.

Unfortunately, with all good things, come bad things. The creator space is highly competitive. It’s also a space that opens you up to criticism in ways you’ve never experienced before. I was used to being bullied by people in my hometown…. but now, I can be bullied by the world. It can be a very overstimulating and emotional experience. I really hope platforms will continue to champion the mental health of their creators. Cancel culture and bullying run rampant online & platforms could be doing so much more to protect the underage creators who can’t & shouldn’t handle such intense online scrutiny. At the end of the day, just remember… creators are just like you & me. They are normal people with a phone who blew up and sometimes have no idea how to handle it.

Photo Credit: Haley Kalil

Can you tease any upcoming collaborations or projects we should be keeping an eye out for?

You’ll have to wait and see…… I have a lot of exciting things to come. :)

You have a degree in biomedical sciences. Do you ever feel like you’re living a double life, or think about the path you could have taken?

I love my job. I also love the sciences. I feel very blessed that I’ve been able to experience a career in both. I never imagined I would be working as a content creator, but I absolutely love it!! I get to use my mind in ways similar to the sciences. I analyze data daily to make sure I’m always giving my audience what they want to see. I still have a passion for the sciences and would love to work alongside nonprofits to help encourage the love for sciences amongst young women. I know my passion for it led to great places!

Were you always this confident growing up, or did that evolve over time?

Oh man, it’s all over the place. Some days I feel like I can conquer the world, other days the imposter syndrome is so loud it’s all I can hear. And that’s okay! We are human. We are constantly experiencing new things and our mood changes because of that. I don’t think there’s anyone on the planet that is confident all the time. On days I’m feeling low, I try to surround myself with my best friend and family. They remind me there’s so much more to life than social status, money, beauty, or all the other arbitrary success markers we make up to feel better about ourselves.

What’s something people always assume about you that couldn’t be further from the truth?

People assume a lot of things about me… that I come from money, that I’m an industry plant, that I have a trust fund… sometimes it makes me laugh at the things people will make up to rationalize my existence or my success. Sometimes, it makes me cry. My family is working class. They’ve never given me money for anything, nor do they have the money to give me. I have worked very very hard to achieve the things I have. When I first started, I didn’t know anyone in the entertainment world. No one in my family was a millionaire. No one was a celebrity. That world seemed almost untouchable to me. But… I was raised to believe that, with hard work & good character, you can accomplish almost anything. I was taught to never see my “starting position” in life as a negative. Yes, having a trust fund and a mom who worked in Hollywood could make my path much easier…. But then I wouldn’t have the same creativity…The same understanding of normal life… the same passions. I am so grateful I was raised as a very normal, middle class, rural kid. To this day, I still haven’t spent a dime to buy a designer or go on a luxury vacation. I value things much differently than most people in my career & I wish people knew and saw that.

Photo Credit: Haley Kalil

What’s one behind the scenes thing about being a full time creator that would surprise people?

I never leave my house…. Unless it’s for content or for work or for friends. I run around my house all day long with my tripod filming the craziest things I can think of.

What’s been your biggest “pinch me” moment so far?

Oh my gosh I’ve had so many I’ve lost count (I feel so blessed)…. but probably when I stepped foot on the Golden Globes red carpet. I used to religiously watch award shows. I wouldn’t miss them. I’d run to YouTube to watch every angle of coverage I could. I even applied to be a seat filler every single year during college. Of course, they never picked me hahaha. Walking the Golden Globes red carpet & getting to interact with celebrities I’ve idolized my entire life was truly a dream come true because I NEVER imagined I’d be there EVER.

What do you hope younger girls watching your content take away from your journey?

Be yourself and good things will happen. Follow your heart… trust your gut. And don’t change for ANYONE. I hope young women come to my page and feel safe. The world can be rude and mean and scary… I want my little world to be a place of fun and light and laughter. I know it sounds cheesy, but I pray I am a good role model for young women. Again, I wouldn’t be here without their support. They trusted me enough to give me my biggest dream…. so I owe them everything for that!!!

What to you is the greatest luxury in life and why?

As a content creator, the greatest luxury is the freedom to create on my own terms. I’ve worked a lot of jobs & lived a lot of lives… but I’ve never had this level of creative control & freedom. It is such a blessing and I feel so privileged. I can go visit my sister at a moment’s notice… or help a friend move at the last minute, because I have the privilege of time. Of course, I love my job though and I want to reach even greater heights… so I’m always working. Every second I’m awake, I’m most likely working because I love it. And I’d love to see what else this life has in store for me… as long as I’m doing the 2 things that matter… working hard and being kind.