Full Transcript for Katherine McNamara: From Broadway at 14 to Shadowhunters — What Success Really Takes

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WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.091 --> 00:00:02.972 I don't know what I'm gonna do after this. 2 00:00:03.433 --> 00:00:05.834 I don't know if I'm ever gonna have a job like this again. 3 00:00:05.854 --> 00:00:10.376 Also, I was suddenly 23, and I went, wait, when I started this job, I was a child. 4 00:00:11.016 --> 00:00:23.342 Graduating from university at 17, going on to lead one of the biggest fantasy franchises there was on television, we wonder what it takes to be labeled as someone who's exceptional before you've fully discovered who you are. 5 00:00:23.662 --> 00:00:26.903 If you work plus discipline equals goal. 6 00:00:26.983 --> 00:00:28.204 That made sense to me as a kid. 7 00:00:28.424 --> 00:00:36.031 A lot of your identity seems to be wrapped up with being like a high achiever, dependable and ambitious. 8 00:00:36.171 --> 00:00:36.532 Mm-hmm. 9 00:00:37.553 --> 00:00:39.695 What happens on days where you don't feel like that? 10 00:00:41.745 --> 00:00:42.847 I get a random phone call. 11 00:00:43.467 --> 00:00:47.553 And they go, hey, do you want to come to New York in two days and audition for a Broadway show? 12 00:00:47.753 --> 00:00:52.559 And then suddenly I'm at LaGuardia getting ready to fly back to Kansas City that night. 13 00:00:53.100 --> 00:00:58.928 And I get a phone call that, congratulations, get ready, pack your stuff and come to New York for six months or more. 14 00:00:59.729 --> 00:01:01.370 and my whole life changed. 15 00:01:01.491 --> 00:01:11.903 So I'm literally reading a full book a day while doing a reading and a full-time show to write full essays when I get home at 11 o'clock at night and somehow get to bed by three in the morning and then get up the next day and do it all over again. 16 00:01:12.503 --> 00:01:16.508 I was then too tall to be a kid on Broadway anymore and I remember reading the script and going, 17 00:01:17.569 --> 00:01:20.951 Wow, I've never read a character that I connect to more than Clary. 18 00:01:21.371 --> 00:01:22.131 This one's mine. 19 00:01:22.231 --> 00:01:22.431 Yeah. 20 00:01:22.631 --> 00:01:23.892 I am going to fight for this. 21 00:01:24.472 --> 00:01:25.493 For two hours. 22 00:01:26.013 --> 00:01:28.934 Who is Clary is trending internationally on Twitter at this point. 23 00:01:28.974 --> 00:01:31.535 Like, there's so much anticipation for this. 24 00:01:31.995 --> 00:01:32.936 And then I get the phone call. 25 00:01:34.317 --> 00:01:36.238 And they're like, congratulations, it's you. 26 00:01:36.438 --> 00:01:43.482 You know, in school, for example, you do the work, you do the essay, you learn the material, and the grade comes with that. 27 00:01:44.122 --> 00:01:50.066 In our industry, you can do the work, you can make a great audition, you can do all the things, and then it may not go your way. 28 00:01:50.306 --> 00:01:53.207 There are days where that still befuddles my mind. 29 00:01:53.728 --> 00:01:54.908 I'd never led a show. 30 00:01:55.068 --> 00:01:57.550 I'd never shouldered a franchise on my back. 31 00:01:57.870 --> 00:01:59.131 And did you feel pressure with that? 32 00:01:59.491 --> 00:02:00.892 Or did you trust in your abilities? 33 00:02:08.281 --> 00:02:11.643 Before we get into the episode, I've got a quick favor to ask. 34 00:02:12.043 --> 00:02:14.244 Now, this is the first ever podcast that I've done. 35 00:02:14.364 --> 00:02:18.647 And incredibly, our sponsors backed us before we'd even released an episode. 36 00:02:19.087 --> 00:02:23.529 Now, they did this because they believed in our vision and they believed in what we're trying to build. 37 00:02:24.130 --> 00:02:27.091 If you like what you see, please do hit the subscribe button. 38 00:02:27.612 --> 00:02:28.052 It's free. 39 00:02:28.372 --> 00:02:32.593 And it really does help us bring you some amazing guests and will help the channel to grow. 40 00:02:33.153 --> 00:02:35.033 We've taken a lot of time to curate this. 41 00:02:35.353 --> 00:02:40.995 And if you head over to www.stripthescript.com, there's loads of resources there. 42 00:02:41.195 --> 00:02:46.976 And there's other unseen footage and things that will help you on your journey as a creative or entrepreneur. 43 00:02:47.756 --> 00:02:50.156 With all that said, I hope you enjoy the show. 44 00:02:50.637 --> 00:02:52.737 Strip the script. 45 00:02:57.208 --> 00:03:00.011 Welcome to this week's episode of Strip the Script. 46 00:03:00.531 --> 00:03:06.256 Now some careers take decades to build, while others seem to begin before you've even finished childhood. 47 00:03:06.977 --> 00:03:13.643 Imagine making your Broadway debut at 14 years old and sharing the stage with legends like Angela Lansbury and Catherine Zeta-Jones. 48 00:03:14.163 --> 00:03:27.557 graduating from university at 17, going on to lead one of the biggest fantasy franchises there was on television, joining the DC universe and carving a career in film, theatre and stage all before the age of 25. 49 00:03:28.338 --> 00:03:33.263 Now, from the outside, it sounds like a story of extraordinary success, which it is. 50 00:03:33.804 --> 00:03:35.545 But with every gift comes a cost. 51 00:03:36.286 --> 00:03:42.052 We wonder what it takes to be labelled as someone who's exceptional before you've fully discovered who you are. 52 00:03:42.753 --> 00:03:50.040 To be a kid and try to balance auditions with the classroom, film sets with homework and ambition with simply growing up. 53 00:03:50.781 --> 00:03:56.246 This week's conversation isn't just about the achievements, but more so about the person behind them. 54 00:03:56.867 --> 00:04:04.629 We're going to take time to explore the pressures of early success, the sacrifices that shaped her and the craft that has sustained a career. 55 00:04:05.090 --> 00:04:08.871 Because on Strip the Script, we don't believe the most compelling stories are in the credits. 56 00:04:09.431 --> 00:04:11.552 We believe it's in what it took to earn them. 57 00:04:12.032 --> 00:04:13.652

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This is Strip the Script. 58 00:04:14.132 --> 00:04:15.853 And this is Catherine McNamara. 59 00:04:16.333 --> 00:04:17.414 Thank you so much for having me. 60 00:04:17.434 --> 00:04:19.315 Yeah, welcome to the show. 61 00:04:20.175 --> 00:04:21.416 I really appreciate you coming on. 62 00:04:21.636 --> 00:04:23.577 I know that you actually fly out tomorrow. 63 00:04:23.677 --> 00:04:25.078 I do, but it's my absolute pleasure. 64 00:04:25.238 --> 00:04:26.379 Yeah, and you know what it is? 65 00:04:26.419 --> 00:04:30.221 We were obviously shooting together a film a couple of weeks ago. 66 00:04:31.161 --> 00:04:32.462 And it was an intense schedule, wasn't it? 67 00:04:32.482 --> 00:04:33.082 It certainly was. 68 00:04:34.243 --> 00:04:36.885 And, you know, producers I've worked with before who I love very dearly. 69 00:04:36.905 --> 00:04:37.245 And... 70 00:04:38.185 --> 00:04:44.307 I was on this side of the Atlantic, and they said, well, instead of doing this in two weeks, why don't we just do it now and get it done? 71 00:04:44.347 --> 00:04:45.747 Do it like, are you free tomorrow? 72 00:04:46.047 --> 00:04:47.168 Exactly, truly. 73 00:04:47.588 --> 00:05:01.392 And so, you know, you and I did 20 pages a day of some scientific dialogue, and I was so grateful to have someone like you on the other side of that because I didn't know what I was walking into, and I was hoping for the best, and to have you as a teammate was such a gift. 74 00:05:01.412 --> 00:05:01.772 So thank you. 75 00:05:01.952 --> 00:05:03.672 That's really kind of you to say, and we had fun. 76 00:05:03.792 --> 00:05:04.632 We did. 77 00:05:04.712 --> 00:05:05.733 But there was a lot of... 78 00:05:06.753 --> 00:05:10.256 technical scientific jargon in there. 79 00:05:10.476 --> 00:05:15.059 That... And platforms and all sorts of things that I never want to say again. 80 00:05:15.220 --> 00:05:16.821 Yeah, neither. 81 00:05:16.881 --> 00:05:25.948 But during, I mean, most of the time, because it was, we had to film so much in a short space of time, most of the time was taken up with acting, obviously. 82 00:05:26.048 --> 00:05:34.995 But we did have a few little breaks in between while they were doing setups, which if we weren't learning the lines for the next scene, we were, you know, we were able to have a chat a little bit. 83 00:05:35.735 --> 00:05:49.924 And one of the things that really interested me was, which I didn't know before, was sort of like your childhood and your drive and some of the things that you've achieved off screen. 84 00:05:50.064 --> 00:05:50.364 Thank you. 85 00:05:50.624 --> 00:05:51.725 And, um... 86 00:05:52.065 --> 00:05:54.047 I kind of was really interested by that. 87 00:05:54.167 --> 00:05:56.090 And obviously we didn't get a chance to chat a lot about it. 88 00:05:56.110 --> 00:06:00.935 So I thought, you know what, let's jump on the podcast and just talk through some of it. 89 00:06:01.115 --> 00:06:04.078 And obviously we'll get to some of your amazing shows. 90 00:06:04.098 --> 00:06:04.759 Sure. 91 00:06:04.799 --> 00:06:07.862 Maze Runner, all of the stuff that everyone knows you for. 92 00:06:08.543 --> 00:06:20.893 But before we get there, I kind of want to rewind all the way back to a young Catherine in Missouri before your professional life started, which it started young. 93 00:06:22.254 --> 00:06:29.760 So I kind of want to go back to like that early part of childhood and see like who you were before everyone sort of knew your name. 94 00:06:29.940 --> 00:06:30.160 Yeah. 95 00:06:30.801 --> 00:06:33.983 It's so funny because I look back. 96 00:06:34.023 --> 00:06:35.264 Hindsight is 20-20, right? 97 00:06:35.705 --> 00:06:40.108 And I look back at my childhood and I go, well, there's no wonder I became an actor. 98 00:06:40.469 --> 00:06:41.529 I was always playing dress up. 99 00:06:42.030 --> 00:06:48.515 I would always like even because I'm sure we'll get to this in a bit, but I did a lot of my schooling at home from a really early age. 100 00:06:48.995 --> 00:06:54.240 And so even I would walk into my school room dressed up as somebody different every day. 101 00:06:54.960 --> 00:06:58.722 Just for fun, because I thought it was fun and entertaining and there was something about it. 102 00:06:58.742 --> 00:07:03.264 I was constantly creating characters and constantly doing that, even before I knew that being an actor was a job. 103 00:07:03.505 --> 00:07:04.245 Yeah, yeah, yeah. 104 00:07:04.265 --> 00:07:07.607 Because where I grew up, that's not really something that you think about. 105 00:07:07.967 --> 00:07:08.587 At least I didn't. 106 00:07:08.667 --> 00:07:10.108 My whole family is in science and medicine. 107 00:07:10.228 --> 00:07:10.408 Yeah. 108 00:07:10.608 --> 00:07:16.791 And so from the time I was a little kid, we would go see theater and go see the symphony and go, you know, do all these things. 109 00:07:17.012 --> 00:07:19.393 Kansas City, where I grew up, has a huge arts community. 110 00:07:19.973 --> 00:07:22.895 But I never put two and two together that, oh, that's... 111 00:07:23.875 --> 00:07:42.167 their job they they get to be actors they get to tell stories they get to do art for a living and uh so that to me that was i i giggle at that a little bit because it just makes sense in the end yeah you touched on it there like your family are scientists researchers and military is that right uh medicine medicine 112 00:07:42.867 --> 00:07:55.320 And so how did the arts, because those you don't typically put academia and arts always together, like how did that sort of develop for you and how did the arts find its way into your life? 113 00:07:55.568 --> 00:08:03.811 Well, it's interesting because everyone in my family who is a scientist or a dentist or a doctor or a nurse or whatever it may be, they all have their own artistic outlet. 114 00:08:04.471 --> 00:08:06.472 And so the arts was a huge part of my childhood. 115 00:08:06.512 -->

00:08:07.992 My grandma's a watercolor artist. 116 00:08:08.012 --> 00:08:11.874 My great aunt sings in an amazing choir every year at Christmas. 117 00:08:11.974 --> 00:08:15.955 And my grandfather built guitars and taught himself to play guitar and banjo. 118 00:08:16.015 --> 00:08:18.496 And he's who I watched old movies with when I was a kid. 119 00:08:19.016 --> 00:08:21.639 And so the arts were always around me. 120 00:08:21.659 --> 00:08:21.759 Yeah. 121 00:08:22.280 --> 00:08:28.506 And I did ballet from the time I was two years old just because my mom put me in a bunch of different activities to see what I would like. 122 00:08:28.626 --> 00:08:30.308 And ballet was what I took to. 123 00:08:30.468 --> 00:08:31.589 So that's what I stuck with. 124 00:08:31.850 --> 00:08:36.655 And it became very apparent that the arts were a huge part of my life. 125 00:08:36.755 --> 00:08:41.620 But I wanted to be an economist growing up because that's what normal seven-year-olds decide they want to be. 126 00:08:41.960 --> 00:08:44.003 Is that what you was thinking at seven? 127 00:08:44.023 --> 00:08:44.323 Exactly. 128 00:08:44.343 --> 00:08:46.046 From seven years old, I wanted to be an economist. 129 00:08:46.126 --> 00:08:46.586 Wow. 130 00:08:46.666 --> 00:08:49.390 At seven years old, I was living in Barbados and growing up on the beach. 131 00:08:50.211 --> 00:08:52.334 Because I was the only child at that point. 132 00:08:52.434 --> 00:08:57.180 So I was running up and down the beach, making stories up in my head and exploring caves. 133 00:08:57.481 --> 00:08:58.923 I definitely wasn't thinking about it. 134 00:08:59.163 --> 00:09:00.285 I mean, that sounds pretty great. 135 00:09:00.305 --> 00:09:00.946 Yeah, it's cool. 136 00:09:01.006 --> 00:09:01.968 I definitely enjoyed it. 137 00:09:02.629 --> 00:09:12.745 And so with that, you know, you obviously were thinking about these great things from like such a young age, academia. 138 00:09:14.366 --> 00:09:20.088 Is that something that, well, I wonder like where did that drive come from? 139 00:09:20.148 --> 00:09:27.652 Because I imagine that you were probably asking big questions that were probably past someone of your age. 140 00:09:28.152 --> 00:09:30.633 And yeah, I wonder where did that drive come from to learn all of this? 141 00:09:31.033 --> 00:09:37.017 So I have to thank not only my mother because she was very good at going, you know, if I go, well, why is the sky blue? 142 00:09:37.077 --> 00:09:39.098 She would first go, well, why do you think the sky is blue? 143 00:09:39.559 --> 00:09:40.739 And then kind of go from there. 144 00:09:40.940 --> 00:09:43.221 And critical thinking was a huge part of my childhood. 145 00:09:43.541 --> 00:09:46.003 But also I had a preschool teacher. 146 00:09:46.083 --> 00:09:46.884 Her name is Miss Vicki. 147 00:09:46.904 --> 00:09:48.605 I'm still in touch with her to this day. 148 00:09:48.685 --> 00:09:49.525 I love her very dearly. 149 00:09:50.586 --> 00:09:55.990 She saw that I really loved learning and really took to it and was a bright kid. 150 00:09:56.070 --> 00:09:59.152 And so she took the time to kind of encourage me and go, wow. 151 00:09:59.792 --> 00:10:00.832 I think you can read this book. 152 00:10:01.113 --> 00:10:02.473 Okay, now you read that book, read this book. 153 00:10:03.013 --> 00:10:05.794 What about, because I went to a Montessori preschool, so it's very self-driven. 154 00:10:05.834 --> 00:10:06.635 Really? 155 00:10:06.655 --> 00:10:08.976 How did we miss talking about this on set? 156 00:10:08.996 --> 00:10:10.716 We had no time to talk about it. 157 00:10:11.016 --> 00:10:15.818 But so, you know, the Montessori learning process is very self-driven and she goes, well, why don't you try addition? 158 00:10:15.938 --> 00:10:18.279 Okay, now, you know, subtraction, multiplication, division. 159 00:10:18.299 --> 00:10:21.580 So by the time I was six years old, I was doing all of that. 160 00:10:21.640 --> 00:10:25.322 But ultimately what that set me up for is that learning was always 161 00:10:26.082 --> 00:10:32.424 a sort of journey of self-discovery and discovering the world around me instead of a task or a chore. 162 00:10:32.624 --> 00:10:33.764 Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. 163 00:10:34.084 --> 00:10:41.766 It's kind of cool because it's sort of combining the creativity with learning, which you said it there. 164 00:10:42.006 --> 00:10:43.186 It's about the critical thinking. 165 00:10:43.726 --> 00:10:50.908 And I think it sort of doesn't surprise me, like hearing that a lot of people in your family, like water artists and 166 00:10:56.350 --> 00:10:59.534 To be in the arts is like you have to have a curious mind. 167 00:10:59.755 --> 00:10:59.975 Yes. 168 00:10:59.995 --> 00:11:06.103 So the fact that you're able to have a curious mind and sort of combine that with education Yeah. 169 00:11:06.304 --> 00:11:07.025 is really cool. 170 00:11:07.973 --> 00:11:09.134 I was very grateful for it. 171 00:11:09.194 --> 00:11:18.443 And, you know, the not only Kansas City as a whole, but the people in my family, particularly the women in my family, are some of the hardest workers I've ever seen in my life. 172 00:11:18.623 --> 00:11:18.803 Yeah. 173 00:11:18.983 --> 00:11:29.073 You know, and growing up watching these women balance family and career and all of these things and build whatever life they wanted, whatever that was defined as was is something I will forever be grateful for. 174 00:11:29.413 --> 00:11:29.853 Yeah, yeah. 175 00:11:29.873 --> 00:11:35.616 So it sounds like there's no sort of limits to what is possible for you to achieve. 176 00:11:35.777 --> 00:11:36.817 If you're willing to work hard enough. 177 00:11:37.037 --> 00:11:37.878 Yeah, yeah, yeah. 178 00:11:37.898 --> 00:11:38.278 Do you know what? 179 00:11:38.298 --> 00:11:50.145 And I think that's such an important thing because, and it's really interesting to hear actually that, you

know, your family sort of support what you're doing and everything, and which we'll probably get into that a little bit more in a bit. 180 00:11:51.145 --> 00:12:01.056 Because I have friends who are, you know, really academic, but they wanted to be creatives, but their parents may not have sort of allowed them to go down that route. 181 00:12:01.116 --> 00:12:01.337 Right. 182 00:12:01.657 --> 00:12:03.219 And with my mum, it was always like... 183 00:12:04.565 --> 00:12:09.830 do what you love doing, follow your passion, and the money and the work will come from that. 184 00:12:10.210 --> 00:12:16.436 And I really appreciated that because it allowed me to feel like I can do what I want to do. 185 00:12:16.456 --> 00:12:17.476 Absolutely. 186 00:12:17.797 --> 00:12:25.524 And even with, you know, doing this podcast, I thought, you know, it'd be really great to just chat to other creatives and see what their journey is and hopefully... 187 00:12:26.264 --> 00:12:27.924 Other people can learn from their journey. 188 00:12:28.125 --> 00:12:31.125 And it wasn't it never crossed my mind of like, oh, no, I don't want to do a podcast. 189 00:12:31.145 --> 00:12:32.126 I've never done a podcast. 190 00:12:32.146 --> 00:12:33.226 I've never interviewed people. 191 00:12:33.246 --> 00:12:34.666 It's just like, you know, I'm a curious person. 192 00:12:34.686 --> 00:12:35.166 Let me just. 193 00:12:35.967 --> 00:12:38.567 So I think that's that's really great to hear. 194 00:12:39.387 --> 00:12:45.089 I just wondered, do you feel that there's a difference between intelligence and discipline? 195 00:12:47.050 --> 00:12:49.332 I think there is a difference, but I think they go hand in hand. 196 00:12:49.572 --> 00:12:49.813 Yeah. 197 00:12:50.133 --> 00:12:55.337 You know, I think if you have a goal you want to achieve, you have to also have the discipline in order to do it. 198 00:12:55.578 --> 00:12:56.619 Yeah. 199 00:12:56.639 --> 00:13:02.284 And that's something that I think came naturally to me in certain ways. 200 00:13:02.484 --> 00:13:04.586 You know, it's a math problem. 201 00:13:04.786 --> 00:13:05.006 Yeah. 202 00:13:05.086 --> 00:13:08.329 If you work plus discipline equals goal. 203 00:13:08.389 --> 00:13:08.549 Yeah. 204 00:13:08.809 --> 00:13:11.991 You know, and that made sense to me as a kid and kind of going through life. 205 00:13:12.612 --> 00:13:16.554 You know, if I did the homework, if I learned the material, I could do the work and get the grade. 206 00:13:16.834 --> 00:13:21.758 You know, that sort of formula worked for me for a lot of my life and in a lot of the things that I've done. 207 00:13:21.938 --> 00:13:29.163 And, you know, in our industry, there's a lot of other things around it that we have no idea about that have nothing to do with us. 208 00:13:29.563 --> 00:13:34.987 But I think it's such a good philosophy for life is if you if you want to achieve something, go and do it. 209 00:13:35.007 --> 00:13:35.247 There's a.

210 00:13:36.788 --> 00:13:37.889 I loved quotes as a kid. 211 00:13:37.910 --> 00:13:38.390 Yeah, yeah, me too. 212 00:13:38.430 --> 00:13:39.692 So I had this quote up on my wall. 213 00:13:39.712 --> 00:13:41.694 It's a Henry David Thoreau quote. 214 00:13:41.834 --> 00:13:43.556 Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. 215 00:13:43.616 --> 00:13:44.737 Live the life you've imagined. 216 00:13:45.098 --> 00:13:45.518 Oh, nice. 217 00:13:45.798 --> 00:13:48.381 And that sort of struck me at a really young age. 218 00:13:48.461 --> 00:13:53.247 But if you want to do something with your life or if you want to accomplish a goal, no matter what that is, 219 00:13:53.727 --> 00:13:57.610 Live your life as though you are doing that thing and as though you are at that goal. 220 00:13:58.150 --> 00:14:03.714 And slowly but surely, those pieces will fall into place because it's really just manifesting. 221 00:14:03.774 --> 00:14:04.895 That's really what the quote is. 222 00:14:05.175 --> 00:14:06.456 That's just hit me just now. 223 00:14:06.476 --> 00:14:09.158 30 years later, here we are. 224 00:14:09.618 --> 00:14:11.099 But that's kind of the case. 225 00:14:11.219 --> 00:14:12.360 But I think that's, you know, I think... 226 00:14:13.770 --> 00:14:17.693 Being a creative person, you kind of have to have an element of that. 227 00:14:17.713 --> 00:14:20.615 Because like you said, there are so many other factors. 228 00:14:21.035 --> 00:14:31.043 Like I know that when I do an audition, as long as I do the audition to the best of my ability, I kind of try to forget about it because I know that once that tapes in, 229 00:14:32.184 --> 00:14:33.846 I know that they're not going to be disappointed in it. 230 00:14:33.866 --> 00:14:37.551 They're not going to look at it and think, that guy was terrible, we're never going to see him again. 231 00:14:38.072 --> 00:14:39.013 It's going to be a good tape. 232 00:14:39.213 --> 00:14:43.259 Whether I get it or not is, you know, maybe someone else looks slightly different. 233 00:14:43.339 --> 00:14:47.184 Maybe they've already cast someone who's playing my son and I just don't look like their dad. 234 00:14:47.204 --> 00:14:48.686 Like there's so many outside factors. 235 00:14:49.867 --> 00:15:17.893 to be clear with your vision and what you want to achieve and sort of put one foot in front of the other one step at a time and slowly build towards that um will stead you in a good place do you know what i mean absolutely as long as you're moving even if it's an inch yeah or a centimeter or whatever like you're you're getting there yeah yeah yeah and so at what point did you because you went to montessori what point did you then have like homeschooling and why was that was 236 00:15:20.094 --> 00:15:28.540 Well, because Miss Vicki was so incredible and really fostered, and my whole class of kids that I was with at the time were all still friends to this day, you know, 28 years later or something. 237 00:15:29.460 --> 00:15:31.402 She really fostered this love of learning in all of us. 238 00:15:31.722 --> 00:15:42.690 And I ended up in a situation where the public school advised my parents to take me somewhere else and do something else for my education because socially they couldn't move me up anymore. 239 00:15:42.830 --> 00:15:44.951 And academically I needed more. 240 00:15:45.452 --> 00:15:45.652 Yeah. 241 00:15:45.772 --> 00:15:55.316 But I was still, fortunately in Missouri, you're allowed to still go to school, even if you're homeschooled for art and music and PE and recess, field trips, before and after school activities. 242 00:15:55.456 --> 00:15:57.656 So all the fun stuff I got to do was cool. 243 00:15:57.816 --> 00:16:01.778 And then my mom had gone from research scientist to college professor at the time. 244 00:16:02.258 --> 00:16:10.044 And she was able to find this accredited program that was basically a classical education through the mail. 245 00:16:10.104 --> 00:16:11.024 It was correspondence. 246 00:16:11.364 --> 00:16:15.707 For those of you who were born after the year 2000, we used to have to do school through the mail. 247 00:16:17.008 --> 00:16:22.052 And it really was a perfect opportunity for me to have the best of both worlds. 248 00:16:22.132 --> 00:16:22.372 Yeah. 249 00:16:22.432 --> 00:16:24.193 Because I did all my academics at my own pace. 250 00:16:24.313 --> 00:16:24.534 Yeah. 251 00:16:24.634 --> 00:16:27.876 I was able to really facilitate it on my own very quickly. 252 00:16:27.896 --> 00:16:28.296 Yeah. 253 00:16:28.656 --> 00:16:28.957 And... 254 00:16:29.677 --> 00:16:34.341 then I was able to go to the school and be with my friends and do all the fun stuff and still have the social atmosphere. 255 00:16:34.361 --> 00:16:38.525 You get to socialize with all the fun stuff and do all the other stuff that you're great at on your own. 256 00:16:38.585 --> 00:16:39.125 It was great. 257 00:16:39.686 --> 00:16:41.367 I truly couldn't have asked for anything better. 258 00:16:41.427 --> 00:16:41.687 Yeah. 259 00:16:41.707 --> 00:16:51.155 See, I was wondering before this conversation started whether you sort of missed out on some childhood at all with being such a high achiever. 260 00:16:51.316 --> 00:16:55.940 But it sounds like you, at this point, leading up to, so this point takes you up to like 14. 261 00:16:56.000 --> 00:16:56.260 Yeah. 262 00:16:56.280 --> 00:16:56.500 Yeah. 263 00:16:56.640 --> 00:16:56.840 Yeah. 264 00:16:57.821 --> 00:17:03.428 So then you get to 14 and you book a role on Broadway. 265 00:17:03.468 --> 00:17:04.409 Yeah. 266 00:17:04.990 --> 00:17:05.650 Talk me through that. 267 00:17:05.690 --> 00:17:06.632 How did that come about? 268 00:17:06.752 --> 00:17:15.482 And how did you take that leap from, you know, doing ballet and dance classes to making your Broadway debut at 14 years old? 269 00:17:15.742 --> 00:17:17.984 It's all thanks to the Kansas City arts community. 270

00:17:18.164 --> 00:17:22.107 Because Kansas City has a huge regional theater community that is just incredible. 271 00:17:22.528 --> 00:17:24.269 I always say they raised me artistically. 272 00:17:24.810 --> 00:17:30.354 Because I happened to run into a family friend who was directing a community theater production and needed an answer. 273 00:17:30.935 --> 00:17:32.055 And I was the kid who would try anything. 274 00:17:32.276 --> 00:17:34.437 You know, that was also kind of instilled in me as a kid. 275 00:17:34.497 --> 00:17:38.381 Try anything once, whether it's a food you don't know or an activity you've never tried. 276 00:17:38.921 --> 00:17:39.562 And so I did. 277 00:17:39.722 --> 00:17:41.503 I was like, what's this theater thing? 278 00:17:41.543 --> 00:17:43.044 Let me see if this is fun for me. 279 00:17:44.005 --> 00:17:44.245 And... 280 00:17:45.566 --> 00:17:48.327 There are very few moments of absolute clarity in life, I feel. 281 00:17:49.407 --> 00:17:53.968 And when I stepped on stage on opening night for the first time, it hit me like a brick wall. 282 00:17:54.808 --> 00:17:58.589 I went, oh, I was put on this earth to tell stories. 283 00:17:59.490 --> 00:18:04.591 And to be a part of whatever collective imaginative creation this is that we're doing here. 284 00:18:05.791 --> 00:18:09.832 And I knew without a shadow of a doubt that I could not do anything else with my life. 285 00:18:09.852 --> 00:18:10.053 Yeah. 286 00:18:10.453 --> 00:18:16.455 And did you find that, because obviously I'm guessing you'd continued doing ballet and dance up until that point? 287 00:18:16.635 --> 00:18:17.235 I had, yeah. 288 00:18:17.255 --> 00:18:24.057 I mean, I was doing ballet and then I expanded into other dance styles and kind of started learning to sing and all these other things. 289 00:18:24.757 --> 00:18:35.301 And thankfully was welcomed into the Kansas City theater community and started working professionally and did a bunch of shows for those couple of years in Kansas City. 290 00:18:35.481 --> 00:18:40.187 So what did you find, because obviously there's storytelling in dance, of course. 291 00:18:40.687 --> 00:18:51.300 So what was it about acting and being on the stage for the time that you're talking that was different to performing as a dancer? 292 00:18:51.955 --> 00:18:53.035 I don't think it was different. 293 00:18:53.135 --> 00:18:55.456 I think it was the more that I didn't know I was missing. 294 00:18:55.776 --> 00:18:56.016 Yeah. 295 00:18:56.276 --> 00:18:59.518 Because again, one of those hindsight moments, you look back when I was a kid. 296 00:18:59.598 --> 00:18:59.818 Yeah. 297 00:19:00.698 --> 00:19:05.580 I was obsessed with the storylines of every ballet and with the characters in all of these ballets. 298 00:19:05.680 --> 00:19:10.261 And I could tell you the plot of any ballet you asked me and the characters and what they were feeling. 299 00:19:10.301 --> 00:19:11.882 And that's what it was all about

for me. 300 00:19:11.902 --> 00:19:12.082 Yeah. 301 00:19:12.322 --> 00:19:17.944 And I didn't even realize until I started doing theater and started acting and went, wait, there's more? 302 00:19:18.825 --> 00:19:41.622 this is amazing there's enough level to it and that's to me I'm just so grateful that I sort of fell into it but I think each one of us that ends up in this industry we find our way here in some circuitous way if we didn't grow up in it and so then I worked with a woman in a show who was from New York they'd flown her in to do this production for the summer 303 00:19:42.082 --> 00:19:42.522 In Kansas? 304 00:19:42.622 --> 00:19:43.583 In Kansas City, yeah. 305 00:19:43.863 --> 00:19:46.443 And it was a production of The Sound of Music. 306 00:19:46.483 --> 00:19:47.284 She was playing Maria. 307 00:19:47.424 --> 00:19:48.144 I was one of the kids. 308 00:19:49.124 --> 00:19:51.085 And we got to be really close during the production. 309 00:19:51.105 --> 00:19:54.466 And then she was going on to do a little night music on Broadway after that. 310 00:19:55.466 --> 00:19:59.507 And about a month into their production, they needed an immediate replacement for one of the kids. 311 00:19:59.787 --> 00:20:00.068 Oh, wow. 312 00:20:00.648 --> 00:20:05.609 And she talked to the director, Trevor Nunn, I think folks on this set of The Pond. 313 00:20:05.629 --> 00:20:06.830 Yeah, yeah, National Theatre. 314 00:20:06.990 --> 00:20:07.610 Yes, exactly. 315 00:20:08.410 --> 00:20:12.953 I say that sometimes in America and people look at me like... Yeah, he was at the National for, I don't know. 316 00:20:13.173 --> 00:20:17.216 He is so incredible. 317 00:20:17.276 --> 00:20:20.819 She talked to Trevor and talked to the producers and said, look, I met this girl in Kansas City. 318 00:20:20.839 --> 00:20:22.420 I think she'd be amazing for this. 319 00:20:22.720 --> 00:20:23.901 And I get a random phone call. 320 00:20:24.602 --> 00:20:28.704 And they go, hey, do you want to come to New York in two days and audition for a Broadway show? 321 00:20:29.565 --> 00:20:31.246 And I had never been to New York. 322 00:20:31.847 --> 00:20:34.128 I had never seen a Broadway show that wasn't a national tour. 323 00:20:34.669 --> 00:20:35.930 I didn't know anything about it. 324 00:20:37.210 --> 00:20:40.133 But I also never thought I'd get a chance to audition for a Broadway show again. 325 00:20:40.373 --> 00:20:41.193 Yeah, after that. 326 00:20:41.313 --> 00:20:42.074 Yeah, exactly. 327 00:20:42.234 --> 00:20:42.935 So I went, sure. 328 00:20:43.275 --> 00:20:43.495 Yeah. 329 00:20:43.675 --> 00:20:43.995 Why not? 330 00:20:44.175 --> 00:20:44.536 Let's go. 331 00:20:44.756 --> 00:20:44.916 Yeah. 332 00:20:44.996 --> 00:20:45.396 Let's try it. 333 00:20:45.416 --> 00:20:46.817 Let's try everything once, right? 334 00:20:46.837 --> 00:20:47.298 Exactly. 335 00:20:47.318 --> 00:20:47.538 Yeah. 336 00:20:48.058 --> 00:20:50.960 At least because I had shows booked in Kansas City for the next year. 337 00:20:51.140 --> 00:20:51.360 Yeah. 338 00:20:51.561 --> 00:20:53.062 And I was in rehearsals for a show at the time. 339 00:20:53.082 --> 00:20:54.583 It was this professional in Kansas City. 340 00:20:54.603 --> 00:20:54.743 Yeah. 341 00:20:54.783 --> 00:20:54.983 Yeah. 342 00:20:55.003 --> 00:20:55.203 Wow. 343 00:20:55.223 --> 00:20:55.363 Yeah. 344 00:20:55.403 --> 00:20:56.944 And I begged my director at the time. 345 00:20:56.984 --> 00:20:58.766 I said, I am so, because I had rehearsal that day. 346 00:20:58.786 --> 00:20:58.906 Yeah. 347 00:20:59.086 --> 00:21:00.027 I was like, I'm so sorry. 348 00:21:00.067 --> 00:21:01.428 Can I miss one day of rehearsal? 349 00:21:01.448 --> 00:21:01.648 Yeah. 350 00:21:01.668 --> 00:21:01.868 Yeah. 351 00:21:02.248 --> 00:21:04.150 to do this Broadway audition and then I will be there. 352 00:21:04.190 --> 00:21:06.372 I promise I'll have everything exactly as you need it. 353 00:21:06.772 --> 00:21:07.933 And she goes, absolutely, go. 354 00:21:08.534 --> 00:21:10.355 I'm guessing you probably never went through. 355 00:21:10.375 --> 00:21:12.137 You didn't go back because you got the role. 356 00:21:13.104 --> 00:21:15.466 Thankfully, she was really incredible about it. 357 00:21:15.906 --> 00:21:22.151 Because I went to New York, I did the audition, and I did the callback four hours later with Trevor Nunn. 358 00:21:22.171 --> 00:21:24.673 Did you know who Trevor Nunn was at this point? 359 00:21:24.773 --> 00:21:27.335 I knew who Trevor Nunn was, but I'm a huge theater nerd, so there you go. 360 00:21:27.815 --> 00:21:31.458 But obviously I never thought I'd meet someone like that, you know what I mean? 361 00:21:31.618 --> 00:21:42.787 And then suddenly I'm at LaGuardia getting ready to fly back to Kansas City that night, and I get a phone call that, congratulations, get ready, pack your stuff and come to New York for six months or more. 362 00:21:43.147 --> 00:21:43.547 Oh wow. 363 00:21:44.248 --> 00:21:46.870 And my whole life changed in that one day. 364 00:21:47.471 --> 00:21:49.332 And so you were in New York for those six months. 365 00:21:49.672 --> 00:22:01.382 And being 14, and I suppose because it wasn't that long prior to where you had that epiphany, well not always the epiphany, but where you realized, oh wow, this is what I want to do. 366 00:22:01.402 --> 00:22:02.143 I want to tell stories. 367 00:22:02.163 --> 00:22:04.385 I think shortly before that, about a month? 368 00:22:04.425 --> 00:22:05.125 It was like two years. 369 00:22:05.285 --> 00:22:05.726 Oh, two years. 370 00:22:05.746 --> 00:22:06.086 Okay. 371 00:22:06.706 --> 00:22:10.790 So then when you do get to New York and you're now doing this Broadway show, you're 372 00:22:12.031 --> 00:22:15.516 Were you nervous, like being a 14 year old in Broadway? 373 00:22:15.576 --> 00:22:23.487 And we're going to come to some of the other things at the minute, because not

only were you 14 in Broadway, you were also studying for your university degree in business. 374 00:22:23.587 --> 00:22:24.027 I was. 375 00:22:24.268 --> 00:22:24.808 At 14. 376 00:22:24.828 --> 00:22:25.509 I was. 377 00:22:25.590 --> 00:22:26.210 That's crazy. 378 00:22:26.230 --> 00:22:27.452 I'm a big old nerd. 379 00:22:29.494 --> 00:22:31.715 But, you know, when I... 380 00:22:32.695 --> 00:22:34.196 I didn't know anything about New York. 381 00:22:34.296 --> 00:22:37.597 I'd been there for a total of six hours, I think, before moving there. 382 00:22:37.817 --> 00:22:38.037 Yeah. 383 00:22:38.697 --> 00:22:40.998 And I didn't know how I was going to feel about it. 384 00:22:41.078 --> 00:22:42.418 I'd never lived in a big city. 385 00:22:42.538 --> 00:22:46.300 I grew up, you know, running around the woods in my backyard my whole childhood and having space. 386 00:22:47.460 --> 00:22:52.102 And I was a little nervous about it in that sense of just, am I going to enjoy living in this new place? 387 00:22:52.122 --> 00:22:52.322 Yeah. 388 00:22:53.657 --> 00:22:55.858 one day in New York and it absolutely had my heart. 389 00:22:56.298 --> 00:23:06.603 I just, it was an explosion of people and languages and culture and colors and art and just life in so many different ways that I'd never seen or experienced before. 390 00:23:07.464 --> 00:23:09.625 And I was so grateful that it happened to me at 14 391 00:23:10.625 --> 00:23:14.086 Because I feel like that's sort of the age where you're starting to gain world perspective. 392 00:23:14.226 --> 00:23:14.646 Yeah, yeah. 393 00:23:14.706 --> 00:23:19.507 And you're starting to notice things outside of your community and your family unit and things like this. 394 00:23:20.007 --> 00:23:25.389 And I'm so grateful that I had New York City as my lens for that time in my life. 395 00:23:25.429 --> 00:23:32.390 Because it's at that age where, you know, you're developing and you're, you know, opening up your eyes to the world. 396 00:23:32.470 --> 00:23:32.810 Yeah. 397 00:23:32.830 --> 00:23:35.651 To be there and doing something that you like. 398 00:23:36.251 --> 00:23:57.712 love doing is just incredible what was it like for the first night as a 14 year old um going out and and performing and i know that actually i think when we like i said we didn't have too much of a chance to chat massively in between uh because we were just filming like back to back um but you did say you did mention a story uh one of the early performances something happened didn't 399 00:23:58.573 --> 00:23:59.975 Oh, no, no, no, not that. 400 00:24:00.135 --> 00:24:01.576 Not that one. 401 00:24:01.736 --> 00:24:04.839 But there is something interesting. 402 00:24:04.900 --> 00:24:08.543 So I had two weeks of rehearsal as an immediate replacement when I got there. 403 00:24:08.603 --> 00:24:15.050 The first show I ever saw on Broadway was the show that I was going to be in, which was an insane, mind boggling moment. 404 00:24:15.070 --> 00:24:15.390 Yeah. 405 00:24:15.670 --> 00:24:18.151 But I never had a rehearsal with the orchestra. 406 00:24:18.491 --> 00:24:19.772 I never had a rehearsal with the lights. 407 00:24:20.552 --> 00:24:22.713 I never had a rehearsal with everyone in costume. 408 00:24:22.833 --> 00:24:23.053 Wow. 409 00:24:23.253 --> 00:24:29.456 And so the first time seeing the show at its full and hearing the show, I was on stage. 410 00:24:29.856 --> 00:24:29.996 Yeah. 411 00:24:30.016 --> 00:24:32.797 And it was my first performance, was being in and amongst that. 412 00:24:33.457 --> 00:24:34.237 And it was... 413 00:24:35.938 --> 00:24:37.919 I would love to say that I have so many memories of it. 414 00:24:37.939 --> 00:24:38.580 It's so magical. 415 00:24:38.940 --> 00:24:40.701 I have no memory of my first performance. 416 00:24:41.181 --> 00:24:42.222 I have zero memory. 417 00:24:42.542 --> 00:24:44.243 Because this is all I remember. 418 00:24:44.303 --> 00:24:47.906 Because the first scene of A Little Night Music is very, it's this beautiful waltz. 419 00:24:47.986 --> 00:24:49.767 And the lighting designer did such a beautiful job. 420 00:24:49.787 --> 00:24:51.928 It was so shadowy and gorgeous and dreamy. 421 00:24:52.488 --> 00:24:54.430 And I'm the last person to come out on stage. 422 00:24:55.410 --> 00:24:59.232 And so I step out on stage because everyone else has already entered. 423 00:24:59.272 --> 00:25:00.293 I'm the last person to enter. 424 00:25:00.873 --> 00:25:04.395 So I come out on stage and I get to watch everyone. 425 00:25:04.415 --> 00:25:06.216 I have like one second to take it all in. 426 00:25:06.376 --> 00:25:08.317 And I see, you know, you can feel the audience. 427 00:25:08.357 --> 00:25:10.499 You see everyone dancing and waltzing around. 428 00:25:11.079 --> 00:25:11.999 And then I have to go in. 429 00:25:12.080 --> 00:25:16.222 And I remember just stopping, taking a breath and going, here we go. 430 00:25:16.342 --> 00:25:17.663 And then off I went onto my track. 431 00:25:18.583 --> 00:25:21.025 And the next thing I remember is running up the stairs after a curtain call. 432 00:25:21.205 --> 00:25:21.385 Yeah. 433 00:25:21.525 --> 00:25:21.765 Yeah. 434 00:25:22.565 --> 00:25:25.626 It happens in a blur, doesn't it? 435 00:25:25.646 --> 00:25:25.826 Yeah. 436 00:25:25.886 --> 00:25:35.129 And the thing is, when you step on, I mean, it varies from role to role, but a lot of time, once you step on to stage, you're on the train. 437 00:25:35.409 --> 00:25:36.009 Yeah. 438 00:25:36.189 --> 00:25:37.730 And the train's not stopping until the end. 439 00:25:37.750 --> 00:25:37.930 Yeah. 440 00:25:37.990 --> 00:25:40.031 And I love that thrill. 441 00:25:40.211 --> 00:25:40.911 I do too. 442 00:25:41.011 --> 00:25:47.333 Of going on a journey with the character from the very start to the end and just, you know, as soon as you step on, that's it. 443 00:25:47.353 --> 00:25:48.093 You have to go now. 444

00:25:48.193 --> 00:25:48.993 It doesn't matter how you do. 445 00:25:49.013 --> 00:25:49.594 The show must go on. 446 00:25:49.614 --> 00:25:50.554 Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. 447 00:25:51.615 --> 00:26:03.129 So at what point then during this time, was it prior to your first performance or after where you decided that it would be great to also get your degree? 448 00:26:03.149 --> 00:26:03.250 Yeah. 449 00:26:03.914 --> 00:26:05.515 I was sort of in the process of it already. 450 00:26:05.775 --> 00:26:06.035 Really? 451 00:26:06.355 --> 00:26:10.577 Yeah, because I truly never thought I'd leave Kansas City in my whole life. 452 00:26:10.637 --> 00:26:11.358 I thought I'd be there. 453 00:26:11.418 --> 00:26:17.461 I thought I was going to work at the bank until 5 p.m. and then go to the theater at 8, and then that was going to be my life, and I was so thrilled with that. 454 00:26:18.441 --> 00:26:23.924 Then I moved to New York, and it's one of those things where – 455 00:26:25.944 --> 00:26:29.688 I did a semester of dual enrollment for my last semester of high school. 456 00:26:30.028 --> 00:26:32.410 I also didn't realize I was going to graduate high school when I did. 457 00:26:33.311 --> 00:26:36.674 I remember being on the phone with my guidance counselor and he goes, great. 458 00:26:36.774 --> 00:26:38.176 And after these two classes, you're done. 459 00:26:38.196 --> 00:26:38.836 And I went, what? 460 00:26:40.798 --> 00:26:41.519 I'm 14. 461 00:26:41.599 --> 00:26:42.460 He goes, yeah, but you're done. 462 00:26:43.120 --> 00:26:43.841 I'm like, what do you mean? 463 00:26:43.881 --> 00:26:48.886 He goes, well, you've fulfilled all the credits and you're graduating with honors after these two classes. 464 00:26:48.966 --> 00:26:49.326 And I went, 465 00:26:49.842 --> 00:26:50.543 There must be more. 466 00:26:51.083 --> 00:26:51.704 Okay. 467 00:26:52.264 --> 00:26:55.127 Because I loved school so much and I didn't want to stop learning. 468 00:26:55.247 --> 00:27:03.574 So at that point I was going to live in Kansas City and be an actor, so I started a drama program for undergrad at University of Missouri, Kansas City. 469 00:27:04.355 --> 00:27:06.477 And I was just barely into my first classes. 470 00:27:06.517 --> 00:27:09.019 I was like right about to start when I booked this Broadway show. 471 00:27:09.719 --> 00:27:14.664 And so I was able to transfer classes because they had some semi-online learning things through the university. 472 00:27:15.024 --> 00:27:20.448 So I was able to do that a little bit and at least get some of my core classes done, not any of the acting classes, unfortunately. 473 00:27:21.448 --> 00:27:27.192 But then after that, you really can't get an acting degree through correspondence. 474 00:27:27.232 --> 00:27:29.373 That doesn't really work for what we do for a living. 475 00:27:30.074 --> 00:27:42.142 So I started looking at schools in New York, and none of the schools, at least at that time, Tisch and

any of the other ones there, wouldn't let you go to school and work professionally at the same time. 476 00:27:42.162 --> 00:27:42.422 Yeah. 477 00:27:42.782 --> 00:27:46.243 Because they have a process and they have a program and I mean, it makes sense. 478 00:27:46.323 --> 00:27:46.723 Yeah, yeah. 479 00:27:46.923 --> 00:27:53.505 But I didn't want to quit the Broadway show I had just moved there to do, nor did I want to quit learning. 480 00:27:53.605 --> 00:27:54.065 Yeah, yeah. 481 00:27:54.285 --> 00:27:56.285 So I actually spoke to my cast. 482 00:27:56.345 --> 00:27:57.086 I spoke to Angela. 483 00:27:57.106 --> 00:27:57.846 I spoke to Catherine. 484 00:27:57.886 --> 00:28:00.887 I spoke to some of the other incredible performers that were in Night Music. 485 00:28:01.647 --> 00:28:05.648 And they said, well, look, you're already doing what you would be going to school to do. 486 00:28:05.668 --> 00:28:05.808 Mm-hmm. 487 00:28:06.428 --> 00:28:11.653 And you can still learn outside of school and keep learning your skills and things like this. 488 00:28:11.733 --> 00:28:16.617 But why don't you go to school for something else you love and round yourself out as a person and have something else? 489 00:28:17.418 --> 00:28:19.519 So I went back and did economics and business. 490 00:28:19.780 --> 00:28:20.120 Oh, wow. 491 00:28:20.260 --> 00:28:23.743 So it actually came from speaking to some of your, like Catherine and Angela. 492 00:28:24.363 --> 00:28:24.864 And all of them. 493 00:28:25.284 --> 00:28:33.672 And I was really grateful because Drexel University at the time, which is one of the top 25 business schools in the U.S., had a fully online program that they had just launched. 494 00:28:34.433 --> 00:28:38.036 And so I was able, I applied and was able to get in and get my bachelor's that way. 495 00:28:38.486 --> 00:28:40.548 So what did a typical, well, congratulations. 496 00:28:40.568 --> 00:28:40.788 Thank you. 497 00:28:40.808 --> 00:28:41.309 Yeah, yeah. 498 00:28:41.329 --> 00:28:42.170 Thank you very much. 499 00:28:42.190 --> 00:28:42.911 That's amazing. 500 00:28:44.012 --> 00:28:52.841 What did a typical day sort of look like then for a 14-year-old at that time performing in Broadway and doing a degree? 501 00:28:52.941 --> 00:28:54.643 Like, how did you do that? 502 00:28:54.663 --> 00:28:57.266 Was it in between shows or...? 503 00:28:57.446 --> 00:28:58.067 Sort of. 504 00:28:58.087 --> 00:28:58.267 Yeah. 505 00:28:58.327 --> 00:29:03.010 And the way they had set it up, because every role on any theater show has to have an understudy and a performer. 506 00:29:03.511 --> 00:29:06.973 And the way they did it for us, because we were kids, is we each did four shows a week. 507 00:29:07.073 --> 00:29:07.393 Okay. 508 00:29:07.654 --> 00:29:12.097 Which was a breeze, because I came from doing eight to ten shows in Kansas City per week. 509 00:29:12.697 --> 00:29:17.041 But we would do four shows on stage and four shows doing

our homework at the theater. 510 00:29:17.721 --> 00:29:24.987 And it was so great because I was at the theater for all eight shows, but I got to... You make it sound like you say homework, like it was like you're actually doing homework, getting a degree. 511 00:29:25.247 --> 00:29:29.471 You know, either way, whatever we occupied our time with, it was that. 512 00:29:30.291 --> 00:29:31.953 And it was really lovely. 513 00:29:31.973 --> 00:29:36.156 I got to sit there and listen to the show and be a part of it. 514 00:29:36.196 --> 00:29:38.598 But every day I would, you know, get up, go do... 515 00:29:38.958 --> 00:29:43.559 some sort of training, whether it was dance classes or singing lessons or whatever it was that I was working on at the time. 516 00:29:44.960 --> 00:29:48.040 Maybe an audition or two as that part of my career kind of expanded. 517 00:29:48.621 --> 00:29:50.161 And then I would go to the theater at night. 518 00:29:50.481 --> 00:29:55.082 And or two show day, I would go sit at the theater and either do homework or be on stage. 519 00:29:56.102 --> 00:30:05.785 And there was one summer that was particularly insane that I look back on and I still have no idea to this day how I did it and didn't lose my mind. 520 00:30:06.445 --> 00:30:11.907 But I was doing a new reading of a new Aaron's and Flaherty show directed by Susan Stroman. 521 00:30:11.927 --> 00:30:15.089 It was like it actually ended up on Broadway, but I was too old by that time. 522 00:30:15.129 --> 00:30:15.829 Yeah. 523 00:30:15.909 --> 00:30:17.169 You know, the little dancer statue. 524 00:30:17.189 --> 00:30:17.670 Yeah, yeah, yeah. 525 00:30:17.830 --> 00:30:19.950 So that was about Degas and that girl. 526 00:30:20.511 --> 00:30:23.472 And it was, you know, about the ballerinas and Degas and this whole thing. 527 00:30:23.532 --> 00:30:23.732 It was. 528 00:30:24.172 --> 00:30:24.833 Sounds kind of cool. 529 00:30:24.913 --> 00:30:26.173 Glorious show, glorious show. 530 00:30:26.293 --> 00:30:36.380 And I got to work with some of my people from my show and like Jeremy Jordan, like all these incredible artists who I, you know, the Broadway community is very small, so a lot of these people I'm still like watching and in touch with to this day. 531 00:30:37.160 --> 00:30:39.021 But that took up most of my days. 532 00:30:39.101 --> 00:30:46.046 So then instead of training or doing homework during the day, I was, you know, at the reading at eight in the morning until four or five in the afternoon. 533 00:30:46.466 --> 00:30:48.107 Then I was trying to get some homework done 534 00:30:48.567 --> 00:30:49.928 And running to theater and doing that. 535 00:30:50.228 --> 00:30:54.191 But that was also during a summer semester in which I was taking summer courses. 536 00:30:54.271 --> 00:31:00.395 And what they don't tell you about summer courses is that because they're condensed into four or eight weeks, the workload is like triple. 537 00:31:00.616 --> 00:31:01.016 Oh, wow. 538 00:31:01.116 --> 00:31:01.997 So I'm sitting there. 539 00:31:02.017 --> 00:31:05.339 I'm doing like an Arthurian legend class or something and then a few other things. 540 00:31:05.619 --> 00:31:11.804 But I was trying to read a full book that was either an Arthurian legend or something that was based off of it. 541 00:31:12.064 --> 00:31:12.304 Yeah. 542 00:31:12.644 --> 00:31:16.325 So I'm literally reading a full book a day while doing a reading and a full time show. 543 00:31:16.625 --> 00:31:23.688 And then having to write full essays when I get home at 11 o'clock at night and somehow get to bed by three in the morning and then get up the next day and do it all over again. 544 00:31:24.048 --> 00:31:25.308 And was that sounds like a lot. 545 00:31:25.348 --> 00:31:28.309 Did you did you cope with that? 546 00:31:28.790 --> 00:31:29.050 Yeah. 547 00:31:29.250 --> 00:31:29.470 Yeah. 548 00:31:29.570 --> 00:31:30.790 I mean, I was doing things I love. 549 00:31:30.830 --> 00:31:31.210 Yeah. 550 00:31:31.251 --> 00:31:33.291 I was doing school, which I loved so much. 551 00:31:33.571 --> 00:31:35.852 And I've always been a huge myths and legends person. 552 00:31:35.932 --> 00:31:37.093 So that was a treat. 553 00:31:37.533 --> 00:31:41.274 And I was performing in the show that was the most exhilarating thing I'd ever done in my life. 554 00:31:41.647 --> 00:31:46.070 So I suppose it's like, you know, it's like what they say when you do something that you love, it doesn't feel like work. 555 00:31:46.111 --> 00:31:46.471 Yeah. 556 00:31:46.511 --> 00:31:49.513 Because that sounds like a lot, everything you just mentioned there. 557 00:31:49.533 --> 00:31:50.174 It's a lot of work. 558 00:31:50.314 --> 00:31:54.757 But because you enjoyed it, you're saying it didn't actually feel like a lot? 559 00:31:55.057 --> 00:31:56.278 It didn't, from my memory. 560 00:31:56.338 --> 00:32:00.402 I mean, I also, I have to shout out my mother because she is... 561 00:32:02.426 --> 00:32:04.229 is the most supportive person in my life. 562 00:32:04.309 --> 00:32:08.974 And I'm so grateful to her because she never got involved, but she was always supportive. 563 00:32:09.395 --> 00:32:14.721 So, you know, because you see so many parents of kids in the industry that are a bit much, to put it nicely. 564 00:32:14.821 --> 00:32:19.126 I mean, there's a lot of great parents in the industry too, don't get me wrong. 565 00:32:19.146 --> 00:32:19.306 But... 566 00:32:19.666 --> 00:32:22.467 But my mom was always let it be mine and let it be my thing. 567 00:32:22.547 --> 00:32:23.967 And, you know, she was there to support me. 568 00:32:24.027 --> 00:32:24.768 She was there to drive me. 569 00:32:24.828 --> 00:32:28.769 She was there to walk me around and, you know, feed me, remind me to eat and things like this. 570 00:32:29.009 --> 00:32:34.231 But I really couldn't have done it without her those weeks because she she was been my rock and

kept me sane. 571 00:32:34.371 --> 00:32:34.971 Yeah. 572 00:32:35.011 --> 00:32:37.792 But also I always thrive on a challenge. 573 00:32:38.072 --> 00:32:38.312 Yeah. 574 00:32:38.352 --> 00:32:39.352 I've always been that way. 575 00:32:39.552 --> 00:32:42.933 You know, you give me something that seems impossible and I'm going to figure out a way to do it. 576 00:32:43.194 --> 00:32:43.474 Yeah. 577 00:32:43.534 --> 00:32:43.734 Yeah. 578 00:32:43.774 --> 00:32:43.994 Yeah. 579 00:32:44.974 --> 00:32:55.644 So I suppose like a lot of your identity seems to be wrapped up with being like a high achiever, dependable and ambitious. 580 00:32:57.065 --> 00:32:59.207 What happens on days where you don't feel like that? 581 00:33:00.548 --> 00:33:02.449 I keep myself busy with other things. 582 00:33:03.230 --> 00:33:03.510 Truly. 583 00:33:03.871 --> 00:33:05.052 I'm still, you know, it's funny. 584 00:33:06.538 --> 00:33:15.841 Something I'm still figuring out is that, you know, in school, for example, you do the work, you do the essay, you learn the material, and the grade comes with that. 585 00:33:16.041 --> 00:33:16.241 Yeah. 586 00:33:16.621 --> 00:33:22.583 In our industry, you can do the work, you can make a great audition, you can do all the things, and then it may not go your way. 587 00:33:22.763 --> 00:33:22.983 Yeah. 588 00:33:23.143 --> 00:33:25.484 For whatever reason, and there's absolutely nothing you could have done. 589 00:33:25.544 --> 00:33:25.744 Yep. 590 00:33:26.284 --> 00:33:29.205 There are days where that still befuddles my mind. 591 00:33:29.385 --> 00:33:29.525 Mm-hmm. 592 00:33:30.325 --> 00:33:32.926 And those are the days where I find something else to do. 593 00:33:33.187 --> 00:33:40.290 I go for a run or I go train or I go see friends or I will work on my other projects that I'm developing myself. 594 00:33:40.710 --> 00:33:42.711 And that I learned that during the pandemic. 595 00:33:42.931 --> 00:33:43.591 Yeah. 596 00:33:43.631 --> 00:33:44.612 Because I had a lot of down. 597 00:33:44.692 --> 00:33:45.652 We all had a lot of down time. 598 00:33:47.053 --> 00:33:53.679 But I needed something creative, and I needed to do that and not let those juices stop flowing. 599 00:33:53.960 --> 00:34:00.526 And I started writing little things and developing things with friends and talking to people and kind of dipping my toe into the producing world. 600 00:34:00.606 --> 00:34:08.613 And now I have a project that we're working on with a few other people, and I'm hoping to be directing one day and all of these things. 601 00:34:09.354 --> 00:34:12.457 And having that creative outlet... 602 00:34:13.337 --> 00:34:14.398 is essential. 603 00:34:14.438 --> 00:34:26.244 And I think if you are creative, or no matter what it is that you want to do with your life, even if you're not doing that thing at that moment, whatever those skills are that you need and those tools are that you're using, keep using those in some way. 604 00:34:26.472 --> 00:34:27.573 Yeah, yeah, yeah, no, I agree. 605 00:34:27.593 --> 00:34:32.937 And I think, you know, you were touching on, you know, different things that you do outside of acting. 606 00:34:32.957 --> 00:34:39.182 And I think as an actor or a creative person, I think it's really important to have those other things. 607 00:34:39.263 --> 00:34:39.443 Yeah. 608 00:34:39.823 --> 00:34:43.786 Because if you don't have other things to focus on, like you can fixate on... 609 00:34:44.767 --> 00:34:46.248 Am I going to get this job? 610 00:34:46.348 --> 00:34:47.708 When's the next audition coming in? 611 00:34:48.128 --> 00:34:53.450 You can put so much pressure on yourself audition to audition that it can drive you crazy. 612 00:34:53.751 --> 00:35:04.755 And I think it's just so important to have those other avenues so that the acting is still a passion and a hobby, even though it's your profession and one's profession. 613 00:35:05.475 --> 00:35:06.936 It doesn't feel like it. 614 00:35:07.237 --> 00:35:15.083 And there's not the desperation attached to it because you are exploring other avenues and keeping your mind active and being curious about other things. 615 00:35:15.588 --> 00:35:17.449 And it maintains the joy of it as well. 616 00:35:17.569 --> 00:35:24.234 And I think, too, we as actors, we are, you know, portraying life and imaginary circumstances, as the greats will say. 617 00:35:25.275 --> 00:35:27.397 But we can't do that if we don't experience life as well. 618 00:35:27.557 --> 00:35:28.097 Yeah, exactly. 619 00:35:28.117 --> 00:35:29.298 Because we don't know what life is. 620 00:35:29.518 --> 00:35:30.119 So, so true. 621 00:35:30.279 --> 00:35:35.302 And so that's something that I always kept in mind being a young person who's working professionally. 622 00:35:35.502 --> 00:35:41.527 And as I've grown up and kind of tried to maintain a work-life balance, I keep having to remind myself that… Yeah. 623 00:35:42.007 --> 00:35:42.668 Go live life. 624 00:35:42.808 --> 00:35:43.508 Go do things. 625 00:35:43.849 --> 00:35:46.511 You don't have to work all the time because I love my job. 626 00:35:46.671 --> 00:35:48.333 I would work all the time if I could. 627 00:35:48.373 --> 00:35:51.996 You know, and so I would be working on something all the time if I could. 628 00:35:52.536 --> 00:35:58.701 And so reminding yourself to take time off and go do other things and other hobbies and interests and these sort of things. 629 00:35:58.782 --> 00:36:00.183 It's so important. 630 00:36:01.154 --> 00:36:03.815 This is a paid advertisement from BetterHelp. 631 00:36:04.235 --> 00:36:10.658 With Strip the Script, it was really important to me that we only partnered with brands that felt aligned with what this series is about. 632 00:36:11.198 --> 00:36:21.042 That's why I'm genuinely proud to have BetterHelp supporting Series One, because so many of the conversations you're gonna hear are about us talking about the things

that we don't normally talk about. 633 00:36:21.522 --> 00:36:27.465 Self-doubt, rejection, uncertainty, and that age-old question, am I doing enough? 634 00:36:28.305 --> 00:36:43.420 If there's one thing I wish I could do better, it would be worrying less about what's next, because in this industry, it's all too easy to get caught up on the next job, the next opportunity and the next yes, when really I'd love to be able to just appreciate where I am now. 635 00:36:44.181 --> 00:36:51.863 Nearly half of the BetterHelp UK members are trying therapy for the first time, so if you're thinking about therapy, you're far from alone. 636 00:36:52.623 --> 00:36:54.984 Feeling better looks different on all of us. 637 00:36:55.324 --> 00:37:03.866 Whether you're trying to help manage stress, build healthier habits, or simply checking in with yourself, therapy is a great way to move forward. 638 00:37:04.646 --> 00:37:12.413 Sign up and get 10% off at www.betterhelp.com forward slash act to flow 10. 639 00:37:13.214 --> 00:37:20.581 That's www.betterhelp.com forward slash act to flow 10. 640 00:37:22.122 --> 00:37:25.284 Strip the Script is also brought to you by My Actor Flow. 641 00:37:25.704 --> 00:37:33.088 Now, one of the reasons I created this series is because I know exactly how hard it is to build a creative career when nobody gives you a roadmap. 642 00:37:33.608 --> 00:37:38.791 On the show, we've heard the lessons, the setbacks and the turning points on other people's careers. 643 00:37:39.411 --> 00:37:42.533 My Actor Flow helps you take control of yours. 644 00:37:43.153 --> 00:37:46.914 It's an all-in-one career platform specifically built for actors. 645 00:37:47.474 --> 00:37:58.516 It's a place where you can track your auditions, organize your contacts, learn lines, analyze scenes, manage your materials, and helps you stay focused on where you're trying to get to. 646 00:37:58.876 --> 00:38:06.777 They even offer free workshops with leading casting directors, producers, and directors, a service we normally have to pay for. 647 00:38:07.277 --> 00:38:12.258 Because talent matters, but so does the structure we put around that talent. 648 00:38:13.058 --> 00:38:22.320 If you're serious about wanting to sustain a career as an actor, go over to myactorflow.com and type in STS15. 649 00:38:22.780 --> 00:38:26.781 That's STS15 to get a 15% discount. 650 00:38:27.481 --> 00:38:32.082 Strip the Script is all about the conversations I'd wish I'd heard earlier in my career. 651 00:38:32.542 --> 00:38:35.963 And My Actor Flow are the tools that you'll need to sustain it. 652 00:38:36.567 --> 00:38:52.656 So with your, so you're on Broadway, you've got your degree and have you ever sort of like, did you just do the degree because you love learning or has there been a point where you've actually been able, because it was in business, right? 653 00:38:52.676 --> 00:38:52.876 Yeah. 654 00:38:53.116 --> 00:38:57.299 So has there been a point where that business degree has helped you in acting? 655 00:38:58.018 --> 00:38:59.159 I feel like it really has. 656 00:38:59.699 --> 00:39:03.583 I have had several moments where I feel as though my degrees come in handy. 657 00:39:03.623 --> 00:39:08.486 Because especially now, with the way the industry is, every actor has to handle their career like a business. 658 00:39:09.167 --> 00:39:10.488 And there's so many things we have to do. 659 00:39:10.608 --> 00:39:12.310 Social media is marketing. 660 00:39:12.430 --> 00:39:15.492 Networking is the auditions we go to, the people we meet and all these things. 661 00:39:15.752 --> 00:39:17.234 You have to know how to manage your finances. 662 00:39:17.274 --> 00:39:22.578 You have to know how to build things and manage people by managing your whole team and things like this. 663 00:39:23.198 --> 00:39:26.399 And it has worked out so well in so many ways. 664 00:39:26.639 --> 00:39:29.060 The first way I noticed it is I could actually read my contracts. 665 00:39:29.120 --> 00:39:29.280 Yeah. 666 00:39:29.480 --> 00:39:32.001 So I did several classes in law as well while I was doing business. 667 00:39:32.181 --> 00:39:33.962 And my attorney loves it. 668 00:39:34.142 --> 00:39:34.242 Yeah. 669 00:39:34.262 --> 00:39:35.422 And thankfully, I'm so grateful. 670 00:39:35.442 --> 00:39:36.703 It makes it cheaper for you, I suppose. 671 00:39:37.083 --> 00:39:37.583 Well, sort of. 672 00:39:38.263 --> 00:39:43.505 But it just means more emails back and forth to my attorney because rather than somebody who just goes, oh, you think this is good? 673 00:39:43.565 --> 00:39:43.785 Great. 674 00:39:43.885 --> 00:39:44.145 Awesome. 675 00:39:44.165 --> 00:39:45.186 I go, awesome. 676 00:39:45.226 --> 00:39:45.806 I'll follow your lead. 677 00:39:46.106 --> 00:39:47.506 I do have questions because I want to learn. 678 00:39:49.327 --> 00:39:50.388 And I don't know what these things mean. 679 00:39:50.928 --> 00:39:54.010 And I'm so grateful because my attorneys are very, very open to that. 680 00:39:54.111 --> 00:39:55.652 And they get excited by that, too. 681 00:39:55.672 --> 00:40:00.876 Yeah, yeah, of course, because I suppose it doesn't challenge them, but it gives them a different response to, OK, cool, I'll just sign it. 682 00:40:01.096 --> 00:40:05.879 They don't have many 15, 16 year olds calling and being like, I have 12 questions about this contract you just sent me. 683 00:40:06.800 --> 00:40:08.081 Wow. 684 00:40:08.421 --> 00:40:09.001 Well, that's great. 685 00:40:09.062 --> 00:40:09.742 That's really cool. 686 00:40:10.342 --> 00:40:16.307 And so so once you solicit, we're going to start moving in towards film and TV. 687 00:40:16.327 --> 00:40:16.927 And. 688 00:40:18.068 --> 00:40:22.686 What was that procedure like and how did that come about for you? 689 00:40:23.439 --> 00:40:29.881 Well, I was living in New York, and I had done the show for six months, and then we actually closed. 690

00:40:30.261 --> 00:40:34.822 We thought the show was going to close because Catherine and Angela both had to leave for scheduling reasons after six months. 691 00:40:35.482 --> 00:40:40.363 They were trying and trying to find other people to fill the show and schedules, other things. 692 00:40:40.463 --> 00:40:42.003 We had a million people come see the show. 693 00:40:42.563 --> 00:40:44.364 There was nobody, so it closed. 694 00:40:44.844 --> 00:40:52.406 And then once they had heard the show was closed, Bernadette Peters and Elaine Stritch decided that they were willing to jump in. 695 00:40:54.747 --> 00:40:57.709 old hat at Sondheim, as it were, and greats of Broadway. 696 00:40:58.229 --> 00:41:01.391 And it was such a lesson, to sort of segue for just a moment. 697 00:41:01.431 --> 00:41:07.395 It was such a lesson in the diversity and versatility of material. 698 00:41:07.896 --> 00:41:14.060 And I will never ever forget it, because we had the show with Catherine and Angela, and we had the show with Bernadette and Elaine, and we rehearsed it for two weeks. 699 00:41:14.460 --> 00:41:16.602 It was a completely different show. 700 00:41:17.322 --> 00:41:17.762 night and day. 701 00:41:18.083 --> 00:41:19.524 Both were extraordinary. 702 00:41:19.984 --> 00:41:26.609 But just a completely different interpretation of the material from two sets of these powerhouse leading ladies. 703 00:41:27.189 --> 00:41:37.456 I will never forget watching them and learning from them and just absorbing everything that they said and told, every story they told, everything they taught me, everything they did on stage and backstage. 704 00:41:38.937 --> 00:41:43.280 So coming out of that experience, I was then too tall to be a kid on Broadway anymore. 705 00:41:43.520 --> 00:41:44.161 You were too tall. 706 00:41:44.281 --> 00:41:44.941 I was too tall. 707 00:41:44.961 --> 00:41:45.241 Really? 708 00:41:45.381 --> 00:41:46.462 Yeah. 709 00:41:46.822 --> 00:41:54.528 There's sort of a height limit because there's costumes that are made a certain size and yada yada and they're very expensive costumes and there's so many kids and it's a thing. 710 00:41:54.728 --> 00:41:57.710 It's sort of an unspoken thing but at least when I was there it was a thing. 711 00:41:58.431 --> 00:42:07.538 And so I started auditioning for Film and TV because I was in New York and there were other opportunities to do and that sort of became the next thing because short of you 712 00:42:11.080 --> 00:42:14.502 booking something else or going back to school or leaving New York. 713 00:42:14.542 --> 00:42:16.223 At that point, I never wanted to leave New York. 714 00:42:16.703 --> 00:42:19.184 I thought, oh man, I'm gonna live in New York for the rest of my life. 715 00:42:19.204 --> 00:42:19.885 This is gonna be great. 716 00:42:20.065 --> 00:42:21.785 I keep thinking this and then it keeps changing. 717 00:42:21.806 --> 00:42:22.366 You know what I mean? 718 00:42:22.386 --> 00:42:27.248 That's what's great is that sometimes you can't plan things and you just have to roll with it sometimes. 719 00:42:27.628 --> 00:42:36.613 By seeing new places, like you said earlier, you get new experiences, you develop as a person, you have a different outlook and you just grow. 720 00:42:36.833 --> 00:42:37.193 You do. 721 00:42:37.273 --> 00:42:38.434 Yeah, you can't limit yourself. 722 00:42:38.574 --> 00:42:39.034 Exactly. 723 00:42:39.054 --> 00:42:47.097 Well, and by nature of that, I, you know, did the obligatory Law and Order SVU that every actor who lives in New York for any period of time usually does. 724 00:42:48.137 --> 00:42:53.799 Did an episode of 30 Rock, which was sort of circuitous because Elaine Stritch played Alec Baldwin's mom on 30 Rock. 725 00:42:53.839 --> 00:42:53.999 Yeah. 726 00:42:54.779 --> 00:42:57.662 And she used to film all of her stuff on Mondays while she was doing the show. 727 00:42:57.923 --> 00:43:01.687 And one day she goes, Kat, or Catherine, she called me, well, anyway. 728 00:43:02.447 --> 00:43:05.110 She was like, you're going to come with me tomorrow. 729 00:43:05.390 --> 00:43:11.517 Meet me at, you know, where I'm staying and we'll go in the town car and we're going to go, you're going to come to set with me tomorrow. 730 00:43:11.817 --> 00:43:12.058 Yeah. 731 00:43:12.158 --> 00:43:13.159 And I went, okay. 732 00:43:13.379 --> 00:43:13.559 Yeah. 733 00:43:13.699 --> 00:43:14.520 I had no idea what that meant. 734 00:43:14.881 --> 00:43:15.802 I had no idea what that entailed. 735 00:43:16.302 --> 00:43:22.711 So we get to set, and while she's in hair and makeup, she sends some poor PA to take me to sit in Video Village somewhere. 736 00:43:22.731 --> 00:43:23.912 She's like, go learn something. 737 00:43:23.932 --> 00:43:25.935 While I'm doing this, you shouldn't just be sitting here. 738 00:43:25.955 --> 00:43:26.536 Go learn something. 739 00:43:26.916 --> 00:43:29.820 So here I am at Video Village in a scene that she's not in. 740 00:43:30.781 --> 00:43:33.385 And, you know, Jack McBrayer and the other actors in the scene are going... 741 00:43:34.407 --> 00:43:34.827 Who is this? 742 00:43:34.847 --> 00:43:35.648 Who are you with? 743 00:43:35.748 --> 00:43:36.729 Yeah, yeah, yeah. 744 00:43:36.769 --> 00:43:40.333 Who's this child that sat at Video Village that none of us know? 745 00:43:40.373 --> 00:43:41.254 Yeah. 746 00:43:41.474 --> 00:43:43.716 But everyone was so lovely and so kind. 747 00:43:43.756 --> 00:43:44.937 And many of them had seen the show. 748 00:43:44.957 --> 00:43:46.018 Yeah, yeah. 749 00:43:46.038 --> 00:43:48.280 And I learned so much that day. 750 00:43:48.461 --> 00:43:48.661 Yeah. 751 00:43:48.841 --> 00:43:50.703 I'd never been on a TV set like that before. 752 00:43:50.723 --> 00:43:52.164 I'd never been on a soundstage. 753 00:43:52.544 --> 00:43:54.546 I had no idea what was happening. 754 00:43:54.566 --> 00:43:55.147 Yeah. 755 00:43:55.207 -->

00:44:01.249 But that, even just being there for that one day, gave me a little bit of a foundation for when I went to set myself. 756 00:44:02.190 --> 00:44:04.850 I just, I'm a perpetual student. 757 00:44:04.970 --> 00:44:05.571 That's what I love. 758 00:44:05.611 --> 00:44:09.512 But then, you know, I ended up getting a screen test for a Disney Channel pilot. 759 00:44:09.652 --> 00:44:09.852 Yeah. 760 00:44:10.152 --> 00:44:17.375 Back, what is it now, 13, 14 years ago when they were trying to do High School Musical, the series, for the first time. 761 00:44:17.395 --> 00:44:17.495 Yeah. 762 00:44:18.055 --> 00:44:20.537 Right after High School Musical 3 came out, whatever year that was. 763 00:44:21.838 --> 00:44:23.999 So then I went to L.A. for the screen test. 764 00:44:24.199 --> 00:44:26.160 And I said, well, I've never been to L.A. 765 00:44:26.300 --> 00:44:27.061 It's pilot season. 766 00:44:27.081 --> 00:44:29.462 Oh, no, I'm never going to leave L.A. once I'm there. 767 00:44:29.623 --> 00:44:30.803 That's what happened. 768 00:44:30.943 --> 00:44:35.546 I might as well, you know, I'm going to stay in L.A. for like two weeks because I'm never going to book this Disney Channel show. 769 00:44:35.626 --> 00:44:40.990 But I might as well do the L.A. thing while I'm in L.A. since I'm spending the money on travel. 770 00:44:41.488 --> 00:44:42.869 There's two things I want to touch on, actually. 771 00:44:42.929 --> 00:44:43.309 Yeah. 772 00:44:43.490 --> 00:44:46.412 But just on that, it just sort of registered with me. 773 00:44:46.672 --> 00:44:49.635 If that was your mindset, you know, I'm never going to book this job, so I might as well just go. 774 00:44:49.755 --> 00:44:52.057 And it was like that when you auditioned for the Broadway show. 775 00:44:52.077 --> 00:44:52.857 Yeah. 776 00:44:52.917 --> 00:44:57.941 It was like that when you did your first thing at Kansas, the first show that you did there that led on to Broadway. 777 00:44:57.961 --> 00:44:58.121 Yeah. 778 00:44:58.382 --> 00:45:00.543 Do you think that that has a lot to do with it? 779 00:45:00.623 --> 00:45:05.648 Because it's like you haven't put expectations on yourself as an actress. 780 00:45:05.908 --> 00:45:07.409 I may as well just try it and see what happens. 781 00:45:07.489 --> 00:45:07.789 Yeah. 782 00:45:07.809 --> 00:45:10.151 Rather than like, oh, my gosh, this is an amazing opportunity. 783 00:45:10.171 --> 00:45:10.992 I really hope I get it. 784 00:45:11.432 --> 00:45:13.053 Do you think that's played a part? 785 00:45:13.073 --> 00:45:13.333 100%. 786 00:45:13.393 --> 00:45:19.918 And actually that all goes to one of the first people in Kansas City Theater who was teaching me because I needed a monologue for auditions. 787 00:45:19.998 --> 00:45:20.238 Yeah. 788 00:45:20.378 --> 00:45:22.459 And there was an actor there who's like, come over to my house. 789 00:45:22.979 --> 00:45:23.800 I've got some monologues. 790 00:45:23.820 --> 00:45:28.383 We'll read through some stuff and I'll teach you how to do a monologue and how to audition and how to do this. 791 00:45:29.403 --> 00:45:35.007 And I remember sitting in her house and she sets me down and she goes, first of all, the most important thing you need to remember is... 792 00:45:35.562 --> 00:45:35.902 Always. 793 00:45:36.543 --> 00:45:37.883 An actor's job is to audition. 794 00:45:38.644 --> 00:45:39.244 That is your job. 795 00:45:39.604 --> 00:45:40.224 That is what you do. 796 00:45:40.284 --> 00:45:41.945 You go in for those 10, 15 minutes. 797 00:45:41.965 --> 00:45:44.046 You do the thing that you love to the best of your ability. 798 00:45:44.466 --> 00:45:46.167 You walk out of that room and leave it behind you. 799 00:45:46.207 --> 00:45:46.848 You've done your job. 800 00:45:46.928 --> 00:45:47.148 Yeah. 801 00:45:47.428 --> 00:45:50.229 Whether or not you book the job is that's like a special thing. 802 00:45:50.249 --> 00:45:51.010 That's a separate thing. 803 00:45:51.250 --> 00:45:51.610 Yeah. 804 00:45:51.650 --> 00:45:54.632 But your job is to go in and audition, audition, audition. 805 00:45:55.072 --> 00:45:57.413 And so I started my career with that mindset. 806 00:45:57.813 --> 00:45:58.734 Which is so useful. 807 00:45:58.814 --> 00:45:59.034 Yeah. 808 00:45:59.074 --> 00:46:07.438 And it's not, it's, I guess when I say, oh, I'm never going to book this, it sounds a little bit negative, but it's more the case of, I had never dreamed these sort of things for my life. 809 00:46:07.598 --> 00:46:09.819 And I was happy, happy to just be auditioning. 810 00:46:09.859 --> 00:46:12.701 Happy to just have the opportunity because that was my job, you know? 811 00:46:12.741 --> 00:46:13.061 Yeah. 812 00:46:13.121 --> 00:46:16.463 And so that's what happened with the screen test in LA. 813 00:46:16.483 --> 00:46:17.983 I went, this is Disney channel. 814 00:46:18.003 --> 00:46:20.665 This is, you know, high school musical was the biggest thing in the world at the time. 815 00:46:20.705 --> 00:46:24.647 And I thought never in my wildest dreams is this going to be me. 816 00:46:24.807 --> 00:46:26.948 So, but oh my gosh, what an experience. 817 00:46:27.068 --> 00:46:27.929 Yeah, yeah, completely. 818 00:46:27.949 --> 00:46:54.383 And I think, and it sort of comes back to what I was saying earlier about like, if you have other things that you're sort of not necessarily pursuing, but other interests, it does the same thing that not putting so much pressure on the audition does, you know, it takes it alleviates any pressure, stress, worry, anxiety, whatever it may be, and allows you to just be the actor and just be free with it and appreciate the moment that you're in and doing your job, which is at this point, it's auditioning. 819 00:46:54.483 --> 00:46:55.064 A hundred percent. 820 00:46:55.124 --> 00:46:58.186 Now, I do have to say, there will always be those jobs. 821 00:46:58.326 --> 00:46:59.547 You knew I

was going to say that. 822 00:46:59.727 --> 00:47:06.293 There will always be those jobs that stick with you and always be those jobs that you're just like, man, I really wanted this one. 823 00:47:06.313 --> 00:47:07.053 Yeah, yeah, yeah. 824 00:47:07.213 --> 00:47:08.555 And that just happens. 825 00:47:08.635 --> 00:47:09.355 And that's human. 826 00:47:09.495 --> 00:47:13.358 And so if that does happen, don't get down on yourself because it's sticking with you. 827 00:47:13.579 --> 00:47:13.779 Yeah. 828 00:47:13.799 --> 00:47:14.299 That happens. 829 00:47:14.639 --> 00:47:14.820 Yeah. 830 00:47:14.860 --> 00:47:16.961 I try to be like what you're saying most of the time. 831 00:47:16.981 --> 00:47:18.142 And I'm pretty good at doing that. 832 00:47:18.383 --> 00:47:18.683 Me too. 833 00:47:18.703 --> 00:47:18.883 Yeah. 834 00:47:19.083 --> 00:47:28.195 But there was last year, there was this one audition for this film that I've got coming out in September, which I did with Mina, who you obviously know. 835 00:47:28.415 --> 00:47:29.757 I love Mina so much. 836 00:47:30.137 --> 00:47:31.519 And yeah, Mina's great. 837 00:47:31.579 --> 00:47:33.702 He's like such a nice guy. 838 00:47:33.922 --> 00:47:37.267 And yeah, we've become good friends, which has been great. 839 00:47:37.827 --> 00:47:47.411 But leading up to the audition for Daniel, you know, it's not often you get scenes through that are so juicy, so rich with the text. 840 00:47:47.431 --> 00:47:50.652 And because this is a biblical film, they've taken a lot of the text from the Bible. 841 00:47:51.272 --> 00:47:56.474 So it was just like a it was like a dream audition amongst a lot of commercial auditions. 842 00:47:56.834 --> 00:47:57.815 Oh, well, hello. 843 00:47:58.015 --> 00:47:58.455 What's this? 844 00:48:00.813 --> 00:48:03.835 Get my glasses on and start breaking it down. 845 00:48:03.855 --> 00:48:04.995 Scene study. 846 00:48:05.055 --> 00:48:05.656 Exactly. 847 00:48:06.196 --> 00:48:08.417 So we had this audition for it and it was just great. 848 00:48:08.537 --> 00:48:10.818 It was just, it was like, just the text was great. 849 00:48:10.838 --> 00:48:14.760 I mean, and I did the audition and I thought, I did a really good job. 850 00:48:14.780 --> 00:48:16.962 Like I know, like I said earlier, like I've done a really good job. 851 00:48:17.042 --> 00:48:18.082 I know it wasn't terrible. 852 00:48:18.102 --> 00:48:18.903 Whatever happens. 853 00:48:19.383 --> 00:48:21.904 I've, you know, they're not going to think this guy's terrible. 854 00:48:21.964 --> 00:48:23.085 Let's never speak to him again. 855 00:48:23.145 --> 00:48:24.846 I was like, I'll just leave it there. 856 00:48:25.693 --> 00:48:27.414 And then I just couldn't stop thinking about it. 857 00:48:27.634 --> 00:48:35.558 And then, you know, and this is something else that I've learned is, is that because like with this, for example, you know, I didn't get the recall for about. 858 00:48:36.878 --> 00:48:39.479 Two months, maybe three months after I got the recall. 859 00:48:40.320 --> 00:48:46.783 And then after the recall, I don't think I got offered the role for like maybe another a while. 860 00:48:47.003 --> 00:48:47.443 Yeah, you may. 861 00:48:47.463 --> 00:48:49.004 It could have been four or five, six weeks. 862 00:48:49.064 --> 00:48:49.284 Yeah. 863 00:48:49.704 --> 00:48:50.925 And at that point. 864 00:48:52.031 --> 00:48:53.112 I had really long hair. 865 00:48:53.192 --> 00:48:58.273 So I was in a play before, and my hair was, so my hair's been really long until about a month ago, two months ago maybe. 866 00:48:58.293 --> 00:48:58.594 Oh wow. 867 00:48:59.114 --> 00:49:07.177 And I kind of, I wanted to cut my hair, but I'd had the recall already, and I thought, no, I've got to keep it because of this recall. 868 00:49:08.537 --> 00:49:11.758 And maybe like six, seven weeks had gone past and I was getting frustrated. 869 00:49:11.778 --> 00:49:12.498 And I was like, you know what? 870 00:49:12.518 --> 00:49:12.838 Forget it. 871 00:49:12.958 --> 00:49:13.838 I'm just cutting my hair. 872 00:49:14.559 --> 00:49:20.800 And I was in Barbados at the time and I called the barbers and said, look, I'm flying out of Barbados tomorrow. 873 00:49:20.920 --> 00:49:21.981 Can you fit me in tonight? 874 00:49:22.001 --> 00:49:26.122 And he was like, look, I can't fit you in tonight, but I can do you first thing in the morning. 875 00:49:26.742 --> 00:49:28.902 And I was like, fine, because I just wanted to cut it off. 876 00:49:28.922 --> 00:49:30.723 And it was sort of like I was angry about not hearing. 877 00:49:30.843 --> 00:49:31.483 Not angry, but. 878 00:49:31.623 --> 00:49:32.343 You just wanted to wash it in. 879 00:49:32.363 --> 00:49:33.663 Yes, I just wanted to move on. 880 00:49:33.703 --> 00:49:36.744 Yeah, my fiance was like, look, but what about if you get the role? 881 00:49:37.164 --> 00:49:39.825 And I was like, well, if I get the role, then I've got short hair now. 882 00:49:40.005 --> 00:49:41.185 They've taken ages to let me know. 883 00:49:42.486 --> 00:49:43.166 Bold of you. 884 00:49:43.206 --> 00:49:52.948 And then literally about 20 minutes after speaking to him, or 20 minutes after booking the appointment for the next morning, I got the call to say you booked the role. 885 00:49:53.128 --> 00:49:54.028 Stop it. 886 00:49:54.048 --> 00:49:54.688 That's a good thing. 887 00:49:54.708 --> 00:49:56.469 They say if you want to book a job, plan a vacation. 888 00:49:56.489 --> 00:49:57.309 Yeah, yeah, yeah. 889 00:49:57.349 --> 00:49:57.869 Yeah, exactly. 890 00:49:57.949 --> 00:49:58.929 I love moments like that. 891 00:49:58.949 --> 00:50:00.790 Yeah, so now I've booked about 20 vacations. 892 00:50:01.750 --> 00:50:03.671 Yeah. 893 00:50:03.852 --> 00:50:08.595 But I say all that to say that it's easier said than done sometimes to just forget about it. 894 00:50:08.615 --> 00:50:15.480 And there will obviously be

those auditions that do come through that do take up your mind space. 895 00:50:16.120 --> 00:50:20.063 But more often than not, it's much better to try and forget them. 896 00:50:21.884 --> 00:50:28.766 And the other thing I'm going to move on in a minute, but the other thing that I wanted to touch on as well that you sort of spoke a little bit just before this was going to set. 897 00:50:28.946 --> 00:50:29.267 Yeah. 898 00:50:29.587 --> 00:50:30.687 And going to Video Village. 899 00:50:30.827 --> 00:50:31.047 Yeah. 900 00:50:31.567 --> 00:50:39.050 And I think that's also really important because, like you said, it set you up for being on set. 901 00:50:39.110 --> 00:50:39.330 Mm hmm. 902 00:50:39.830 --> 00:50:45.271 I had a similar thing where before I, you know, I've always enjoyed production and acting. 903 00:50:45.491 --> 00:50:46.792 So I went to film school. 904 00:50:47.952 --> 00:50:55.214 But before film school, I used to run on film sets every summer or every winter for like till I was like 18, 19. 905 00:50:55.394 --> 00:50:55.994 So I was a runner. 906 00:50:56.414 --> 00:50:57.234 Then I was a boom up. 907 00:50:57.654 --> 00:50:59.255 Then I was a second assistant director. 908 00:50:59.695 --> 00:51:05.396 And then I went to film school and dropped out of film school and went back to being a to working, you know, behind the camera. 909 00:51:05.556 --> 00:51:05.736 Yeah. 910 00:51:05.956 --> 00:51:07.217 At the same time as doing acting. 911 00:51:07.257 --> 00:51:12.740 So I was in some holidays, I'd be at the National Youth Theatre doing doing their workshops and stuff. 912 00:51:13.420 --> 00:51:21.244 And I think that if you have the opportunity when you're younger to do that and to just go and be a part of set. 913 00:51:21.504 --> 00:51:22.025 Yeah. 914 00:51:22.245 --> 00:51:26.207 That is something that people should do because you learn so much. 915 00:51:26.387 --> 00:51:27.408 You learn so much. 916 00:51:27.468 --> 00:51:36.914 And I think that's the thing about set particularly is you can study all you want, but there's nothing like the animal itself when it's actually happening. 917 00:51:36.934 --> 00:51:37.834 Yeah, yeah, yeah, completely. 918 00:51:37.854 --> 00:51:42.938 Because there's so much that is just rote that people know that you can only learn from the people that have been doing it for 40 years. 919 00:51:43.138 --> 00:51:43.638 Yeah, yeah. 920 00:51:43.658 --> 00:51:46.980 You know, and you can only understand by being in the environment. 921 00:51:47.100 --> 00:51:47.321 Yeah. 922 00:51:48.221 --> 00:51:53.124 So now we're moving to like, yeah, I mean, we tried, we did try to move into it before, but we was, there was some interesting stuff there. 923 00:51:53.944 --> 00:52:06.371 So, you know, we move into like the film TV side, you know, you've been a part of some amazing franchises, some amazing series, Shadow Hunter, Maze Runner, Arrow, just unbelievable stuff. 924 00:52:06.611 --> 00:52:13.695 And I wondered what did those chapters teach you, those different chapters? 925 00:52:14.136 --> 00:52:14.877 So many things. 926 00:52:15.277 --> 00:52:16.198 So many things. 927 00:52:16.378 --> 00:52:21.262 And this is something, you know, when anybody asks me what my favorite project or my favorite role is, I can never pick one. 928 00:52:21.282 --> 00:52:21.663 Yeah, yeah. 929 00:52:21.843 --> 00:52:26.066 Because every one of these major projects has taught me something. 930 00:52:26.226 --> 00:52:28.028 And every one of my characters has taught me something. 931 00:52:28.669 --> 00:52:31.831 And it somehow was exactly what I needed at the time. 932 00:52:32.112 --> 00:52:32.312 Yeah. 933 00:52:32.512 --> 00:52:40.479 I don't know if that's fate or just nature of humanity or maybe it's just me reading into things because that's what I needed to hear at the time. 934 00:52:41.600 --> 00:52:41.860 But... 935 00:52:43.745 --> 00:52:44.845 Yeah, each one of these things. 936 00:52:44.865 --> 00:52:46.146 So Shadowhunters, for example. 937 00:52:47.426 --> 00:52:48.507 Actually, Maze Runner came first. 938 00:52:48.587 --> 00:52:49.247 I always forget that. 939 00:52:49.327 --> 00:52:53.088 Maze Runner came first because I did the first Maze Runner before and the second Maze Runner in between seasons. 940 00:52:53.308 --> 00:52:54.009 Yeah. 941 00:52:54.049 --> 00:52:54.929 Or rather, second, third. 942 00:52:55.789 --> 00:52:58.750 My first and second Maze Runner. 943 00:52:59.851 --> 00:53:04.152 First Maze Runner, I actually had a few friends in the cast because I'd met Dylan. 944 00:53:04.172 --> 00:53:06.873 I'd done an MTV show before, and so I knew Dylan from that. 945 00:53:07.113 --> 00:53:07.994 Dylan O'Brien. 946 00:53:08.134 --> 00:53:09.395 Okay, yeah. 947 00:53:09.435 --> 00:53:12.918 So I had met Dylan O'Brien before, and he was very lovely. 948 00:53:13.078 --> 00:53:19.384 And then one of my other dear, dear friends who I just knew from friend circles, Dexter Darden, was also in Maze Runner. 949 00:53:19.404 --> 00:53:21.126 So I had two people I knew, at least. 950 00:53:21.186 --> 00:53:21.966 Yeah, they were just great. 951 00:53:22.347 --> 00:53:23.087 Which, amazing. 952 00:53:23.288 --> 00:53:28.492 And then I met sort of my counterpart, Natalie Emmanuel, and my other counterpart, Jacob Laughlin, and the rest of the cast. 953 00:53:28.572 --> 00:53:28.692 And... 954 00:53:29.633 --> 00:53:31.197 Everyone was so incredible. 955 00:53:31.257 --> 00:53:37.771 Not only are they incredible on screen and have gone on to do some amazing things, had done some amazing things before we all did Maze Runner, 956 00:53:40.148 --> 00:53:45.430 And I still, every time I bump into them, you know, I just bumped into Giancarlo Esposito at Sundance this year. 957 00:53:45.710 --> 00:53:50.731 I hadn't seen Giancarlo in maybe 10 years and literally stopped each other on the street and were like, oh, my God. 958 00:53:50.751 -->

00:53:51.632 It's like their time's passed. 959 00:53:51.692 --> 00:53:52.232 Exactly. 960 00:53:52.352 --> 00:53:54.233 It's the most wonderful people. 961 00:53:54.953 --> 00:53:57.554 Nobody shut their hotel room doors on that set. 962 00:53:57.574 --> 00:54:01.495 We were all like one after the other in this hotel in Albuquerque where we were filming. 963 00:54:01.515 --> 00:54:01.775 Yeah. 964 00:54:02.315 --> 00:54:07.897 It taught me so much about hard work and getting through something as a cast. 965 00:54:08.397 --> 00:54:12.259 And we were shooting nights in the winter at Elevation in New Mexico. 966 00:54:13.259 --> 00:54:14.580 It was cold. 967 00:54:14.940 --> 00:54:15.680 It was hard. 968 00:54:15.800 --> 00:54:20.282 It was dirt and sweat and, you know, everything else that comes along with it. 969 00:54:20.662 --> 00:54:22.883 But we got through it, and we got through it joyfully. 970 00:54:23.403 --> 00:54:27.284 And that's because we all kept each other afloat and kept each other going through it. 971 00:54:29.445 --> 00:54:30.646 And Shadowhunters was... 972 00:54:31.707 --> 00:54:32.229 Such a gift. 973 00:54:32.490 --> 00:54:35.140 Like that show taught me more than anything else I've ever worked on. 974 00:54:35.160 --> 00:54:35.421 Really? 975 00:54:35.441 --> 00:54:36.344 Personally, professionally. 976 00:54:36.425 --> 00:54:37.087 Professionally. 977 00:54:38.495 --> 00:54:41.436 Growing up-wise, I was 19 when I started that show. 978 00:54:41.797 --> 00:54:43.437 And the show wrapped up when I was 23. 979 00:54:44.218 --> 00:54:50.061 It's a huge chunk of your life, and a huge chunk of your life where you're learning so much about yourself and about what you want to do, who you want to be. 980 00:54:50.981 --> 00:54:58.745 And actually, funny you mentioned that audition process, because they saw everybody and their sister for that part. 981 00:54:59.005 --> 00:55:02.987 And everybody and their brother for the male lead of the show. 982 00:55:04.167 --> 00:55:06.969 And I remember getting the script, and I read it. 983 00:55:07.869 --> 00:55:13.073 And I knew Dominic Sherwood, who played Jace in Shadowhunters, played my love interest in Shadowhunters before. 984 00:55:13.093 --> 00:55:14.154 We'd known each other for like a year. 985 00:55:14.674 --> 00:55:20.739 And I remember reading the script and going, wow, I've never read a character that I connect to more than Clary. 986 00:55:21.659 --> 00:55:25.302 But if that's not Dom Sherwood, then I don't know anything about him. 987 00:55:26.423 --> 00:55:29.205 And I auditioned, didn't hear anything back. 988 00:55:29.225 --> 00:55:30.486 They were still going through rounds. 989 00:55:30.526 --> 00:55:34.929 A few months later, Dom Sherwood will be playing Jace Wayland in Shadowhunters. 990 00:55:35.069 --> 00:55:35.550 And I went... 991 00:55:36.780 --> 00:55:37.220 Okay. 992 00:55:37.380 --> 00:55:38.081 Yeah, yeah, yeah. 993 00:55:38.161 --> 00:55:39.422 Well, now I have to get this part. 994 00:55:39.442 --> 00:55:39.642 Yeah. 995 00:55:40.202 --> 00:55:46.166 Because if I had that intuition, then I just, again, it's one of those moments of clarity. 996 00:55:46.286 --> 00:55:46.567 I knew. 997 00:55:46.587 --> 00:55:48.488 I'm like, no, no, this one's mine. 998 00:55:48.608 --> 00:55:48.808 Yeah. 999 00:55:48.988 --> 00:55:50.249 I am going to fight for this. 1000 00:55:50.309 --> 00:55:50.529 Yeah. 1001 00:55:51.010 --> 00:55:51.490 And I did. 1002 00:55:51.710 --> 00:55:53.151 And they called me back in. 1003 00:55:53.832 --> 00:55:55.353 Six months later, I got the recall. 1004 00:55:56.113 --> 00:55:57.414 Yeah. 1005 00:55:57.474 --> 00:56:11.021 And then for the next three weeks, I was doing studio tests, network tests, you know, screen tests over and over and over again, reading with Alberto Resende, who ended up playing Simon, reading with Dom, which was such a gift to do a chemistry read with somebody I already know. 1006 00:56:11.361 --> 00:56:12.782 Oh, biggest gift. 1007 00:56:12.962 --> 00:56:15.323 And to this day, Dom is still one of my closest friends. 1008 00:56:15.423 --> 00:56:15.683 Yeah. 1009 00:56:15.863 --> 00:56:18.685 Like we, you know, we worked together very closely for four years. 1010 00:56:19.625 --> 00:56:21.186 I've known all of those boys for 10. 1011 00:56:21.827 --> 00:56:22.627 It's such a gift. 1012 00:56:22.667 --> 00:56:31.433 That cast, when we all got to Toronto and we were starting this off, it's an international bestselling book series. 1013 00:56:31.453 --> 00:56:32.593 Yeah, yeah, yeah, it's huge. 1014 00:56:32.954 --> 00:56:40.038 All of our phones, when all of our casting announcements went out, they quit working because we all still had our notifications turned on. 1015 00:56:40.058 --> 00:56:40.358 Yeah. 1016 00:56:40.578 --> 00:56:42.880 And because we had never had anything like that happen to us. 1017 00:56:44.585 --> 00:56:45.645 This is kind of insane. 1018 00:56:45.985 --> 00:56:49.647 So we knew that I was going to get the decision about Shadowhunters on a particular day. 1019 00:56:49.907 --> 00:56:51.147 It was between me and one other girl. 1020 00:56:52.128 --> 00:56:53.388 We had no idea who it was going to be. 1021 00:56:53.568 --> 00:56:54.829 We'd done so many screen tests. 1022 00:56:55.789 --> 00:56:58.290 And it got to be a little later in the afternoon. 1023 00:56:58.310 --> 00:57:00.671 And I went, okay, we haven't heard anything. 1024 00:57:01.231 --> 00:57:06.593 And then suddenly the account for the TV show on Twitter did hashtag who is Clary and posted it. 1025 00:57:06.953 --> 00:57:07.293 Oh, wow. 1026 00:57:07.753 --> 00:57:10.035 And so we're all going, it's happening. 1027 00:57:10.055 --> 00:57:14.998 So I called my team and I went, well, it must not be me because they've just tweeted this thing. 1028 00:57:15.018 --> 00:57:16.439 And they went, no, no, we just called them. 1029 00:57:16.879 --> 00:57:17.700 They haven't said

yet. 1030 00:57:18.200 --> 00:57:19.181 They've not told anyone yet. 1031 00:57:19.741 --> 00:57:20.782 For two hours. 1032 00:57:21.342 --> 00:57:22.122 Gosh. 1033 00:57:22.583 --> 00:57:25.505 Who is Clary is trending internationally on Twitter at this point. 1034 00:57:25.545 --> 00:57:28.106 Like there's so much anticipation for this. 1035 00:57:29.087 --> 00:57:30.028 And then I get the phone call. 1036 00:57:31.428 --> 00:57:33.309 And they're like, congratulations, it's you. 1037 00:57:33.730 --> 00:57:34.990 By the way, what are you doing right now? 1038 00:57:35.090 --> 00:57:39.793 Because we need you to go over to the ABC Disney building and record a couple videos for social media. 1039 00:57:41.113 --> 00:57:42.954 Well, guess what I'd been doing for those two hours? 1040 00:57:43.014 --> 00:57:43.835 I'd been at the gym. 1041 00:57:43.955 --> 00:57:46.256 Because I needed something to do. 1042 00:57:46.316 --> 00:57:48.377 And they're like, you live close to there, right? 1043 00:57:48.398 --> 00:57:49.358 You're like 20 minutes away. 1044 00:57:49.378 --> 00:57:51.339 Because it was the same building as Disney Channel. 1045 00:57:51.539 --> 00:57:53.401 And I'd been working for Disney Channel for several years. 1046 00:57:53.421 --> 00:57:54.681 They're like, oh, just run over. 1047 00:57:54.721 --> 00:57:55.782 We told them you live close. 1048 00:57:55.902 --> 00:57:56.322 Just do it. 1049 00:57:56.382 --> 00:57:57.663 I'm like, guys. 1050 00:57:58.424 --> 00:58:01.345 Yeah, they just always expect you to just be able to what we're doing. 1051 00:58:01.365 --> 00:58:03.267 And like, yeah, no, I don't do anything other than sit around. 1052 00:58:03.887 --> 00:58:09.369 It was crazy because the last thing I expected was congratulations, by the way, get over there for social media. 1053 00:58:09.590 --> 00:58:15.972 Which I'm so glad we did because the fandom online became such a huge part of the series and such a huge part of the community and still is. 1054 00:58:16.993 --> 00:58:20.514 And so I'm really glad that they encouraged that and had us do that. 1055 00:58:21.135 --> 00:58:23.816 They're not the best videos of my life, but it goes on. 1056 00:58:24.296 --> 00:58:27.718 And then, you know, about a month later, we were all in Toronto making this series. 1057 00:58:27.738 --> 00:58:29.839 And we had McG, who's a brilliant director. 1058 00:58:29.919 --> 00:58:31.479 He was one of our executive producers. 1059 00:58:31.499 --> 00:58:32.440 He directed our pilot. 1060 00:58:32.980 --> 00:58:41.103 And to have someone like him come in and galvanize and build the world and sort of make it feel huge and exciting, but also tangible and manageable. 1061 00:58:41.363 --> 00:58:43.864 And we all had each other's backs. 1062 00:58:44.285 --> 00:58:44.745 Yeah, yeah. 1063 00:58:44.925 --> 00:58:45.405 And, you know. 1064 00:58:45.565 --> 00:58:47.606 Which is similar to what you're saying with Maze Runner. 1065 00:58:47.626 --> 00:58:48.026 Maze Runner. 1066 00:58:48.046 --> 00:58:52.068 It's about having each other's backs and sort of the camaraderie, the familiness of it. 1067 00:58:52.528 --> 00:58:53.710 It really is a family. 1068 00:58:53.730 --> 00:58:54.510 It was and is. 1069 00:58:54.751 --> 00:58:54.951 Yeah. 1070 00:58:55.031 --> 00:58:58.515 And it extended to, you know, our guest cast and our recurring cast and our crew. 1071 00:58:58.535 --> 00:59:00.697 We had the same crew for almost four years on that show. 1072 00:59:01.258 --> 00:59:06.203 And every single one of those people on that set taught me so much in their own way. 1073 00:59:06.283 --> 00:59:10.548 I mean, we worked so closely with our camera team and with our stunt team. 1074 00:59:11.028 --> 00:59:12.930 And every single team had such... 1075 00:59:13.911 --> 00:59:15.071 a beautiful relationship. 1076 00:59:15.131 --> 00:59:21.213 There was such a symbiosis on that set and such a... Nobody was competing for resources. 1077 00:59:21.353 --> 00:59:26.535 Everyone was sharing and working together and building on each other's creative ideas. 1078 00:59:26.575 --> 00:59:30.516 You know, you'd have somebody from props who was like, hey, we're going to build this weapon. 1079 00:59:30.656 --> 00:59:37.458 And the stunt department would go, oh, I have someone who is the world champion of the martial art that goes with that weapon. 1080 00:59:37.838 --> 00:59:40.180 Why don't we make that a thing for this creature? 1081 00:59:40.520 --> 00:59:43.402 And then Wardrobe goes, ooh, I've got a thing for that. 1082 00:59:43.502 --> 00:59:49.566 And then the art department goes, here's these symbols from the set that we pulled that you can put on the weapon when you build it. 1083 00:59:49.586 --> 00:59:53.309 It just becomes the most gorgeous thing that you don't see on a lot of sets. 1084 00:59:53.349 --> 00:59:53.869 Yeah, yeah. 1085 00:59:53.989 --> 00:59:56.151 I think that's what, like, art is a collaboration. 1086 00:59:56.271 --> 00:59:56.871 It is. 1087 00:59:56.911 --> 00:59:57.892 Especially what we do. 1088 00:59:57.952 --> 00:59:58.552 Especially what we do. 1089 00:59:58.572 --> 00:59:59.112 That's what I was thinking. 1090 00:59:59.133 --> 00:59:59.353 Yeah. 1091 00:59:59.773 --> 01:00:05.357 So to see that sort of come together must be such a beautiful environment to be in. 1092 01:00:05.937 --> 01:00:08.319 I didn't realize what rarefied air it was. 1093 01:00:08.459 --> 01:00:08.699 Yeah. 1094 01:00:08.959 --> 01:00:11.581 Because I had never led a show. 1095 01:00:11.721 --> 01:00:14.203 I'd never shouldered a franchise on my back. 1096 01:00:14.503 --> 01:00:15.764 And did you feel pressure with that? 1097 01:00:16.144 --> 01:00:17.545 Or did you trust in your abilities? 1098 01:00:18.246 --> 01:00:19.186 And trust in the team? 1099 01:00:19.427 --> 01:00:21.808 I didn't feel pressure in a negative way. 1100 01:00:21.848 --> 01:00:24.870 I certainly felt a responsibility to the fans

of the book. 1101 01:00:25.191 --> 01:00:25.371 Yeah. 1102 01:00:25.651 --> 01:00:27.133 Because it was already a book series. 1103 01:00:27.533 --> 01:00:28.474 It was already a movie. 1104 01:00:29.235 --> 01:00:30.897 Lily Collins played the role before I did. 1105 01:00:31.017 --> 01:00:31.418 Yeah, yeah. 1106 01:00:31.678 --> 01:00:36.003 And so there's a lot of responsibility and a lot of expectation because I also grew up reading those books. 1107 01:00:36.043 --> 01:00:36.283 Yeah. 1108 01:00:36.463 --> 01:00:38.946 I grew up loving fantasy and reading that genre. 1109 01:00:39.026 --> 01:00:42.029 And I know how important those characters are to people. 1110 01:00:42.049 --> 01:00:42.150 Yeah. 1111 01:00:42.750 --> 01:00:47.074 And I was going to do everything in my power to make sure I did justice to the original IP. 1112 01:00:47.334 --> 01:00:47.554 Yeah. 1113 01:00:47.634 --> 01:00:48.435 So I read all the books. 1114 01:00:48.655 --> 01:00:57.582 I did the thing and fell in love with the world and just immersed myself in every bit of it until I felt like I knew exactly who she was. 1115 01:00:57.783 --> 01:00:58.083 Yeah. 1116 01:00:58.243 --> 01:01:05.849 You know, and also you're at the mercy of them changing things for television and what they're going to decide the show is going to look like or be styled like or however that is. 1117 01:01:05.969 --> 01:01:06.169 But... 1118 01:01:08.110 --> 01:01:11.672 That was the only sort of pressure I felt was the responsibility to the fandom. 1119 01:01:11.712 --> 01:01:12.432 Yeah, completely. 1120 01:01:12.912 --> 01:01:17.213 I mean, it sounds like there's a lot of things like I think this is a credit to you. 1121 01:01:17.713 --> 01:01:20.394 Things sort of seem to flow from one thing to another thing. 1122 01:01:20.474 --> 01:01:26.296 And you always have this sort of positive attitude and outlook with it or whether you like maybe if I get it great. 1123 01:01:26.336 --> 01:01:28.417 If I don't get it, this is a great opportunity to audition. 1124 01:01:29.057 --> 01:01:35.438 But there must have been some times there, maybe when Shadowhunters finished. 1125 01:01:35.518 --> 01:01:38.499 Like, was there moments of disappointment in there somewhere? 1126 01:01:38.659 --> 01:01:39.199 Oh, always. 1127 01:01:39.799 --> 01:01:45.580 I mean, you know, I'm auditioning for things between seasons and whether it's scheduled or whatever it may be, things don't work out, whatever, you know. 1128 01:01:46.400 --> 01:01:49.681 And it was lovely to have the show to go back to. 1129 01:01:50.301 --> 01:01:53.081 But then Whedon and the show was canceled. 1130 01:01:53.381 --> 01:01:56.542 We were so grateful to be able to go back and shoot the two-episode 1131 01:01:57.763 --> 01:01:59.708 series finale movie is kind of what we call it. 1132 01:02:00.249 --> 01:02:02.996 But then after that I'm going, I don't know. 1133 01:02:05.013 --> 01:02:06.113 what I'm going to do after this. 1134 01:02:06.394 --> 01:02:14.536 Am I ever going to have a job like this where I get to fight and have such beautiful character development and have such an amazing cast and crew and be a part of something? 1135 01:02:15.097 --> 01:02:19.118 Also, I was suddenly 23, and I went, wait, when I started this job, I was a child. 1136 01:02:19.338 --> 01:02:20.378 Yeah, and now you're a woman. 1137 01:02:20.418 --> 01:02:21.379 Now I'm a grown-up. 1138 01:02:21.659 --> 01:02:26.020 And what is that even like without this character in my life and this show in my life? 1139 01:02:26.120 --> 01:02:33.903 And, you know, my whole life was kind of changing, and I felt it, and then I took the time to sort of slow down and go, 1140 01:02:35.538 --> 01:02:35.819 Okay. 1141 01:02:37.161 --> 01:02:37.762 You're still you. 1142 01:02:38.423 --> 01:02:46.495 Yes, you've spent more time in her shoes and on those sets than you have with your family in your home as yourself in these last four years. 1143 01:02:47.651 --> 01:02:48.192 Was that hard? 1144 01:02:49.433 --> 01:02:51.575 To step away from a character that you've been playing for so long? 1145 01:02:51.715 --> 01:02:52.116 Oh, yeah. 1146 01:02:52.576 --> 01:02:56.801 In terms of, sorry, was it hard to re-find, rediscover yourself? 1147 01:02:57.241 --> 01:02:58.082 I thought it was going to be. 1148 01:02:58.202 --> 01:02:58.443 Yeah. 1149 01:02:58.703 --> 01:03:00.645 But then I spent a lot of time kind of processing it. 1150 01:03:00.825 --> 01:03:01.066 Yeah. 1151 01:03:01.446 --> 01:03:07.653 You know, that's when I was running through Toronto on my way to training or whatever it might be, walking around the city, kind of... Yeah. 1152 01:03:08.213 --> 01:03:13.875 When you know something's ending, you can sort of prepare for that a little bit and start to kind of process those things. 1153 01:03:14.455 --> 01:03:16.556 And I was really lucky to have done that. 1154 01:03:16.976 --> 01:03:19.217 And we got to say goodbye to the show in such a beautiful way as well. 1155 01:03:19.237 --> 01:03:19.817 Yeah, completely. 1156 01:03:19.857 --> 01:03:22.218 Because there was a chance that you weren't going to be able to do that, right? 1157 01:03:22.238 --> 01:03:22.878 Well, exactly. 1158 01:03:22.998 --> 01:03:25.439 And also, I didn't know when I was going to work again. 1159 01:03:26.100 --> 01:03:29.061 You know, I hadn't auditioned properly in years. 1160 01:03:30.221 --> 01:03:32.222 And I was sort of going, I hope I still got it. 1161 01:03:33.022 --> 01:03:36.185 Because we all have that little bit of imposter syndrome that goes, well, this was a nice career. 1162 01:03:36.225 --> 01:03:37.746 This will probably be the last job I ever do. 1163 01:03:37.826 --> 01:03:38.567 And see you later. 1164 01:03:38.667 --> 01:03:39.367 Yeah, yeah, yeah. 1165 01:03:39.468 --> 01:03:41.429 But I was, again, I was very, very lucky. 1166 01:03:42.230 --> 01:03:46.293 Because one of the first auditions that came up for

me was Arrow. 1167 01:03:46.594 --> 01:03:46.794 Yeah. 1168 01:03:46.874 --> 01:03:47.675 And that was what I did. 1169 01:03:47.715 --> 01:03:48.395 I just said, you know what? 1170 01:03:48.415 --> 01:03:49.076 Get back on the horse. 1171 01:03:49.796 --> 01:03:50.177 Do the thing. 1172 01:03:50.537 --> 01:03:52.558 Which is an amazing thing to get back on the horse, right? 1173 01:03:52.598 --> 01:03:55.159 Yeah, and that was, I think it was my first audition. 1174 01:03:55.279 --> 01:03:55.879 That's amazing. 1175 01:03:55.979 --> 01:04:01.601 After we finished filming the finale, I'd gone to a Comic-Con in Australia, and on my way back, I got this audition. 1176 01:04:02.622 --> 01:04:03.962 I was sicker than a dog as well. 1177 01:04:04.042 --> 01:04:05.203 I'd caught something. 1178 01:04:05.643 --> 01:04:10.024 I'd caught a cold or something down in Australia, slept the entire 17-hour flight back. 1179 01:04:10.064 --> 01:04:12.265 I was so ill. Get off the plane. 1180 01:04:12.765 --> 01:04:14.446 The audition is like the next morning. 1181 01:04:14.466 --> 01:04:15.406 I have no voice. 1182 01:04:16.027 --> 01:04:16.527 I have no idea. 1183 01:04:16.547 --> 01:04:19.208 So my voice is like this very deep, gravelly, raspy thing. 1184 01:04:19.228 --> 01:04:19.348 Yeah. 1185 01:04:19.508 --> 01:04:29.772 which ultimately I think worked, went to the audition, met the showrunners, did this awesome audition for a character that at that point was a rookie cop with a dark past. 1186 01:04:29.972 --> 01:04:32.333 I was like, cool, I can play a cop. 1187 01:04:32.573 --> 01:04:33.074 I can do this. 1188 01:04:33.354 --> 01:04:33.934 This will be fun. 1189 01:04:34.514 --> 01:04:36.755 Because Arrow was so huge at the time. 1190 01:04:36.775 --> 01:04:41.437 I was like, oh, I would love to hop into the Arrowverse and CW and the Berlanti world and all of that. 1191 01:04:42.437 --> 01:04:43.578 Didn't hear anything for a few months. 1192 01:04:44.418 --> 01:04:47.259 And then all of a sudden they go, I get the call. 1193 01:04:48.279 --> 01:04:53.740 And I now have this part as this Jessica, the rookie cop with the dark past. 1194 01:04:54.320 --> 01:04:54.940 I'm like, cool. 1195 01:04:54.980 --> 01:04:56.821 So I start researching cops. 1196 01:04:57.441 --> 01:05:00.521 I'm like, what, you know, what am I, what training do they go through? 1197 01:05:00.641 --> 01:05:02.082 What kind of, what do I need to look like? 1198 01:05:02.142 --> 01:05:03.842 How do I need to build up in the gym? 1199 01:05:03.902 --> 01:05:05.282 What's my, what's my new regimen? 1200 01:05:05.882 --> 01:05:07.223 Then I get a call from the showrunner. 1201 01:05:08.243 --> 01:05:09.563 Beth Schwartz, love this woman. 1202 01:05:10.043 --> 01:05:13.066 She called me and she goes, hey, welcome to the show. 1203 01:05:13.106 --> 01:05:14.888 We're so, so happy to have you on board. 1204 01:05:15.669 --> 01:05:16.690 Everything you know is a lie. 1205 01:05:17.291 --> 01:05:19.953 You're Oliver and Felicity's daughter. 1206 01:05:21.135 --> 01:05:21.515 Surprise. 1207 01:05:21.695 --> 01:05:22.296 Yeah, yeah, yeah. 1208 01:05:22.436 --> 01:05:22.997 And I went. 1209 01:05:23.077 --> 01:05:23.938 I'll take that. 1210 01:05:25.739 --> 01:05:25.980 What? 1211 01:05:26.640 --> 01:05:31.525 Because I knew from being in the fandom world what a big deal that relationship was. 1212 01:05:31.545 --> 01:05:32.206 And I suddenly went. 1213 01:05:33.427 --> 01:05:34.829 Oh, I have a lot of work to do now. 1214 01:05:34.869 --> 01:05:35.289 Yeah, yeah. 1215 01:05:35.710 --> 01:05:38.072 Because that's a character who's not in the comics. 1216 01:05:38.132 --> 01:05:38.352 Yeah. 1217 01:05:38.533 --> 01:05:46.381 It's a character who, you know, is made from this world and is literally the physical manifestation of this relationship that everyone loves. 1218 01:05:46.621 --> 01:05:47.242 Yeah, yeah, yeah. 1219 01:05:47.442 --> 01:05:48.283 I better do this right. 1220 01:05:48.638 --> 01:05:50.560 Yeah, but that's, you know, you love a challenge, right? 1221 01:05:50.580 --> 01:05:51.020 I do love a challenge. 1222 01:05:51.040 --> 01:05:51.661 You love a challenge. 1223 01:05:51.681 --> 01:05:52.141 I loved it. 1224 01:05:52.181 --> 01:05:54.243 And this is what we do, this is what we want as actors. 1225 01:05:54.364 --> 01:06:01.170 It's to be able to sort of step into those shoes and be part of something great and big and sort of enjoy that process. 1226 01:06:01.330 --> 01:06:03.392 Yeah, but it was that moment from going, 1227 01:06:04.153 --> 01:06:06.574 I don't know if I'm ever going to have a job like this again. 1228 01:06:07.174 --> 01:06:12.276 And getting back on the grind and working really hard and getting back into it and going, you know what, that's fine. 1229 01:06:12.856 --> 01:06:14.436 Careers are a marathon, not a sprint. 1230 01:06:15.036 --> 01:06:16.577 Taking that pressure off a little bit. 1231 01:06:16.717 --> 01:06:20.458 And just appreciating the moments when they're there and being in the present with it. 1232 01:06:20.618 --> 01:06:21.178 Exactly. 1233 01:06:21.298 --> 01:06:24.899 And just doing the best job you can in that moment that you have for that audition. 1234 01:06:26.220 --> 01:06:29.361 Then, you know, beautiful things can happen if that's what's meant to. 1235 01:06:30.041 --> 01:06:35.742 You know what, it's been such a breath of fresh air talking to you about this and I could literally chat to you all day. 1236 01:06:35.782 --> 01:06:36.542 We're out of time aren't we? 1237 01:06:36.562 --> 01:06:37.582 I know that we're running out of time. 1238 01:06:37.863 --> 01:06:40.703 I do have one final question, well two final really quick questions. 1239 01:06:41.203 --> 01:06:49.605 One is, you know, I know that you spend a lot of time mentoring, investing into education, sponsorship, community work. 1240 01:06:50.785 --> 01:06:55.986 At what point did success stop being about like

ambition and about contribution? 1241 01:06:57.438 --> 01:06:59.781 I have to credit this with my mother and my grandmother. 1242 01:06:59.801 --> 01:07:00.562 Yeah. 1243 01:07:01.162 --> 01:07:07.330 Giving back and contributing to one's community has been instilled in me from the time I was very little. 1244 01:07:07.590 --> 01:07:07.991 Yeah, great. 1245 01:07:08.031 --> 01:07:12.336 I was always doing things, whether it was, you know, my birthday's around Thanksgiving. 1246 01:07:12.356 --> 01:07:12.516 Mm-hmm. 1247 01:07:12.696 --> 01:07:17.519 So every birthday party, I would always ask everybody to bring a non-perishable food item instead of a gift. 1248 01:07:18.039 --> 01:07:20.161 Because I, you know, I didn't want anything. 1249 01:07:20.201 --> 01:07:21.562 I just wanted to have fun with my friends. 1250 01:07:21.662 --> 01:07:27.886 But if you're going to bring something, bring a can of food, you know, that I can then take to the church or the shelter or wherever. 1251 01:07:27.906 --> 01:07:28.586 Yeah, that's right. 1252 01:07:28.606 --> 01:07:29.567 And I was a Girl Scout. 1253 01:07:29.667 --> 01:07:31.628 So we were always doing little community projects. 1254 01:07:31.728 --> 01:07:32.429 And I, you know... 1255 01:07:33.169 --> 01:07:43.475 As much as they instilled hard work and ambition in me, they also taught me that with that hard work and ambition, it gives you the opportunity to make your community a better place than when you found it. 1256 01:07:43.635 --> 01:07:44.476 Yeah, yeah, yeah. 1257 01:07:44.556 --> 01:07:53.942 And so to this day, I've tried, especially now in this world where actors have become sort of a platform for global issues or for, you know... 1258 01:07:55.002 --> 01:07:56.583 a mouthpiece for change in the world. 1259 01:07:57.183 --> 01:08:08.130 I've tried to use that to its maximum capability and really work hard for causes that I really believe in and are close to my heart to kind of help make this world at least a little bit better. 1260 01:08:08.310 --> 01:08:09.431 Yeah, yeah, and I think that's great. 1261 01:08:09.451 --> 01:08:16.695 And I think if you're in a position where you can put a spotlight on something, and even if you can't put a spotlight on something, it's great to volunteer. 1262 01:08:16.995 --> 01:08:17.416 Exactly. 1263 01:08:17.436 --> 01:08:18.997 It's great to get involved with the community. 1264 01:08:19.017 --> 01:08:20.458 100%. 1265 01:08:20.478 --> 01:08:21.258 I do that as well. 1266 01:08:21.538 --> 01:08:23.760 And I think it's really important and special. 1267 01:08:24.000 --> 01:08:24.220 Yeah. 1268 01:08:24.620 --> 01:08:30.847 The very last thing is part of what we do on Strip the Script is we ask a guest to pass the mic. 1269 01:08:31.067 --> 01:08:39.577 So now that you sort of know the format of the interview, is there anyone you can think of who you think would be a good guest for us to see if we can get hold of? 1270 01:08:39.597 --> 01:08:40.759 And it doesn't have to be in England. 1271 01:08:40.779 --> 01:08:44.623 It can be anywhere because we travel to we travel to people. 1272 01:08:45.381 --> 01:08:46.361 Gosh, there's so many. 1273 01:08:46.722 --> 01:08:48.362 Truly, there's so many people that I can think of. 1274 01:08:50.123 --> 01:08:56.325 I will say, one of my dearest friends on this planet, who I met through Shadowhunters, his name's Will Tudor. 1275 01:08:56.606 --> 01:08:57.606 He's an incredible actor. 1276 01:08:57.626 --> 01:09:02.208 He's done many, many, many things and is still doing many, many great things. 1277 01:09:03.128 --> 01:09:09.371 He is one of the most thoughtful, intelligent, incredibly present people that I've ever met in my life. 1278 01:09:10.231 --> 01:09:13.352 And we sit there and have conversations like this all the time, Will and I. 1279 01:09:13.392 --> 01:09:15.113 So I think he would thrive in this environment. 1280 01:09:15.253 --> 01:09:16.053 Okay, amazing. 1281 01:09:16.073 --> 01:09:18.954 We're gonna take that as the challenge and we're gonna see if we can get in touch with him. 1282 01:09:18.994 --> 01:09:20.735 Great, thank you so much. 1283 01:09:20.775 --> 01:09:28.038 It's been such a pleasure and it was so nice because obviously when we first met, it was just like bang, we're filming straight away, straight on set, straight into costume. 1284 01:09:28.378 --> 01:09:33.840 And the little nuggets of conversation we were able to have between takes, I knew that you'd be a great guest and 1285 01:09:34.880 --> 01:09:41.191 I could literally sit here with you for at least another hour and really dive deep into some of these other points that we're talking about. 1286 01:09:41.211 --> 01:09:42.573 But you have been an absolute pleasure. 1287 01:09:43.154 --> 01:09:44.556 And I really appreciate your time. 1288 01:09:44.596 --> 01:09:46.559 And I wish you luck with everything that you've got coming up. 1289 01:09:46.740 --> 01:09:48.182 You too. 1290 01:09:48.242 --> 01:09:48.663 Thank you.

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