Meet Alicia McDonald

We were lucky to catch up with Alicia McDonald recently and have shared our conversation below.

Alicia, appreciate you making time for us and sharing your wisdom with the community. So many of us go through similar pain points throughout our journeys and so hearing about how others overcame obstacles can be helpful. One of those struggles is keeping creativity alive despite all the stresses, challenges and problems we might be dealing with. How do you keep your creativity alive?

After graduating from college, I felt disillusioned. I had hoped to be able to jump start my acting career the minute I walked across the stage and got my diploma, but very quickly realized it rarely works that way. In the film industry, you face a lot of rejection, and it can be difficult not to let that discourage you. For a while, I had almost given up on searching for acting opportunities and had shifted my focus to other things that left me feeling unfulfilled. After being cast as Angela in Retro Dream Films’ horror short, “Grindhouse”, I felt like I had found my purpose again. That first night on set, I went home and typed into my notes app: “When I’m acting, I feel like I’m living my life to the fullest.” I was able to reconnect to my passion and that creativity that really truly made me happy. Working with and befriending others with this shared passion helps me to keep going and feel a sense of community as we all work towards achieving our goals. I have learned that oftentimes, when opportunities feel scarce, it may be the perfect time to create your own opportunities for yourself and for others.

As I continue to work in this industry, I’ve had so many incredible experiences and met so many awesome creatives along the way: working on readings with Eleanor Wells at Cinderella Pictures, appearing in short film “It Still Burns” from Scotastic Productions, and playing a supporting role in my first feature film “Jersey Birdies”. For every role that I may not book, the excitement of the opportunities I have been given with the roles I do book keeps me going and encourages me to work harder and learn from everyone I meet along the way.

Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?

I am a New Jersey based actress, born and raised in Monmouth County. I have been acting since the 4th grade, focused on theatre for most of my life, with a recent shift to film and TV. I have had a longtime love of independent film – working on camera, and now recently taking on my first project as a director and producer.

This summer, I was inspired to form my own production company Star-Crossed Studios, partnering with my good friend Kelly Meagher. We will be teaming up with Austin Mitrione and Danielle Sarubbi at Retro Dream Films to produce a brand new short film “Last Summer”, filming in Summer 2025. In a time when I was looking to reconnect with my creativity and create more opportunities to work on camera, I forayed back into writing for the first time in 6 years. I decided to tell the story of a Jersey shore summer through the lens of a 90’s teen murder mystery. It has been the best experience getting to combine my passions for acting and writing and collaborate with such incredible people. I can’t wait to see what’s next.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

It may sound cliche, but I feel that it is crucial to always follow your heart. You have this dream for a reason and you owe your younger self the fulfillment of pursuing it. I have found the most valuable qualities on my journey to be leading with kindness, a willingness to learn, and personalizing your offerings.

One of the best ways to ensure a positive work environment on set is to lead by example. Treat everyone with kindness, take the time to get to know everyone, and do your part to make sure everyone is included. Even just one friendly face can make a world of difference. You never know what kind of day someone is having and how much a friendly smile might mean to them. Also, if you’re a kind person and good to work with, it’s very likely that the people you work with are going to want to work with you again.

Always be willing to learn. No one has all the answers. Whether you’re an actor, a director, or a production assistant, you can learn something from everyone you meet and they might learn something from you too. On every set I’ve been on, I’ve learned new things about auditioning, about communicating with reps, and so much more. Don’t be afraid to ask questions.

When you’re in the process of auditioning for a role, instead of thinking about the competition, think about what sets you apart from everyone else. What unique quality or creative choice do you have to offer? How can you personalize your audition, your cover letter, and how can you make your personal connection to the role clear? There’s only one of you and your unique interpretation of a role, and that’s something that you can be proud of.

What do you do when you feel overwhelmed? Any advice or strategies?

When I am overwhelmed, I try to remind myself why I’m doing this and how much it all means to me. I’ve known since a very young age that I wanted to be an actress and I would be doing myself a disservice by giving up on that dream. I’m grateful to those who have always believed in me and continue to do so, even at times when I couldn’t believe in myself.

Don’t be afraid to lean on your support systems and ask people for help or advice. I wouldn’t have gotten half of my auditions sent in without my sister, my boyfriend, and my brother quizzing me on lines and being my readers behind the camera.

For every time you’re overwhelmed in this industry, try to remind yourself that there will be other times when you’re jumping up and down because you’ve just booked a role. There’s so much good just ahead, past the stress and the doubt, you just have to stick around for it.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @aliciamcdonald122
• Other: IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm16058917/
  Star-Crossed Studios Instagram: @starcrossed_studios
  Last Summer Film Instagram: @last_summer_film

Image Credits

Retro Dream Films
Scotastic Productions
RufCut Pictures
Star-Crossed Studios