Caitlin McCarthy shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.
Hi Caitlin, thank you so much for joining us today. We’re thrilled to learn more about your journey, values and what you are currently working on. Let’s start with an ice breaker: What are you chasing, and what would happen if you stopped?
I’ve built my screenwriting career in the margins of a demanding life. I teach full-time at an underfunded public high school in Worcester, Massachusetts, and I don’t fit the industry’s usual mold: I’m a woman over 50, I don’t live in LA or New York, and I don’t come from a family with a trust fund or industry ties. On paper, none of this should add up. But I kept writing anyway.
This past summer, my first feature, LITTLE AUDREY, went into production with Emily VanCamp, Jennifer Esposito, Aidan Quinn, and Josh Bowman, directed and produced by Michael Mailer and produced by Jeff Thomas and John Buffalo Mailer. That happened because I held onto one simple motto: “Why not me?” I wrote from 4 to 6 a.m. before school, pushed through every rejection, and kept going even when the wins were scattered and slow. Over time, those wins included film festival competitions, labs, and fellowships, including being named an inaugural Sundance Institute Cultural Impact Fellow.
If I had stopped when it got hard, I never would’ve reached a produced feature film slated for release in 2026. I’m proof that the biggest barrier is usually the one you put in your own way. And it really does take just one yes to change your life.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’m a 20+ year veteran English Language Arts teacher at Worcester Technical High School by day, and an award-winning screenwriter by night. My first produced feature film, LITTLE AUDREY, about Worcester’s Audrey Santo and the Vatican-ordered investigation surrounding her alleged miracles, is slated for release in 2026.
I’m also co-writing WONDER DRUG with director Lori Singer (FOOTLOOSE fame) and developing the TV series GAELS with Lynsey Murdoch (BBC Scottish Voices), a project supported by the Scottish Government and the National Lottery via Creative Scotland.
Along the way, my screenwriting has been recognized in ways I never imagined: I was named an inaugural Sundance Institute Cultural Impact Fellow and received a Massachusetts Cultural Council Dramatic Writing Fellowship, among other honors.
Outside storytelling, I’m deeply committed to DES activism. As a DES Daughter, I worked with Senators John Kerry and Scott Brown to secure an FDA acknowledgment in 2011 recognizing DES as a “tragedy” after 40 years of silence. In 2022, I testified before the Scottish Parliament about my experiences and the need for a DES apology in Scotland — which contributed to First Minister Nicola Sturgeon issuing the world’s first government apology for DES in 2023. I’m now working with Congressman Jim McGovern to pursue an apology from the FDA.
Through it all, my goal is simple: to tell stories that matter — stories that make people laugh, cry, think, and feel — while always moving forward with heart and action.
Appreciate your sharing that. Let’s talk about your life, growing up and some of topics and learnings around that. Who saw you clearly before you could see yourself?
I’m so fortunate that both of my parents, Albert and Ann McCarthy, saw the writer in me and nurtured that spark. In second grade, I created a class newsletter — complete with stories featuring every classmate, a cartoon strip called “Wonder Blunder,” and an autograph page. My dad, who had access to a Xerox machine at work (a big deal back then), photocopied it so I could share it with everyone. The newsletter was a hit, and that little moment felt like pure magic.
My mom, a devoted reader, took me to bookstores and always let me pick out the books I wanted — even if they were hardcovers or a bit more expensive than we could easily afford. She would also buy me books she thought I’d love and write sweet inscriptions inside. I still have those books today — they’re a tangible connection to her, a reminder of her love and belief in me, especially since she passed away in 2019.
When I later pursued an English degree and then an MFA in Creative Writing, some people scoffed that those degrees weren’t practical. But my parents didn’t just support me — they championed me. They read every draft I ever wrote, offered thoughtful feedback, and celebrated even the small victories along the way. My dad remains my first reader to this day.
Not every artist is so lucky. My parents gave me roots and wings — and the confidence to trust that my stories mattered even before I fully believed it myself.
What have been the defining wounds of your life—and how have you healed them?
The defining wound of my life came on May 18, 2005 — the day after my father’s birthday — when I discovered my body was a crime scene. I was 34, lying on my back for a colposcopy, when I learned I was a DES Daughter — a victim of a drug called Diethylstilbestrol, a synthetic estrogen my mother had been given by her doctor while pregnant with me. No one told her that the prescribed prenatal vitamin contained DES, and I had no warning either until a doctor recognized the telltale sign: my cockscomb, or “hooded,” cervix.
DES is toxic and carcinogenic, proven to cause infertility, reproductive abnormalities, cancers, and lifelong health issues — not just for me, but for millions of daughters and sons around the world. DES has been called the “hidden Thalidomide,” a medical disaster swept under the rug. In that instant, my body became evidence of a harm that spanned generations.
There’s no real healing from that. The damage, grief, and risks are lifelong. I live under a medical guillotine. But I’ve found a way to carry on in spite of it: by taking action, speaking truth, and helping others. I consider myself a survivor — and even a thriver — despite the toxic legacy I carry.
I’ve testified before the Scottish Parliament, helped inspire Scotland’s historic DES apology, and continue pushing for recognition and justice in the U.S. I’ve also transformed this trauma into art, writing WONDER DRUG, a screenplay that tells the story of one of the world’s biggest drug disasters.
Through it all, I’ve reclaimed my body and my voice — not as someone “healed,” but as someone living with purpose, turning pain into action.
Alright, so if you are open to it, let’s explore some philosophical questions that touch on your values and worldview. Is the public version of you the real you?
I try to be authentic and direct. You either love me or don’t, and if you’re indifferent, you probably don’t really know me (ha!). As a Leo, I’m energetic, live for the razzle-dazzle, and treat leopard print as a neutral. But behind the spotlight, I need quiet time to recharge. People might be surprised at how sensitive I am. I don’t broadcast it, but I feel deeply and know how to put on a brave face. I’m more vulnerable than most realize, and stronger than they think. I’m also incredibly detail-oriented when I’m invested in a task — I take pride in being a nerd that way. It’s a mistake to count me out, and that’s true for both my public and private self. I know how to hang in there, and I fight for what I believe in.
Okay, so before we go, let’s tackle one more area. What is the story you hope people tell about you when you’re gone?
I hope people remember me as a loving daughter, aunt, and friend — and that the stories they tell make them laugh, whether it’s my unique Massachusetts driving skills, botched meatloafs, or something I said. We don’t always know how we touch others, so I hope the memories make them smile. As for the public, I hope they remember a woman who succeeded as a screenwriter and DES activist against the odds — and maybe, just maybe, that my story ignites a little fire for their own journey.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.caitlinmccarthy.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/Caitlin_McCarthy_Writer
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/caitlinmccarthywriter/
- Twitter: https://x.com/CaitlinMcWriter
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CaitlinMcCarthyWriter/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@CaitlinMcCarthy
Image Credits
Christine D. Peterson, Sarah Prall Portraiture
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