Interview by Carol Wright | Photographer: @morgan.maher | Styling: @oliver_vaughn | Makeup: @aypruhl | Hair: @mikelorenzano
After being ghosted by her husband (her words, not ours), Mackinlee Waddell gravitated toward stand-up comedy as a way to heal. Waddell talked to NYOTA about acting in the film American Spirit, her dream project, and the comics she loves.
Was there a specific comedic performance that sparked your own interest in comedy?
I’ve always been interested in comedy. I love comics like Tom Segura, Sarah Silverman, and Natasha Leggero. There are so many others, but I particularly love edgy comedy.
As you’ve worked the stand up circuit. What have you learned about yourself personally and professionally?
I’ve continued to be surprised by my own voice and ability to be daring. It’s no joke getting up on stage. Pushing myself in this way has given me a deep sense of confidence that no one else can take away.
Part of your routine is discussing your divorce which happened in a very abnormal way. Has finding the funny in that situation helped you heal from it?
Absolutely. I began stand up about two months after I was ghosted by my husband and it has been so healing to talk about it through a comedic lens. I want to shout out a class taught by Lisa Sunstedt called ‘Pretty Funny Women’. It was invaluable to have a place where I felt safe enough to talk about really hard stuff. Lisa is incredible.
Tell our readers about American Spirit. What drew you to the film?
The first draw was that it was set at the University of Texas. How cool to go back to my school and get to film something. But really, I think I love coming-of-age stories. I really saw myself in Riley and immediately wanted to be a part of it once I read the script.
The scene with Melody and Riley outside their dorm felt very authentic. What did you and your co-star Yasmeen Fletcher do to prepare and have a true bond show on screen?
Luckily Yasmeen and I immediately clicked. It works like that with some people. We just have really great chemistry. I love that girl.
In a lot of films that take place in high school or college settings, dialogue can often feel forced but in American Spirit it feels natural. Did you learn a lot from a writing perspective after working on the project?
Definitely. Getting to watch Christopher work was awesome. I walked away from the project really inspired to create the things I’ve been dreaming about. So often we tell ourselves we can’t or we shouldn’t, but why not? We need more young female voices.
In the future do you hope to work on more coming of age stories? What would be your dream project to tackle?
I would love to! I grew up really slowly. I’m from a small town and things just came to me later. I cherish this quality in myself, and I think there is something so beautiful about watching a young woman figure out life by walking through it.
Dream project? My own!
What advice do you have for aspiring actors?
Find out why you love to do this and figure out who you are. Be brave and be patient. It’s a marathon.