I Am Me
Celebrating people and their passions because nobody can do it like you can.
I love that everyone has a story that is unique to them. Our journeys are all different, but we can still learn so much from one another. I am grateful that through my own journey as an actor I have had the opportunity to meet so many incredible people.
On my podcast you will get to hear their stories. This podcast is for the dreamers and the inspired. For the people who love people and are completely uninterested in living life by the status quo. Every person is unique to who they are. So look in the mirror and say it loud:
I AM ME!!!
I Am Me
I Am Mallory Ivy - Navigating the Acting World, From Early Career to Working Multiple Jobs the SAG Strike and Everything In-between
On this Episode, Mallory Ivy opens up about the art and experience of acting itself. She discusses the joy she derives from connecting with her co-stars and the mindfulness required in acting. She also gives us a glimpse into the benefits of Meisner training and the often underestimated value of self-observation in honing one's craft.
Welcome to I Am Me podcast. I'm your host, liz Bachman, and on this podcast I want to celebrate you for being you. I'm super excited to sit down with my guests each week and talk about their journey, their experiences and where they came from. So, without further ado, let's dive into this week's episode. Hey everybody, welcome back to I Am Me. Today I'm here with my good good friend, mallory Ivy. I love her so much. I goodness. I met Mallory back and during the pandemic we did a virtual Meisner class together. She's a phenomenal actor. She's an even more amazing person, I would say. She also does some modeling and her energy is just so infectious. So I think if you're not even an actor, you could get so much out of this. She'll just boost your energy. So yeah, hi.
Speaker 2:Mallory Hi, how are you?
Speaker 1:Good. How are you doing?
Speaker 2:You know hanging in for a short sunshine.
Speaker 1:I literally just said I'm not good. I'm not good. I just said I'm doing the thing where I'm like, oh, I'm good, I'm not good, I'm struggling, but I'm here and I'm excited to be here. So I'm glad you're here and you're excited to be here. There we go, and I'm glad that you're hanging in. Yeah, hanging in. I feel like that's a new thing, that, like people are saying Really.
Speaker 2:I, yeah, I felt like, of course, a person that picks up the most random things, or I'll say something wrong and think it's right. So you know, I have no clue.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I, I don't know, I still like say things. I feel like that I said in high school.
Speaker 2:So oh, 100%. There was one that came up I used to say in middle school and then it brought up the whole. I think I said like bees knees or whatever. And then my one of my high school friends was like girl, do you remember when you used to say knock your knees out?
Speaker 1:I never heard that one, the knock your knees out, uh huh. Oh, is that a Mallory original?
Speaker 2:I think so. I think it was just I was slightly violent, but I would give people a warning. I was like I'm gonna knock your knees out.
Speaker 1:Like you're being an idiot, I'm gonna knock your knees out After I just talked about how great you are. She's so amazing, she's so sweet, but she's got a side Like don't get on her bad side.
Speaker 2:You know I'm an Aries, I'm a fireside.
Speaker 1:I get a little.
Speaker 2:I look I get a little heated, but I be sure to let you know before I throw a punch.
Speaker 1:I guess there you go. Oh, my goodness, completely off topic, but I love it. Yeah, um, okay, dive into acting. Acting is kind of why we're here, um, I mean, not really we're here for you, we want to get to know Malpal, um, but what, what started acting for you, like, where did that? You know you're talking to someone who's been an acting per minute when you're like what started acting for you in the eye roll is just like um, that's a funny thing though isn't it.
Speaker 2:My story is so complicated and I I don't. It's not that I hate telling it, it just feels like oh, everyone expects like the quick answer, and mine is certainly not that. So what happened was?
Speaker 2:my neighbor growing up was a producer for Cartoon Network, which is like 30 minutes on the street from where I grew up. So, uh, they needed a couple of kids to do the Cartoon Network Fridays back in the day and me and my sister would go on it and my sister ended up hating it. So she left pretty quickly and I kept going. I liked, I thought it was fine. It was nice to meet a bunch of random people. I got to see Chris do the dine of the dine lady, which was hilarious.
Speaker 2:I didn't understand that, like I had no idea what acting was. So like they would put me through auditions and I couldn't understand that. You know the Muppet, even though the guy's underneath you, like you're talking to the Muppet, and even though the Muppet said it's still happy, like, still be happy, or, and so, like I started, he spilled some M&Ms and I started sobbing because I felt so bad for the Muppet, even though there's a dude on the skateboard right there too, and having to stay on camera or whatever. I mean I guess it was great because I was natural and I bent down. They're like no, mallory, you need to stay in frame.
Speaker 1:Wait, how old were you?
Speaker 2:I think I was like six. I did it from six to eight. Okay, yeah.
Speaker 1:See, see compassionate heart there.
Speaker 2:Right, you know. So I was just really young and I didn't know what I was doing and so eventually left and my parents didn't really want me in the industry, like they didn't.
Speaker 1:Understandable.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and I get it. I mean, I was admittedly quite bitter because it was something I fought for and I would spend my 30 minutes allotted on the computer to look up agencies. But yeah, I didn't get back into it until theater in high school. That was a growing experience, not the best time in my life. And then in college I would just audition because I was terrified of it and I wanted to get just. You know, I was on the career path to do science at that point and just wanted to have some other outlet. And a friend of mine had an actor drop on a short film and he's like hey, you can memorize stuff and you've acted before. I'll buy you a full mellow mushroom pizza if you come to set Pizza.
Speaker 1:I feel like that's a recurring theme on the podcast Right.
Speaker 2:But like.
Speaker 1:I mean, I would have done it for a pizza.
Speaker 2:Right, I mean especially a mellow mushroom pizza. They are like not sponsored by mellow mushroom, but I wouldn't be mad about getting sponsored by mellow mushroom.
Speaker 1:Yeah, that'd be great.
Speaker 2:They have the best pizza. So, yeah, I did it. I realized how much I miss set and from there on out I was hooked again.
Speaker 1:That's awesome. I also like something that is interesting. I talked to Derek in the past episode the one for this we had talked about how, like he, he was kind of doing something. It wasn't acting related, but doing it like he was scared. So that's why he was doing it Like it scared him. So I really like this idea of doing something like doing auditions Like it scared you, but you did it like because it's because almost because it scared you.
Speaker 2:Right, oh, 100% Like. I'm that person that I don't like to be scared. I don't like to have weakness, because I guess I'm invincible. I don't know I mean yeah, yeah. So that was just something. I was like you know, get get over it.
Speaker 2:Like especially because it's a mental thing. If it was like a physical thing, like spiders or whatever, then you know, maybe I'd let it go by the wayside and not torture myself. But especially just because it was me myself and I in front of two people and I would go to the bathroom to puke before every single musical theater audition I did, I was like this is lame, get over it.
Speaker 1:But it shows like how intense like that anxiety and that fear is. I think it's interesting, too, how many people like have this idea that actors are just like these extroverted people who and I've met so many actors who are actually very introverted and they're phenomenal actors.
Speaker 2:Oh 100%.
Speaker 1:Or, and they have like, and some of them have social anxiety. So it's interesting. It's almost like they get to take on this shadow version of themselves when they perform, which is really cool. Okay, so now where you are currently, what is it that keeps you like drawn to acting Like? What is it about acting that you're like? I got to keep doing this thing.
Speaker 2:Gosh, I like I can't imagine my life without it. I don't like pegging it down is hard because you know you're an actor, you know that 90% of the process is just auditioning and getting rejected, and doing that over and over and over, again, over and over Yep, but I forget I guess it was when I had the concussion back in 2021.
Speaker 2:And I was like, if I'm not able at the time, like I couldn't read my side, so my parents had to read them to me for me to be able to memorize, and I think that was most terrifying moment is like if I can't act again, I don't know what I'll do. So I think for me is just exploring characters and exploring the human psyche and why we react the way that we do, and getting to play with other people. I think that's the most fun, is it and that's why I like film a little bit more? Is it has to be on the spot. You might not get time to get to know your code, like your costar, yeah. So you need to be able to make an emotional connection with somebody very quickly and having that vulnerability like that understood vulnerability is, I think, very liberating.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I love that. To the people aspect of it. I mean that's kind of where I feel like I say this every episode. That's kind of where this podcast came from and it's from something different. But I mean it's it was matched out of multiple ideas. But I think I've met so many people that I just think are so amazing through acting that I'm like dude, I just want to sit down and like spend an hour like interviewing you, talking to you, like where you came from, you know how you got to where you are, yeah, and so that's kind of where that came from. But, like on the acting aspect of it, completely agree.
Speaker 1:Originally, when I started I was like, oh, like it's about me, you know, like the like thing that you fall into I'm not everyone, but I definitely my ego was like and then all, and then, as I did more and more work, got more comfortable in it. I was like, no, like the fun is. The fun is when you and your seam partner are like both showing up and you're putting all your trust on your seam partner, your seam partners putting all your trust on you, and like y'all are just like just back and forth that you know that's the fun.
Speaker 2:Right. Well, I think I can't remember if it was Dustin or Clayton Landy. Well, and you know, clayton, that for people that are listening, we met in the Meisner class with Dustin Lewis and Eliana Marienis, and then Liz took a class that I've also taken with Clayton Landy and Eliana.
Speaker 1:Yeah, phenomenal.
Speaker 2:Oh gosh, wonderful. I think it was Clayton that you know he uses strong language. He was like I don't give a rat's behind about what like you. What it's about is your partner. Are you caring about your partner and how they're reacting? Like do you see at all what's going on in their brain? Right? If not, you are so internalized that it's selfish and it's hard for you to get out of your head like that. Like it's you're more. You're leaning more towards yourself instead of character, and even to the point of being a caricature instead of just being present.
Speaker 1:Right, but yeah, that was something cool. I think mindfulness and presence is something that shows up so strongly in acting and people don't necessarily realize that.
Speaker 2:And.
Speaker 1:I think I'm learning that still like absolutely 100%.
Speaker 2:I think Meisner was the net like exactly what I needed, because it has been training me to be mindful and to see, like, how people perceive the way I interact with the world and vice versa, because that's personally something I struggle with is I don't social cues and like the way that people interact, I don't necessarily pick up on and like I also noticed through Meisner that I look at people's lips instead of their eyes when they're talking. So I figured I might need to go get my ears checked.
Speaker 1:I think, yeah, it's interesting too, like when you start watching yourself back the way, the way you hold tension, even like watching myself back in this podcast, like when I watch back, I even now like this is only like third episode. I'm like trying to be aware of it. I'll hold tension in my upper lip like and I like to where it's like tight across my teeth, like I don't know how to do it when I'm sitting here thinking about it. But when I watched it back I'm like why are you, why are you so?
Speaker 2:tight. Oh, have you ever heard of Alexander technique? Yeah, yeah, yeah, so it's very much centered around where do you hold stress in your body and natural like your. It focuses on your tics like what do you do subconsciously that you're not recognizing?
Speaker 2:But, that's super cool. I love watching old stuff that I did and seeing the growth because I happen. I don't know how it happened, but I happened to find a self tape that I did back in college when I still had no idea what I was doing, like I was just winging it, I hadn't taken a class, oh girl, same Same.
Speaker 2:There are some projects that were like on my reel at one point that I'm like I hope to God nobody ever sees the oh like oh, there is one in particular that I have in mind, that it was my first ever film getting back into the industry and I went to the. I drove two hours to go to the premiere and everything. And I was like, oh, that's how I look on camera. And I had driven with somebody else and he asked me he's like, do you want to talk about it? And said, nope, nope, I'm going to go eat some ice cream in the apartment and do better.
Speaker 1:I think I always think it's interesting too when you get really excited to like show somebody like your work and like you haven't seen it yet, and they're like I finally got it. Gather around here. You hear you look at my work and then they look at it and you're like, hmm, I have some work to do, like I am still very much learning slash growing, which I mean.
Speaker 2:the first thing I'll say is that that's the best part about acting, is we're always learning. Absolutely Even a listers are in classes, and that's just. I feel like people don't know that Right. They don't think of the work that goes into it all the way through the industry.
Speaker 1:And then there was Tom Holland. I was listening to a podcast he was on and he was talking about his acting coach that he's got on set and like, and people you know like, there's acting coaches on set to help you, to guide you, so it's which further adds to that. It's like what's so special about you, like that collaborative?
Speaker 1:mentality that comes with this like art form, is you're working with other actors, sometimes you're, you literally have a coach, like coach and mentors and all of that. I think in any way form this is such a tangent, but in any way, shape or form in life are so like undervalued or underutilized. Yeah, I think people don't realize the benefits of having a coach, not just around acting, but, you know, even if you're an entrepreneur or anything, just like having a mentor, somebody you can. You know such that was a tangent. I love it All around the bush.
Speaker 2:When have we ever stayed on topic, though, right.
Speaker 1:I'm trying to really hard. I keep looking at my like questions and then I just like wise, happening Acting would be about acting. I love you so much. What was we talked about your first job. What was your first like paid job or how, or what was that experience like for you?
Speaker 2:The first page job I did.
Speaker 1:Yeah, you remember.
Speaker 2:That's what I'm trying to do is like when, which film that I get paid on, because I used to do like a bunch of scary films and like shorts that were paid I mean, of course, a minimal.
Speaker 2:It was all like we'll pay for your gas to drive down here and oh yeah, you're not making a bang, no and you never really make bank and acting Another thing that people don't realize, but I think the one that impacted me the most was I wasn't even acting, I was standing in just to see I was.
Speaker 2:It was a big film came to Birmingham for the first time and it ended up being horrible. I mean just a lot of lawsuits and I won't go into that. But I yeah, but I learned a lot of what the industry is and what it takes to do what we do and saw all sides. I the first time since, like 2000, I saw grips and cameraman and how everyone works together and even though I was standing in, I didn't, I wasn't. They call me to set and they never needed me and was was part of the issue. So all the departments realizing that it was kind of a great mentorship opportunity for me. Literally, I think it was week two or three of like a five, six weeks that each department would take me under their wing for a couple of days.
Speaker 2:Oh that's so cool, yeah, and I think it was wonderful because you know there is like some, some fine lines and some danger to them doing that. But I mean, I learned how to PA, I learned how to AD, I learned what a script supervisor does and grips, and I felt more confident, even though I might not really want to do it. I felt more confident going to set, but for a while I wanted to do grip and electric. Wow, I didn't know that. Yeah, so I started, I did at the stand in job and somebody from that set actually booked me my first paying job on a crew after that and I was supposed to do grip and electric. I was going to intern with a really wonderful team and their AD dropped.
Speaker 2:And so the director reached out. He's like I need an AD, are you willing to do it? And I said like I've, all I've done is watch these people and set do it. And I've seconded before, but I haven't been in pre production process, I haven't done this, like I will be going in blind. And this director, who I've worked with several times afterwards as an actor, was like I have faith in you, like we'll figure it out together. And the friend that had recommended me to the job was like you'll be perfect, you're going to do it or we're not. When was this? That was I had already, I was. I think I was almost graduated at that point, so like 2018.
Speaker 1:Oh, I didn't. So I know because I know you had done an AD job. I think in the course of our friendship, oh 100%, but that wouldn't have been that one.
Speaker 2:No, I will. So that because of how that went, like, I studied up and prepared as best as I could and it felt very natural. From then on out I was known in the Birmingham film industry as an AD and I had trouble getting castings because people would call me when they had a film. They're like hey, I need an AD, will you do it? And I'd ask Well, have you have you started casting yet? I'd love to be considered for that. And I like, well, we're not doing that yet, but I really need an AD. So I I did that for several years, like I. I stuck with that for about two years before I moved back to Atlanta and said I'm not touching a d work again, I need, I need and I would only do it for friends. And then it wasn't until probably this year where I decided like, okay, I'll consider doing it again. And part of that is just because opera is kind of similar role and so I'm already in it daily and Mallory is working at the opera.
Speaker 2:Yeah, the Atlanta opera as a an operations manager.
Speaker 1:Hey, hey, woohoo.
Speaker 2:Actors hustle. I'm telling you. You know, hey, and I'm thankful that, like my hustle is still in the industry, I think if I were to do what I used to do like seven jobs between, like, candle making and nannying and I would be so bored.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I've been there, though, too, like I feel like every actor not every actor, but a lot of us have the like. Yeah, I'm working four jobs right now.
Speaker 2:Right.
Speaker 1:The conundrum of acting finding a job that you can also, at a moment's notice, be like. Hey, I booked something. I'll be gone for two days or a week, next week.
Speaker 2:You know Well and that's what I love that the two jobs that I found were the most flexible with that was restauranting, and part of that was just like I got a thick skin and I was like, all right, if I worked at one restaurant for probably three years and usually that was not the case that's the only place like I've worked the longest. But you know, every job I ever picked up I said, hey, if I get an audition, if I get a gig, I'm not going to come to work. I will do everything in my power to cover my shift, but I will not come to work. And there was one situation where a lot of people were not able to come in and I got a last minute gig out in Tennessee and I had to drive out and I told Aaron I said, hey, I got a gig, I'll try to find somebody to cover my shift, but I have to leave Today. And she was like Well, you need to find somebody cover your shift. And I said, yes, of course I'll do my best, but if I don't find someone, I'm leaving.
Speaker 2:And I ended up not finding anyone and so she gave me an ultimate and she was like If you don't come in, you're fired. I said, cool, I'm not coming in. And then she did end up hiring me again afterwards. Yeah, I mean, yeah, it's just the ability to be flexible, be like Okay, fine, this is my passion, I will find another job Right.
Speaker 1:I think it's funny too that you're up front, because I'm always up front and my dad has always been like Don't, don't tell the boss that. That's what my dad says, when I get an interview, I'm always like Okay, so like I'm an actor and like if I book something like I same thing, I'll try and get my shift covered, but I'm not gonna. And my dad always says Don't, don't tell him, don't do that. Just you know, but you know I keep getting jobs, so it's, it's, it's working out, it's working out.
Speaker 2:Right, well, like sometimes it will bite you in the butt Like I have had a couple of jobs that were strict in their boundaries and good for them, but they did not want to hire somebody like me, and that's fine. But I've also not had a period where I could not find a restaurant job. Right, no, especially now there's so many places hiring and, as as many people that don't enjoy it, it's still income.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:Oh, I hate restaurant work.
Speaker 1:I hate it, I hate it, I hate it. But yeah, I've absolutely done it and I would do it again if I had to. Yeah, um, as I say, I say a little prayer, as I say that, god, please don't make me, but you know like.
Speaker 2:Another one that I really enjoyed was, um, working with a small Etsy shop. Okay, cool. I have no recollection of how I found this job at all. I mean it honestly might have been a Craigslist thing, um, which is terrifying. But she, I do remember going to the interview and kind of being nervous because it was at her house and she requested that I meet her in the basement, oh God. So I was a little nervous, but it was at the time I was working on a show Um, I think it was mom and me, or no, it was private lives. So I was working on a show and it was halfway of my drive to the show and she was just a candle shop or a candle maker, and she had her whole Etsy shop in her basement and it was wonderful, of like, I could essentially choose my own hours. She's like, as long as you get the candles finished for orders, I don't care.
Speaker 1:I didn't know about your Etsy job, did you? When you said? When you said candle making a minute ago, I was like what? Yeah, I feel like all these jobs make actors better actors, because we're like, yeah, I've lived that part, I've been that waiter I've been that cashier I've done that thing, oh 100%. I've been a candle maker.
Speaker 2:Right, You've done all the odd jobs and it's character building, you know, like working in the basement by myself, burning myself on boiling wax it smells like pumpkin spice and working. There was one time that was the time I was working seven jobs. So I was working either nannying and candle making in the morning and then the evening I was going to rehearsals, working at a lab and princessing and a restaurant, and so Just so people know princessing isn't us sitting around being a princess.
Speaker 1:It's dressing up like a princess and going to a party for kids, so kind of the same.
Speaker 2:but you have to. It's like adult, not adult, like character driven babysitting yeah.
Speaker 1:And princessing sounds like I'm just sitting in my bed waiting for prince charming Right Just heading, as princesses don't need no prince charming, but you know, say it again for the people in the back, butter woman.
Speaker 2:Oh, but yeah, it was just funny. I remember just feeling, being having just a serileness to it of Walking into this woman's home in the middle of the night. She's got a family and everything and just I hadn't done my candles that week and so I had to work from midnight to two After my lab job, or I'd go to the lab from. I was on night shift at the lab, so I'd go in from nine to like midnight one and just being the only person awake, the only person working by myself. It was just odd.
Speaker 1:Yeah, the weird stuff. I will say I'm gonna go ahead and just manifest this for you. You're gonna get like a hallmark movie where you're a candle, like hallmark, you're a candle maker that's been stuck in your hometown for years and incomes From New York, the big city, and and you haven't seen them since high school.
Speaker 2:And he falls in love with you and the art of candle making and I we make out over a pumpkin spice candle like you want to smell it. Honestly, not a bad idea. Hallmark, if you're listening, let's write.
Speaker 1:You got a cast, mallory, though. Right, it's got the right, right, I know all right music Okay, cuz I know your.
Speaker 2:your former housemate used to write a lot.
Speaker 1:Yeah, zach, he's. He really likes writing, he did he's really good too. Yeah, but All right, it sounds like you just said this, but I want to dive a little deeper. Yeah, so I was gonna ask you what the most challenging part of being acting and after hearing about the like onslaught of different jobs, that sounds like it, but let's go like pass that to what is the most challenging part of Acting, like actually performing or doing it, anything around that.
Speaker 2:Um, I mean, first thing that comes to mind is it doesn't matter what's going on. It doesn't matter if your sister just had a baby, it doesn't matter if you're like congratulations.
Speaker 1:By the way, I was an auntie, I'm an auntie.
Speaker 2:Oh, that's just surreal. In and of itself it's wonderful, um, but yeah, it doesn't matter what you're going through, where you're at mentally, what you, what just happened before. You can carry that into your work and kind of inform and make different decisions with it, but nobody gives a shit. Yeah, no, nobody cares. Honestly, and it makes sense because if we want to get something done with a community of anywhere from 22 500 people, yeah, you have to be available. And so, like I mean, I remember like there's instances where I've missed really important milestones and important celebrations because I was on set and Part of me really regrets that and part of me knows it dots. What I signed up for. That's yeah, that's the commitment.
Speaker 2:Yeah and if I care, if it was something important enough to me, I would have quit. But I think that is the hardest is you know like I struggle with migraines and going on to set with a migraine and having to connect with another human is 10 times harder. But you know like recognizing that you've gotten through that before I think just and Right. I physically write it down like hey, today was a really tough day and you still made it through. Or like you are satisfied with the work that you did.
Speaker 1:You weren't in your head and you, you were honest.
Speaker 2:I think that's how I've kind of picked myself up by my bootstraps in those kind of situations.
Speaker 1:Yeah, for sure I think to like so for me, like I've had moments where I've told my agent like I need a break, like I need, and she's wonderful. I and I really think good agents can recognize that because she's really about like our mental health and recognizes the emotional mental toll that acting can take on you, especially when You're not primarily supporting yourself on acting Not that that's different, but when you are doing the thing you love and that is paying your bills and everything. That is different than trying to work three or four jobs and also Make acting Primary like Concern.
Speaker 1:That's not right or like making it a priority. Thank you, priority primary kept coming in my brain and then I went like primary colors and then like Like what is happening, I'm sure.
Speaker 2:Somebody reboot me. Well, that's why I end up coming up with so many words is just my brain goes somewhere else and I'm like, well, what is a word that feels like I'm trying to convey right? But yeah, I mean, I completely agree with you that a really great agent understands when you need to take a break, if that ever comes about because if you are being pulled in 500 different directions and you've hit your your limit, your work isn't gonna be as good and you're not gonna book anyways.
Speaker 1:You know, it's very obvious. Like I've had auditions where, like the character supposed to be down in the dumps and I'm like, well, I'm depressed as hell anyway so, and then, but it still just doesn't come across good, because I you know what I mean like, yeah, I really respect my agent. She's always been phenomenal and I have a high respect for agents who Can see when their actors are trying their best, but also see when their actors need a break, and I've always felt comfortable and like reaching out and saying I Need a couple months like I just, you know, like I'm Drowning a little bit right now, or you know, in life and and the other things your agents don't know.
Speaker 1:Your agents don't know if, like your mom gets sick, or If you, if you, got fired from a job, or like you know, life continues to happen and hard things come up. So and your agent is taking care of you know however many people's on the roster a hundred or more people. So right, how do you feel like you stand out in the industry with it being so saturated?
Speaker 2:Um, I feel like this is. This is like forcing me to be slightly egotistical.
Speaker 1:No, okay. Well, what's funny is like I ask everybody this question. Yeah, actors and I Um, I never have to answer it for myself. So I it's it's a tough question and, yeah, be a little egotistical, like brag on yourself a little bit, because you have put a lot of work in.
Speaker 2:So right you have.
Speaker 1:You have the permission. Not that you need it, but go for it. Thank you.
Speaker 2:Well, I also feel like I feel like this is another Clayton quote that Actors have to be a little egotistical or else you would never survive you have to know what you're worth and you have to know what you bring to the table.
Speaker 2:For me, I feel like that it's. I do have like I'm naturally very bubbly, but there is, as Eliana likes to call it I'm a mandrake. So under the surface there was somebody. They'll just rip you a new one or just like lose her mind At the flip of a switch. So I think that's something that Plays to my favor, especially because I feel like I look Like I have bigger eyes and I feel like it makes me look a little innocent, and so having that that yeah but also the fact that I worked in science so long.
Speaker 2:Unfortunately, like I still look a little too young, I'm still hoping for like a good doctor moment where somebody hires me as a scientist, even though I look like I'm 20. Right but like I was working in a laboratory since I was 13, Okay, I didn't know it was that young. I got like pulled into a lab when I was really young and did it for 10 years. So I think having that knowledge and like a really strong background and look at degree, even in science, is something that not a lot of people can say.
Speaker 2:Yeah and I have had like a couple of people give me auditions because when they say like oh, we're looking for a scientist or a microbiologist, I'll always up in there like my favorite microbe and I always get questions of so we heard that you have a favorite microbe, how do you pronounce it? And it's a cool conversation starter to you. So yeah, yeah, I feel like that's what makes me stand out and like I'm also just I'll go into things headfirst like I don't.
Speaker 1:I don't scare easy.
Speaker 2:So the number of times that I Like I had somebody asked me to learn part four cool, yeah, I'll give it a shot. Um, I Did, like some stunt falls and there was a course like a stunt coordinator and all that. But, um, like, are you comfortable with this one? Yeah, I love heights. Let's go see what happens. Yeah, if I train properly, like, I'm happy to keep doing it.
Speaker 1:So right, that's one thing like acting. So there's so many things that I'm like, oh, I'd love to do that, do that, do that, and I'm just like, okay, you don't have to do it all right now. But also like that manifestation of like I like I did boxing for the first time the other night. I like like legit boxing I done like some other, like fighting stuff, but never. And I had a freaking blast and I was like I think I want to be in a boxing movie now, just so like somebody can pay for me to train to be a boxer and then I can go and be like a badass boxer.
Speaker 2:Like I think it's supported.
Speaker 1:I right get my like Rhonda Rousey, brits oh.
Speaker 2:I would love it. Right, that's not a put it out in the world, right, put it out there. Liz is learning to box. Hire her as a boxer.
Speaker 1:There we go.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I as an actor. Well, I'm just as a human. I have so many hobbies and I feel like as an actor, we fall into the trap of I want it to be on my special skills list, got to that, and then we never put the proper time to actually make it worthy of.
Speaker 2:Yeah being on the special skills right. So like I mean, there was somebody that I worked with that I I forget what it was. I want to say it was Swimming or diving or something like that, like something that I've been doing for a long time, and they showed up to site and just had no clue, was not neat at all and I was like, hey, are you, are you doing?
Speaker 1:okay? He's like, yeah, I haven't.
Speaker 2:I haven't been swimming since, like, I was 10. Bro, I don't want you drowning. This puts a lot of pressure on me because you don't know what you're doing. Was he doing diving? Now, I think we were just swimming because, like, if he was diving, it would have been like a very, very Problematic, like danger.
Speaker 2:I don't think so. It wasn't something where I was that concerned. I think we were like swimming in a lake or something, so like it was shallow. There were people there that like we could Pull if we needed, but if he started like I mean flapping his arms.
Speaker 1:Oh, okay. Okay dog paddling a little bit. Do you feel like the industry is progressing into more inclusive roles and like how? So? Oh the I roll.
Speaker 2:Yeah, the I roll came back. Um, I Think there is an effort. Oh, I think we're slowly getting there, slower than we should.
Speaker 1:Yeah, absolutely.
Speaker 2:Yeah, but I think because something that's also happening or that's still happening and problematic is that we are having diverse castings, but the people in diverse roles are still being stereotyped. Yeah you're right and like I feel like if I get into any details it can get problematic, but I don't mind speaking up. But also I guess I would speak up and just also say I have a different perception than somebody else might.
Speaker 1:Right. So, like also, you and I are both white.
Speaker 2:Right, we're both white, so I can't talk about as somebody that's by and by. I can't speak to their experience, exactly so. But yeah, I think that we are not doing our best and I'd agree it's something that I would love it if we crack down on it. But also, like, how can we force writers and producers to write content that's different? Yeah, and I think has differently, because it's something that's so ingrained to which sucks.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and that's that's the other like aspect of it, that unlearning component, which is really hard, because you think of people who I don't know 20 years ago, came out of school and then they were trained by their mentors and like not excusing any of it, but it gets passed down, passed down and it's like unlearning and you are seeing people that are slowly breaking that mold, but it's kind of like, whenever there's any type of change, the first people to do it are like looked at like as the outcast or y'all are. What are y'all doing? Like it's been working, and it's like how's it though? How's it been working Right?
Speaker 2:Well, and I feel like nowadays we're at the point where, when we do see something different, like everything everywhere all at once, but oh so good they, they were regarded.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:And applauded because it was a wonderful film and it did like purse. I mean, I can't speak to Asian culture but from what I've heard from my Asian friends and how I've perceived it, it did really do justice to Asian families and social upbringing and what it's like living in like that situation. So, yeah, I found it really wonderful and I think we are getting more to the point where we're not shaming people that are breaking the mold, like age 24.
Speaker 1:The goal is to break the mold. Yeah, age 24. That's funny, derek and I talked about that, but it's. We were talking about how it's one of the few companies out there that is like really seems like they're trying to come up with very original content.
Speaker 2:Well, and you know how they work, right, like they don't. How do I word this? I mean, somebody else comes up with the ideas and the writing, they just help produce it. Produce it, yeah, right. So that's why they don't. They pick and choose what they like to suit their brand, but their brand is also very eclectic and diverse.
Speaker 2:Yeah, absolutely, but they're just pulling from different people of different backgrounds and different stories. So like you might see something from Ari one year and then the next year is going to be somebody completely different. So I think that really benefits them as a company. Because they're not stuck into one group used to working to each other, used to working off of each other's ideas. They are forced to think outside the box.
Speaker 1:Right. I think that benefits everyone, like I always have been so like honestly, like a fear for being like pigeonholed into a certain type of role or something that you're not or something that you get known as, and I think people break that mold. But I always think Matthew McConaughey, like he was wrong comms. And then he like people don't realize that I think he said he didn't get an audition for like two or three years because he said no more, on comes I'm not doing it anymore and there's nothing wrong like it can help you get your start.
Speaker 1:But I think, you know, I think about, like Melissa McCarthy. They talk about how people all knew her for like Gilmore girls and then when she started, I don't remember the first thing, like bridesmaids, identity theft I think those were some of her earlier, when you really started seeing her get to showcase her talent as like a comedic actress and it's like you can do this. And I was listening to her on Dax Shepard's podcast and Dax he worked with her I guess back years ago and he was talking about how, like I knew she could do this like 10 years ago. But you know, you see these actors that you think, oh, they're this way. And then you see them do these different things and you're like, wow, like you can do that. That's so good, like you were amazing in that. It's like, yeah, like I'm that's kind of. That's kind of the point. Right, you can do different things Right.
Speaker 2:Because I'm human, but I think it was Barbara Stordahl, a casting director that I adore. She loves pulling people out of their boxes and casting new people, but one thing that she said, was it her, was it Kim? I can't recall. I'm going to have to go back and let you know. But somebody that I was in a class with and like, really admire, said you can't tell the industry what they want. They're going to let you know what they want from you, and I think that is really true of you. Know, as much as we want to get outside the box, especially if you're unknown, the industry is going to tell you what they're going to type you, cast you out, and that's how you look.
Speaker 2:And that's what a lot of agents like to know is sure, we want to know that you're willing to stretch yourself and be flexible and try something. That's a challenge, but do you know where you're strong at?
Speaker 1:and are you good at it?
Speaker 2:You know if you're strong at playing the dough. I'd innocent girl, but you don't want to audition for those things. So you kind of fight against yourself internally. You look bad and you're not going to get cast Right. Yeah, like you said, it is a good place to start, but then you also have to start setting your boundaries once you get rolling of, just yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1:And I think still, like you can still embrace that, because you can play that and that might be what comes to you naturally, like you don't have to let that go completely, but because that is going to be that thing, your type or whatever it's going to be the thing that gets you in the door. But yeah, I think, okay, this is actually good segue. So what would be like your dream role if you could take away, you know, any? That's always a hard question to right.
Speaker 1:Because I, like you just said, I feel like we get told a lot of what we get to play. And so because I've even thought about that, like what would I, what would my dream role be? Because I'm so used to what I get cast as or what auditions I'm getting regularly and those types you know.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I think for me there's two that are like top the list and ironically they're more geared towards episodics, whereas I tend to get cast more in features. Features are much more where like, where my strong suit is and I like features a lot. But the first one would be a Western that I'd be like a lead female role that has some innocence to her and naivete, but she grows to be a complete badass. You know whether she ends up joining a like a crime group or she starts standing up for herself or whatever that may be Like. My, my first instinct is some of the female characters off of Yellowstone or oh, okay, okay.
Speaker 1:I was immediately thinking of what's the lead off of Westworld, rachel.
Speaker 2:Oh, evan Rachel Woods. Evan Rachel Woods, yeah, which when I was blonde, I got a lot of references to her, really, and at one point my agent at the time like had messaged me or whatever. When congillian came out, oh, she thought I was Evan. I was like I, if I'm getting that audition and you don't know about it, there's a problem, right. So she had a lot of her like wonderful qualities, but that was a moment. I just started questioning of what the end, of course, like we are in the digital age, so a lot of it could have been comedy and just being facetious, right, but I was just like what Really?
Speaker 2:But yeah, something like Evan Rachel Woods character. But then another part of me would love I love dystopian stuff. That would just be a goal in general but a scientist or a microbiologist, somebody that's strong and again like strong female characters, like not somebody that's going to be a whist and take it I mean yeah, I think it's.
Speaker 1:it's just so nice to play strong female characters 100%. I like to a lot when it's that rags or riches or whatever you want to say, that kind of story where they seem like the underdog and then by the end of it they're you know. That reminds me of I didn't watch Good Girls all the way through that show.
Speaker 2:I don't know if you watched that. It makes me think of like, like Scarface and that kind of.
Speaker 1:Yeah, okay, yeah, yeah, yeah, I do want to talk about the strike at all.
Speaker 2:Sure, yeah, I don't mind talking about it, I think.
Speaker 1:Okay, I don't.
Speaker 2:I guess, like most of your audience is actors, but sometimes it's great to talk about it. Just release that tension or at least educate people if they're not necessarily aware.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, so you can say as little or as much as you want. Um, I Well, you take the floor like kind of what, what are your thoughts or what are you thinking about this strike? I think all of us definitely want to get to a place where we can get back working. Oh, of course.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I, it's devastating and kind of apocalyptic, is very dramatic.
Speaker 1:But I'm a traumatic person it is.
Speaker 2:It's hard being in an age where there aren't big projects going on, because of this. But of course I'm glad that it's happening, of course I'm glad that we've banded together and that WGA is striking and SAG is striking and it's also like open up conversations and IOTC and the special effects teams are looking to unionize, which I think is wonderful.
Speaker 2:I fully support that as well. So I think it's brought up a lot of conversations, as well as conversations with civilians, don't? They don't understand what we do. I'm very fortunate enough to have the Atlanta Opera and enjoy theater, so I'm still auditioning for theater productions. I still have the stable job and it's liberated me and given me the opportunity to work on a lot of passion projects with friends and start writing and just even though you know I set my boundary a long time ago of like my work has value. I am valuable as a person. I do need to pay my bills. I won't work complimentary anymore. I've kind of gone back on that and started working for free, just because we don't have any other projects to work on except for independent projects.
Speaker 1:And why not?
Speaker 2:pour into the people that you love the most and support them.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I feel like I've gotten into more like creative avenues right now, away from acting like this podcast, and which is like, in a way, I'm like it's got me doing things that I've said I wanted to do and I haven't said that's good, but it's all good, like everything is happening. For a reason it's still is. I think for me, the hard part is like I love actors, like we are a community and it's I'm such a like my heart on my sleeve person and I care about people so much, so I don't think so much about how it's affecting me as much as it which it is affecting me, but more so how it's affecting, like, my fellow actors Also. It's a good thing it's happening. But then you come back to of we're only not not even three years post a pandemic, three years post when a pandemic started, and then all the effects of that. So you know we are post pandemic, but I wouldn't even know when to say the pandemic really truly ended, like maybe 2022.
Speaker 2:I don't think anybody really knows.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:And there's still argument that it's still going, yeah, yeah. I think, to the like that's. Another point to be made is that it doesn't just affect actors, like well, actors are being devastated by this and it is really affecting the livelihoods of a lot of actors. It's also affecting our a azi crew. Yeah, they can't. They can't work on a SAG project because there's no SAG projects going on. So right. So, yeah, like a lot, a lot of people have.
Speaker 1:Yeah, you got a whole industry that is basically stopped right now. Right Studio rental companies. Yeah, what are you going to do if there's nobody to shoot? You know, if there's no players to tell the stories?
Speaker 2:Right.
Speaker 1:Because it is. It's all a collaborative, like puzzle piece and you, you know, or machine, I guess, is a better way. You take a piece of the machine away, kind of the whole machine stops and you've taken two pieces of the machine away because you have WGA and SAG, right yeah.
Speaker 2:So it's. So. It's been hard and you know I don't I wish I had like a some foresight to see when this would end, but I know that, like even if I could guess I could be entirely off.
Speaker 1:So yeah, and I don't think it's even necessary to like get in your books.
Speaker 2:That doesn't really help.
Speaker 1:I know I got an email the other day that was like talking about how the class was going to be discounted and if we went ahead and paid for it, even like the class starts in October, even if and I was like, and they're like, unless the strike is still going on in October, I was like, oh man, like you just don't know.
Speaker 2:Well, and that has been a great thing to see is, I mean, we've always known that we're a community with one big family, but being able to join together and care for each other and support each other. There's a lot of funds that have been created and things like that. There's classes that are going on discount. Recently I saw a show that was pay what you can like. Our shows are usually this price, but, like if you have been really impacted by the strikes, we just want you to be within the creative community and it's no pressure that you have to pay $35 for a theater ticket. Yeah, so I think that's been wonderful to see. And then also, I mean going back to independent projects. You know, of course, like we all want to be paid and we all have to make a living, but it's also nice being able to just support each other and say, hey, I've got a lighting kit If somebody needs to borrow it for something they've been dying to shoot and like it's not going anywhere else.
Speaker 2:I'm happy to be an extra for you if you need people because you can't hire a casting service, things like that.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, I definitely think there is in on the positive side of it, like shifting to a positive perspective. We are seeing that, like we do band together and, yeah, at the root of the industry, like there is a community. It's part of what makes all this worth it. It's like the people that we get to work with.
Speaker 1:So, yeah, I know we can't like promote any SAG projects or anything like that, but is there anything? We just talked about how you're potentially doing some independent stuff, some creative stuff? Is there anything that you do want to say like hey, like I'm working on this and I'm excited about this, or yeah, I have a short film that's going out at Sidewalk.
Speaker 2:It's an LGBTQ film. Oh cool, yeah, and it's really sweet and lovely and it's been in progress for a while, so I'm really excited for that to come out. And then I just shot a film with a friend that she put it together and it was very quick. But it's with Nicole Lockley and she just has such a powerful voice when she writes and tackles very difficult topics that people always hesitate to discuss and so.
Speaker 2:I'm really excited for that to come out and I'm really hoping that she turns it into a series, whether they're all interconnected or not. I think that she has such a very unique way of being able to bring those topics to the table Without it being, I mean, definitely like pointing fingers, but also allowing the conversation to open up in a safe space. Yeah, yeah, I'm excited for that to come out. I don't. We just wrapped on Tuesday, so it's going to probably be a while before it comes out, but looking forward to that.
Speaker 1:Yeah, what's your Instagram? Because I know you promote a lot of stuff on your Instagram.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I post just about everything on my Instagram. I finally had to make a fenced out, though, because I know that there is like goofy photos that I want to post and not necessarily want the entire world to see. Got you, got you. But my my public Instagram is Mallory Ivy is just my first and last name, which is very easy to remember. All of my, all of my social media is just my first and last name.
Speaker 1:I guess, like dude, I like struggled to get my first and last name.
Speaker 2:Are you serious?
Speaker 1:Yeah, so mine is Zill Bachman.
Speaker 2:Right, I did Liz backwards, which is so fun.
Speaker 1:Yeah, that's like a thing that a nickname I was given in high school complete sidebar, but you know. But yeah, I was. I struggled to I think I couldn't get Liz Bachman, so anyway, not the point, mallory Ivy guys look for her content. She's awesome. I love her so much. I'm excited that I got to sit here and talk with you and for anyone listening, if you enjoyed this, if you could rate or review the podcast, that would be awesome. It just helps me keep doing what I'm doing and I look forward to talking to whoever I talk to in the next episode.
Speaker 2:I'm excited to see who you talk to the next episode, right? Thanks, mal, of course, babe, so good to see you.