The Italian Rêve – Interview with Meg Donnelly: Acting, Singing and... 'Zombies'!

Over the years, Disney Channel has launched and discovered so many young actresses destined to enter into the hearts of many fans with their characters: we are talking about, to name a few, Miley Cyrus, Vanessa Hudgens, Demi Lovato, Dove Cameron and last, but not least, the very sweet Meg Donnelly.

Meg is only 17 years old but has already conquered two important roles: she is, in fact, Taylor Otto in the TV series “American Housewife,” recently renewed for its third season, and Addison, protagonist of the successful musical “Zombies,” produced by Disney Channel that, despite being released only on February 16th, has already given rise to a real phenomenon. In the movie, Addison plays the cheerleader who falls in love with Zed (Milo Manheim), a football player who has a special “feature”…he’s a zombie!

On a very sunny Los Angeles, surrounded by nature, flowers and quiet, we sat with Meg to chat about her passions and her work! Did you know that she would like to write her own songs one day? And that she cried (who wouldn’t) watching “Notting Hill“?

You will realize by reading her interview (in case you have not already noticed it), that Meg Donnelly is a great force of nature able to bring positive vibes to everyone she encounters, after all, her mantra is: “You have nothing to lose!”

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You started acting when you were a kid. When did you decide that this would have been your career?

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I started doing it for fun when I was like five. And people were always saying “you can do it as your actual career.” And I could not see myself doing anything else besides acting, singing and dancing so that’s when I decided to do it as a career and as a job.

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Are you thinking about doing something like writing or directing in the future?

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That would be so amazing. Directing is so challenging but I would love to take on that challenge at some point. I feel that it would be so cool. And also writing is really awesome too. Definitely. I like to write my own songs but maybe writing a TV show would be very cool.

“I like to write my own songs but maybe writing a TV show would be very cool.”

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To this day, what was the experience that has influenced you the most on your way of acting and approaching the character?

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Whenever I see a character I just kind of read the script and understand what they’ve gone through. And then just go from there. I kind of just like go for it I guess.

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For you, what’s the most fun part of acting?

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I think is playing someone that is not yourself, so you get just to be that person. And I think that’s really cool that you get to do that on screen and that people get to watch it. And sometimes they only see you as that character and I think that’s really cool.

Acting,

Dancing,

Singing.

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What’s the best advice for your career you have received so far?

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My dad always tells me when I go into audition rooms “You have nothing to lose.” So, if you go into the audition room, just do your best because even if you don’t get it, you’re still going to be where you are now so that’s awesome too. It’s just being more confident in the audition room…just go for it.

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What’s the best part of playing Taylor Otto in “American Housewife”? Have you find you have something in common with her?

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Yes. She’s a typical teenager so all of her struggles are really relatable: like her relationship with her mom is so funny because it’s so like so true to my relationship with my mom. And everything she says is just very relatable. Like “oh my gosh, I say that.” But also all the cast and crew, we’re like a huge family. So, being on that set every day is kind of like a home now. It feels like a second home. So, now that we’re on hiatus, which means that we are not filming right now, it feels so weird because that’s just like home.

My dad always tells me when I go into audition rooms “You have nothing to lose.”

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“Zombies” is a story about lovers who come from totally different worlds and they are also surrounded by society’s strict rules. So, what was your reaction when you first read the script?

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I thought it was so cool and it made me want to do it even more because it is so important that, in their teen age, that kids realize that even if you are from different backgrounds you can still be together and at least be friends. And it doesn’t matter where people come from or who they are; it’s really about who they are as a person, it doesn’t matter what they look like. And I think that’s so important so, it’s really cool to be in a movie like that.

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Do you have in mind to write your songs?

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Yes. I would love to at some point. I always write down little notes through my daily life. I would love to write a song. That would be so cool. And to like produce songs. I have a couple but hopefully in the future I can start like a music career as well as an acting career. That would be really cool.

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What’s the kind of movie you would love to do?

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A musical movie would be so cool, like Zombies, that’s my dream. Because it combines TV and also musicals. I started out with musicals when I was younger so that’s like my background. So, any type of musical…I would love to do it.

“Hopefully in the future I can start like a music career.”

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Do you love romantic movies? And what’s your favorite?

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Yes. I’ve recently watched “Notting Hill.” So good. On Valentine’s Day my best friend and I ate Thai food and watched that movie and we were crying. It was great. I loved it.

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What’s your favorite song right now?

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Uh, that’s really hard. Honestly, anything by Bob Marley. Always. I love Bob Marley. Maybe “Three Little Birds” by Bob Marley.

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Disney has launched so many different talents throughout the years. From Britney Spears to Selena Gomez. Do you have an inspiration from the Disney world?

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I love Selena Gomez. She’s really cool. To have a career like hers would be so amazing. I’ve watched Disney Channel my whole life. “Hannah Montana” was my favorite. Also Vanessa Hudgens is really cool. I always wanted to be Gabriella in “High School Musical.”

Favorite spot in LA: Maybe Melrose. Melrose is really fun.

Must have on set: Either coffee or gum.

Superpower: Maybe to fly.

Happy Place: Probably home. Wherever my parents are.

Movie then and now: My favorite movie now is “Stomp the Yard” And I also love “The Lion King.” So good.

Favorite Word: Trust.

Favorite quote: Maybe like “shoot for the moon but if you don’t you’ll land among the stars.”

The last series you binge-watched: “Black Mirror” on Netflix.

The most beautiful thing while filming “Zombies”: Probably the people and being in Toronto. We filmed in Toronto, Canada. So, being in a new place, in a new culture, meet new people. Everyone was just so nice. And it was a really wonderful experience. I feel like I grew a lot during that experience.