We recently connected with Clare Margaret Donovan and have shared our conversation below.
Clare Margaret , thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. How did you learn to do what you do? Knowing what you know now, what could you have done to speed up your learning process? What skills do you think were most essential? What obstacles stood in the way of learning more?
The ongoing process of learning my craft has been one of the most rewarding parts of my career and life. As an actor and writer, I’ve been lucky to study under exceptional creatives at a variety of iconic institutions…Specifically, I couldn’t ask for a more rewarding high school experience than mine at the Los Angeles County High School for the Arts (LACHSA) where I double-majored in Theatre and Cinematic Arts. Stand-out experiences included acting in “Twelfth Night” directed by Elizabeth Dennehy, the Dialects course that taught us countless new accents to showcase at auditions and parties forevermore, and the Cinematics Master Class that I was able to help curate and run which brought working artists into the school for intensive workshops! The passion with which every professor and student approached the work is what made every single moment so valuable. When you care enough to dedicate yourself to something and the people around you care not only about that craft, but also about you and each other, it makes the process of learning so natural and fulfilling because it is also the process of doing.
Also during this time, my mentor, Matt Nix, allowed me to be in the Writer’s Rooms of several of his shows…talk about learning from experience and example! My mind was blown! His mentorship and that of many other beautiful creatives ever since is of incomprehensible importance to me and my journey.
From there, my collegiate years were spent at DePaul University and Second City’s partnership BFA program in Comedy Filmmaking, largely focused on screenwriting and acting. The Second City style of improv to scene work has influenced me greatly and getting to put up lots of my own works, including stage-time at Second City, Zanies, and The Annoyance was the perfect way to workshop in action. The professors utilized a hands-on approach, also curating a setting wherein we showcased work and learned from one another every class.
Additionally, the importance of the classes I’ve taken at The Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute, Scott Sedita Acting Studios, Margie Haber Studios, and Zak Barnett Studios cannot be overstated as they gave intensive takes on specific schools of thought that allowed for my own specific technique to be born. Any collaboration I get to do with the caliber of artists at these institutions is an honor.
Honestly, on and off set, in or out of rehearsals or writers’ rooms, I am learning every second! As an artist, I learn and become inspired every time I consume a piece of media or speak to another person!! It’s a real privilege to always be able to pursue further knowledge, whether in a concrete setting or just in day-to-day life…
Clare Margaret , before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
I am a SAG-AFTRA Member represented by The Osbrink Agency and The Forward Group (PR). I’m a graduate of the 4-Year Theatre Conservatory Program at the Los Angeles High School for the Arts (LACHSA) and a recent graduate of DePaul University’s Comedy BFA Program in partnership with The Second City Chicago, where I premiered my one-woman show at The Annoyance’s Mess Fest Comedy Festival in addition to performing in a variety of productions ranging sketch to musical to improv on stages at Second City and Zanies!
An exciting endeavor for me at the moment is a short form comedy series titled “Road to Healing” that I both wrote and acted in. My brother, Maxwell Acee Donovan, directed and starred in the series as well, putting our sibling team dreams into action, as does our family production company: MAD in Hollywood productions! Season one drops in early 2026, so look out for news on our Instagram: @roadtohealingseries!
Other recent acting credits include the West Coast Premiere of “Hooded or Being Black for Dummies” at the Echo Theater Company, a dark satire that earned praise from the NAACP and LA Times, as well as “The Breakdown” on Amazon and “Solve”. https://linktr.ee/ClareDonovan
In addition to my work as an actor, I’ve written several projects: features, pilots, sketches, etc. (earning recent accolades from ISA Fast Track and Humanitas Awards) and worked in the development world for Phoenix Pictures and Flying Glass of Milk Productions (where I also worked as a junior assistant in the writer’s rooms of several of their projects).
I’m most excited to begin production on my feature film, “Bridget Bishop’s Spell Book”, hopefully in 2026 (stay tuned)!
In all of my work, I strive to tell grounded stories of connection that inspire some laughs and some reflection. I love quirky characters who find themselves at odds with the status quo.
Finally, my non-profit, Nature’s Negotiators, inspired by my mother’s background in anthropology and archaeology, has seen exciting successes in the world of environmental activism, including a partnership with The Jane Goodall Institute. https://naturesnegotiators.org!
I’m proud to funnel my platform in writing and acting back to the environmental causes my family and I are so passionate about…for example, “Road to Healing” was an entirely green set and LA Climate Week is now giving us an opportunity to create a panel event about grassroots sustainability efforts on independent film sets!
What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?
There have been several lessons, big and small, that have affected me differently in different eras of my life. One of the biggest things that comes to mind is how scary it is to be vulnerable and share your feelings and fears and truths with others…Sometimes, this goes terribly! Truly! And when that happened, it made me want to shut myself off to being vulnerable altogether. I thought the lesson was to protect myself by never opening myself up to that hurt or that betrayal. However, as I’ve gotten older, I’ve had to realize that holding back from connection and love is the worst thing you can do for yourself. In one’s personal life and one’s career, one must be able to interact genuinely with those around you. If we cannot share ourselves as artists, then that person shouldn’t be one that we surround ourselves with. I find that life is too short to not have good people in both your professional and personal circles.
How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?
I feel like life is scarcely more than a constant string of pivots! However, I don’t think that’s a bad thing, but rather allows every day to have a changing sky and an opportunity to start over at any moment should you feel the need. I do love the freedom that comes with that thought! But there obviously has to be a balance between that and pursuing goals/ functioning too. As someone who has been pursuing my goals rather vehemently for many years, it’s always a struggle to let go of that desire to control or have answers. I’ve chosen a career path wherein predictability and stability is an impossibility, so I have to learn to live in that reality every day. An ever morphing timeline has certainly been hard to handle: always comparing my age and accomplishments with others at the same stage, etc. Every year that goes by is a pivot from the idealistic timeline I decided on as a middle-schooler. The lesson of focusing on your own path outside of jealousy or competition is one that echoes in my mind constantly. And the more balanced I am in all the other categories of my life, the easier this becomes.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://linktr.ee/ClareDonovan
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/happyinhollywood/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/clare-margaret-donovan-56324523a
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLUcp4wE3NgH1XdNcbo2TRRXA6UeqlPWMn&si=hE1MZOLgJxKav4T9
- Other: http://naturesnegotiators.org/, https://madinhollywoodproductions.com/
Image Credits
Headshot: Jonny Marlow
“Hooded” Promotional Photo: Larchmont Buzz
Lifestyle Shoot: Jon McKee
“Road to Healing” Images: Gebby Simpson, Ananda Friedman
Other: Personal Images