We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Kaleigh Macchio. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Kaleigh below.
Kaleigh, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. We’d love to hear about a project that you’ve worked on that’s meant a lot to you.
I think the last time I interviewed with you, I was about to shoot the feature film “Somewhere in Montana”. Now it’s about to release in theaters nationwide this year on October 18th! (It’s got international releases as well, I’m just not able to discuss where yet). It was one of the most phenomenal films I’ve worked on to date. There’s a message the film conveys that I think the world could really use right about now. As far as the experience on set goes, it forged some of the deepest and most meaningful connections one could ask for. Coming up, there are some truly great projects that may also bring about some of the same depth.
I’ve two really unique/intriguing features I’m slated for next year that I’m super excited about. The first, “15 to Sunrise”, is from Joel Austin and Robert Capron. The second is “Ghost in the Rearview Mirror” from Galen Andrus. I’m also shooting a gorgeous short in Montana called “Copper Horizon”.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
I’m an actor, sometimes writer, who’s been acting since age 5. I started in theater, began to explore the film world at age 18, and studied at Academy of Art University to further my craft. I lead my first feature film at 19 and have gone on to lead many films, have won accolades at national and international film festivals, and have loved every moment along the way. Many highs, many lows. But that’s the nature of the film industry, particularly in recent years. It’s never been a stranger time to work in the film industry, with Covid and then the strike, then A.I. developing at such a rapid pace and specifically entering into our world as actors. I think “The Congress” was far ahead of it’s time. Very curious to see what comes next.
On a slightly lighter note, I’ve just written my first feature film that is toying with some of these concepts directly. I’m super excited to develop this idea and potentially get it shot. It’s a new sort of vulnerability I’ve yet to experience until now.
What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?
For me, all acting comes down to connection. That and revealing truths. In approaching a character’s objective, you’re always dancing around either forming, deepening, breaking or testing a connection. You’re also equally playing with truth. Are you laying all your cards on the table in a scene? Keeping some of your agenda hidden/revealing half truths? Putting on a false face? And since acting is just a mirror for our everyday existence, these are things we constantly do as humans, whether we’re cognizant of it or not.
I think one of the most beautiful things this career can achieve is simply to open a viewers eyes to a new perspective; to a new way of thinking, a new way of feeling.
That’s what film has done for me, and that’s what I hope to perpetuate for others.
Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative?
I’m not sure if this is even something all creatives understand sometimes. The idea that it’s completely alright to find sustenance in things that lie outside your art form. You don’t always have to be “on”. Some of the best growth I’ve had as an artist wasn’t from taking the hottest new classes or from grinding until I couldn’t…it was after moments of peace and quiet and reflection. Moments where I focused on things outside of myself and didn’t hyper-focus on what I had achieved or not achieved.
I think we all need to remember that life exists outside of the film industry. You can live/eat/breath film and also live a full, beautiful life outside of it. I’d argue that you need to if you want to become a better artist.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm5068254/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lord.macchio/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kaleigh.macchio.5/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@KaleighMacchio
- Soundcloud: https://on.soundcloud.com/8X8MTEsXj8TrDzkJ6
Image Credits
Dan Lao, AJ Young, Padraic O’Meara, Galen Andrus