We were lucky to catch up with Michael MacLeod recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Michael, thanks for joining us today. Can you talk to us about how you learned to do what you do?

The biggest obstacle that has stood in my way throughout my pursuit of a career in acting is the hesitation to commit to a decision. In acting, it is vital that we really commit, truly and wholly, so that the outcome is unmistakeable. As a newcomer to professional sets or big theatre companies, it can be easy to second guess your decisions before you’ve even had a chance to experiment. However, I would argue that the experimentation is where the real artistry takes place – it takes a lot of extreme failures to achieve the result you want. As such, I don’t think there is anything I would have done differently to expedite the learning process because I am still learning. Every class and every production I have been a part of has made me the unique actor I am today. I wouldn’t be as proficient as I am if I never found out what didn’t work.

Michael, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I flew to Los Angeles 4 years ago to pursue a career as an actor. My entire focus was put into exactly that – Acting. I wasn’t interested in anything else at that time but over the years (and through a pandemic), I learned the importance of creating opportunities for my peers. I founded my production company, Correspondent Productions, earlier this year and have discovered the joys of both producing original work in collaboration with other artists as well as serving as a vessel in someone else’s’ story whilst acting. I believe that one of the main things that sets me apart as an artist is my openness. I am open to trying new approaches to acting, to new cultural perspectives and new experiences. It is this willingness to step outside my comfort zone that has allowed me to see beyond the box that so many others allow themselves to stay in. I hope I continue to seek out these new experiences and opportunities for as long as possible!

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

A professor at USC spoke to our class about her definition of success. Her definition was to wake up every day and create. It’s simple and straight to the point. After a lot of deliberation, my definition of success is to understand more about myself and the world than I did yesterday. Acting and producing are the perfect ways for me to do this. I hope to enrich others’ lives (whether that be an audience member or a collaborator) through the specific stories I am a part of. Other cultures and traditions are key to the way I approach my work and they allow me to further my understanding of the world around me, whilst also uplifting other communities at the same time. Correspondent Productions specialises in global stories, and I have already learned so much from interviewing a variety of people from all over the world and researching unique traditions.

What can society do to ensure an environment that’s helpful to artists and creatives?

The best thing society can do to support artists is engage with their work. The discourse surrounding art is often the most influential part of it so any attempt to further the conversation is helpful to the artist who created the performance. I would also urge everyone to help create spaces where artists feel safe enough to fail miserably and spectacularly in order to refine their process and grow from their shortcomings.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://michael-macleod.co.uk/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/michael1429/