Meet Maeve Thompson Osgood | Actor, Singer, Writer & Model

We had the good fortune of connecting with Maeve Thompson Osgood and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Maeve, how has your background shaped the person you are today?
I was raised in Durham, North Carolina by two parents from the Northeast. We were a very close family growing up, and still are. My parents did a wonderful job of pushing my brother and me to do what made us happy, and it has made all the difference. There are endless traps for parents to fall into, whether it’s pushing your kids too hard, making them do something that’s “good for them”, or even not pushing them hard enough. My parents walked a very thin line between helping us pursue our passions and making sure we were mentally healthy adults. Growing up in a small town with Duke University right across the road, there was a lot of pressure from my peers to either be the best or disappear. My parents were adamant about my happiness and mental health being my first priority, and never let me feel like I was a “failure” for not wanting the same things as my classmates. One of the best things they did for me was encourage me to treat my art like the career I wanted it to be. So many kids are discouraged from becoming artists because their families fear for their financial security, so they don’t let their children dive into their creativity the way they need to in order to make it a viable career path. I am one of very few artists I know who decided they were going to be an actor and got full support from their family. I would not be here today without them, and they are the reason I continue to thrive as an actor.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I have been pursuing an acting career in Los Angeles for four years now, and they have been the best and most trying years of my life. Anyone can move to LA and say they are becoming an actor, but having the stamina to stay, to accept every rejection and practice and to turn every disappointment into a learning opportunity is what separates the real actors from the day trippers. I started my career here with no support system and no connections, and throughout my four years, I have built both. Acting is no longer the starry eyed young girls who move to a big city and get discovered because of their lovely voice or pretty face. Actors must be multi-talented; writing their own scripts, working stunts, directing their friends pieces, shelling out money to create their own films. Since the industry has been over-saturated with young hopefuls, it has become increasingly difficult to grab the attentions of larger agencies and management companies, so the investment actors have to make in themselves has been increasing drastically. You are starting your own business, with no guarantee of a return on your investment. But every class, workshop, headshot session, photo shoot, and writing room I join is another step towards my goal that I am happy to take. In our current world, an acting career is what you make of it: it is self-propelled, self-advertised, and completely held up by the support of your friends and community. We have to be our own advocates, and we have to run ourselves like the business we are hoping to be. My brand is down to earth, edgy and straightforward, and I sell that every day in what I write, what I sing and the images I post. It is not easy, but all the work is worth it for those moments where I get to act and share a story someone out there will connect with. I wouldn’t trade those moments for anything.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
If my friends were visiting me in Los Angeles, I would skip the Sunset Strip and head right to Point Dume in Malibu. One of the wonderful things about LA is that you are never more than an hour from a beach. Because so many people move here from all over, we also have a huge diversity of food and entertainment, so I would probably check out Grand Central market or the Studio City Farmers Market. I’d follow that up with some vintage shopping on Magnolia, where It’s A Wrap is located – a great place to find good quality clothes with a lot of studio power behind them. I also love hiking on the weekends, and there are some gorgeous waterfall hikes just outside the city in Altadena I’ve been dying to take my friends to.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I dedicate my Shoutout to Claire Osgood, Darrell Thompson and Connor Thompson, my incredibly unique and loving family.

Website: https://maevethompsonosgood.weebly.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/maevethompsonosgood/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/maeve.osgood

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcNSkyn-LFNy_rOEEMTHrsw

Image Credits
Deidhra Fahey, Forrest Leo, Fareed Yates