Meet Megan Clancy | Actress

We had the good fortune of connecting with Megan Clancy and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Megan, what are you inspired by?
I am part of Lights! Camera! Access (LCA) community online, and I feel really inspired when I see other actors, both with and without various disabilities, not giving up on their dream of being on network television. Some of them have been auditioning for many years, and I admire them for not giving up on their goal. That kind of perseverance really inspires me to keep my eye on the ball. That was what my father told me when I was a kid–“keep your eye on the ball.” I am also inspired to see so many more Deaf actors showing up on the big screen. This was something I did not see that often while growing up. Within the last few years, I’ve watched Sound of Metal, CODA, A Quiet Place, Chicago Medical, New Amsterdam, and Feeling Through becoming big hits because of their profound stories that have a strong impact on various audiences. I am truly inspired and moved by the cast and crew involved in all of those films. I am excited to see more projects featuring performers of all abilities pop up on TV and at the movies. Additionally, I am inspired with what The Ruderman Family Foundation has been doing to include more performers of various abilities behind the camera and in front of the camera in both news and entertainment. Lastly, I am always inspired by a very supportive community for performers who are Deaf and who have various types of disabilities with LCA who celebrate disability as a form of diversity that needs to be known to the public.

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 am actually a scientist who is analyzing what I am made of as a person. I have 2 degrees in science–one in biology and the other in genetics. I always have been fascinated by the arts about how it can put an impact on people in so many ways. I am different from others since of my science background and I am also a burn survivor. I suffered from a chemical burn as an infant which left my right ankle badly scarred. I basically moved to Los Angeles to become a “lab rat” at the House Ear Institute for several months. Then while in Los Angeles, I got an invitation to a talk show to discuss my experiences with hearing sound for the first time with cochlear implants. This experience inspired me to be on TV after realizing what impact I have on hearing parents who have Deaf children. I networked with many other actors and artists to be involved in various projects through workshops, classes, and online support groups. I’ve learned that the most important part of being an actress is to keep on working on my craft since I always learn something new every time. I am who I am, and I’ve learned that I am a human who enjoys storytelling through acting, I want artists to know that Deaf actors can play any role, not just Deaf characters. There are Deaf doctors, lawyers, parents, writers, etc. and we need to see stories like that pop up in Hollywood. I feel proud for continuing working on my acting craft which have led to be featured on Amazon Prime and Tubi. I also use humor to get through life and you will sometimes see this through my acting work in comedy. What I’ve learned that the art community requires collaboration for anyone to be successful. Keep your eye on the ball.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I’d take my best friend to San Diego!

Day 1: Visit the San Diego Zoo for one day, then have dinner at the Old Spaghetti Factory in San Diego. Then close the evening with ice cream or chocolate from Ghiradelli Ice Cream shop.

Day 2: I would take my friend to Carlsbad to visit the beach for the day, then go for a long walk along Carlsbad’s ocean-side boardwalk. Then we can eat at one of the restaurants on the waterfront.

Day 3: I would show my friend Coronado Island, going out to lunch at the Coronado Hotel. Then we will take a boat ride back to downtown San Diego, and eat dinner at SeaPort Village.

Day 4: I’d then show my friend Balboa Park and have a picnic lunch there for the day. Then I’d show my friend Little Italy in San Diego and try out one of those Italian places.

Day 5: We will leave San Diego and visit Disneyland–starting with Disneyland itself. We will swim at the pool at Disneyland Hotel and eat dinner there.

Day 6: We will finish our Disneyland visit with a visit at California Adventure Park and eat dinner at Naples at Downtown Disney then listen to the free music there.

Day 7: I’d take my friend for a tour of “Hollywood” visiting the Hollywood sign, Beverly Hills, and Hollywood Highland and eat dinner at California Pizza Kitchen before saying good bye the next day.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Tari Hartman Squire with Lights! Camera! Access as she does a lot of work with LCA. I want to give a shoutout to The Ruderman Family Foundation for fighting to get more people of various abilities to get in front and behind the camera. I want to thank The Gamut Management and C Talent Management for collaborating with me to pursue my goals as an actress.

Website: http://megan-clancy.com

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

Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/meganclancy01

Twitter: www.twitter.com/Meganalayna01

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/megan.clancy.96

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCiZC3qHTz7bok5ULOSx7k_A

Other: Instagram: @meganalayna

Image Credits
An Unlikely Alliance: TME Productions Tech Support: Mara Clancy Headshot: Maria Tornberg: Tornberg Headshots Dance photos: Pas d’ASL Company