McKenna Ralston shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.
Hi McKenna, thank you for taking the time to reflect back on your journey with us. I think our readers are in for a real treat. There is so much we can all learn from each other and so thank you again for opening up with us. Let’s get into it: Have any recent moments made you laugh or feel proud?
I’m no longer afraid to create my own work. For a long time, I thought I had to wait for permission, wait to be cast, wait to be chosen, but I realized the most powerful thing I can do as an artist is choose myself. Whether it’s writing a film, crafting a song, or picking up my guitar to work through a feeling, creating has become my way of reclaiming agency. I don’t always know where it’s going to lead, but I know that making something honest, on my terms, is always worth it. I’m not going to be a phone call actress.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My name is McKenna, and I’m a professional actor. While my roots are in film and television, I’ve developed a slow-burn, deeply passionate relationship with theatre—one that’s completely transformed the way I approach my work. I currently train in the Masterclass at The Ivana Chubbuck Studio in West Hollywood, where we dive into material from plays, TV, and film with emotional depth and rigor. I’m equally drawn to comedy and drama, though I’ve been told my natural intensity, sensitivity, offbeat-ness, and—let’s be honest—lifelong flair for the dramatic give me a certain edge when it comes to the heavier stuff. I also find joy in writing, producing, and directing, and am constantly working to stretch myself as an artist.
Amazing, so let’s take a moment to go back in time. What did you believe about yourself as a child that you no longer believe?
When I was young girl, all I wanted to be was an adult. I would call my mom’s friends on their lunch breaks at 4-years old and ask them how their day was, what they had for lunch, and what the rest of their day was looking like. I was curious about taxes, how the world worked, and wanted responsibilities from such a young age. Now that I’m not a kid, all I want is to go back in time and feel for a second what I think I was taking for granted. Thankfully, with acting, tapping into my inner child has brought me the closest thing I think I can feel to that special time in one’s youth hood. Maybe when I have children one day I can feel that, but for now, acting has brought me the space to play, imagine, self-reflect, and hear “her” voice again.
This year, I had the incredible opportunity to write, act, direct, and produce a short film alongside my dear friend, Kimi Rutledge. 10 Years tells the story of two best friends reuniting just before their ten-year high school reunion… except they haven’t spoken since the falling out that ended their friendship a decade ago. We shot the film in Seattle, where I was born and raised, which added a whole other layer of meaning for me. Returning home helped me reconnect with my inner child and brought a deeper emotional truth to the work. It felt like a full-circle moment. I can’t wait to make more films and tell the stories I want to tell.
When did you stop hiding your pain and start using it as power?
What I find so powerful about the Chubbuck Technique is that it centers the actor’s power. It’s about taking pain and using it as fuel—not just on stage or on set, but in life. Learning to transform my own struggles into drive and purpose has become a kind of talisman for me. I can feel it when I slip into victimhood—and while I give myself full permission to cry, scream, and feel—I no longer want to live there. It’s easy to get stuck in a victim mindset, but what’s far more liberating—and honestly, more tasty—is turning that pain into something cathartic, something prosperous, something alive.
I think our readers would appreciate hearing more about your values and what you think matters in life and career, etc. So our next question is along those lines. What’s a belief or project you’re committed to, no matter how long it takes?
To stay in the race.
Okay, so before we go, let’s tackle one more area. What is the story you hope people tell about you when you’re gone?
I hope people say that I was someone who felt everything deeply and still showed up. That I created work that made people feel seen, or a little less alone. That I told the truth. That I loved hard, laughed loud, and didn’t waste time pretending to be anything other than exactly who I was. I hope they say I made art that mattered.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm9195499/
- Instagram: @mckennaralston
Image Credits
Matt Kallish (headshots)
