Life & Work with Meghan St Thomas of Hollywood

Today we’d like to introduce you to Meghan St Thomas.

Hi Meghan, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I’m a New Yorker. Really I’m an upstate New Yorker who fantasized about the city and moved there right after collage. I always dreamed and pictured myself only in NYC. The smell of the streets, the subway, Broadway. It was all my brain could ever conceptualized and all I believed I was worthy of achieving. But, there’s a saying in NYC. Not the typical one you know about. Though that one does come up in this story. There is another, lesser known saying that fills the air constantly amongst New Yorkers. New York is a hard city, not everyone can live there. At first, I really felt honored since I lived 5 years of my adult life in Brooklyn. My dad lived in Yonkers for some time so I would visit in the summer. As far as I was concerned I passed the test. I could live there and all those other people were soft who just couldn’t. I was proud, judgmental and a little entitled until I started having depressive thoughts on the subway platform. I didn’t know why it was happening but every time I was alone. I could feel a pull. And the more I was surrounded by people, because in New York, you are always surrounded by people. The more I laughed with friends. The more I made jokes to my roommates. The louder the call came. And one day, It won.

And that day is when I knew I wasn’t one of those people that could handle living in NYC. I started going to therapy and reading self help books. Don’t laugh those actually can work. But the biggest shift came when I started writing sketch comedy. With the goal that I wanted to make a vehicle for performers who might also be struggling with navigating the business to come to and have a home to perform in. I developed a show in NYC cast all my friends, comedic and non. Slapped a band in there and felt like this was my direction. But I knew, New York was no longer home. I made the decision that maybe it was ok for me to expand my idea of what I might be capable of. Beyond Broadway, and decided to move to LA. At first I told myself it was just for the summer. My agents were out here and I had a lot of great audition opportunities, so naturally a summer turned into a year. Which after a pandemic and union strikes has turned into a 7 year long break from the city I love. And a break from the city that holds all my ghosts.

Truth is, If I can be frankly honest, If I didn’t come to Hollywood. I wouldn’t be here today. LA has provided in what might seem like a turn of events. A place for me to rest, and heal. And strangely enough BREATHE. I have so much room to myself out here. No one on the side walks. No crowded subways. Super cheap busses! Much cheaper than NYC. I got a dog, a boyfriend and I got space to think and to really find myself. And I realized, that famous saying about NYC you know the one that goes ” if you can make it here you can make it anywhere” doesn’t just apply to show biz in New York. It applies to work ethic, hustle, and the ability to keep going even after you’ve been kicked down. So, though I may be a New Yorker at heart. I know this is where I’m meant to call home. And the lack of snow isn’t so bad either.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
There is no clear path in LA. Especially now with the current state of the industry. There is the way it was operating before the strikes and after. So I feel as an actor It’s difficult to keep your mind set going strong and not just quit. It’s a struggle especially when you aren’t famous or are an up and coming now battling AI. But in an odd way I feel built for the challenge ahead. Maybe because I’m an Aquarius.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I am an actor, voice artist and comedy writer. I’m most proud of how I’ve learned to build my own opportunities — writing and producing my own material instead of waiting for the “right” role to come along. I really believe in empowering other actors and performers to create for themselves, to not give up, and know that they are worthy of being called to this career.

If we knew you growing up, how would we have described you?
I was a square. I really believed whole heartedly in the rules. My mother tells the tale that she had to really be strict with my older brother, but with me, I would just know if I did something wrong and I would ground myself. I really was a child who was convinced that If I did everything I was told to do I would be rewarded with my one and only dream to be on Broadway. I know now that’s not how it works. But that’s the little straight A, straight edge, choir student I was. Also, I was in gang.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://meghanstthomas.wixsite.com/actor
• Instagram: @meghanstthomas
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCEZHxHZk5RgPgKnpFKxjd2Q
• Soundcloud: https://on.soundcloud.com/DhLUUgRoHvwMjvwmnZ