Rising Stars: Meet Megan Nager

Today we’d like to introduce you to Megan Nager.

Hi Megan, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I pretty much came out of the womb loving to act, dance and sing and spent my childhood watching any type of comedic content I could get my hands on, my favorite being late 80s Saturday Night Live and I Love Lucy. However, as much as I wanted to be a child actor, my parents encouraged me to focus on school and being a kid. So, after graduating from Washington University in St. Louis with a B.A. in English Literature and a minor in Spanish Literature, I packed my bags and moved to LA, not knowing a single soul. After attending The American Academy of Dramatic Arts and Eric Morris’s Actor’s Workshop, I began to audition as an actor and perform stand-up comedy. During this time, I discovered my love for creating my own digital content – i.e., comedic social media videos that made fun of trends I found to be not just funny but also toxic. Creating my own content inspired me to learn about all aspects of filmmaking – including roles behind the camera like producing, directing and editing. In 2015, I landed a job at Steve Carrell’s production company, Carousel Productions, and worked as Associate Producer on several films and documentaries. Following this experience, I decided to launch my own production company, House of Production, during which time my partner and I produced dozens of music videos, mini-series and short films. In 2018, I linked up with my current producing partner, Corey Turner, to launch Wake and Make Media, our marketing and production company that works with clients throughout the entire country. Corey and I have written, filmed and produced three series on Amazon Prime and have worked with both small and large companies including Miss Universe, PBR, Ciroc, MTV, Live Free, CannaAid and more, to create high-quality digital content.

In 2020, I launched the now viral Tiktok account, It’s Conspiracy Seriously, with fellow comedian Erin Darling, where we break down and/or debunk popular pop culture conspiracy theories. The popularity of our account landed us a deal with Spotify Live, who we partnered with to launch the weekly live podcast POPSPIRACY. We are currently on our second season, and each week, Erin and I spend an hour breaking down and unpacking the strangest information we find on the internet.

As of 2022, I’ve been working on expanding Wake and Make Media and Popspiracy and have begun performing stand-up comedy throughout the Southeast, most performing in Boca Raton, Florida, for a crowd of 200. Since the start of my career in Hollywood, I’ve garnered a social media following of over 300,000 followers and used my online presence to spread laughter and question societal trends. As an actor, I’ve appeared in both comedic and dramatic series and feature films on networks such as Amazon, TruTV, and Kevin Hart’s LOL Network. Most recently, I acted in a national Bojangles commercial. When I’m not working on creating content for myself and Wake and Make Media’s clients, I’m working on stand-up material and producing a feature film that I hope to film in 2023.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
When I was a kid, I thought the road to success was fairly simple and straightforward, but oh, was I wrong. Especially because entering and then navigating the world of entertainment and Hollywood is anything but simple. That’s because no one’s life is ever smooth or straightforward if they play it safe. And throwing yourself into an industry that you’re not super familiar with and navigating the setbacks and rejections that come along with it is challenging. There have been many struggles along the way – including dealing with conflicting personalities, being told “no” by agents and managers, having your artwork critiqued in harsh ways, and more. However, although the journey hasn’t been totally smooth, it’s been exciting and forced me to grow in ways I never in a million years thought I would. If you don’t struggle at some point during your career, I’m pretty sure you’re doing something wrong. However, if you’re not, give me a call and let me in on your secret 😉

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
As an artist, if I’m not creating my own digital content or performing stand-up, then I’m working with other artists, brands and businesses to create content for them. After years of being told that I was “doing too much” and to just focus on one thing, I’ve finally reached a point where I can confidently say that I am so happy I didn’t just focus on one thing and that I did listen to my gut and followed my numerous passions. Because I’ve been fortunate enough to learn and work on many different sets and in so many different roles on set, I’ve been able to discover that my true passion is expressing myself through digital videos and shedding light on societal issues through a comedic lens. I think one of my strongest gifts is being able to see something from multiple points of view, and I try to consistently implement that in every piece of work I make. I love to question the status quo and really challenge people to think. I’ve always wanted to express myself creatively all while remaining true to myself and positively impacting those around me.

What does success mean to you?
For a long time, success meant outside validation for me. Although this may never have been a conscious thought in my mind, as I’ve gotten older and look back, I can admit that the concept of success meant that I was “famous” or “making it” to some extent. And I have to admit that it’s easy to fall into this way of thinking, especially if you’re on social media as much as I am and creating digital content. The amount of likes and followers you get can make you feel like your following and engagement is the only way to measure your success, and sadly, I’ve been guilty of thinking like this. However, it’s so important to remind ourselves that this really means nothing. Because if you have millions of followers but aren’t happy or are struggling to afford a meal, are you actually successful? Success is such a subjective term and I know that everyone has a different definition of what it means to them. However, for me, after about a decade of searching for external validation, I can confidently say that I define success as being happy and being surrounded by friends and family who love me and have my back. Some of the times that I’ve been making the most money I’ve ever made or have received the most notoriety that I ever have been the loneliest times of my life.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.megan-nager.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meganmakescomedy/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/meganagercomedy/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/nagertherager
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChsqmSKcrs9aHpoLV2jUMiQ

Image Credits
Sergio Estevez