Interview With a Lifetime Star: Megan Elizabeth Barker

{WARNING: Interview contains Picture Perfect Lies spoilers}

Trevor Wells: Hello Megan! Thank you for taking the time out of your schedule to talk with me. So, let's start with the nitty-gritty: what first sparked your interest in acting?

Megan Elizabeth Barker: I got into acting on accident, actually. When I started high school, I needed an elective and drama seemed interesting, so I decided to sign up. I had never thought about being an actor, but I had been a part of two small skits in classes in middle school, so I thought why not? But then I performed my very first monologue in class, and it was as if everything came together and just made perfect sense. I just knew after that, there was nothing else I wanted to do.

Trevor Wells: Excellent! I can relate to discovering your lifelong passion in high school. Going forward to your college years, though, I see that in addition to theatre, you also studied psychology. What led you down that double-majored path and how has it impacted your acting work?

Megan Elizabeth Barker: I was incredibly fortunate to receive a full scholarship to the school I attended, so I thought to myself, “Might as well get another degree while I’m at it.” But really, I took AP psych in high school, and I joke around that it was the only class I felt like I learned something in vs. just regurgitating what I was taught for tests. Psychology and acting both require you to dig deeper and figure out what makes people tick, so it makes sense to me. In terms of how it has affected my work, I think it’s hard to say. Psychology helps me work on the “how people think,” and the acting work helps me explore the “what people feel.” But what people are thinking and feeling don’t always line up. So having an awareness of both help me create a fuller picture of a character.

Trevor Wells: I can see that being a great asset to the acting process. And after the bumpy ride I had through college, you have my respect for taking on two majors. How would you characterize your journey into the entertainment business?

Megan Elizabeth Barker: Well, my entry into the industry was sort of me barreling in going, “OK, I’m doing this, no looking back.” And I worked on literally anything people would hire me for: student films, music videos, etc. Then I started getting slightly better short films with bigger budgets. Then I started getting feature films. Then I started getting feature films with bigger budgets. Each year has given me something new to be proud of. Some new stage of my career to look forward to. Of course I wish I were further along, of course I wish I had some insanely popular movie that was beloved by Hollywood, of course I want more than what I have now. But I know that if I keep moving forward and keep working and keep loving what I do, I will get to exactly where I am meant to be.

Trevor Wells: Awesome attitude! Keep it up with your hard work and dedication and it's bound to add up to something great. Speaking of your short films, I was wondering if any of them are currently available online to watch? I do short film review lists a lot and I have a particular interest in checking out Killing Kate.

Megan Elizabeth Barker: I actually am not totally sure which of my shorts are publicly available. I have a lot of footage from my shorts, but I have very few full projects. The only bad thing about shorts is that very often, they are made for the festival circuit or for pitches for bigger projects and so they never publicly release them.

Trevor Wells: I understand. I'll keep an eye out anyways. So as of late, what would you say has been your most memorable/most influential project as of yet? Most memorable/inspiring co-star?

Megan Elizabeth Barker: I think Picture Perfect Lies, that you just saw, is my current favorite. Simply because it was my first project where I was the TRUE lead of a project, and it really made me work all the muscles that I have been training over the last few years. We train and we train, and when we finally get to put it all to use, it feels amazing. I loved my director, because he really let me and Jamie [Roy] just have fun. There wasn’t a single day on that set that felt like work. I had a director that trusted me, co-stars that wanted to play just as much as me, and a crew that was super fun and professional. For my smaller projects, I think my tiny little spot on Wild West Chronicles will have a special place in my heart. My grandfather, who passed away a few years ago, loved westerns. So I like to think I got to do that for him.

Trevor Wells: Great about Picture Perfect Lies, and beautiful that you got to honor your grandfather through your work on Wild West Chronicles. While Picture Perfect Lies may've been your first true lead role, your first true Lifetime role was last year's histrionic masterpiece Deadly Mile High Club as unwitting pawn Daniella. What's the story behind your casting and what was filming like?

Megan Elizabeth Barker: Best description of that movie ever. But casting was actually kind of quick. I self-submit all of the time, and I self-submitted on this one. I hardly ever do my casting emails first thing when I wake up, but on this particular morning, I was scrolling through and saw that they needed a lookalike for an actress with a quick turnaround. I clicked her image and thought to myself, “I could probably be her.” So I submitted and got an audition request about an hour later, due the same day. I taped it a few hours later, submitted, and about an hour after that I was on hold. And then the next day, they sent me my deal memo. It all happened very fast. My part was 3 days of filming total, and I was only in one scene each day. So filming went pretty quick. Except for the day where we filmed my “secret affair” thing. I ripped my pants straight down the middle. We had to hold filming while the costume guy sewed my pants back together haha.

Trevor Wells: LOL! Sounds like an interesting shoot. As for your first leading role in Picture Perfect Lies, what was it like stepping into the main spotlight for the first time?

Megan Elizabeth Barker: I’ve had major roles in features before. I was in a film as a lead type role, but it was structured like a movie such as Love, Actually with an ensemble cast. This was the first movie where I was on like 97 out of 100 pages. But it was INCREDIBLE. I got really work on a full character arc where I have time to sit in each moment and flesh it out. It was also the first time where I had to really track my own performance and emotions and thoughts over multiple shooting days and multiple days within the story. My director really allowed me to embrace the character that I wanted to be. He let me play and try multiple things in multiple takes. Do I think it was a perfect performance? No. But I’m not sure I will ever think I have a perfect performance. But this was the first time I felt I was able to fully spread my wings and try to see what I could be capable of.

Trevor Wells: Sounds like a great experience! What's the story behind you being cast as Rachel Collins and what was the filming process like this time around?

Megan Elizabeth Barker: Oh, if I am being 100% honest, I fully think they confused my tapes with someone else. I was disgustingly sick when I submitted my self tape. I had like a 103 fever and I wasn’t even sure I could hear myself talking, and my reader was feeding me lines through a landline because I had horrible cell service. But a week later, I got a call that I booked it. Then the director called me and talked about how much he loved my tape, and I was like “…are you sure?” hahaha. The funny thing about self taping is that the ones where you just let yourself go and just be are the ones you book. I was too sick to get in my own way, I guess, so I was just able to be there in the moment. I’ve mentioned it briefly already, but filming was great. It’s really amazing when you are on a movie set and everyone comes together to just try and do the best job they can, to make the best movie they can. We filmed the whole movie in 11 days, and I was basically in every scene every day, so I was doing 10-12 hour days every single day. I would get home each night, run my lines for the next day, then pass out, and do it all again. And it was bliss.

Trevor Wells: Sounds like exhausting work, but I'd say it all paid off in the end. Though as you might've seen in my review for Picture Perfect Lies, I took great issue with Rachel's concluding speech. I felt that after all the terrible things that Angela and Spencer did, Rachel dismissing their actions as "human desperation" that they shouldn't be condemned for was infuriating. What's your take on that?

Megan Elizabeth Barker: I don’t think she “dismissed it,” so much as she allowed herself to believe that there could still be good in the world. They were her parents for years. When Rachel's "dad" was shot (and I guess died), she still mourned him. The interesting thing about trauma is that we can recognize something as trauma, but still feel something for it. But also finding something to blame their actions on probably helped Rachel try to reconcile how everything could have happened. Humans need to find a reason or a purpose in something. Was it a little lighthearted compared to their actions? Yes. But this is a Lifetime movie, they don’t typically go TOO dark.

Trevor Wells: I can understand that. The whole "human desperation" angle still gets under my skin, but I still commend Rachel for wanting something good to come out of all that she was put through. Though the Lifetime fan in me has to object to that last comment; they may not go into PG-13 rated territory, but I've seen a fair amount of Lifetime movies that explore heavier subjects and stories. Anything else in my reviews for either Picture Perfect Lies or Deadly Mile High Club you'd like to comment on/talk about?

Megan Elizabeth Barker: Jamie [Roy] actually sent yours [the Picture Perfect Lies review] to me and, in my own self-critiquing brain, I went straight for all the parts where you felt it was not as strong of a movie. I believe one of the comments involved “shaky moments” and of course, I zeroed in on that and went down a rabbit hole. But then I reminded myself, this truly was my first opportunity ever to have a role this big. To think that I would be winning any sort of Emmy off this is kind of silly thinking, haha. I am still young, I am still learning, and I am still trying. It just means I need to work harder. And I have also learned my performances will never be everyone's cup of tea. Or any actor's performance really. People have their own thoughts, opinions, and judgements. To believe every performance will be universally accepted and applauded isn’t realistic.

Trevor Wells: I appreciate you taking my critiques with collected grace. I'd say you had just as many good moments as you did shaky ones in Picture Perfect Lies. And you're right on the money about acting and film being subjective. Speaking of Jamie Roy, what was working with him like? I specifically ask about him because, looking over your social media, it seems you two really clicked after Picture Perfect Lies.

Megan Elizabeth Barker: Yes, he and I got along really well on set, so we’ve stayed in touch. I would say we certainly became friends beyond just being co-stars. We stay up to date on each other’s projects and we support each other when we can. On set, he was always prepared and professional, but was also ready to have a good time. He and I spent plenty of time being goofs when the camera wasn’t rolling. I was actually his first on-screen kiss!! He and I spent most of the movie together, it felt like, so we had plenty of time to get to know each other. He’s a wonderful person.

Trevor Wells: Aww, that's sweet to hear! Sounds like Jamie has a lot in common with his character Adam then. Anything about your current projects or future plans you can tell me about? Have any interest in becoming a regular Lifetime star?

Megan Elizabeth Barker: I just wrapped a rom-com feature film. That's my first rom-com, so that’s cool. In terms of new stuff, nothing on the horizon at the moment, but with this industry, that could change in a moment. In terms of becoming a regular, I don’t want to say I don’t want to be a regular, but I do want to expand my horizon. This rom-com will make 3 Lifetime-type movies, and I would love to do some other indie-type movie that’s a little quirkier, or goes a little darker, or is just different over all. I love trying new things. I want to explore all styles and genres. Don’t get me wrong though, if Lifetime wants to just keep giving me opportunities to do what I love, I won’t be mad haha.

Trevor Wells: Great to hear! Best wishes with whatever the industry brings your way. To wrap up our talk, what advice do you have for other aspiring actors?

Megan Elizabeth Barker: To be cliché, it’s a marathon, not a race. This sucks sometimes. And to throw in another cliché, you have to know deep in your heart that this is the only option for you. If this is the only option for you, then it’s easy. You just keep working. And you don’t stop. And you will never have to ask yourself “what if.”

Trevor Wells: As someone who has known since childhood that writing was what they wanted to do for the rest of their life, I'm right there with ya. Again, all the best going forward in your career and I look forward to seeing what's next for you!