Talking With Lynn Downey from Amazon Prime Video series “Daisy Jones & The Six”

This edition of Talking With focuses on Lynn Downey, who is the proud and supportive single mom Marlene Dunne Amazon Prime Video's hit series, “Daisy Jones & The Six.”

This limited series comes to us from the Oscar-nominated writing team of Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber, and executive producers Reese Witherspoon and Lauren Levy Neustadter.

It’s based on the best-selling novel by Taylor Jenkins Reid, which was inspired by Fleetwood Mac, “Daisy Jones & The Six” is about a fictional ‘70s-era rock band’s meteoric rise to fame until one night, they suddenly call it quits. Decades later, the band members agree to reveal the truth.

If you’ve been watching television recently, then you might have also seen Lynn on “9-1-1,” “Impeachment: American Crime Story,” “The Rookie,” “S.W.A.T.,” “Deputy,” or “Henry Danger.” She also appears in the comedy feature films, “Faith Based,” and “The People’s Joker.”

Lynn even produces and creates her own projects, which have included the award-winning comedy web series, “Life Group,” and the dramatic short, “Things That Birds Say" with new stuff on the way.

To learn more, we are Talking With Lynn Downey:

Who do you portray in “Daisy Jones & the Six”?

LYNN DOWNEY: I play Marlene Dunne, the loving, working class, single mother of brothers Billy (Sam Clafin) & Graham (Will Harrison). They start the band, ‘The Six’ in Pittsburg before heading to LA where they team up with Daisy Jones.

As an actor, what helped you the most in bringing Marlene Dunne to life?

LD: Scott Neustader and Michael H. Weber created such a truthful and lived-in, actor friendly script that I knew exactly who Marlene was from the moment I read it. There’s a beautiful scene that was sadly cut from the pilot, of Marlene sending her boys off to LA - devastated that they are leaving, but believing in them maybe even more than they believe in themselves.

When I moved to LA from Indiana to become an actor, people would question my parents’ support of me. But my mom would always say, “acting makes her heart sing.” She sacrificed me being in her everyday life because she knew I needed to follow my dream. I think I channeled this in the love Marlene has for her sons.

Where do you start when preparing for a role? And does that change depending on the genre or other factors?

LD: For me, the most direct way into a character is through exploring their backstory. I always discover a magical key that unlocks my understanding of who the character is and what makes them tick. For Daisy Jones, I wrote goodbye letters to the boys when they left Pittsburgh for LA. On the day we filmed that scene, I thought “why not?” and I gave them to Sam Clafin & Will Harrison, who play my sons. I was worried it might have been a bit extra, but they were both floored, and touched. Oh, and a great costume never hurt anyone!

What was your favorite moment from working on the show?

LD: Overall, getting the chance to collaborate with some of the best players in the game - Reese Witherspoon and Lauren Neustader, Hello Sunshine, Amazon Studios, and directors James Ponsoldt and Nzinga Stewart. The incredible cast was so amazing.

One specific special memory comes from filming in New Orleans. My character finally gets to see her sons in concert after they have hit it big. Camilla Morrone, who plays my daughter-in-law, and I were seated up in the nosebleeds in this huge stadium. I hadn’t seen the cast since we filmed the pilot 6 months before and here they were, performing each song live, rocking out. They had transformed into a real band! And… I myself was 17 weeks pregnant then. So, seeing my TV sons shine so brightly, and getting to share that with the baby in my belly -- it was so easy to connect with that mama pride!

Did you read the book before working on the show?

LD: I bought the book the day I booked the role! I adored the book, just gobbled it up. I was chuckling to myself, and dreaming of what the music would sound like. Each character's voice was so clear -- almost like a play, as it is written in the form of a transcript. This theater gal’s heart was filled to the brim! I underlined, highlighted, and dog-eared every little detail that connected to my part in the story.

Why do you think this story is resonating with audiences?

LD: First, I think this story resonates with audiences because we really love a “pull the curtain back/behind the scenes” look at the real lives of people we admire. It’s so easy to think that someone famous has it all together, the perfect life, but we are all just humans. Seeing their inner struggles helps us feel seen in the day to day struggles we face. I also think we love process stories -- how something came to be, start to finish. We are inspired to think about how far we have come in our own lives, and where we want to keep going.

What inspires you the most creatively?

LD: What inspires me most creatively are other creators. Especially ‘hyphenates’ as so many of us are these days. Actors who write, writers who produce, producers turned entrepreneurs. There is so much courage involved in the process of making something that hasn’t existed before and seeing people dedicate themselves for years to an idea that brings them joy -- hoping it will also bring the world joy in bringing it to life. I’m in awe and it spurs me on to keep going.

Finally, is there anything else you’d like to share with us?

LD: With a mission to serve the creative community, I founded Work of Art Coaching in 2020. I truly believe we are all masterpieces in the making. So, I partner with creatives (artists, entrepreneurs, parents, etc.) to identify and create more prosperity, fulfillment, resilience and impact in their life and work - from the inside out. When we see ourselves, our vocations, and lives as Works of Art, deserving to be treated accordingly, everything changes.

Follow LYNN DOWNEY on Instagram: @lynndowneybraswell and @work.of.art.coaching and on FB: /lynndowneybraswell