Victoria G Interviews Doug MacDougall

Victoria G: What inspired you to become an actor?

Doug MacDougall: I was always shy and withdrawn as a child but I fell in love with the magic of TV and Film, escaping to a whole new world each week. My parents were always very nurturing and supported me as I would strut upon the stage. Music ran in our family as my father was a country/western booking agent and my mother grew up singing in the church choir. I also had a Grade 7/8 teacher who inspired me to break out of my shell and explore the Dramatic Arts. I developed a voice on stage and found my tribe (of fellow actors/artists) in various community and regional theatre productions. I gravitated towards comedy more so than drama and even musical comedy including English pantomime. Being surrounded by people growing up who also shared this same love of music and theatre added to my ultimate desire or calling (vocation) to become an actor.

VG: Who are your acting inspirations?

DM: If I were to share my acting inspirations, it would most certainly be: -Robert Downey Jr. (who I bear a striking resemblance to) because he is able to play such a wide range of characters from Charlie Chaplin to Dr. Doolittle and Iron Man and embody their essence body and soul; -the late great Robin Williams who could take you from the ridiculous to the sublime and back again from Mrs. Doubtfire to Mork and Dead Poets Society - with his kinetic energy and heartfelt performances, he was truly a force to be reckoned with; and -Broadway phenom Nathan Lane has always been an inspiration from his body of work in the Birdcage to Forum and the Producers - he's one talented consummate actor with a real gift for musical comedy

VG: What is your favorite thing about acting?

DM: I can escape to a whole other world - another reality in time and space - and become a storyteller, bringing the author's words to life through the characters I play. I can virtually experience things that I wouldn't normally get to do in my day-to-day life. I'm able to channel a full range of emotions and engage audiences with my interpretation of a given character. In essence, acting is a collaboration between writer, director, and actor to create thought-provoking stories that entertain, captivate, and inspire audiences the world over.

VG: What was your first acting job?

DM: My first acting job other than community/regional theatre was playing the role of a cell phone fraudster/handler for a training video. It was a big learning curve - dealing with an overnight shoot in a major department store, remembering lines/cues in French when I'd usually be asleep and delivering for the director and crew in as few takes as possible. I just hope I'm not profiled as a criminal the next time I walk through the door of that North American franchise.

VG: What is your favorite project you have ever done?

DM: Every project I've been involved with to date has been a great learning experience - working with a variety of people in front of and behind the camera in the entertainment industry. I'm like a sponge - listening, taking direction, and observing best practice in a variety of collaborative working styles. If you had to pin me down to one experience, it would be my role as a single Dad with an autistic daughter in the acclaimed independent short film Are You Okay? The role had me digging deep and tapping into some real dark moments as an artist as the character went from nurturing to burned out to struggling with suicidal ideation. The whole production was so well thought out and organized to make the most efficient use of time for all involved and the end result was a film I could say that I was truly proud to be a part of.

VG: What are some qualities you look for in a project?

DM: An opportunity -for growth as an artist and being able to explore and develop a fleshed-out backstory for a character; -to collaborate and work with an enthusiastic production team - the people in front of and behind the camera; -to support up-and-coming filmmakers in college/university and share in their collective vision; -to play a character with some scope of emotion and physicality and push myself out of my comfort zone; -to explore something I've never thought about or learned about before; -to translate a writer's words into a performance that is meaningful, enriching, and entertaining for audiences; -to work with talented, renowned artists i.e. directors, actors and learn from their unique styles; and -to share my God-given talents and abilities with others and having the time to commit to said project.