Don’t stare for too long into Megan Henry’s piercing ice-blue eyes, or she might surprise you with a 1-2-3 combo otherwise known as Jab-Cross-Left Hook that sends you flying on your ass. And if that doesn’t, her vision of the world and universe is sure to astound and clock you in the head at the same time.
The award-winning actress, writer and producer is as tough as she is beautiful. But that’s what comes from an actress who specializes in action and combines it with a next level hook of spirituality.
Her award-winning performance in the internationally acclaimed anthology series, In Absentia (-Ep. 1-Stranded) , is streaming on Prime Video and Seed & Spark.
Megan also co-produced the award-winning socially conscious short film, Good Guys with Guns, also now streaming on Amazon- with a team of diverse perspectives. Her intent was to disrupt the current divisiveness our country is experiencing, expand conversation and to usher in unity consciousness.
Megan believes that living fully expressed, in your highest joy, is your greatest contribution to the world. When living in this way, you serve your divine calling and seed potential and possibilities for all.
She is a founding member of Badass DoGooders, which is a LEAGUE of heart-driven entrepreneurs, creators, and changemakers on a mission to positively impact our communities, the world and each other.
Reel 360 had a chance to sit with Megan and discuss her upcoming projects as well as how she approaches filmmaking.
First and foremost, who is Megan Henry?
Oooh, this question conjures up the image of the caterpillar in Alice in Wonderland, asking ‘Who am I?’ It’s life’s magical mystery, right?
Thank you for this opportunity to acknowledge all of the aspects of myself that feels scared to declare my multidimensional being.
I Am that I Am that I Am and beyond. I am part of the all there is, the Oneness, pure source consciousness, love & light.
One could also say I’m giving myself permission to play in my fullest expression, embrace every curve, angle and shadow, and continue the deep dive of delicious discovery of my divine demonstration.
Right now, I am learning to embody my sassy sovereign energetic signature, stand in my superpowers and serve my gifts at the highest level for the greatest good of all. Sass is a superpower, as far as I’m concerned.
Megan, you are an actress and an inspirational speaker. Do you see the two areas ever intersecting for you?
Absolutely! Any creative offering, or expression, is an activation and an invitation into greater truths, potentials and possibilities. In fact, this interview is activated with glittery goodness and yummy healing frequencies. Can you feel it?
It’s an opportunity to connect to the subset and the whole, at deeper level and without judgement. My passion is to really get under the surface of our perceptions and shared experiences, and acknowledge the consciousness that informs our individual and collective realities. We must find the courage to honor contrast and all that has been created, as an integral part of evolution.
From this space of higher awareness, we can bring to light all that is ready to shift, heal, transmute and alchemize. And I firmly believe, as we enter this new paradigm, that healing can my fun. There is great treasure to be found in our triggers, when we shift our beliefs. We get to create the new.
We don’t have to continue to participate in old storylines and models of being. OF course the unknown feels scary and implausible. That what makes it so enticing. How can we come together, expand into storytelling that explores stories beyond the story? Can we let go of the idea of the antagonist? Can we trust that life will still be stimulating and exhilarating, without all of our perceived problems?
How can we compassionately come together inspired by our differences, rather than in-spite of?
I know you are a big believer in spirituality and the universe. How do you let those come into play when choosing a role?
Whatever feels most triggering and intimidating, is the next step in my evolution as an actress… as a woman… and my spiritual beingness. I gravitate towards gritty storylines that take me to all of the places and spaces that feel uncomfortable and even disturbing. I love feeling intimidated by a role that requires total surrender to vulnerability and exposes not only the audience, but myself, to the raw emotional underbelly of our humanness.
If I am in judgment of a character or storyline, I see the potential to disrupt the duality of good/bad/right/wrong and to challenge and expand my purview. How can my participation in this storyline, be of the highest offering? How can I let go of my preconceived notions of the character and allow the character to just ‘be’?
Stillness can feel so uncomfortable as we buy into the idea that we have to do more and be in a constant state of motion. In reality, we are here to just ‘be’ and play in that space. This is such a delicious place for me to be as an actor. Can I feel safe in the stillness, can I trust the magic in my being?
With respect to action roles, it’s an experiment in unifying my masculine and feminine aspects, and exploring any energetic imbalances between the two, which always yields yummy surprises.
What inspires you as an artist?
Exploring deeper levels and layers of our great human experiment and what we are creating & who we are choosing to be. It fascinating to delve into the inner working of our experiences and get intimate with the programming, conditions, stories, and beliefs that influence how we navigate through our lives.
We have a tendency to fight for our limitations & the idea that we are separate from our power. Art is a beautiful mirror, especially when we have the courage to take intimate inventory.
To me, art is such an incredible opportunity to view ourselves through a compassionate observer lens. To really expand our purview and allow for higher perspective. While the emotional stakes are real and the consciousness of the script a very palpable exchange of energy, there is a beautiful spaciousness between what is flowing through me, what I am creating in the moment, and the tangible lived experiences in my everyday reality.
I feel supported in allowing myself to be fully present to the conflict or density in the scene, without locking down into the old stories I tell myself about my own experience. For me, it’s catharsis, without submitting to or locking down into the energetic charge.
What energizes you about productions?
The anticipation of the magic and playing in possibilites. Each production is it’s own sacred portal of connection and collaboration.
Surrendering to creative flow and what wants to be brought forth into the collective. It’s a delicious deep dive into various frequencies and perspectives, where I can connect with and explore higher and lower aspects of the human expression—where they intersect, the potential for transmutation, and everything in between.
I want to know: Where are we holding ourselves in limitation and distortion? What is possible beyond our stories? Who do we get to be in that space? When I delve into a role, I’m able to also meet those parts of myself that want to be healed, expressed, seen, integrated, transmuted and shown a shitload of love.
Each character is a great teacher and strengthens my compassion for our human aspect, and the part of us that forget our divinity.
How do you prepare for an action role?
I really ramp up my self care and really tune into my body. Does it want more water, loving self-talk, meditation, appreciation, stretching… mercy?
Breathwork and visualizations are also very key for me as I train for roles. I can more effectively inform my technique, pacing, & style. I find that combined with my innate sense of rhythm and timing, the foundational influence from my dance and gymnastics background, cuts my learning curve in half.
Thank god for my short lived mediocre career as an acrobat.
Breathwork opens up my body to the present moment, which is integral to retaining any sort of choreography. And of course, punching and kicking is so much more thrilling when I am focused.
You have your opportunity to be in a big action franchise – Marvel’s MCU, Terminator, Mad Max or Matrix?
That would be a YES please to all!
Which action actresses inspire you?
All of them. Their sacred “Yes” to themselves and their inspiration alone, is a powerful demonstration of spiritual badassery! Nevermind the rigors and physical demands.
ALSO READ: From “Bahston” to LA – award-winning Hilary Barraford
With COVID, what do you envision as our new normal for the film and TV industry?
The key word for me, is NEW. From a spiritual standpoint, we don’t want status quo, in any aspect of our lives. We are in the midst of the great shake-up, an incredible process of purification, rebalancing and expansion.
In this decade, I think we will see incredible innovation not only in the technical minutiae of filmmaking, but also in the challenging of archetypes our artist expression, in terms of what we decide explore and highlight, outside the boundaries of old ideology to explore and acknowledge, beyond the comfort of our perceptions.
Over time, great curiosity for what’s possible will yield solution oriented storylines -that will be just as entertaining and juicy-with an understanding that everything is simply a frequency. What do we focus on? Where do we assign value, and what is beyond that?
I believe as we learn to connect to ourselves and each other, at a deeper level and align with unity consciousness, all aspects of storytelling will be infused with an even deeper level of energetic as well as emotional texture, nuance and vulnerability.
Tell us about your latest project
I am slated for various upcoming acting projects, and speaking engagements. I have a one hour pilot script in circulation and a book in the works. My heart-centered, service-based production company, is launching sometime in 2021.
I’m also working on a short film project with Colin Costello called Storage which is in my wheelhouse and his – a psychological thriller.
Where is Megan 5 years from now?
Globetrotting and sprinkling goodness and glitter wherever I go. I mean, doesn’t that sound adventurous? In 5 years, I won’t recognize this version of myself, which is so exciting because it means I am playing full out, following my light, ushering in this new earth consciousness through all of my creative endeavors and expressions and dazzling others towards their divine embodiment. All with ease, grace, abundance, sass and having as much fun as possible.
Oh and of course I’ll be the face of the MCU, Terminator, Mad Max and Matrix.
We have no doubt, Megan. Go kick some ass.
Colin Costello is the West Coast Editor of Reel 360. Contact him at colin@reel360.com or follow him on Twitter at @colinthewriter1
