The following essay is by Michelle Monaghan, as told to Natalia Keogan. The actor is starring on Bill Lawrence’s Apple TV+ series “Bad Monkey” (premiering Aug. 14) and will appear on the third season of HBO’s “The White Lotus.”
When you grow up in a town of 700 people in rural Iowa, becoming an actor doesn’t even seem like a possibility. But when I reflect on my career, I can see the steppingstones that led me here. The first was falling in love with “Steel Magnolias.” My cousins and I would reenact the film during every get-together—I was always Sally Field. And now they look at me and say, “It’s so obvious that you’d become an actor!”
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The second was joining my brother in the school play one year. I was so nervous standing there in front of everybody, but I’ll never forget the feeling of going backstage afterward. I completely lost any sense of time and space. I felt incredible. The phrase that came to my brain was “complete abandon.” It’s something I still chase in every project.
I originally wanted to be a journalist, so I studied that at Columbia College Chicago, supporting myself by modeling. Then I dropped out in my senior year, moved to New York, and started doing commercials. One of the first acting gigs I booked was on the WB show “Young Americans.” I was so green, but it awoke something in me.
There’s something great about moving forward and trusting the universe to keep you on the right path. Years later, while working on “Gone Baby Gone,” I realized that I was writing the who, what, when, where, and why of my character, Angie Gennaro. At that moment, I knew that going to journalism school actually did shape my acting practice. Nothing is for naught.
One of the things that has enabled the longevity of my career is being really curious and open. These are characteristics I always try to bring to the table: leaning into things that might initially scare me. Even now, shooting “The White Lotus” in Thailand, I let those moments of fear push me in the direction that I need to go. I also had the privilege of working with the great Parker Posey, someone I’ve admired my whole life. There’s still another month of filming to go, but I already know I’ll never forget this experience.
In terms of identifying a filmmaker I wanted to collaborate with, I was determined to secure the role of Detective Williams in Ti West’s “Maxxxine.” I wrapped filming on “The Family Plan” in Vegas at 6 a.m., then had a meeting with Ti at 10 a.m. back in Los Angeles. I wasn’t shy about telling him what I love about his work; and fortunately, he said, “Yeah!” It’s been an honor to play a small part in this trilogy from a singular visionary.
Recently I’ve really wanted to get back into comedy; I began my career in projects like “Kiss Kiss Bang Bang” and “Made of Honor.” When Bill Lawrence sent me the pilot script for “Bad Monkey,” I was immediately so excited to work with this dream showrunner and costar alongside Vince Vaughn, whom I consider to be the epitome of comedy. It felt like I needed to dust off the comedic cobwebs, but the project was so energizing and fulfilling.
I always want to add something to any space that I grace, whether that’s good energy, listening skills, or writing a thank-you card. Casts and crews work so hard, and I really believe in acknowledging people. I think that’s vital to the health of our industry and everyone in it.
This story originally appeared in the Aug. 1 issue of Backstage Magazine.
