Interview With Musician & Actress Dayle McLeod

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Photography By Lindsay Duncan

Hollywood News Source got to speak exclusively with musician and actress Dayle McLeod who appears stars in Season 2 of That’s My DJ.

Photography By Lindsay Duncan

Who inspires you to make music?

Most of my music is inspired by someone I love and who loves me back in the same intensity. Nothing is better than love to inspire me. When people come into my life with open hearts and we spend time together every moment seems meaningful and beautiful and the chemistry always creates at least one perfect moment. That perfect moment usually inspires a song!

Photography By Lindsay Duncan

What are your hobbies outside of music and acting?

I am a voracious reader, I read books on audible, on my kindle and hardcopy in bed. I read 3-5 books a week! I love to be in nature and go for walks or just be peaceful and meditate by a lake or under a tree (lol, I know! but seriously!). I like to hike, see movies, go see live music, comedy or plays, I love to write (I’m currently writing a book!). I love to cook and I make soups, stews and curries all the time. I also love to go to great restaurants and have a three course meal with a friend or by myself!

Photography By Lindsay Duncan

Is there a set approach to how you manage your time between music and acting? For instance how do you decide between gigs and auditions?

Music and acting have always complemented one another in my life and have never had to compete for my attention. Music helps bring me to myself, helps me connect with what is really going on in my life and gives my emotional and inner life expression, it’s what makes me more me every day. Acting shows up more sporadically and I encounter jobs that stretch me, inspire me and put me into a really playful state where I want to explore myself from the outside in. I usually decide to do a gig if it checks two out of three boxes: A. Will it be fun? B. Will it further my Career? C. Is it worth the money they are paying me? Two out of three and I’m good to go!

What is your favourite TV show at the moment?

Right now I am OBSESSED with the Chilling Adventures of Sabrina!! Holy shit! It literally scares the bejesus out of me but it’s also so much fun and the actors are great!!

 

Your first major TV roles was on The LA Complex when we spoke to Joe Dinicol he described the show as a pretty accurate take on what struggling artists of all type face in LA, do you feel the story was similar to your experiences?

My particular story line in that show was very different from my life experience (Beth was acting as caretaker to her actor younger brother while she was an intellectual) but the other story lines of the performers are very parallel to my experience, yes. Wanting something so badly that you throw your whole life into it sends you into weird places where you have to choose between what you want and what you want right now. Always a struggle!

Photography By Lindsay Duncan

What do you think about the recently announced reboot of the show?

I think it’s fucking great and I cannot wait to see what Martin and Brenden come up with. Hollywood has changed exponentially from now to when we were doing the show in 2012… I can’t wait to see if they incorporate YouTube stars, or Instagram influencers, things like that. It sounds like it will be a lot of fun. 

You’ve made guest appearances on Killjoys and Bitten are you proud to see Canadian Sci-Fi being more widely recognised?

Yes definitely! Canada has become a Syfy hot spot and it is really enhancing the landscape of work present to us Canadian actors. I’m currently working on 6 episodes of another Syfy show that is loved by fans and the story line is really juicy so I can’t wait to share it with y’all.

Photography By Lindsay Duncan

You have done theatre, TV and Film can you talk a little about the different energy that you bring or is present at each of them?

Great question. Theatre is a really unique experience because you get to dive into the material for months rather than days or weeks. I create an atmosphere in my life where I, as Dayle am also exploring the themes in the play that my character is experiencing. I can take things more slowly in a theatre piece, allow them to unfold more organically and work a lot with inspiration and muse. Then when you are actually doing the play, even more work is required to stay within the container of the play but keep what you are doing fresh for the audience. The most important relationship I have in my life becomes my relationship with the audience. 

With television, things move quickly and you often don’t have any time to rehearse so you have to be sharp and on your game. I take my job seriously because I love it, and I learn my lines by rote and come to set completely open to work with a director and tell the story with all the moving parts and other actors. Film however, is like a mixture of theatre and television. Film always has a different energy because it’s only going to happen once, and usually the crews and directors haven’t worked together before, so everyone is jumping in together. But they take at least a month to make so you still get to be with the material for a while. I find it’s really fun to go method for a film!!

What was the last good book fiction and non-fiction that you read?

Oh man, I hardly ever read fiction. Let me think. Oh! East of Eden by John Steinbeck. What a master!! Holy shit that book was so beautiful and I honestly feel like I get smarter every time I read Steinbeck. I’m currently reading like four non-fiction books at this time but my favourite out of all of them has to be Women that Run with the Wolves by Christina Pinkola Estes. It’s a series of ancient un-censored fairy tales that describe the architecture of the female psyche. Fascinating and illuminating stuff!

Photography By Lindsay Duncan

We’ve watched all the seasons of That’s My DJ and love it. Do you think that it is a possible way forward for up and coming actors to get bigger roles at a time when everyone seems to be moving to TV?

Thank you! I love it to. We are living in the golden age of television and the golden age of what I call ‘make your own shit’. I believe that as long as you are giving your art or craft you whole heart that it can take you anywhere you want to go. I believe in the principle of abundance as well, I don’t look at this career as if I’m in competition with anyone. There are so many opportunities out there, and every actor is completely unique. 

What would you say was your biggest accomplishment so far?

In March of this year I worked on Mary Harron’s new film “Charlie Says” with a supporting role and I got to work with incredible actors and creative team. It was so special and challenged me in ways I haven’t been challenged before. I also got to work with one of my favourite actors of all time, Matt Smith. Watching him work, his artistry and work ethic was so next level. I learned A LOT. That film will be going to theaters next year, and I also was inspired to write a song for the movie that Mary put in the film. I’m really proud of that. I can’t wait to see it!

Photography By Lindsay Duncan

Please tells us a bit about the current projects we can see you in. For instance upcoming performances with locations or films and TV

You can see me in Mary Harron’s movie coming out next year ‘Charlie Says’, I just finished a film with Christian Sparkes starring Will Patton and Mark O’Brien called ‘HAMMER’ and I’m working on a SYFY series right now but I can’t reveal which one just yet! I’m writing a book and it should be released on audible and amazon next year with a musical album companion!

Please tell us where your fans can find you online.

I’m ALWAYS making Instagram stories at @dayle.mcleod and I LOVE to tweet @realdaylemcleod and you can find everything I’ve ever done and more at my website www.daylemcleod.com