A bright and shining star both in front of the camera and behind – meet the outstanding Madeleine Coghlan! This marvelous actress is making her mark in the entertainment world. She’s shared her talent in many fantastic projects including a lead role in the Facebook Watch series, Mira Mira, a standout, recurring role in ABC’s The Rookie, as well as appearances in the critically-acclaimed film, Kajillionaire, the fan-favorite series, Lucifer and ABC’s Castle. Coghlan’s incredible, acting skills are such a gift to watch on our screens.
The excellent actress’s latest project is the impactful movie, We Burn Like This, which had its much-anticipated premiere recently at the Deauville Film Festival. The riveting film follows Rae (portrayed by Coghlan), a descendant of Holocaust survivors, who is targeted by neo-Nazis in Billings, Montana. As she encounters even more trauma in her life, Rae decides to go back home and live with her mom, where she learns more about her childhood. Hailed as a “coming-of-age story of historical trauma, survival, and healing,” We Burn Like This is a truly powerful movie and Coghlan did such an exceptional job bringing this relevant story out to the world.
The magnificent Madeleine Coghlan has also been busy at work pursuing another one of her passions… directing! She has already written and starred in three, short films she has created including “Oh, Sorry” and “Writer’s Block.” Coghlan continues to wear many hats – writer, actress, and director as she had her directorial debut in her third, short film, “Defibrillator.” The wonderful multi-threat’s creative juices are always flowing and she is always trying something new to continue to expand upon her craft. Needless to say, Madeleine Coghlan has always been made to make it big in the entertainment industry!
Alexisjoyvipaccess had an amazing time interviewing the fabulous Madeleine Coghlan all about what it was like for her working on her gripping movie, We Burn Like This, what is the biggest takeaway she’d like viewers to have from watching the film, what it was like working on ABC’s The Rookie, and so much more only in our VIPAccessEXCLUSIVE interview. Coghlan even revealed where she gets her inspiration for when she writes her own movies and what she thinks is the biggest challenge as a director – see what she had to say in our VIPAccessEXCLUSIVE interview below.
Read my VIPAccessEXCLUSIVE interview with the lovely and talented Madeleine Coghlan below and be sure to catch her in the all new film, We Burn Like This!
Alexisjoyvipaccess: Congratulations on all of the spectacular success with your career! Can you first off tell us what inspired you to focus your life around acting?
Madeleine Coghlan: As a kid, I was actually quite shy in most social settings, but I loved performing if I was playing a character. When I wasn’t myself, I felt any anxiety or trepidation melt away. I knew I wanted to hone that skill and acting was the answer. I love people watching and observing and that helps to add nuance and depth to characters I play.
Alexisjoyvipaccess: You star in the compelling film, We Burn Like This. What was it like for you working on this brilliant movie?
Madeleine Coghlan: Working on We Burn Like This was one of the best working experiences I’ve had. We filmed on location in Montana, so I got to experience a new place while doing what I love. We worked with a relatively small crew too, so you really got to bond with everyone on a personal level, which I think helped make the movie better. I also think being away from home really helped me dive in to the character. Even after we wrapped for the day, the place I went back to wasn’t my home, so there was this sense of “being somebody else” almost the whole time.
Alexisjoyvipaccess: Is there a moment that sticks out to you the most from working on the film?
Madeleine Coghlan: I think one of my favorite moments was when we took the bus up to Our Lady of the Rockies, which is this beautiful location in Butte, Montana. We were filming a couple scenes up there and to get up to the location, the whole crew had to take this bus up this super steep hill. It was one of our last days filming and I had a moment of great appreciation for the last few weeks.
Alexisjoyvipaccess: We Burn Like This has a very moving storyline. What is the biggest takeaway you’d like viewers to get from watching the film?
Madeleine Coghlan: I think the biggest takeaway I’d like viewers to get is a lesson in self-compassion and healing. I think a lot of the time, others might say hurtful things, but I find that the self-talk going on in my head is often much worse than the outside noise. Consciously making an effort to treat yourself with kindness can be challenging, but that’s a big step in healing.
Alexisjoyvipaccess: You also star in the hit ABC series, The Rookie. What has that experience been like for you?
Madeleine Coghlan: Working on The Rookie has been such a wonderful experience. The cast and crew are all so warm and welcoming and I always look forward to going back and seeing what they come up with.
Alexisjoyvipaccess: A fun fact about you is that not only do you excel in front of the camera, but you also do a lot of stellar work behind the camera as well including writing and directing some short films. Where do you get your inspiration for writing your own films?
Madeleine Coghlan: I get a lot of inspiration from the dark corners of my mind *laughs*. As someone who has struggled with depression and anxiety, I find channeling some of my looping thoughts into stories and characters has been therapeutic and so rewarding. I also have a lot of incredibly talented friends who are artists that inspire me and I’m always looking for ways we can collaborate and lift each other up.
Alexisjoyvipaccess: What would you say is the most challenging part about being a director?
Madeleine Coghlan: I’m definitely not as well versed in directing as others, but in my early days, I have found the most challenging piece is when I’m acting as well. Jumping from “in the moment,” present, actor headspace to director is difficult because I have to step out of the scene and watch my performance back to give notes, whether technical or performance based, and that sometimes can get me in my head, which when acting, I try to avoid.
Alexisjoyvipaccess: You’ve showcased your great talent in a lot of fantastic projects. What would be your dream role to portray?
Madeleine Coghlan: I’m vintage obsessed, so my dream role would be a period piece. Something in the 1930s would be wonderful. One of my favorite authors is Anais Nin, who is an artist from the 30s, so portraying her would be a dream.
Alexisjoyvipaccess: Lastly, if you could bring out a message to all of your fans, what message would that be?
Madeleine Coghlan: To my fans (aka my parents and my dogs), I would just like to say thank you for supporting me. It really means a lot and I hope I can continue to bring a spot of enjoyment, however small, into your lives, as you do for me!