One on One with Madison McKinley
Story and Photography by Terry Check
Seldom do I meet a Hollywood actress, like Madison McKinley, who is friendly and down-to-earth like your best friend, and talks to you unfiltered without her talent agent, commercial agent, public relations agent and legal counsel editing each word. Ms. McKinley (“please call me Madison” she said) keeps life in perspective enjoying each day, and does not let the entertainment industry control her life. With acting roles in recent films like The Wolf of Wall Street, The Other Woman, Orange Is the New Black and most recently, Molly’s Game, the model-turned-actress will continue to astound audiences for years to come. With a little time off between filming and the holidays, Madison joined the Obscurae Magazine’s creative team at Hermosa Beach for a lifestyle shoot and followed up with a New Year’s Eve interview.
Terry: Happy New Year and congrats on your acting career in the past few years, all starting with your modeling work. How did you manage to model in the Sports Illustrated contest?
Madison: A friend showed me the Sports Illustrated advertisement about the swimsuit competition, and said “Madison, you must enter”. It seemed like a complete shot in the dark, but I went ahead and auditioned anyway.
Terry: Did you pursue modeling?
Madison: I was a finalist in the competition, but I didn’t win. However, one of the owners of Next Model Management approached me afterward and offered me a contract …. that moment felt like “two roads diverged in a yellow wood” from The Road Not Taken by Robert Frost. At the time I was in school studying international business. “Should I pursue modeling?” I though. Yes, was the answer and I modelled in fashion campaigns around the world having the time of my life.
Terry: How did you manage to become a contestant on 2011 The Bachelor show?
Madison: Well, this one makes me laugh a little. I had just gone through a rough breakup and up pops a banner on my Facebook. On a whimI clicked it, but I also liked the possibility of meeting a nice guy who might actually want to get married, traveling the world, and making my ex-boyfriend a little jealous. Anyway, one thing led to another.
Terry: Tell us about the “vampire fangs” you wore on the show. Did you suck any blood from Brad? Why did you quit the show?
Madison: Fangs are something I do for fun every now and again, and admittedly I’ve never had a worse time wearing them. I hadn’t really planned to wear them on The Bachelor show, but the night before the show began the producers talked to me about my plan for meeting the bachelor. Needless to say I had no plan. After a while we got to joking around about other things, somehow a mutual “vampire” infatuation came up, so I donned the fangs. We thought it would be hilarious and it was! However in hindsight, I probably scared a lot of 9 million viewers watching the show.
Terry: Is it true that you walk on the “darker side”, and love the mystery and sexiness of the vampire world? Please share the “darker side” with us.
Madison: Oh, the darker side part is very real.
Terry: Wow, your ambiguity makes it even more intriguing. Moving on, it’s been a few years since the Sports Illustrated contest. How do you manage to keep your bikini figure? Is it exercise, diet or just living right?
Madison: There is a lot of pressure in this industry, and balance is most important, and the only thing that will keep you sane. I try to live my life, be happy and not worry most of the time, which gives me the steam and motivation to really kick into high gear when I am preparing for an acting role. It’s all about setting personal goals and lifestyle priorities.
Terry: In the past few years you acted in so many films such as The Smurfs, The Other Women, and The Wolf of Wall Street. Currently, the drama film, Molly’s Game is headed to the theaters, and you played the role of Shelby. Tell us about the movie. Share a few behind-the-scenes happenings. How was your experience working with Jessica Chastain and Kevin Costner?
Madison: Molly’s Game follows the true life story of Hollywood’s poker princess, Molly Bloom (Jessica Chastain), who started as a cocktail waitress to hosting high stakes, poker games A-list clients in Los Angeles and New York. My character is a game hacker, cheekily described as a “Mensa playmate” who Molly hires to help host her games and recruit new players. Working with Jessica has been one of the highlights of my career. She is such a strong and talented actor, truly an inspiration. I’m really looking forward to the film release, hopefully this year, and so grateful to be a part of anything touched by Aaron Sorkin.
I can’t divulge too many stories, but there was a funny (and not so funny) day when we shot at a mansion in Toronto. The intent was to make the exterior of the house look like it was in Malibu. So a crew was brought in to melt the remaining snow. Sadly an effort in vain, as the next day, shoot day, Toronto got its biggest storm of the year!
Terry: What’s next for you … upcoming films, television shows or anything else nobody knows about?
Madison: I’m excited for the already scheduled releases in 2017. I played the role of Nicki in Kensho at the Bedfellow to be released on iTunes in February. I finished my first scary movie, starring alongside Dylan Walsh in Fright Fest. It was shot in Pennhurst Asylum, widely renowned as one of the scariest most haunted places in the US. This project was a blast to shoot and certainly played to my ‘darker side’. I also starred in a fun little movie with, Jason Lewis, which is expected to hit the festival circuit this year. As for TV, I can be seen on both Flaked and Hollyweed. Last but certainly not least, is Molly’s Game. I’m very grateful and couldn’t be more excited going into 2017, first up to shoot is a remake of Luis Buñuel’s, award winningBelle De Jour about a young frigid housewife spending her midweek afternoons as a prostitute.
Terry: What are your thoughts about social media (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc.)? You seem to keep a low profile in social media. Does a low profile help or hurt your acting career?
Madison: I do keep rather low social media profile. I have enjoyed keeping it rather private and something I do for fun … for myself and for my friends; rather than a tool to further my career. In the future that might change, because I realize not only can it help with my career, but more importantly, when done properly it can serve as a very important platform for change in the world.
Terry: Are you going home to Vail, Colorado this year for Christmas? Share a few of your Christmas memories.
Madison: Fancy that, I am in Vail, my hometown, as we speak. It’s such a magical place during the Holidays. For my family it’s a marathon, skiing, sledding, ice skating, sleigh rides … we try to pack it all in.
Terry: Let’s get personal. Are you married, dating? Have a significant other?
Madison: I am not married, and ATM I am still single, but working on that significant other.
Terry: Madison, many thanks for this “One on One” interview on New Year’s Eve, and best wishes for the coming year.
Madison: Ditto to you and the staff of Obscurae Magazine.
