Featuring Molly Jackson

In this very special episode of Let’s Be Real, Sammy sits down with her good friend, actress and activist Molly Jackson. These two friends talk about how they first met, dating in the age of social media, their shared passion for activism, Molly’s love of acting and so much more.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:02):
Hello guys, and welcome back to this week's episode of
the Let's Be Real Podcast. This week, I got to
sit down with my good friend, actually, Molly Jackson. Now
you may know her as an actress or as an activist,
but she is one of the sweetest humans and I
am so honored that I get to call her my friend.
I'm very grateful for her. We talked about literally everything.
This episode is basically a steak peek into what our

(00:25):
friendship is like, and I hope you guys enjoy it. Molly,
I'm so excited to hear my podcast. This is so
exciting because we've been talking about this for a minute.
We have For those who don't know, I want to
give a list set of how we met because I
think it's really funny and I kind of unexpected that
we became friends. Absolutely. Well. We met in the middle
of a pandemic, too, which is always on Instagram Live.

(00:47):
So it was during the election. You're both trying to
get the word out, get the vote, get people to
register from the vote, all the way. Yeah, and so
we didn't Instagram live and I remember it was like, man,
this girl we did how long? It like thirty minutes?
Like a thirty minute. Well. It was funny about it too,
was you were supposed to be interviewing me then and
then they flipped it last minute, so I interviewed you
jury I've never interviewed anyone before. It was so weird

(01:09):
for me too, because I was like, so do I
just answer? You did a great job, by the way,
thank you. But I we just talked to us, like
why though it wasn't about like anything personal was take
it the about. I was like, we have a lot
in common, like we just clicked, if you will know,
even like our pacing and our tones and like a
kind of like sense of humor. It, Yeah, it was
really fun. And then so we didn't you followed each

(01:30):
other on social media. And then I went out to
California and I think it was February, and I did
this big trip, first time flying by myself. Stayed here
for a month supposed to be five days, and it
was a big chip in where I just accomplished a lot.
I got over a bunch of my anxiety and I,
dam do. I was like, you know, let me reach
out to her. And then we got coffee and then

(01:51):
we realized we were literally the same person. Yes, No,
we had I mean even like our dad's share a
name and our moms have the same like area depression.
It was very weird. No, I mean we had very
like similar life parallels with our anxiety and like our
careers and like school and just kind of everything. And
then I just remember being like, man, this is a

(02:12):
girl that I want to stay friends with. I'm so
glad that you're on the podcast because now everyone get
to know more about you, you know, the incredible Molly
that you are. Well, I mean, I I've loved getting
to know you. And then I mean we reconnected all
we got really close. I think when I went to
New York. Yeah, yeah, then um, and now I'm officially
out in California and I know you moved. Welcome. You're

(02:34):
an official Callie girl. I think I've always been one
at heart. I think I think you've always been a
New York girl. Yes, and someday I'll make that move.
We're just gonna switch places. It's gonna we're gonna end
up in New York. I just know it. Hopefully, I'm
hoping next summer. Well, we'll see, we'll see that. I
want to be here for the first year year here
because you have to experience all the California stuff, but
the beach would do all the fun stuff. Um. We've

(02:56):
talked a lot about your career and stuff, just as
in itself. But I'm curious, do you remember when you
first started acting? I do, yeah, I UM. I was
four years old and my parents were looking for like
summer camps for me, and the only one I showed
any interest in was a theater camp. And they called
and they were like, no, you have to be five,
Like the kid has to be five. So for the

(03:18):
difference of four to five and huge dramatic um. So
I waited like an entire year, I guess according to
my parents, I didn't bring it up once and then
like on my fifth birthday, I was like, okay, so
I can go to the acting camp now, and they
were like wow, like she still remembers that. So they
signed me up, and quite like significantly, I the very
first day, I just jumped out of the car and

(03:41):
I walked inside. And up until that point I had
debilitating separation anxiety from my mom. So for the fact
that for something was the very first time I ever
walked away from my mom ever, and from that moment
my parents were like, Okay, she has to do this
for the rest of her life. So yeah. So after
that first camp, the first play was we did No
White and the Seven Little Piggies. So I was like

(04:02):
a little pig. I was the littlest pig of them all,
and I had like pink paint on my nose and
it was so much fun. And then I literally just
went from summer camp to summer camp to summer camp.
Like I did not stop doing plays at this theater
for two and a half years. Did you do anything
during the school year or was it just like, yes,
I did stuff doing during the school year, they had
a little like weekend programs or a little like weekend uh,

(04:25):
I don't know, like just training and stuff like that.
And then over winter break we had like our winter play,
and then the spring there was like a medley and
I was definitely the youngest one. They're the smallest one.
There was itty bitty as a kid. Um. But I
mean just the moment, I've just felt the presence of
this little theater. It's called Kids and Co and Alpaso,
Texas shout out to them. They're wonderful. Um. Yeah, I

(04:45):
just felt like home and I felt safe, and I
felt like I could be myself, and my anxiety literally
was left at the door every time. Man, that's crazy,
especially like I know what you're talking about. When I
do these conversations. It's one of the times where like
anxiety is in there. If you're an anxious person, you know,
he finds something you love that doesn't make you anxious.
That is so huge. No, you know that then you

(05:06):
have to be doing that thing if you're stupid to
walk away from it because it's so rare. Yeah, well,
I mean during that exact same period that I was
at this children's theater, I would go to school on
you know, off days, and I would cry and cry
the entire school day until mom picked me up. So
I knew it was specifically that it was literally we
have these know when the teachers would really reassure my

(05:27):
mom like, oh, she'll stop crying in like ten minutes.
By the time she picked me up, I was still sobbing. Yeah,
that was me. I used to have my mom, so
I us have really best separation anxiety from my mom too.
That's other peril um. And I used to make her
walk up the stairs with me into the classroom like
I couldn't walk up the stairs with everybody by myself.
Oh my gosh. Yeah, my mom had to park in

(05:47):
the parking lot instead of just like the little like
loopy do drop off, she had to like park walk
me in. Just crazy. I look back and it feels
like a different person. But I'm proud of her. And
then I was about seven and a half when manager
came to the theater and was like, oh, like me
and one other kid, like, I'm gonna bring him out
to l A and let's see how this goes. Um
So I kind of did like a boot camp there

(06:09):
and I met an agent and I got some headshots
and I was seven, just having the time of my life. Tea. Yeah,
and I think, exactly, I'll Passo Texas, like right in
the little tip there, big military town, because my family
is also a military family. Um, So we were out
there in Los Angeles. My parents were pretty worried about
how that transition would be from my little theater to

(06:32):
said they thought maybe it was just the theater that
like didn't cause me anxiety, and then being on set
the same thing happened. I just didn't. I mean I
had to legally then have my mom on set with me,
you know, child laws, but I don't think I checked
in with her like once throughout the day, I was
just having I would just have the time. It was
my favorite. It's still my favorite place in the world
is being on set or acting in any cuacity. Something

(06:53):
people don't realize that, like being on set. It's not
as glamorous as people. It's just a lot of hurry
up and wait. It is and first reason, like I
still love that, Like I get tempted to read, and
like I love talking to people and like just learning
people's stories, like I can always be instead of I mean,
I feel like a lot of actors like eat their
lunch and like their trailers and stuff like that, and
I don't know the lat I don't know when I've
ever done that. I think I can remember one time

(07:15):
when I was kind of sick on set and they
needed to keep me isolated. But like I'm always like
with everybody else eating, Like I just it's every moment
of It's not glamorous, but I love it every moment.
It's just there's so much to learn and so much
like stimulations, you know. I so when I was working
with Radio Disney R I p Radio Disney. Um, I
did a bunch of like backstage with these Disney shows,

(07:38):
and I really experienced for the first time, like what
set life was, and it has nothing that I expected.
Like what people don't realize doing one scene can take hours? Yes, yeah, hours?
What was the longest it took you to finish one scene?
Funny enough, Um, this is like kind of one of
my favorite stories. But funny enough, the longest scene I

(08:00):
ever had to shoot was like a kiss scene. Um,
this is Andy Mack with Josh rush Um. So this
was our We had a kiss twice in the show,
which is kind of unusual for Disney. Um. But so
this was the second time we were kissing in the show,
and we did probably I think like we had both
been keeping count. I think we ended up doing like
thirty four takes of it. There was no reason we

(08:21):
needed thirty four takes of a kiss scene. And we
were both like fifteen, and we were auntsy and we
were starting to get like, oh gosh, this is just
getting worse and worse and worse. It's something that we
can like we always bring it up when we're together,
which is like it's a great memory to laugh about.
But yeah, I mean I think we probably shot that
scene for like six hours, like we took lunch and
went back to it. It was the longest scene of

(08:43):
my life. And my parents were on side with who
my nana took me. So my nana's there like with
her book, like just watching me, like kiss this boy
over and over and over and over again. And was
this like your first kiss? So the first time we
kissed on the show, Yes, it was my first kiss.
So I had my first kiss on Disney Channel when
I was fifteen, which is iconic, but also when I
was Yes, now, I think it's amazing and I'm glad

(09:05):
that happened because like what a story. But at the
time and I was fifteen, Oh, I was so upset.
I was like I wanted my first kiss like a
school dance, like, but no, Josh and I mean we
we were really close and we were good friends before
we did it on set. It's also like a Disney kiss,
it's like a it's just a pack and it was
really fun. But the first time that we kissed in
an episode of both his dad and my mom were

(09:26):
like there with their iPhones, like recording it in our faces.
So we had like the camera and it was like
fifty adults just as two kids, hormonal fifteen year old
and your parents are filming. Y, so my parents like
have it on video because they're like, the first one
is not going to make the cut of the episode,
so like we'll have it. That is okay. Yeah, Like
those are the things people don't realize. Yeah, it's so

(09:48):
I mean, I think I get a lot of um.
I mean, I have a lot of friends outside of
the industry too. I think, like you know, just my
military friends and stuff like that. Um, and it's always
like a lot of concern that I missed out on things.
And I'm like, but I don't ever feel that way
because I got so many other weird experiences like that
that are cool and like unique and also you love Yes,
I absolutely love it. I will say you are one

(10:09):
of the few people where you love every process of it.
When you tat when I'm texting, You're like, I'm doing
a self tape. I'm so excited. I'm like, yes, girl.
Like people don't realize when you're an actor, your main
job is auditioning. That is a full time job in itself,
and I want to talk about that for a second,
because that isn't talked about. And I think you've heard
me about this to you, like in our friendship. But

(10:29):
so I'm glad you bring you brought this up. Um, No,
auditioning is your main job. That is the job. When
I get a self tape, I'm like, Okay, this is
my job. Like booking, it's just the extra perk, and
that means you get to continue with the character. You know,
everyone has their own process. It baffles me when other
actors like complain about self tapes. I'm like, what do
you mean, Like, how are you not loving this? Like
this is a new character and you need to work

(10:50):
on it and put it on camera and like people
are gonna watch and laugh or cry. Like every audition
is a performance in itself. And that's why I just
I love class. I love auditions. Like I was texting
you last night. It was in a six hour acting class.
How long is this class going for? It's my Thursday
night class and it's just a group of actors who
just absolutely love every step of the process as well.
I'm the youngest one in the class. Um, and it's

(11:12):
only supposed to be four hours, but we usually go
till midnight. Man, It's like I always call it like
my second therapy every week, because like I have therapy
and then this is my other thing. Would you say
being an actor, because you're going into different mindsets in
different perspectives, help you with just putting your anxiety into
perspective sometimes or do you keep those separate? I I

(11:34):
do tend to keep those separate, and I hope somebody
I don't have to, but I think that, like right now,
I'm still working through my anxiety at like a high
enough level that I'm not quite ready to like merge
the two. So I do have to keep this pretty separate,
which I'm excited for that day I don't have to
because then I can kind of merge that disc like
get rid of the disconnect there. But what does help
me with characters? It's I'm also like a psych major

(11:55):
in school, so I think like kind of all three though,
like my anxiety, psych major, and then acting, they all
come together. They really do. Yeah, they make they help
with my empathy and just like my interactions with other people,
And how do you balance school and your career Because
I know something that I've struggled with and it's a challenge.
It really is it is? Yeah, I mean I don't
know that. For the last couple of years of school,

(12:15):
I was nearly as busy as you were with school.
Like I don't even I don't know how you do it,
Like I talked to you about it, and I'm like,
something's not making sense, Like when did you sleep? I
don't know how I did it either. That's a question
that I need to ask myself to That was just
subconsciously I went through. And now you're going to be
a full time college student doing it as well a
new challenge. Wow, you baffle us all. But I'm not

(12:36):
on set for hours and hours and hours like acting
is a full like time Yeah, it's definitely the only
thing with acting though two is like you definitely have
like your breaks though, So I think that like the
main thing is finding a school that will work with
you on that. So that like maybe if you're working
for a month straight and you're working twelve hour days
every day for a month, um, you're not gonna have

(12:57):
any time for school. Then if you still want to
sleep and have like somewhat of a social life, which
that unfortunately is probably the thing that takes the biggest
back burner for me is like my social life when
I'm working. Um, but I've had schools that will be
like Okay, like this month you won't do any school,
but next month you gotta double up. So it's like
kind of I've been very lucky with my teachers and
like my principles and stuff who have worked with me
on more making it like a year round school. I

(13:20):
think it's one of the things like being a child actor,
especially you probably you do school on set too, Yeah,
you do school with the people you're working with. Yeah, well,
I think that that's an interesting about that school though,
is for me personally, when I was doing set on school,
which is technically you need three hours a day and
you need like a certain number of breaks. But the
only issue is is that like they would be like, okay,

(13:43):
we have ten minutes like go to some school and
then clock like that, it takes me five minutes to
log into my online school program. So unfortunately I never
got to the place where I could figure out how
to really get that much school done. So for me,
more so, it was being on set, maybe doing a
little bit here and there, um, and then coming home
and just doing school for five hours straight and then

(14:04):
going to bed. So that was like very I think
from like thirteen to fifteen, that was like I was
busiest with work then and that was probably like the
most tactic time when you and Mac. Yeah, that's when
I was on Andy Mack and Game Shakers, Nikki, Ricky, Dickie,
and Don so I was kind of like rotating guest
stars on all those shows. Um So, yeah, so it
was pretty and then with auditions and stuff like that

(14:25):
as well. Um So that was a very like stressful
time where I really don't remember having too many friendships.
Like I said, like unfortunately these between school and work
and then you do want to have somewhat of a
social life, but then you also have responsibilities like interviews
and press and events and stuff like that. So it
was definitely kind of it was overwhelming. And now I'm

(14:46):
figuring out what I want to do with college, and
I just don't want to go back to that place
because that was a very stressful place. One of the
good things though, from being on Disney is that you're
with people your own age. It's not like you were
just with much younger people all the time or months
least you had at least you were able to socialize
with people your age. Absolutely, no, I got to socialize
with because that's kind of where you did get like

(15:07):
your friend time on set in those shows. It was
so like compounded though. I think it was really fun
because Anti Max shot in Utah, so I would like
be in l A and then I'd fly out to
shoot an episode or two in Utah and that come
back and you know, back and forth where like the
series regulars on that show were there in Utah for
the entire year. It was fun. It was like sweethell,
Like they got so excited when like the guest starts
would come out or whatever, because I mean I I

(15:27):
thought of them in their situation. There's just four of
them together NonStop for a year. So like it was
kind of fun coming because then you kind of felt
like the superstar on Sex because everyone was so excited.
How blood to talk to exactly? Just so I can
get a better sense, let's use Andy Mac as an example.
How long did it take to film an episode? What
were your hours? Like? Well, I mean Anti Max a
really unique example of a Disney show. Granite, like more

(15:50):
Disney Plus shows now we're doing what Andy Mac did. Um,
but Anti Mac was like a single camp, so it
wasn't multi cam like the other shows Disney Nick. Yeah,
so single cam, so it took a little bit longer, um,
a lot more like discipline. Like that's why it was
more grounded performance, um because single cam doesn't want big
animated performance like a multi cam does. Um. But no,

(16:10):
I mean pretty much like call time is usually around
like six am every day, so like getting up, you'd
take like the bus would pick you up to set,
like you'd get in the van, you'd go to set.
Um you were there, like going to set doing school,
going to set doing school, kind of back and forth,
and then lunch was about an hour. Um, they had
great food on the set of Andy Maack too. That
was like amazing craft services. I will always remember, um

(16:32):
then know so, I mean then we'd have lunch and
then we go back to set and then kind of
depending on like when you got called and stuff, you'd
wrap and people were also coming and going because some
people just had like a scene for two hours of
the day and then they'd leave. And then afterwards, I
mean we usually like went out and did something too
after a set, which was super fun because that was
like our social life. So we'd go to get dinner,
go bowling, or go roller skating, and yeah, so it

(16:52):
was really fun. I want to go roller skating. That
sounds so much fun. There's a really good rink in
Glendale here and we go. Absolutely, it's super fun, very
affordable too. I used to love what was it, um rollerblading?
Oh my gosh, I yes, I My sister and I
were obsessed from eight. I was like, there, my rollerblades

(17:13):
were grand purple. Mine were purple. Another parallel. Look at that.
It's so odd how much we have in common. I know,
we've talked about this. It's really weird when you like
think about it. It is, no, it is weird. It's
like and also like living on kind of two different
coasts and wanting to live where each other are. Kind
of like we should have done like a parent trap
or something like that. I think I could have worked.

(17:34):
I think it could have just I would have dyed
my hair more. Well, you were brunettes, so I was brunette.
Where you go bond you could pull up blonde. Maybe
I don't. I don't know. I feel like I get
a little too like dark in the summer. Or maybe
bond wouldn't have worked. You could. Maybe I've never ever
varied from my hair color. Would you ever for work? Yes?
I don't think not for works? So like a job

(17:55):
is like shave your head. Absolutely, I want to shave
my head at one point in my life. Joey King said,
I think every woven should shave their head at least
once once in their life. She shaved her head, like
what three times for work? It like nobody's business. She
is my favorite. She is my favorite, like my favorite
career example. Like I think she's such like a well
rounded person, Like I love her social media, like everything

(18:17):
she does she just does it right. And I want
to live exactly like she does want us. Then I
remember that movie, Yes, that was one of my favorite movies.
I couldn't watch the scene that when she ran away.
That just made me too sad. Oh yeah, that was
really stumble. I thought I was funny enough, so with
such separation anxiety, you think I wouldn't, But that seem
like inspired me to be dramatic and runaway. When I

(18:38):
was ten, You ran away, but I ran away to
my garage. We had a detached garage, and I packed
up my stuff and dramatically stormed the fat yard I didn't.
Once I was I'm leaving, and I just packed my
bad and I went down the hallway and then I
went back into that department because I missed my mom. Yeah, well,
because it's so sad. I wish I was rebellious some time. No,

(19:01):
I know, same here and it will. Even in the garage,
I was just sobbing because of how much I missed
my mom, and like she came and got me and
she's like, I know you're crying about me, and I'm like, yeah,
like I want to come back in. Sometimes I just
wish I could just like not care and I could
just like wouldn't that just be free and just like
not because it's not just like just not that like
we care. It's not just like caring what people think

(19:22):
about us. It's it's caring about what's gonna Like it's
your rational fears, like what's going to happen to the
people around us, what's gonna happen to us? Like, yeah,
like did I mess with the fabric of the universe
and something bad is going to happen. It's just like
all these very we can like rationally know they're irrational,
but at the same time they just keep us from
doing things exactly. Okay, Molly, we have to take a

(19:42):
quick break, but when we come back, I want to
talk more about acting, specifically the audition process, your activism,
and so much more. We'll be right back, and we're
back some of the things that I've been trying to
not let's stop me. But something that's been like really

(20:05):
hard that I've noticed is just like rejection. And your
job is a big part of it is rejection. What's
your general reacho of like how many self tapes per
job do you get? Um? That's so funny too that
now it's like called self tapes per job because he
used just be like in first auditions. It's just like
I had a moment of realizing. I was like, oh
my god, it's not in person anymore. That's so sad.

(20:26):
Um you miss in person, yeah, big time. Wouldn't the
people though? Yeah, But it's those nerves that I think
like making good though, you know, because you can turn
that nervousness into the excitement and like the hyper focus
of it. Yeah. Yeah, I mean I don't I miss
in person because I like interacting with people too, versus
just like being pent up in shooting your room yeah,
in my garage with my mom, and I'm like, this

(20:46):
is how many auditions would you say you do per year? Um?
Because there are some weeks that you're like per day,
You're just knocking them out. Yeah. I mean it's been
a fluctuating like balance kind of throughout my life. It's
it's kind of hard for me to ballpark it because
I've been doing it now for like professionally twelve years.
Twelve or thirteen years was just pandemic. Let's just go pandemic, uh,

(21:07):
because it's been harder to book. Yeah, I mean, okay,
it's like the beginning of the pandemic nothing because everything
shut down. And then I'd say since October when things
were starting to open up. Um, I've maybe had like
thirty to forty, which is pretty low compared to business,
compared to my peers, I think because I had been
between representation as well, so I'm trying to like find
my happy balance with that. Um. Yeah, i'd say about

(21:30):
thirty and from those, I've booked three, so that's a
really good ratio and I'm super duper grateful for that.
I mean, I kind of went through the balance of
when I was really young, I would book maybe like
one out of twenty, which was pretty like unheard of.
And I think it was only because I could play
so young. I was like seven, but I was playing
four years old, so like what what actual four year

(21:50):
old can read? So that was like that's how little
I was. As I got older, it like went less
and less, which also like took a huge hit on
like and that's also when I was going through puberty
and so so you know, that takes another hit on
the ego and like self confidence is having a lesson.
But that's natural, Like more people enter the industry every year,
so you have more competition as you go along. Yeah,

(22:11):
and I know a lot of your peers also, you
compete with two auditions, So how do you like find
a balance where you don't think of them as your
competition your friends with them, but also no, it is
a competition at the same time. Yeah, I mean I
had a really like weird realization I think right before
the pandemic of just kind of putting it into perspective
because I think that I did get caught up in

(22:32):
the competition of it, because of course there are it's
some people who egg on the competition of it as well.
Which is unfortunate. Um I, Well, one thing you have
to like kind of settle with is if the job's
meant for you, it's meant for you. And at the
end of the day too, it's the writer's baby and
it's the writer's project. And also you want them to
have the best persons. So one thing that I started

(22:54):
to do, which is unusual, and people have told me
that's unusual. I do this, and my team won't like
hearing this. But when I get an audition, if I
I send it out to all my friends who I
think are right for it, so I will share with
them because I just for me for some reason, that helps.
That helped me big time feel like it just it
completely acts out any competition because I'm like, okay, well,
like I'm sharing the information and then that way it's

(23:16):
completely like everyone has a chance at it. So then
if I get it, then I know I was the
best for it. I won't lie like I was super
competitive about it before, like it was almost when I
was younger, Like I almost had a hard time being
friends with girls who were my direct competition because it
felt toxic and there was so much jealousy involved, and
of course there's still jealousy involved, Like, of course there's things.
So I'm like, I really wanted that, and like now

(23:37):
my friends getting to shoot in New York for a
month with it, you know what I mean. But at
the end of the day, it's like, if you stick
with it, it will come around for you eventually. Yeah.
I saw this master class with Bryan Cranston and he
was like, I every time I go into audition, to
make sure I don't get jealous or compare myself, I
just go, this wasn't on this audition. It's not mine, like,

(23:59):
it's not I role. It's yeah, I've just got to
do the best performance I can do, and whatever happens happens.
It's just not mine to be upset about. I love
that because it isn't yours. It's the writers and the
directors and the team behind it. Like you're all you're
doing is portraying it. And I think that, Yeah, as
soon as I had that realization that it didn't belong
to me, it never belongs to even I think even
after you look at it doesn't belong to you because

(24:20):
then it belongs to the audience who's getting to enjoy it.
So I think as soon as you kind of let
go of the ownership and the possessiveness, there's really no
reason to feel like you're in competition with anybody. And
I know it's hard because unfortunately we are living in
a place where everything is so dictated by how many
followers you have, which can be really frustrating, especially when

(24:40):
it's not necessarily always about the art and the chapter,
how many years you're putting the work into do it.
So how do you deal with that? Just like maintaining
your sanity and mental heal because again you're ninety like me,
social media can be pretty shitty being our age comparsolutely,
but also thinking me as a business, like how do
you compartmentalize it? Because I go back and forth on

(25:01):
my opinions on it every day, like you can ask
my mom. I think one day I'm like I really
like social media, like I need to embrace it, like
I need to like work it better, And then the
very next day, I'm like, I hate it. I want
them all gone, like you didn go trumble, Like I'm
just it's so night or day for me when yeah,
I've done that. So I go back and forth at that.
I mean, I'll always remember my very first role that

(25:22):
I didn't get based on followers. I was twelve years old,
and that was the first time I was realizing that,
like the industry was changing in that direction, and like
I'll always remember that. Yeah, it was kind of it
was a crazy realization where I was like I felt,
you know, I did a good audition and that didn't matter.
That's such a helpless feeling. Yeah, it felt hopeless. That
was really hard to come to terms with. And then

(25:42):
I think to compensate for that, I went like crazy
for a while, wanting to be like, Okay, well I'm
gonna build my following and like I'm going to do
influencery things, and like I started like a YouTube channel
and I was like hanging out with the influencer crowd,
and I think that that was something that I was like, Okay, well,
this is going to fix it. And then I realized, well,
like I'm living everything just to share it on social media,
and like then that's not fulfilling life wise. I might

(26:05):
think that's going to help my career, but that's not
fulfilling life wise at all. So I definitely like pulled
back from all of that, and I mean, now it's
more just that day to day thing, Like right now
I'm posting on my social media more than I have
in the past year because I think I like I
was like, okay, like I'm gonna try again, Like I'm
gonna put in the effort, but then I have those
day to day breakdowns, So who knows. I mean, you're
also posting a lot of informative stuff yea, yeah, I

(26:27):
try to. Yeah, And it's really important And something that
I just respect about you so much is that with
your platform, you're using it to educate people and to
get people involved in activism, which is so important. What
made you get into activism in the first place. Was
there a certain issue or was it just something that
kind of came up naturally? My mom has always been

(26:49):
like super duper active, um and just socially aware and
like she allowed to watch the news from a young
age and UM, so I've always had that encouragement for
my parents. And then funny enough, I was actually listening
to um an interview or a speech by Miley Cyrus
and she had like this one quote that stood out
to me that was like having a platform and not
using it as the biggest crime that like we could

(27:09):
commit in the modern day, and I just like that.
I sat with that and I was like, wow, Like
I have a platform, Like I have a couple hundred
thousand followers, Like it might not be as much as
the people I know with millions, but I can still
do something. And I have this and people will listen
to me, like they're buying the clothes I'm wearing and stuff,
So why can't they, you know, make the calls to
the governors that like could be more impactful. And I

(27:30):
think I just kind of put two and two together.
So I started kind of posting when I was like
volunteering at dog shelters or if I was doing like
a beach clean up, and I started posting like when
I was being active, and like then I was attaching
links to like how other people could get involved. And
then eventually, I mean, I just like organizations started reaching
out to collaborate or to work together. And then I

(27:51):
got really invested when I flew up to Sacramento, the
California state capital, for the first time, and uh, I
lobbied with are Assembly members and then I spoke at
an Assembly hearing for women's rights to abortion access, and
so yeah, it was I didn't know that. Yeah, I

(28:13):
mean I haven't done it in a while because of
the pandemic, so I was doing it early. Um, and
I think that moment it was probably the most emotional
twenty four hours of my life, because, um, you had
to hear the opposing side and their argument to it,
and I just felt like it was I think women's
rights were the first thing that I was super passionate
about because I in that moment, I was like, how like,

(28:33):
people just really don't care what happens to me. They
care about this idea of like cells growing inside of
my body right now more than anything else. And that
just kind of I don't know, that struck me. That
made me very sad, and I was like, I want
to advocate for this. And then that kind of fed into, um,
a lot of different paths. I mean, environmentalism, like and
my whole family's vegan, so, um, we're focused on that.

(28:56):
And then back in twenty nineteen, right before the pandemic,
my sister's school had a school shooting, and then we
became very focused on going control in our family. And
then military yes, I mean military family, which was a
huge contrast. And um, when I was younger, too, like
we always had guns in the house, like that was
very normal. There was nothing unusual about that. And I

(29:17):
think we all kind of came to the realization like wow,
like that's not that's not necessary, and like, look at
the pain that's causing the people in our community and
my sister. That's been an interesting contrast too, is we
have so many military friends and our closest family friends
and family are military personnel, and so we have great
respect for them. And I idolized my dad. My dad
was in the army for twenty seven years. So that

(29:40):
is a contrast which is interesting. And I think seeing
him balance that has been helpful. So like he he's
like very liberal and active as well, but he's military,
and I think how he balances that is very graceful.
And I look up to that. We're in a place
where everything is so divided. Our country is divided on everything,

(30:01):
and I think if we can all just hear each
other out. I think if you hear both perspectives and
actually listen, it's not about talking about listening, That's how
we make the biggest change. All Right, Molly, we have
to take one more quick break, but when we come back,
I'm going to talk more about your activism and dive
into that. I also want to talk about dating and
cancel culture. We'll be right back. I remember when you

(30:32):
were in New York. It was I think this Memorial
Day's Memorial Day, and you went an hour outside the city,
tire yourself transportation to go to a cemetery to pay
respects for those who gave their lives. And I remember
I commented, I was like, this is incredible, Like this
is so important that you're just acknowledging it. I remember

(30:54):
you telling me that you lost like a thousand followers
for that. Yeah, no, I did, and I had, um
not everything has to be political, and I feel like no,
and they, um, that was my thing because I am
a military kid. I have great respect for the military
and my dad and I I mean they people, so
many people died for us and are I mean, everything

(31:17):
we do, just the way we protest would not be
safe in another country, even which is which is crazy.
And I don't think we realized that enough like the
positives of what the military has done. So I wanted
to go pay my respects and I thought that that
was important. Um, and I had some friends even texting
me who are who I've worked with on other campaigns,

(31:37):
and they're like, that was really disappointing, like seeing you
supporting the military, and I like that. I didn't have
to be a political thing though at all. That's just
paying respects for like our fallen like I remember very
I think a couple of Fourth of July is ago.
Um I had seen some people online like burning the
flag for Fourth of July, which really made me really
upset and worked up about it. And I talked to

(31:57):
my dad about it and he made he was not
upset at all about it, which surprised me. I thought
he would be, like he's Mr. Military, and he brought
up a really good point. He's like, well, he's like
you know, he's like even he's like, there's He's like,
most of the country is still like you could face
years in prison for that and the death Penalty's like,
but that's part of what we fight for. He's like,
we did laid on our lives even for the right
to burn the flag. He's like, and that's sad, He's like,

(32:19):
but that's part of it. He's like, when I see
people burning the flag, I'm like, oh, well, they're exercising
the right, And I was like, that's so like a
casual like that was so it's so not attached that
he looks at that as some freedom, which exactly which
if you think about its contradictory it is. At the
same time, everything has become so political, every environment, the
environment is now political, no, even though we shop like

(32:40):
every everything. And I think with cancel, culture really magnifies that, um.
And I hope that everybody can just take away from
his conversation, if anything, like use your voice and actually
have conversations and people do research for yourself and don't
just listen, don't just listen. And I think that that
was the thing too. And people saw me posting something
out of respect for the military, um, because that isn't

(33:01):
I mean most of them. I'm very very liberal on
my social media, and I guess maybe that was a
little less liberal, like that doesn't align with what you
think liberal is supporting the military just because of the
media and what they've built it out to be, like
the military seems like very like far right ideal, which
isn't how it is. Um. But that's the thing too,

(33:22):
that's exactly like if you listen and you can also
have opinions from varying places as well. Your opinions don't
need to align on one side. That's not democratic either,
you know, yeah, exactly. It's about forming your own opinions
and what you believe and not listening to just because
someone tells you to. And I think the fact that

(33:42):
also we're able to do that, and it's so yes,
I think of how many countries aren't able to do that. No,
I know it's so easy to feel helpless in this world,
especially right now, but to be we have the power
to take control back in ways we do. We do absolutely,
like you were saying, like we can take action into

(34:03):
our own hands. And I'm just gonna use veganism as
an example, um or kind of like the environment as
an example. So we have all these great protests all
over the world of young kids protesting for the environment
and getting policy change, and that's amazing and like policy
change is going to change it. But also we all
know how slow government moves and how slow things move
through government when we can take so much of the

(34:24):
only the power in our own hands. I have been
to multiple climate marches, like especially two summers ago, I
was like the one every single Friday and um, and
then I'd see people walking around with like McDonald's burgers,
and I'm like, well, do you know how much like
animal agriculture is contributing to carbon dioxide emissions? Like it
just was. It was very contradictory. And I think that
we're so focused on our policymakers is like making the

(34:45):
change when there we have the power. We have the
power by doing that by thrift ng like we were
just talking about that how awesome thrifting is, and by
you know, encouraging like to save up for like maybe
a little bit more for a hybrid car instead of
gas guzzler, you know what I mean, Like we have
more of the power with so many different things versus
having to wait around for change to happen. How do
you use that that your knowledge that you have on

(35:07):
a bunch of issues that you keep learning about in
your work. Do you take some of the knowledge that
you learn into your character? If that makes any sense?
I mean I think definitely. Um, I wouldn't necessarily say
always about political activism stuff, but I think that I'm
like a psych major, and I think studying the human
psyches and how different people interact and how society is interact.

(35:31):
I think that definitely comes into play when I'm like
building up a character and breaking them down and figuring
out like what makes them tick and who they are
and what they've been through, And that really helps bringing
that into it. And I think also, like you've done
so many different roles in so many different mediums, You've
done voiceovers, you've been acting, which are very different, Yes,

(35:51):
very different. When you're doing a voiceover, do you speak differently?
Do you exaggerate more versus when you're on camera? Um?
With voiceovers, I think the biggest thing is like annunciation,
which is funny because I'm not a very nunciated person,
like in just how I speak casually, um, But in
voiceovers it's like a lot about annunciation and more energy too.

(36:13):
But it also depends on a voice over you're doing.
If you're doing, uh, like a blind Light video game,
you're gonna be like more mellow and like you're at
the battlefield and you're talking like this. And then if
you're doing a Nickelodeon animated cartoon, you're gonna raise your
energy like this and talk a lot faster and add
like quirky voices. So god, I love that. So it's
gonna like change dramatically to I like what you're doing.

(36:35):
But I mean voiceovers are fun too because it's just
you and you're in a booth and like people can't
really see you, and you can make weird faces and
do weird things just to get into your body. So
I mean I love voiceovers as well. It's um like
over live action and voiceover live action. I mean I
think that as like, Yeah, I mean I think like

(36:56):
acting in the physicality of it though too, and putting
all of it together. And also with live action you
work a little bit more with the team like with
voice over year recording by yourself most of the time.
I mean, I love the getting to work as a
artist team and feed off of other people's energy. So
I do prefer that, but I think voiceover, especially during
the pandemic, was like the perfect thing. Yeah, and you're
a very lorobbly person with your dream role, is it

(37:17):
someone that's similar to you or is it someone that's
completely opposite. Oh, so my dream role for a long
time would not be like roles about like you know,
just people playing people on the spectrum or like playing
autistic individuals. For a long time, I was like, Okay,
like that's my dream role. But like now I've like
you know, done some of about self refraction and I'm like, okay,
well that's like not appropriate, Like that's not my role

(37:37):
to play. So that's changed. I mean, that's another example
of how we change and critically think and like evolve
as humans. Um So I think my dream role has
changed now to like Leonardo DiCaprio and The Basketball Diaries,
that is my dream role. I don't know. It's a
very very dramatic. He's super drug addicted and like going
through rehab throughout the entire movie and keep slipping up,

(37:59):
and it's a very like charactery grunge role. And I
think that would be ideal because you do not see
when you don't see many women and roles like that.
You see a lot of men going through rules like that.
You know, too many women portrayed. And then another type
of dreamer would be like a very charactery role, like
something Tim Burton wise, And once again there's not too
many women playing very charactery types. So I think that

(38:20):
one of those two would be like dream rolls for me,
something just very extreme fest girl. Let's put it out
in the universe. Do you believe in manifestation. I go
back and forth. I um, I mean you know, you know, cricket.
She always like teasing me about this, like I will,
I'm don't manifest intentionally, but I like, I'm a big
daydreamercial just like daydream about things again and again and again,

(38:43):
and then it happens. And She's like, everything you want
like happens like in regards to I'm accidentally like manifest
just by thinking of I'm gon overthinker two so overthink
about things like again and again and again and again,
and then it kind of happens to be a manifestation.
I guess, So I don't believe in it intentionally. Um.
Something that I've also been like struggling with his finding
a balance between work, school, and social life and dating

(39:07):
in this day and age is so hard. Let alone
a pandemic. Let's forget about the pandemic. I can only
speak to my experiences. It is hard to date, especially
in this industry. Oh my goodness. Yeah, no, I mean,
I how do you have a mental sanity like just
dealing with it? Letting like what comes with cup? I mean,

(39:30):
I'll say, like I was pretty late to wanting to
date um. Yeah. I was pretty late to wanting to
have like a boyfriend or a relationship, um until I
was about like set, like almost eighteen, and then I
was like very like obsessed on the idea of like
I need a relationship, but I need a relationship like
all my friends were in what I needed on. Um.
So I got in a relationship and that we dated

(39:51):
over the pandemic, which made it, um, which made the
pandemic like easier. Feeling like that like yeah somebody, yeah exactly. Um.
But now that we we've been broken up throughout a
year now, wow, time like really flies. Um, I felix.
I was just like telling you, like, oh yeah, I
just got out of a relationship like that feels like
that was just yesterday. Um. But yeah, now that I've
had like a year of kind of figuring this is

(40:12):
like the first year I've been figuring out like how
to date in this industry, which is it's tough, it's
sticky too. And then I get a little hesitant to
date outside of the industry because I mean we've talked
about it plenty, like people kind of wanting you for
the motives. Yes, um yeah, I mean I think I've
found like to be honest, the like the best luck

(40:33):
still dating outside of the industry, but just like filtering
people out properly. I guess they're like really like trusting
when my parents are like, like, I don't get the
right like they are into you for the right reasons. Yeah,
how do you find the balance between filtering out the
fake people? There's quite a few, not to characterize, but
from my time in California New York, I've noticed more
big people in California. Yes, yes, but you filter that out.

(40:56):
I mean, I think the biggest thing, too, is not
letting it affect you too much. I think I used
to be like very like offended. If I was like,
oh my god, they were fake and they wanted like
I would like very I would take it very personally. Um.
And I've gotten a lot better at not taking things
as personally. UM. But I think that once you're out
here long enough, you just kind of see it from
a mile away. It's just it's not that hard. You

(41:18):
just get in the hang of it, and then it's
just kind of like you just don't. You just don't
pursue anything closer with those people. They're always gonna be there,
They're always going to be at the parties, like you
will always interact with them, but you don't need to
make anything deeper with them. I mean it's a process. Yeah. No,
I mean I think like the my bigger thing is
like I have a hard time with like mean or
entitled people out here, Like that's frustrating and like you

(41:41):
literally were with me as I was going through my
first ever i mean girl experience. So shout out to Sammy.
That's like kind of how we really want was the
most real and there for me. Um. So yeah, I
mean I think like it's more that that kind of
will bug me as that people who aren't fake but
are like intentional and how they're manipulative and stuff like that,

(42:01):
and call it out and they just like are okay
with them being in that way. It's not even like
them being like subtle about it. No, they're quite bold
about it. The people who do that. Yeah, I still
can't profit that. Yeah, but I mean, I mean I
think that like you've met so many people out here already,
like as you're living out here too, you know, I mean,
it just becomes easier and easier not to get caught

(42:22):
up with those people. I think the biggest thing is
you're not taking it personally like they're going through their
thing and just kind of let them be on their own.
I mean, I love my alone time too, So that's
how I reset after interacting with people who maybe don't
align with my morals. Is I love alone time. I
love just going to the beach all day by myself
and reading a book and meditating, and like, yeah, I
definitely prioritize alone time kind of above when when I

(42:44):
have free time, I mean, I definitely make sure I
get my alone time done first. That's how you recharge. Yeah,
that is how I recharge. So I'm definitely an introvert
um and that's how I recharge. But I think also
that's important too, if you deal with fake people and
you're getting worn down by them, it's just kind of
touch and with like who you are and realize, oh,
I'm not fake at all, Like I'm I'm a real one.
You're a real one, and that's important and I'm just

(43:06):
I just want to say, I am so glad that
we've met and become friends same because it's so rare
to find genuine people, but people that you're so similar to. Yeah,
I know people that it's like they're genuine, but also
you have stuff in common with and you can have
deep conversations with and that. Yeah, I mean, we felt
some like we have been kind of a long distance

(43:27):
friendship and fortunately we're still living on two different sides
of floss ange s, which sucks um. But I feel
like when we do see each other, like it's very
quality and I leave feeling very content and I feel
like I'm excited to continue. And I am so honored
that you came on. Everyone go follow Molly Jackson on Instagram,
Go check out her stuff. She is just the most incredible,

(43:49):
genuine person. Molly, thank you for coming on the podcast.
Thank you so much for having me. It was an
amazing time. I had so much fun. I could talk
to you for hours more. So we will, We will exactly.
Thank you guys so much for listening to this week's
episode of the Let's Be Real Podcast. Molly, thank you
so much for coming on. I love her so much.
If you want to follow her on Instagram, you absolutely should.

(44:12):
Her instagram is Molly Jackson, and also follow her film account.
She takes awesome picks on film and you should just
follow her account. Also subscribe to the let's be real
podcasts if you haven't already, and follow me on Instagram
if you want my instagrams, it's Sammy J. That's I
T S S A M M Y j A y E.
I hope you guys like this week's episode and I

(44:32):
will see you next week. Bye.