MADISON SANTOS TALKS FELINES

Interviewed by Culture Coast Talks editor Daniel John. Interview transcripts might have been edited for length and clarity.

Max meets the mysterious and seductive Lily and instantly falls head over heels in love, but Max soon realizes that Lily might not be who she first seemed to be. What was it about this story that made you want to portray Max?

Max was the first role I had booked where I didn't play the same kind of characters I usually got. Before this, I felt-type casted into playing only a few types of roles. Playing Max was the first time I got to go to uncomfortable and intense places for my character. To me I saw Max as a really lonely and lost soul. She lost her mother, had an alcoholic father and was stuck living in a small, boring town she did not want to be in anymore. It is easy to fall into a trap like Lily when you are as broken as Max is and she's the first interesting person Max has met in a long time. I think most of us have fallen for someone toxic, who ends up breaking your heart, and leading you down a bad path that's hard to get out of. I can relate to that.

This was your first leading role in a film, and as often is, I would imagine it was anything but easy to get to it?

I've always done a lot of artistic hobbies growing up. I drew, I danced professionally as a kid, I even did two middle school plays, but I never thought to make a career out of this or take it very seriously, this was always just something for fun to do with my friends. Growing up, my filipina mom and grandparents were always encouraging me to focus more on the math and sciences, as to them art was more of a "well rounding" extracurricular activity, so having the mindset even until early adulthood that being an artist isn't a "real" job, and the only way to be successful and happy is by being a doctor, engineer and so on I went to college, got my degree and went straight into the nine-to-five life. By 2020 I was approaching my third year in the role as executive assistant to the CEO of an all women run business management and accounting firm. That was specifically working within the entertainment industry. When 2020 hit and Hollywood, and the world, shut down there wasn't much for me to do. A few months into the lockdown starting I lost everything I had worked years to get and I was completely starting over at twenty-six years old. When you have spent your life listening to what everyone else tells you to do, playing it "safe" and losing everything anyways, there is a breaking-point. If the safe life that I hated living is still a risk, I would rather take the risk on the life I actually want.

What behind-the-scenes moments of work were essential in getting you here?

Of course, I think same as any artist on a similar path as me, we all have these pivotal moments throughout our personal journeys and careers that help define us, and move us forward. For me, I'm very fortunate to have had many pivotal moments in my career. The first was meeting a big casting director, she was the first person in the industry to give me a shot and help me get my foot in the door. I met her at the end of 2020, and started booking huge music videos. And by the beginning of 2021 I signed with my first acting agent, Daniel Hoff, who then worked with me personally and completely transformed my look into being a marketable actor, by the end of 2021 I had booked reoccurring featured background roles on studio shows like 'Westworld' and 'Super Pumped', which were huge moments for me professionally. In 2022 I got my first producing gig for a music video and started getting smaller roles in indie feature films. And then by the end of 2022, I had produced seven projects and booked my first lead role in 'Felines'. In 2023 I also got the opportunity to live and model in the Philippines while I worked on my feature film script, 'Atom'.

This year, I am very fortunate to be lead producer on two feature films, 'The New Monsters on the Block' and 'The Wicked Die Young', producer and lead actor in another feature film, 'Reboot', and producer and actor in a television show called 'The Island of Misfitz'. All these moments have all lead me to where I am today in my career and I am forever grateful for all the amazing opportunities that gave me a chance to see what I am capable of.

You mention that you have lived and modeled in The Philippines?

I left to find myself again and take a huge risk in my career by starting my own production—company. My goal was to create and produce my own feature film projects which is starting with 'Atom'. But before I could focus on my next career move, I needed time to breathe and focus on myself to heal what I needed to heal, really find out who I am today and be able to bring my healthiest and best self forward when it came to my work and life. I spent months diving into my own mind and soul, trying to connect with my inner-self and the universe. I read a lot of books to learn, study and practice all different types healing methods, mediations and practices. I've always had depression and been super sick and in and out of hospitals since I was a young adult. I had no idea there were deeper psychological reasons for me staying so sick. Once I learned to release the negative energy in my body and mind and also begin learning how to actually take care of my physical body, I started to feel healthy again.

After some time of traveling and doing my inner work, I needed to start working again and ended up signing to a top modeling agency in Manila, and about three months into signing with Mercator I landed my Footlocker X Nike campaign and got to see my face all over the malls in the Philippines. I had a lot of amazing opportunities with Mercator, one of my favorites was working with the huge local clothing brand DBTK, aka "Don't Blame the Kids".

During that time, I also worked on writing my screenplay, and on landing more producing- and acting roles on projects I was passionate about. I'm full of gratitude for all the amazing people that helped me along my journey of self-discovery that allowed me to accomplish everything I set out to do while I was gone. 

Much of this work that we get to see you in now is still part of the first chapter of your acting journey. Now being back in L.A., what roles are you passionate about going forward?

I am super passionate about all the current roles I will be playing in, from 'Reboot' as K2 to 'Island of Misfitz' as Briah and 'Atom' as Eva, they're all amazing and exciting characters to jump into. But what always speaks to me, over anything, is an amazing story. Whatever my role is, behind- or in front of the camera, as long as we are making something we are proud of it is always worth it and soul-fulfilling. I am also still trying to "find myself" as an artist. I want to explore different, weird and trippy roles, just experiment. Definitely one role I want to play in the future is a spy in an action movie and to do at least one iconic rom-com movie for the nineties-kid in me.

Does all of the planned projects differ much from one another?

I do have lots of fun projects coming up, every project is very different and I think that wide range makes it even more exciting to share with you guys. 'The New Monsters on the Block' is a horror-comedy feature about a teen monster slayer fighting teen monsters who are terrorizing his town. 'Reboot' is a action sci-fi feature about a world where corporations clone their dead employees rather than hire new ones and one “reboot” must navigate the social-complexities of her situation. 'Island of Misfitz' is a coming of age drama series following a group of misfits that all move to L.A to chase their dreams and find each other in the process and go through the trials and tribulations of showbusiness together. 'The Wicked Die Young' is a modern horror-fairy tale that follows a man on a surreal odyssey to kill his witch mother while being accompanied by a living wishing star. And lastly, 'Atom' is a surreal drama screenplay that I am currently writing with my co-writing team. Think 'Eat, Pray, Love' meets 'Inception', that I will eventually be producing and acting in as well. 

What is it that make the trials and tribulations worth it for you?

I believe that we all posses skills that are meant to help us succeed, and give back to others. For me, storytelling and art is one of my ways to connect with people and hopefully inspire them. To show people's stories and make people feel seen and less alone or even just giving them a world to escape into makes me feel fulfilled, what makes it all worth it for me is hearing that I somehow helped someone or inspired them through my work or my personal journey. The most exciting part for me as an actor is to get a new script and start breaking down and analyzing the character. One of the reasons I chose to major in sociology in school is because I love studying people. What are their mannerisms. What are their motivations. What got them here, why would they think or act in that way, as an actor I now get to decide all of it and bring this character to life. I've even studied criminology to understand a wider range of people, why they do what they do and what's going through their minds at any given point. I think my love of diving into new and different character minds is what makes acting so fun for me.