When actor and singer Ayesha Madon received the call that she’d been cast in Heartbreak High, Netflix’s smash reboot of the Aussie classic, she sobbed in the shower. “Happy tears!” she insists. It was a life-changing moment for the 26-year-old, who was starting to believe an acting career wasn’t on the cards for her. “If you’re not getting callbacks, it’s hard to continue going,” she told PEDESTRIAN.TV. “You’re like, am I delusional? Or am I believing in myself? What’s the difference?” Landing the role of star Amerie Wadia was “good timing”, she said — and life hasn’t been the same since.
In the two years since Heartbreak High rocketed to the top of Netflix’s most watched series, Ayesha has been nominated for both an AACTA and a Logie, released an EP, supported Meg Mac on tour, and is preparing to film Heartbreak‘s third and final season.
It made perfect sense, then, for Ayesha to be our launch interview for Insider Trading, PEDESTRIAN.TV’s new series asking creative Aussies about their careers: the nosy questions, the big learnings, and their advice for anyone wanting to follow in their footsteps.
Hint: if you’re looking to break into the creative industry, check out our newly relaunched Pedestrian JOBS and craft your next move.
Insider Trading: Ayesha Madon
Hi Ayesha! Tell us a little bit about yourself and what you do.
I’m a multi-hyphenate. I am an actor and I’m a songwriter and a singer… and I think that’s it!
How long have you been working in the creative industries?
I was a child actor, but as an adult, probably since 2019.
What does a typical day look like for you?
There is no typical day. I think it depends on where I’m at. If I’m shooting, it’ll be like, 14 hour days, get up at 4am go to bed, start it all again. I was just in London doing songwriting sessions, so then I would get up in the morning, get to my session by 12, repeat the cycle. And right now I’m in and press territory, so just hopping around to different outlets, like you guys!
What is your favourite part about what you do?
It sounds cliche, but there’s like, a certain creative flow that you lock into, that’s the same across songwriting and acting. When you’re in it, doesn’t feel like you’re doing it. It’s like you almost get possessed or something, and you just lock into a creative flow. So I love that feeling. I feel like most creatives are just always chasing that feeling.
What’s been your biggest learning curve so far?
My biggest learning curve has been to trust my own creative instincts. I think being a woman in both industries, is quite a feat and it can be really hard to, like, believe in yourself and trust your own instincts when you’re being told otherwise. So I think just staying true to yourself and being firm in in your taste.
If you weren’t doing your current role (and by that we mean, current multiple roles), what would you be doing?
I’d want to be an astronaut, or maybe a marine biologist. So like, either side — up and down. Underwater or in space.
When you were starting out in your career, what was your dream job? How did you end up in your current role?
It sounds bad, but I’m not someone who’s like, ‘Oh, I really want to do that’. I mean, I want to do a period piece after Heartbreak, so that’s on my bucket list. But I didn’t really have a goal. I just really love what I do, and if I get the chance to do it… beggars can’t be choosers. I just really wanted to book something. I’m just happy to be in work, really.
What was it like, the moment you booked Heartbreak High?
I’ve never been more elated in my life. I just sat in my shower and cried. Happy tears! I didn’t really think acting was for me at that point, because it’s hard as a creative. If you’re not getting external validation, and certainly if you’re not getting callbacks, it’s hard to continue going. You’re like, am I delusional? Or am I believing in myself? What’s the difference? It was good timing for me.
What’s your advice for people who want to follow in your footsteps?
Even though I went to drama school, you don’t need institutions to [act]. You don’t need a lot of money to do it. I didn’t come from a lot of money. There’s this misconception that you need an expensive education to do it, but I don’t think that’s the case. Don’t listen to institutions if they tell you you’re not good enough. Just trust your gut.
Aside from acting and singing, you’re also working with a few brands at the moment (like Nescafé). How do you choose which brands to work with?
I mean, it’s really about what I’m passionate about as a person. Like, I’m really passionate about coffee, it’s a big part of my creative process. I can’t do anything without a coffee, so it just felt like a no brainer.
You were recently diagnosed with ADHD. What prompted you to seek a diagnosis? And how has your life changed?
Since I was little, lots of people joked about me having ADHD. I kind of thought it just stopped at the joke. It didn’t. Like lots of women, I got diagnosed later in life. It’s been really great ot find a solution, and to understand myself and understand my traits. I love the label, but brains are a spectrum, so I haven’t let it define me. But it’s been nice to be aware of my habits and my mental patterns.
Do you have a work uniform?
One of my favourite authors, Elizabeth Gilbert, in her book Big Magic says that you need to dress up and look slay at work. I mean, that’s not exactly what she said, but what she meant was: you need to dress up for creativity to come meet you. So I like looking slay when I’m writing at home or producing at home. If I’m on set or acting or on stage or whatever, shoes play a really big part of getting me into character. I know this sounds so silly and naff, but the way a shoe feels helps me. [Laughs] I’m embarrased by that.
What’s the most unhinged thing you’ve seen at work that we can legally publish?
Oh there’s lots that you couldn’t legally publish…. this isn’t unhinged, but really cute. I was writing in London recently, and an amazing producer that I worked with, Rich Cooper, brought his little puppy to work and put his little puppy in his backpack after the session and rode home. I thought that was quite nice.
Who is someone you admire in your industry?
That’s a great question. To be honest, all the pop girlies at the moment. Chappell Roan speaking up for herself was awesome. As I said, being assertive as a woman in this industry can be a challenge because we’re constantly being faced with the perception of being bossy or too much or bitchy. It’s really cool to see women asserting themselves and drawing clear boundaries.
Describe your inbox in three words.
Unread, unread, unread. I’ve got like, 50,000 emails that haven’t been read, genuinely.
How do you sign off your emails?
Depends who it is. If it’s my acting agents it’s always “Big love, X”. To my manager, it changes every time, I like to mix it up.
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The post ‘Am I Delusional? Or Am I Believing In Myself?’ Insider Trading Talks To… Ayesha Madon appeared first on PEDESTRIAN.TV .
