It’s all well and good for creators to tout the importance of authenticity when it comes to their online content. Let’s be real: it’s pretty easy to be authentic when you’re hidden beneath layers of sneaky editing and professional lighting. But for Maddy MacRae, actor and TikToker, authenticity is at the crux of all she does online. Her content works to obliterate the ideas of what it means to be genuine online, instead portraying a persona that champions imperfection.
I sat down with Maddy to hear more about her journey. From aspiring actress to mega internet personality with a schmick 1.9 million followers on TikTok alone, success story is putting it lightly.
Tell me how you got to where you are. What was that first video that really kickstarted it?
I started creating in 2021 during our second COVID-19 lockdown. I was working in retail and also as an actor, trying to audition, but when everything was shutting down again, it meant I had to change gears. I was a regular user of TikTok, and I sort of realised that this was the type of content I could create too.
For the first six months, I was creating content with no real goal in mind — I just wanted to pass the time. Then, I made my first skit, where I played all the characters in the stomach: the slide of bread, the alcohol, and so on.
@maddy_macrae_ Uh oh. A year ago, this video changed my life 🥹 #comedy #skit #sketch #stomachpov #drinking #drunk #tequila #wine #espressomartini #sliceofwhitebread ♬ original sound – Maddy
All of a sudden, it exploded. It was February 2022, and it hit about 22 million views really quickly. Within three months, I had quit my job, had management, and started doing content creation full-time. I’ve never looked back.
It’s such a cool job. Given I’m an actor, I love being able to write my own skits and act — make it my own, really.
That sounds so cool! But doing it all — writer, director, actor, and so on — it can get difficult, right?
It can sometimes inhibit me in the sense of I’m really used to working in my living room now, so having opportunities outside of that can feel like an adjustment. But, on the flip side, I do love having that creative control. I control my brand, my narrative — the whole schtick.
What I try to convey in my content is this relatable, messy, not-so-perfect person online. On social media, you can see so much perfection, and I’m trying to be less than that. I do think curating all my content, on the other hand, makes me ever-so-slightly a control freak.
On that note — what message or way of thinking do you try to perpetuate through your content?
I just want to bring people joy. I want people to laugh.
I also like to have a cheeky message in there, whether it’s about dating, or periods, or anything of that sort. I love to celebrate being a woman, and talking about being a woman — humour is a great way to broach those kinds of topics.
My content is really a way to celebrate messiness and have fun. Being silly in the crazy world is something I see as a nice reprieve, a breather from the realities of the day-to-day. I’m big on escapism, in case you can’t tell.
It’s a big reason behind my partnership with YouFoodz, too. My food doesn’t need to be perfect, either, so it felt like a perfect alignment in that sense. I don’t want to share a highlight reel of my life, I want people to see the normalcy of it all.
What’s something that your fans might not know about you?
I’m actually a huge introvert. I know I might give off extrovert energy, but I’m much more of an introvert. I love staying home.
I’m also not a natural redhead! That one surprises people. I dye my hair constantly — I’m actually naturally blonde.
What would you say to someone wanting to follow in your footsteps?
Just post it.
Really try not to care if it’s not perfect. Posting imperfectly is better than not posting at all. Be consistent, have fun with it, and post that video!
I’ve had to let go of things not being perfect. I look back at content I posted three years ago, and I just remind myself I’m growing — I’m constantly evolving and my content is following suit.
I also like to remind people that as soon as you post a video, you can just post another one. It’s as simple as that. It moves so fast as a platform that no one will know that it flops.
Describe your inbox in three words.
Every Email Read.
I’m a chronic inbox zero girlie. I don’t like the red numbers. I’m too type A for that. I just want them all to be read, constantly.
What’s your email signature?
Thanks, Maddy. That’s it. Simple and straight to the point, just how I like it.
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