Meyrick Murphy
Meyrick Murphy is an American actress known for her role as Meghan Chambler alongside David Morrissey in AMC's hit series The Walking Dead. She also played Susie Jones in TV movie The Novice (2014), Phoebe Barrows in A Belle for Christmas (2014) and appeared in short film The Window East (2014).
More recently Meyrick can be seen in comedy/drama Chasing Ghosts as Kimberly, which comes out on April 21st. Chasing Ghosts centres around Lucas Simons, an 11-year-old filmmaker, who is obsessed with death after the loss of his brother. When Lucas accidentally captures a mysterious presence in one of his films, he inadvertently becomes a YouTube phenomenon, and must learn to live life in the spotlight while also learning how to once again start living life to its fullest.
The delightful Meyrick took some time out to speak to ScreenNut about her career, her influences and what she does for fun.
SN: Hello Meyrick, and welcome. Thank you for taking the time out to answer my questions. To begin with, tell me about how you first got into the world of acting.
Meyrick: Well, once upon a time...I played Cindy Eller in Cindy Eller Plays Ball. That was in first grade. I really enjoyed, and so I started acting class and started auditioning for local plays. It just kind of grew from that.
SN: What characteristics do you look for when taking on a new role?
Meyrick: I like to look for intelligence and original personality. I don't want to be stuck with stereotypical pretty girl or the, quote, unquote, nerd. The world doesn't work like that; we are all a little bit of both! I like to make sure the script is good and interesting! It just has to be, overall, good and original. NO MORE REBOOTS HOLLYWOOD! NO MORE.
SN: In 2013 you appeared in the phenomenal The Walking Dead. Tell me about your experiences of working on that show, and what was it like to work with the fantastic David Morrissey?
Meyrick: The experience you get from working on The Walking Dead, you cherish forever. It's an amazing set to work on and so many great people work on it! Everyone is equal on that set. It's really a family! I met some great friends that I will have for the rest of my life! David Morrissey is a great man and an influential actor! He was so nice and he was tall - most actors aren't that tall! I had to crane my neck to look at him! It was a great experience working with him.
Meyrick Murphy as Meghan Chambler in The Walking Dead, alongside co-star David Morrissey as ‘The Governor’.
SN: Taking on a new role and adapting to portray a completely different person from that of yourself must be daunting for any actor. How do you cope with the pressure? Or does it come quite naturally to you?
Meyrick: You really have to find the similarities and differences between you and that character and put a little of yourself into whatever character you play, whether it's Mickey Mouse or The Terminator! The best thing anyone can do is research, research, research. If you are auditioning for a character from a book, actually read the book to get a deeper understanding of the character that's not in the script! When I do that, I never have pressure to cope with!
SN: You have a film coming out in April called Chasing Ghosts, tell us what we can expect to see from the film and explain a little more about your role of Kimberly.
Meyrick: Chasing Ghosts is a beautiful film from the wonderful mind of Josh Chesler. It was such a fun set to be on and it's a family friendly film, but not dumbed down! Kimberly is a quirky-nerd-hipster-cellist (I didn't have to do any research for that character except for learning how to play the Cello). I cannot wait until people get a chance to see it.
SN: Professionally speaking, who are some of your biggest influences, and who are the greatest inspirations for you personally?
Meyrick: Molly Ringwald, HANDS DOWN!! She is an amazing actress and has a wonderful sense of style, at least for the 80s. I also love Emma Watson, not only because she is Hermione, but because she is also a strong feminist and a college graduate, which I admire so much!
SN: If you had the freedom of choice to play any role you wanted, what would it be, and why?
Meyrick: I'd like to be the Companion on Doctor Who. When I was in 2nd grade, we were asked to write a letter to the boss of the place we wanted to work. I wanted to be Amelia Pond, so I wrote to Steven Moffat, the writer and show-runner of Who, and pleaded my case, asked to be the Companion. Sadly, I did not have his address, so I never sent the letter.
SN: How do you balance your education and your career?
Meyrick: I really want to go to MIT, so education is important to me. I work ahead in school and make sure I understand everything and try to stay in constant contact with my teachers. I am in a book club and I just try and stay curious about the world around me - wherever I happen to be.
SN: What are the biggest challenges that you face as a young actress?
Meyrick: Staying grounded and real is the big challenge that I see. You have to remember that this is an adult's business, but that doesn't mean that you should stop being a kid. You have to keep focused on school. Fame and fortune, they come and go, so you can't cling on to them too tightly.
SN: Aside from your blossoming acting career, you also have a keen interest in astrophysics and enjoy researching string theory (The Big Bang Theory is the limit of my understanding on that). Where does that interest and passion stem from, and what are your goals for the future in regards to this?
Meyrick: That's funny, because I think Big Bang piqued my interest in astrophysics. One day, I sat down and watched the show with a notebook and paused the television every time they talked about a science concept I didn't understand. When the show was over, I did a little research. That led to a deeper understanding and a greater curiosity. I was off from there - to Through the Wormhole with Morgan Freeman, and then my friend gave me a copy of A Brief History of Time. I want to continue studying at MIT. Who knows where things will go from there?
SN: When you're not researching the sciences or taking on a new role, what do you like to do for fun?
Meyrick: I like to roller-skate. I like to make short films. I love fashion and playing with my dogs. I like to blog. I love watching Dan and Phil on YouTube.
SN: Finally, is there anything you would lie to tell your fans about that I have not mentioned?
MM: Thanks so much for taking the time to interview me. I have some projects I am waiting to hear about, but in the meantime, I'm just trying to have fun and be a kid.
SN: Thank you once again for giving up some of your time for this interview. It is greatly appreciated. Congratulations on all your achievements so far and I wish you all the very best for the future. Thank you.