Where does the real person end and her personae begin?
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Megan Stalterdoesnt mean to peek at my notes, honest.
Im so sorry, she says in her midwestern-nice way.
Its just sometimes your eyes are always looking for your name.
This is indeed a ridiculous thing to see written about yourself, but Stalter knows ridiculousness.
But, really, doing viral character work in the early lockdown days broke her first.
Her delicate balancing act is to keep them endearing regardless.
Do you think people are searching that thinking thats not my real name?
Or thinking,Whos Megan Stalter?Or,Is she being serious?
Its almost definitely the last one.
Country starMaren Morris, who hosted Stalter onan episodeofJimmy Kimmel Live!last August, got a crash course.
I dont know how I kept it together because she never broke character once the entire conversation we had.
The proper nouns are zany, but the emotions behind them are real.
Each technique and tic undercuts her characters cockiness with vulnerability.
ActressKathy Najimy, whohas worked with her, believes Stalter has created a new genre.
We were really dramatic, elaborate children with a lot of time on our hands.
In 2014, Stalter moved to Chicago, where she worked as a nanny to pay for improv classes.
Stalter has already snagged her first leading role, in the indie dark comedyCora Borafrom director Hannah Pearl Utt.
It will be as deep a role as weve ever seen from Stalter.
It was also her first brush with stage fright.
I was fully crying.
Utt held her hand through it, allowing for something beautiful to emerge from Stalter in the end.
This is the first time in our conversation when Stalter reveals some uncharacteristic worry about her work.
There is a moment where youre like,I really hope that people see this, she explains.
And I dont need everyone to love my stuff or to be everyones cup of tea.
She is excited to challenge her audience to do so, though.
If a comedian does spon-con (spon-com?)
Stalter considers the idea.
Stalter isnt even sure if people understand that the ads arent parodies.
I dont think people think that theyre real.
Is any of it real?
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