Mae Martin
Mae Martin is a phenomenal creator, actor, comedian who created and stars as Detective Dempsey alongside Toni Collette in the upcoming Netflix scary miniseries Wayward which premieres September 25th. we caught up with Mae in NYC while they were doing some press. we snapped some candids in an empty elementary school a perfect backdrop since Wayward takes place in a spooky school called Tall Pines Academy. so scroll on down as we chat with the multi-hyphenate Mae on the show’s message and what makes it so compelling, other current projects / passions, fluidity, ditching labels and fitting in a game of foosball when the mood strikes.
the bare magazine: aside from fear and suspense what message or feeling do you hope Wayward will spark in the audience?
Mae Martin: I hope that watching Wayward ignites helps people tap into their inner rebellious teen, and to reconnect with a sense of vitality, empathy, and righteous indignation that we all feel as teenagers and somehow gets dampened over time as we become adults.
bare: can you share what you think makes this such a special piece of work, and sets it apart from many of the shows out there?
MM: It's special to me because it's a premise I've wanted to explore for so many years, and it's full of sparkling performances from amazing young actors like Sydney Topliffe and Alyvia Lynd... I hope it reaches a lot of people and makes them laugh and freaks them out.
bare: you are involved with many creative projects ...can you give us a brief breakdown of what a typical work day looks like? what are your top priorities these days?
MM: Ok today I woke up at 8 and started doing Tai Chi along with a YouTube video, I lasted three minutes, then I got bored and had breakfast. I'll spend a few hours answering emails and doing press for Wayward, then I'll play foosball. I might go to the gym, then work on a script I'm developing. Then I'm going to see Weapons with my friend Alana and hopefully she'll let me go to Cheesecake Factory. Then night time after everyone is asleep that's when I work on music and get emo.
bare: what does a typical off day look like when you need to decompress and detach? do you any regular grounding self-care practices?
MM: I have a really hard time switching off because I feel like I could always be doing something productive. Even if I'm reading a book to relax I end up making notes in the margins in case it's useful for something I'm writing. My hobbies are all things like painting and playing the guitar, and those things are now part of my work! If I REALLY want to relax, I usually do a terrifying horror escape room or go and see a movie.
bare: what would you say are your top 3 most challenging traits about yourself that you are trying to improve on?
MM: I have a tendency to ruminate. I'll get stuck in repetitive thought spirals just having imaginary conversations in my head. Often the thing I think is making me anxious isn't really what's making me anxious... it's just a convenient scapegoat for a general sense of dread. I also hate to disappoint people, and I am bad at time management, so I often overbook myself or say yes to things enthusiastically in the moment, and then end up having to cancel. I also struggle to put my phone away and go to sleep and always wake up tired, usually in a cold sweat from zombie apocalypse dreams.
bare: is there a message you'd like to share with anyone who is reading this who might be uncertain and/or insecure in their skin and sexuality... and not sure how to cope?
MM: Find community! Expose yourself to lots of different types of people and environments and be open about the things you're grappling with. Also remember we are fluid by nature, and the more we enshrine the self and fixate on labels the more stagnant we become! You can be as dynamic and undefinable as you want.
bare: what would a painting of your future dream life consist of?
MM: Oh interesting that you say a painting! I'd like it to be done in gouache paints from Japan, the colours are so amazing. The painting would be of me sitting with a large dog, a couple of weirdo goofy kids running around, and a partner who will still make time to do very involved sexual role plays with me even though we are very busy with our life in the forest building outbuildings for our house by a river.
bare: please list your top 6 Bare essentials.
MM:
Foosball
Oxygen
Bath
Black pen and lined paper
My friends
Founder & Editor in Chief - The Bare Magazine
