California native Margo Parker was recently featured in two popular Lifetime movies: Deadly Girls Night Out and If These Walls Could Talk.  She chats with American Teen about being yourself, confidence, and “the biz.”

What was your childhood like?

I grew up in Los Angeles, California with my mom and grandmother and graduated from a small high school, Sierra Canyon during the pandemic. Sierra Canyon has a diverse student body and I was enrolled there for 14 years. I’m mixed black/white, Brazilian, French, and Israeli, so it was comforting seeing people that looked like me growing up. They really shaped me into the person I am today, especially my singing coach, ALL the English teachers, and my soccer coach. The only downside was thinking that because financially, I didn’t have as much as most of other kids, I was always comparing myself to them. In the end, I was just hurting by thinking I had less. Looking back, I realize how much I truly had and how grateful I am. My mom was, and still is, my best friend and that’s all I really need. She always made sure I had everything I needed, and could do everything all the other kids got to do, so I never missed out. She also made sure I understood we had to work hard for the things we wanted in life, be it friendships, material things, or goals. 

You worked throughout high school, right?

From ages 14 to 15 I was a junior lifeguard at Castaic Lake. Then from 16 to 18 I was a lifeguard at Hurricane Harbor, and when I finally turned 18 I was able to lifeguard at my high school’s pool. I graduated right before I turned 19 and it was then I decided what I wanted to do with my life -- acting.

How did you get into acting?

After graduating high school, I decided it was time to take my life seriously. I was the most inconsistent and laziest person I knew -- no kidding! I always knew I wanted to be an entertainer, I love to write and sing but one day it clicked. I was always more comfortable in front of camera then I ever was talking to people casually. So I joined ‘Mad Acting Studios’ run by Max Decker, which changed me life. That’s where I met my agent Robin Nassif with Media Artists Group, and several casting directors that would soon end up casting me in two Lifetime movies. Through Robin I met my managers Ryan Daly and Yoni Ovadia with Zero Gravity Management. I’m beyond grateful that they were able to take on a development project like myself!

What advice do you have for teens who want to act professionally?

My mom always said: “Preparation meeting opportunity equals success. You don’t have to be the best, but if you’re the most prepared, no one will  be able to stop you.” Remember that you can 100 percent create your own reality, and that the magic of believing is your best friend. If you believe you’ll get it, you will, I promise. I fully indulged myself into acting this past year and was able to come out with 3 movies, 2 of which I was the lead in, and 3 shorts that I was the lead in as well. And I only started a little over a year ago.

This is a hard business to be in. How do you stay positive?

Everyone has an opinion in this business. If you can take criticism in a healthy way and apply it to the next thing you do, you’ll never get worse. The goal is to get better not to stay in place. If you ever feel comfortable in what you’re doing that’s a bad sign. Also, never take anything personally. You can't get caught up in the "no's,” because you might miss out on your "YES", and you need to give it 100% each time – so, no time to dwell in the past.

What advice do you have for teenagers going through a tough time?

I wish I could go back and tell my younger self how much none of what's happening will matter later on--and that the only person you need to compete with is yourself. Being in a few movies definitely helped my perspective. I realized how much time they’d spend on doing my makeup and hair, and sometimes body makeup to cover any imperfections that I—and everyone!—have. Just know anyone you see on social media or in movies… hours were spent on making them look the way they do, along with editing in some cases.

Tell us about the characters you play in Lifetime’s "Deadly Girls Night Out" and "If These Walls Could Talk.”

In “If Walls Could Talk” I played Olivia Garland and she is an extremely kind, strong, and caring person. It was definitely more channeling to emulate Olivia’s character and personality. In “Deadly Girls’ Night Out” I got to play Tia, who is the complete opposite of Olivia. Tia is an extremely conceited person that has some anger issues you could say! And with her big ego came so many insecurities. Having the chance to play two different people--that I now have with me for the rest of my life—was amazing.

What was the audition process like for both movies?

I auditioned for “If Walls Could Talk” and heard back a couple days later that they wanted to hire me. For “Deadly Girls Night Out” it was an offer. Paul Ruddy cast me in both movies. I am beyond—beyond!--grateful to have had that opportunity to be trusted to portray such complex characters.

Next projects? What can you tell us?

I actually can’t say anything at the moment. All I can say is that 2022 and 2023 are going to be awesome!

Follow Margo on Instagram at: @margoparkerr

Photo: Manny Canseco