Latest / Breaking The Meta / She Stole the First Kiss. Then AI Stole Her Work | Madison West
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- Mike Winson: One of the things on the list is first kiss. And I was shocked and appalled Madison West: yeah. You were Mike Winson: when you stole her first kiss. Madison West: I know, how dare I? She she was just ready to and that character's name was Addison, which was very close to Madison. So Mike Winson: It is. Madison West: yes, she just just jumped in there. She was like, it's my time. It's like absolutely so funny and fun. Mike Winson: Yeah. Madison West: there was and and I just love her her line after it's like, you stole my first kiss. Mike Winson: Yep. Madison West: And I think I say like, you're welcome Mike Winson: Hello everyone and welcome to Breaking the Meadow. My name is Mike Wins, and today's special guest is Madison West, star of shows such as Madison West: Well Mike Winson: The Alpha King's Chosen Mate, Honey Trapped, my fiance's billionaire rival, and my favorite title, maybe of all, Virgin Madison West: Ha. Mike Winson: Astronaut Bucket List. Hello, Madison. How are you doing, my friend? Madison West: Hello, hello, what a resume. Thank you for having me. Mike Winson: Yeah. I say this every time. The best part of every one of these interviews is getting to read it off the names of the stuff you guys do. Madison West: That's idols. I mean they and it's so funny because when we film them, sometimes they they start with a different title and then Mike Winson: Yes. Madison West: they'll come out and it will have like a completely different name. especially Virgin Astronaut Bucketlist was originally not Virgin Astronaut Bucketlist. but hey, it's it's entertaining and it keeps us on our toes. Mike Winson: Yeah. I I did one interview where they said the title was all the same, but at the end they added the word zaddy to it. Yeah. Yeah. Madison West: Perfect. It's like whatever will get people, you know, watching it, I'll take it. Mike Winson: Yeah. Hey. Okay. so just to start all these off, I love learning about you guys and how you got how you went from your the beginnings all the way to being part of the vertical world. So you know, Madison West: Very cool. Mike Winson: I did I did as deep a dive I could, and I'll be honest, I could not find much about you pre pre like Madison West: Yeah. Mike Winson: pre your your blue bloods episode. Madison West: Yes. Okay. Mike Winson: So, would you mind giving us a little background on how you got into acting, how you got into verticals? Madison West: Yeah, absolutely. Let's let's do it. So I grew up in actually I grew up in England, in our outside Mike Winson: Ooh. Madison West: of London. I grew up near the town of Oxford. I was enriched from a young age, luckily and fortunately, through Shakespeare and through English like the youth the arts in the UK are absolutely unmatched. and so I got to Mike Winson: Yeah. Madison West: see like a lot of theater, I got to see a lot of Shakespeare. I was 20 minutes away from Stratford upon Avon growing up. And so that was my favorite thing to go do is to go see plays and go see live performance, Mike Winson: Heck yeah. Madison West: which was epic. And it was just so cool, so awesome. I left when I was around 19 to then pursue acting in university or in college, and I went to Pace University in New York, Mike Winson: Okay. Madison West: studied theater and film and TV there for four years and actively was auditioning in the city full time at simultaneously as going to school. So I've been, I think I've been actively auditioning for a a nice amount of time. It's just been a a constant part of my life. It's like feels like I always Mike Winson: Yeah. Madison West: have a job interview every single day, which is kind of thrilling. It keeps keeps me up. but met a lot of yeah Mike Winson: Keeps you on your toes, that's for sure. Madison West: literally met a lot of cool people there. And this was back when everything was in person. So there was no such thing as a self-tape when I was auditioning in New York. And it was my favorite era so far of acting because Mike Winson: Yeah. Madison West: you know, you're like rushing on the subway, you're trying to find the building, and you go into a room and there's like 50 other girls that look like you, and you it's crazy. You have one shot as well. You can't like keep editing your audition. This is just audition talk, but Mike Winson: Yeah. Right. Madison West: you have one shot to like get it right, you know? So Mike Winson: Sure. Madison West: It was it was so fun. and so I got a lot of in-person reps through those years. And then I graduated in the sweet, sweet year of twenty twenty, which was horrible. And you know, everyone everyone went through a different phases in twenty twenty and struggled Mike Winson: Yep. Sure. Madison West: in different ways. But I think the main struggle was like not only did the world shut down, but like my entire our entire industry shut down. Mike Winson: Yeah, New York especially really shut down. Madison West: And so I'm it was it was nuts. I quarantined there for a year, a year and a half, and then I was like ready Mike Winson: Wow. Madison West: to find a new adventure. and yeah, everything, I mean, I was like fresh out of school, ready to work, and then no, there was no work. So it was a battle and a journey to fight figure out also auditioning from home and like working Mike Winson: Yeah. Madison West: on things from home as as we know. and so yeah, I moved to LA with a hope and a dream and my dog Mike Winson: Ha ha ha. Madison West: and a car full of stuff. I sold everything when I moved drove Mike Winson: Wow. Madison West: across the country and just like started completely new. this was 2021, going into 2022, and put myself up for everything I could think of. Like I immediately just self submitted every day. I tried to go out for as many things I c as I could. I had this Mike Winson: Yeah. Madison West: y rule in twenty twenty one when I moved here in LA. I would I had to say yes to everything in that year. So if someone was like, hey, wanna get a drink, hey, wanna get a coffee, wanna meet for this film thing, I was like, Yes, yes, yes, let's do it, yes. Mike Winson: Yeah, so I'm looking at your IMDB. You have a you Madison West: Yeah. Mike Winson: have a TV series called Quarantine Leap. Madison West: That was something I did during 2020. So that was like a we everyone was trying to make content Mike Winson: Okay. Sure. Madison West: from home. And that was that was like one of my just trying to find work really and try Mike Winson: Gotcha. Okay. Madison West: pro f to try to find projects. but yeah, in when I was in New York, that's when I booked Blue Bloods. Mike Winson: Yes. Madison West: and that was so cool. I just got a taste of a co-star role and a network series, and that was just Mike Winson: Yeah. Madison West: It was addicting. Like I I got a taste and then everything shut down. Mike Winson: Yeah, yeah. Madison West: Yeah, so I now was that's I know I want to do that. I know that I want more days like that. it was so special too, because I I was just new to it all. Mike Winson: Mm. Madison West: and I yeah, got a little addicted to the rush, I think, of of booking a co-star role like that. yeah. So then let's see, moved to LA and again, this was my yes year, I call it. So I just met as many people as I could, did as many projects as I could, and whether that be a short film, an indie feature, a friend wanting to film a little skit, or s like I just tried to s do it. Mike Winson: Got everywhere, yeah. Madison West: yeah, and then this also included verticals. So Mike Winson: Yeah. So you your first vertical was w did you do a verticals before cause the first one I'm finding is in twenty twenty five. Were you doing them before that? Madison West: Did them before, let's see, is the one first one you found was 99 charms. Okay, I did Mike Winson: Ninety nine charms and ninety nine heartbreaks. Madison West: a couple before that were more like two, three day villain roles, maybe Mike Winson: Okay. Madison West: a couple just to start and warm up because there was quite a stigma against, as everyone has said, verticals when we started. I mean, my representation was like, be careful of them. We don't know what that you know, it's non-union, Mike Winson: Mm. Madison West: we're not sure. you just don't you can't regulate the work, the set. And so I was always kind of cautious of them. Mike Winson: Yeah. Madison West: and they were, you know, at the beginning, I believe, like pretty heavy in intimacy and nudity, potentially. Not nudity, but like light nudity or or stunts. Yeah. Mike Winson: Really get yeah, really really cut and c that line, really close. Yeah. Madison West: Exactly. Like you are working the muscle. and so I Mike Winson: Yep. Madison West: I was like You know what, I am gonna ignore all of that noise and I'm just gonna do it because I need to find work. And this is work that is hiring actors and I'm interested. So I just wanna meet I just wanted to meet people and have a set experience because I got a little taste of a set and I wanted more. Yeah, so verticals were so fun. Mike Winson: So what was what was it like when you got that script for 99 Charms, 99 Heartbreaks? Cause that was your first like real, like, real Madison West: Ya Mike Winson: one, knowing what verticals are like and and what you had kind of done before, especially, you know, your experience with like a a network TV like Blue Bloods, what was it like reading that first script and just trying to process what what was going on in it? Madison West: Gravitated toward 99 Charms, 99 Heartbreaks because there was a creative aspect of music production in the vertical. So they made original music for that vertical. Nicole Mike Winson: Really? Madison West: and Kenny went to a studio, recorded everything, and I thought that that was really neat. It was like something I hadn't seen before. Mike Winson: Mm-hmm. Madison West: and then I got cast as my first big villain, and the character's name was Madison, so I was like, well, Mike Winson: Yep. Madison West: this just makes sense. and I guess my first thought was I did a couple verticals before, but I mean just the amount of pages you have to memorize and get through per day, it w is Mike Winson: In a day, yeah. Madison West: unlike anything I've ever been a part of. The closest I can compare it to is soap opera style, where you are working through at least ten ten plus, ten to twenty sometimes pages a day. Mike Winson: Yeah. Madison West: yeah, it's and the production of that is It means you only get a couple takes to do each scene and then you move on. And so Mike Winson: Mm-hmm. Madison West: immediately when I got the script, I was like, I am obsessed with this villain. She's so fun and campy and and great. And how the heck are we gonna get through all of this in one shoot day? Like it's Mike Winson: I still don't know how you guys do it. Madison West: it's nuts. I mean, it it's 12 to 14 hour days. Mostly everyone mostly ends on 12. Sometimes you go over time, but it's definitely definitely chunky. Mike Winson: Especially when you went over to like China or something. Madison West: Yes, when you film in China, which I have yet, I think I might be going at the end of this month. Mike Winson: Ooh. Madison West: yeah, we'll see. Got some things in the works, but yeah, it was it was just fun. And then I I really didn't know who Nicole and Kenny were when I started, and then I met both of them and just absolutely like fell in love with both of them, their work ethic, Mike Winson: Heck yeah. Madison West: their work. It was absolut it was awesome, and the way that they both you know, approach the vertical space made me open my mind to approach the vertical space as well. Mike Winson: Yeah. So you you've gotten cast as a villain a lot. That that's definitely your your Madison West: Yes. Mike Winson: where people like putting you in general. Madison West: Yeah. Mike Winson: what do you what do you think about it? Do you enjoy being the villain? Do you wish you got more more of the lead roles? Madison West: Yeah, I I mean, first of all, the villain's always best dressed. So that's Mike Winson: That's true. You guys get to dress up a lot more. Madison West: we do get the best outfits. but I think it's because of my blonde hair that they Mike Winson: Mm. Madison West: want to put me in a villain role a lot of the time. but I I love the villa I will take the villain roles all day long. I feel like they're so fun to play. I mean, I just have an absolute blast. I do I did one lead with Cayman and I want some more. Yeah, like I'm ready to do more leads. I just think that the blonde hair does put me in a little bit of a pocket of villain villainry as well as my previous resume. Mike Winson: Yeah. Madison West: but I loved being the lead. It was, it was awesome. So hopefully we'll get a little bit sprinkle in some of those too. Mike Winson: You you hear that, directors, producers, everyone that hears this? Gotta put Matt. She's ready. She's ready. okay. Madison West: Yeah, I'm ready. I'm ready. Mike Winson: So I want I want to talk to you about I want to talk to you about Honey Trapped, my fiance's billionaire rival first, because one of my good Madison West: Okay. my gosh, so fun. Mike Winson: friends, Lexi, is one of your co stars in it. Madison West: Yes. Mike Winson: so how is so When you have someone as sweet and and just nice as Lex as we both know Lexi is, what's Madison West: Yeah. Mike Winson: it like being a villain to someone who you know is that sweet and nice? Madison West: You know, you have to just have fun. And the moment I met Lexi, I was like, we're gonna have fun. And also I knew when I saw Lexi's work, I was like, you can hold your own in a scene. And so that means that I can now play with you. And the villainous comes second to the play, like Mike Winson: Yeah. Madison West: the playing in the scene. and it's just so nice when an another actor is prepared, professional, kind. And excited to find moments in the scene that you can actually surprisingly bring groundedness to with Mike Winson: Mm-hmm. Madison West: such a, you know, big, big toned script. I know. But it was Mike Winson: And you were pretty you were pretty mean in this one. You were you were pretty and and Madison West: just, we were just giggling. Like it it was hard to there were some moments, especially with Rhett and Lexi. We were I don't and you can kind of see it sometimes, but there were moments where we would be so intense at a scene and then one of us would go like it was so hard sometimes to keep a straight face because we knew that all of us were so sweet and fun that being Mike Winson: Yeah. Madison West: a villain was it was challenging but fun. Mike Winson: So early on in it's technically an early episode. I don't know when you actually recorded it for anyone listening. They don't always record in order in general. They don't record in order. So I always feel Madison West: No. Yes. Mike Winson: weird talking about in the beginning because it's like, who knows when it was when you recorded it. But there Madison West: yeah. Yes. Mike Winson: was a there was a scene where you threw where you threw her in the pool or she jumped in the pool. I forget which it is. Madison West: Yes. Mike Winson: I like to make fun of Lexi because when she was on the episode, she pointed out that her favorite scenes ever to do. one was when she was homeless in that in that show, in in it. Madison West: yeah, yeah. Mike Winson: And the other one was when she was drowned. It was a different show. But did she did like as someone who has probably been thrown in many pools and had to be soaking wet, what is it like for you guys having to do that? And did she seem like she enjoyed herself being thrown in that pool? Madison West: You know, it's it's all about what you make of it because Mike Winson: Mm. Madison West: the things it's it's so important to keep a good positive attitude on set because we Mike Winson: Yeah. Madison West: are doing these stunts or these pools or getting dirt poured on us or blood or wine, you know, something's being thrown, some Mike Winson: Always. Madison West: someone is throwing something at hours of the day that you cannot even imagine. Like I think Lexi jumped in that pool at four three a.m. maybe? Mike Winson: my gosh. Madison West: maybe two thirty and we in full glam and it's like Mike Winson: Yeah. Madison West: if you d don't make your an active decision Mike Winson: And you gotta get it right the first time. Madison West: exactly you have to get it right the first time and you have to make an active decision just to be a team player and to like have fun with it because if the moment that you don't is when the enjoyment and the silliness gets taken out of it. I think I just like fell in love with verticals because you can just try. Like try new things, you know? Try something that might not work and then do it the next time something that will work. Like just in terms of a scene and how you're gonna play something out, it's a great platform to experiment with your acting Mike Winson: Yeah. Madison West: and to jump in pools and get covered in dirt and to just check those things off of your list so that Mike Winson: Sure. Madison West: when you do get on a set that's maybe like a network set, you're like, I've already been a cake has been poured on me, spaghetti, like I I'm fine, I got this guys. Yeah, exactly. Mike Winson: Slushies, the whole thing, yeah. Madison West: Yeah. Mike Winson: how how does your family responded to verticals? Madison West: That's a great question. I well, first of all, it's kind of tricky to get them to be able to watch it because they have to like download the app or pay. So extended, Mike Winson: Mm. Madison West: extended family. They have seen a couple, but they haven't seen all of them. my mom has the funniest reaction. She's like, she's like, you were what you were so mean in that second episode. And I'm like, well, that's My character, like I I'm not the Mike Winson: Yeah. Madison West: one actively, you know, deciding to throw spaghetti on Lexi or something like this. But Mike Winson: Yeah. Madison West: she she loves them. They they're always wanting to watch. They always want to see which one's out next. And they Mike Winson: Mm. Madison West: just yeah, they have so much fun. I tell them about the sets and you none of my Mike Winson: That's so cool. Madison West: family is in the creative industry besides me, in the acting industry. So Mike Winson: Yeah. Madison West: it's really fun for them to hear about it, I think. Mike Winson: Were were they into plays and stuff as much as you were though when you were growing up? Madison West: I definitely brought all of them to watch them with me. Mike Winson: Really? Madison West: Yeah, I was dragging everyone along. Like it's they sat through it because they know that I love the love the theater. Mike Winson: Yeah. Madison West: But I'm definitely my mom loved it when I brought her and and my dad, you know, but I think no one found that joy and that love as much as me. So Mike Winson: Mm. Madison West: yeah, I definitely was the one to be like, Can we get tickets to this thing? And can can you take me or for my birthday, can we you know, stuff like this. Mike Winson: If if there was a choice, like if for some reason you just realized that that acting wasn't a thing for whatever reason, what what what direction do you think you could see yourself going other than acting? Madison West: my gosh, I have asked myself this question a lot. And it's so hard because I have dedicated over 16 years of my life to this career Mike Winson: Mm. Madison West: already. So I would have a really hard time pivoting, to be honest. And I think I would find a lot of sadness in that and like a lot of regret Mike Winson: Yeah. Madison West: if I had to pivot. But if it wasn't a thing at all, I probably I love I love fashion, so I could definitely see myself like being a stylist of some sort. or I could see myself running my own business, entrepreneur, because we kind of run our own business right now, anyways, which is ourselves. Mike Winson: Mm, that's true. Yeah. Madison West: so I feel like I could take a lot of aspects out of that, into that career. And then lastly, this one's rogue, but like I could totally see myself becoming a chef. Mike Winson: heck yeah. Madison West: Yeah, I love to cook. I love food, Mike Winson: Yeah. Madison West: I love to travel. And I love watching cooking shows. I wanna take cook I take cooking classes. I I really could see myself becoming a chef. Mike Winson: What was your favorite cooking show to watch? Madison West: god, right, I'm obsessed with next level chef right now. It's so good. Mike Winson: Okay. Did you watch I used to watch Iron Chef all the time. Madison West: Iron Chef's good too. I just put them on whenever I'm bored. Also there's one, I think it is literally just called Chef Chef on Netflix. and it goes like and it talks about different chefs all all around the world. So good. Mike Winson: that's cool. Yeah. I Madison West: Yeah, it's it's awesome. I I think that would probably be my answer. Mike Winson: That's that's completely fair. okay. Virgin Astronaut bucket list. So as you Madison West: Ha ha Mike Winson: as you knew, as you said, that wasn't called that to beginning. I don't know if you remember what it was called beforehand. Madison West: I do. It was initially called Mission like Mission High School Bucket list. That's how I read it in my head. And on every call sheet, that's that was the title. It was like Mission High School Bucket List. So I in my head I'm like, whoa, like that's Mike Winson: Yeah. Yeah. Madison West: kind of cool and new. And like there was no astronaut involved Mike Winson: Yeah. Madison West: in the title. There was always a space storyline. And Ka Kaylin's Mike Winson: Yeah. Right. Madison West: character was always from Mars or from a different planet. Mike Winson: Right. Madison West: and so that was also a cool script to to land on my on my desk because it was again pushing the boundaries of the vertical space. And I found Mike Winson: Yeah. Madison West: that exciting. I didn't I haven't seen anything from with a space character, a space based character. So that was just really, really cool. And they both Blake and Kaylin did such a cool job, like great job embodying both Mike Winson: yeah. Madison West: both characters. Mike Winson: So what I was sitting here because I was watching it and I was going, okay, I know Madison's playing the villain. And then I get to the part where for those of you that don't know the story, Madison West: no. Mike Winson: Kaylin, who's the who's the who's the lead in it, she is an astronaut about to go to Mars and she's got this teenage, she's like a 17-year-old or whatever, two PhDs, is about to go. About to go to space. She has this bucket list of things she's never done based on the title. I think you can guess she's a virgin. She wants to do all the things up until that point. One of the things on the list is first kiss. And I was shocked and appalled Madison West: yeah. You were Mike Winson: when you stole her first kiss. Madison West: I know, how dare I? She she was just ready to and that character's name was Addison, which was very close to Madison. So Mike Winson: It is. Madison West: yes, she just just jumped in there. She was like, it's my time. It's like absolutely so funny and fun. Mike Winson: Yeah. Madison West: there was and and I just love her her line after it's like, you stole my first kiss. Mike Winson: Yep. Madison West: And I think I say like, you're welcome or something like this. Mike Winson: Yes, yes, that is. And you just you're like walk away. You're like, Madison West: Yeah. Mike Winson: okay. If so you've you've done you've gotten to play quite a few different parts, mostly villains, but at different come some different stories through it. If you could snap your finger and get any role and any style trope of of a vertical, which one would you pick? Like which one haven't you done? You're like, I want to do this. Madison West: Okay, well, after Honey Trapped, Rhett, Lexi, Nick, and I, we just had so much fun on set. Like I said, we were la laughing a lot of a Mike Winson: Yeah. Madison West: lot of the days. that I was itching to do a comedy. I feel like Mike Winson: Mm. Madison West: there has not been a full-fledged, and maybe they don't do as well as the more kind of romantic, soapy fantasy, Mike Winson: Right. Madison West: you know, scripts. But I would love to do a comedy. I think The I that is where I sh feel like I shine. I can I love improvisation. I love just c catching little beats or working on bits. Mike Winson: Mm-hmm. Madison West: yeah, I would just love to do vertical comedy. I also would love to do I've always said I wanted to be a mermaid. Mike Winson: Really? You're the second person that said that. Yeah. Madison West: Really? but that one does seem a little bit less feasible because imagine like all of the tales and the water and like it would be a it would be a production. Mike Winson: Yeah. It would be hard. It would be hard for the vertical budget for sure. Madison West: Yes, I mean fantasy wise, like I would love to be a fairy or a mermaid. I think that that's Mike Winson: Mm. Madison West: always just in my head like the ch the inner child in me would love that. but Mike Winson: Absolutely. Madison West: in terms of genre comedy, like I just I wanna do a full fledged comedy. Mike Winson: Yeah. Nicole Maddox actually just did one that we talked about for for a twist or a twist, I forget what it's called. Madison West: Yeah, yeah, yeah. Mike Winson: And it's she like gets buried alive and comes out and it's very it's funny. She did a great job. The whole cast did a great job and Madison West: Yeah. Mike Winson: they're like they are hilarious. So it's definitely they're definitely starting. So maybe, maybe there's maybe there's one for the future. Madison West: Yes. I actually think I was on set with Seth the day that she got buried alive because we were at lunch. We were at lunch and Seth answers his or like t looks at his text and he like shows me he's like, man, look at the day Nicole's the day Nicole's having and it's like a picture of her like like covered in dirt and like underneath like and we were just Yeah. Mike Winson: Yep. Yep. We had a blast talking about that one. She she loved it. She loved it. I was like, how many times do you get to say I got buried alive? And I loved it. Madison West: my gosh, that is just so funny. Yeah. I was just sad. I remember being at lunch being like, whoa, that's that one's that's a new one. And she did it. Mike Winson: Yeah. okay. So now now we're getting to the now we're we I want to go into the to the more a little more frustrating heavy part of of the interview. when we had talked originally, Madison West: Okay, let's do it. Mike Winson: one of the things that I wanted to talk about was the takeover of AI in in the industry of verticals. for a lot of you, you'd gone from basically June to maybe just right about now with no real work whatsoever. how is that how has that been for you? What what like how how have you s how has you seen from inside the industry the AI work its way through your through your industry? Madison West: Well, first I just wanna say support real crew, Mike Winson: Yes. Madison West: real actors. Do not watch these AI verticals, people, because they Mike Winson: Mm. Madison West: are killing everyone's income and work and experience. And it's just it's just absolutely heartbreaking. I personally my journey of it is I was really, really busy at the beginning of this year. And yeah, like I mean back to back to back. I up until end of June, beginning of July. And then I did honey trapped and then it was like I had one. Lexi and I were gonna do one right after. And we go through the audition process and everything was kind of getting set in stone and then yeah, canceled ev canceled, Mike Winson: Yeah. Madison West: made into AI. And all of us were like, man, so okay, let's take a break. Let's you know, it is nice to have a little bit of a break sometimes. The back to back gets a little draining. So I think everyone was like, Let me actually have a summer and enjoy my month. And then a month went by and everyone's like, okay, like I had a summer. I think I think we're ready to work now. Mike Winson: ready to work now. Yeah. Madison West: and it has just absolutely b made a huge dent in terms of my personal schedule and and work. I do find that it's coming back a little bit right now, Mike Winson: Mm-hmm. Madison West: more. and I'm curious about that. But it's it's tanked a a lot of us this summer. And so I just hope that. We we hang on, we support real projects and Mike Winson: Yeah. Madison West: we support real crew, real scripts. Cause right now I've heard I was talking to this girl the other day and she said that they did a entire project on a green screen background. Like every day on set. Mike Winson: That's that's the hybrid that's the hybrid one I think they've been talking about doing. Is it Drama Box or one of them that's trying to do hybrid? Madison West: Yes. Yes. And everyone's in like these black like these suits that aren't even costumes and you're acting with nothing. I'm like, the acting first of all is not gonna be great because acting is reacting. It's reacting off of what you is in front of you. And if there's nothing Mike Winson: Yeah. Madison West: in front of you, it's like, how are you going to make this happen? And yeah, it's just I just my heart goes out for not not just the actors, definitely the actors, but the crew, like all of these people that are being employed Mike Winson: Yeah. Madison West: to make this show now are not employed. So it's it's just I feel like we just got over twenty twenty the hump of, you know, this the industry shutting down and SAG and everything. And now it's the AI crisis. Mike Winson: And I think I think one of the if the if there's a positive from it, especially because I feel like, and again, as we talked beforehand, I'm pretty new to the to the whole vertical scene, but it strikes me that a lot of a lot of the apps pre-AI taking over, while they may have had locations in the US, they did a lot of stuff in China, for China. Madison West: Mm-hmm. Mike Winson: Chinese audiences and and things like that, Madison West: Yes. Mike Winson: where I feel like I'm hearing about more and more people in the United States starting their own production companies that are focused on using only people. You've got A Twist, you've got I I can't even remember the names of there's at least three or four that I Candy Jar is doing a lot is doing basically all in person. Madison West: Yes. Candy jar's doing a lot. Mm-hmm. Mike Winson: and then at least two or three more that I've heard of. So You know, there I think the United States is is kind of if anything good is coming from it, it's potentially that United States companies are starting to build their own presence in that and will hopefully especially cause vertical actors are starting at least two or three of them that I know of, which is pretty cool. And so that ho I hopefully that's a that's you guys heading in the right direction. Madison West: Yeah, that's a great way to look at it. You know, the silver lining is is the the op you know the the gr all of us kind of acting against AI and and making more opportunities for ourselves and putting putting things into action rather than just stepping back and letting it letting it all happen. so yeah, I hope I hope production companies just keep putting things into action and taking steps to in-person real person, real people production companies. That would be beautiful. Mike Winson: it would be so nice. I I Madison West: Yeah. Mike Winson: also keep telling people because and and I'd love your thoughts on it, because obviously verticals are very, as you said, soap opera esque. So their treatments of women are less than desirable. Their objectifying of women and men are less than desirable. I keep telling people that. My favorite versions are the ones where the woman is the badass. Madison West: Uh-huh. Mike Winson: But every time the woman is the badass, the man has to be a badass too. And I'm like, Madison West: Yeah. Mike Winson: no, you need to make one where the woman's a badass and the man's just a guy. Like, give give the guy a dad bod. Like, literally make the woman a badass Madison West: Yeah. Mike Winson: with a dad bod guy who who like who like starts taking off his shirt and everyone goes, no, no, stop. Or something like that. I don't know. Exactly. Exactly. Madison West: See that's that's the comedy I I wanna be in. That sounds that sounds great. Mike Winson: And I keep telling everyone, hire me. I'll I'm perfect for that role. I've got I volunteer. Madison West: You're like, I volunteer. That's so funny. Mike Winson: As tribute. but yeah, what have have you noticed, have you started noticing? Cause I feel like even those tropes are changing a little bit, like people are starting to get tired of the same old, same old tropes in in verticals. Madison West: I mean definitely. I think I I wish that there were more f roles to empower women, but right now I I think a lot of the popular tropes and popular storylines are where the men s the man swoops in and like carries her off her freed and you know, le and saves her from and takes off their shirt and yeah, it's Mike Winson: And takes off their shirt at least ten times. Yeah. Madison West: it's frustrating. I think, and I and I will say the pay difference of women and men is Mike Winson: Mm. Madison West: so apparent. it will be and a lot of the women, I'm gonna just put it out there for my girls, we carry a lot of the script. Most likely the Mike Winson: Yeah, you do. Madison West: females have more lines, especially the female villains will have more lines than the male villains. And a lot of the time the pay is not equal. And so I think that that's very, very frustrating that we see that still in our Day. It's 2026, almost 2027. but we're still I you know, all of the girls are vocal about this, I feel like, and and aware of this difference. but in the tropes themselves, I wanna see more badass female roles. And I Mike Winson: Yes. Madison West: think I think people would love to see it too, right? Because like they're watching these, it's an escape is it's to watch these to escape from your your daily routine, and that's why they're so romantic or steamy or fantasy, you know, driven. But how cool would it be to like if you are escaping from your normal day to then have this character where women can be like, I I would do that, or I love that female. She's like the superhero or the romantic lead and she's just you know, that the story is just about her rather than the man as well. but I think I also will say to my male actors, like, I love working with them too. I don't want male actors to completely be like, Mike Winson: No. Madison West: you know, an out of the picture. I mean you need You need I think Mike Winson: Yeah, yeah, absolutely. Madison West: I think they they carry a lot of the script too, it's it's definitely a balance. Mike Winson: Yeah. Are you tapping a microphone? Madison West: No. Mike Winson: that's weird. I'm hearing like a microphone tap. Madison West: really? Mike Winson: That's whoop it's going like Madison West: No way. God, there's nothing Mike Winson: It just started doing it. That was weird. Madison West: You can hear it now. Yeah. Mike Winson: It's I'm waiting 'cause it was like going. It it seems to be go it almost sounds like hold on. Okay, I guess it's gone. All right. That's fine. Madison West: Okay. Mike Winson: I just wanna make sure because it just sounded like you were just like fidgeting tapping something and like a microphone or something. So it was weird. Okay. Okay, good. Madison West: No, that's so yeah, no, there's nothing around me. But let's if it comes back, let me know. Mike Winson: Okay. Madison West: It might be my desk's like squeaking, like fit I don't know, but nothing's moving. Mike Winson: That's weird. Yeah. okay. I gotta get back into what I was actually talking gonna talk about. Madison West: you're good. Mike Winson: It's gonna come. I had the question. I had the question in my head. Madison West: You got it. male female characters, there's Mike Winson: Yeah. Madison West: the tropes of females. Mike Winson: Yeah, I think I think having I think the men definitely play a really important part in it. And I definitely wouldn't want to to take them out of it. Cause some of the men are amazing people, are amazing actors. I Madison West: My gosh, yes. Mike Winson: I just think you know, this this whole podcast was created on the idea of breaking the status quo in society. That that was that was one of the reasons I made it. And I think I think one of the ways you do it. Because a lot of how society looks at things is by what we watch, is by how we interact with the world. And not that I think verticals are making it worse, but I definitely think there's a place for verticals to make it better. Madison West: I totally agree. I also, yeah, I just think that there's a lot of opportunity to create more dynamic storylines that Mike Winson: Mm. Madison West: inspire people to do good things rather than and and I I'm the the bully most of the time in these. So it's it's Mike Winson: Yes. Madison West: tough because there's bully like we call it like what is it? It's like the bully trope, right? Like people want to see people get hurt by other people and I and I wish that wasn't Mike Winson: Yeah. Madison West: always the case. Mike Winson: Yeah. Madison West: as the villain, you know, those are probably my least favorite scenes. if they're just bully for bully's sake, and Mike Winson: Yeah. Madison West: there's no, you know, reason behind the action. yeah, I I we I hope that I am optimistic that verticals will start to push the boundaries of what we have already seen. Mike Winson: Yeah. Yeah. I hope so. I hope so. Because I think I think that would be really good for for everybody. I think it would be really good for everybody. especially when you guys are so nice too. Like again, that would be the hardest part. Like someone made me a villain. I I would that would that would take every ounce of self control humanly possible to be as mean as you guys are sometimes. Madison West: It's it's definitely tough. I always have to make sure that my actor that I am going into a bully scene with feels safe and comfortable Mike Winson: Mm. Madison West: and that they know that when the camera stops rolling, it's it's me, it's Madison that Mike Winson: Yeah. Madison West: you're gonna get. It's not the the bully character, you know. Mike Winson: Yeah. Madison West: but I think I think safety is just always most important on set because when you're in a moment or you're in a scene, some people have the tendency to take it a little too far where I am. Like safety first all the way before getting the shot that you need, right? Like how can you take care of the other actor first and foremost? whether it's like a stunt, like if you're grabbing someone's hair, your hands have to be, you know, folded in, or if you're maybe not gripping them too hard, because that's not fun to do for over and over again if you're the one getting Mike Winson: Mm-hmm. Madison West: gripped or pulled. so just communication with your scene partner too in safety. Mike Winson: Yeah. Yeah. Okay. So this next little bit is what I call a speed round. Easy questions. Don't have to put a lot of thought into them. Madison West: Fine. Mike Winson: go to coffee order. Madison West: Iced oat milk latte with an extra shot of espresso. Yeah. Mike Winson: Okay. Perfect. Gotta have that extra shot. Especially especially these days. sweet or savory breakfast. Madison West: Simon and my gut's gonna say savory. But Mike Winson: What what would be your go to breakfast? Madison West: I love like a breakfast burrito. Or I Mike Winson: Mm. Madison West: also, but the thing is, I like sweet if it's a shared, like I'll get like a pancake for the table. Like a table pancake, you know? So everyone can have a bite. Because I don't know if I can eat an entire sweet breakfast, but I always crave a little bite of it. Mike Winson: Yeah, yeah, yeah. Beach or Mountains. Yeah, I kind of figured that was gonna be. Madison West: Beach hundred percent. Yeah. Mike Winson: go to karaoke song. Madison West: Okay, I have a couple. I if it's a duo, I do summer nights and I play Sandy. Mike Winson: Okay. Yep, of course. Madison West: but if it's a single song, I will do Valerie, Amy Winehouse, Mike Winson: Yeah. Yep. Madison West: or You and I by Lady Gaga. Yeah. Mike Winson: Valorain Huh? Madison West: You and I by Lady Gaga. Yeah. I it's Mike Winson: nice. That's a good one too. Yeah. I wish I could sing Gaga very well. She's Madison West: not it's not well. I wanna just preface this. It's Mike Winson: I'm you know, here's Madison West: It's gonna sound like screaming. Mike Winson: As long as you're having fun. That's the Madison West: Having fun. Mike Winson: that's the thing about singing. dogs or cats? Madison West: Dogs, a hundred percent. Mike Winson: Do you have a like a breed that you love? Madison West: I do. I have a dog now and she's a Bichon poodle. she's basically just a little fluffy cloud. Mike Winson: Ooh. Yep. Madison West: And I am obsessed. All poodle breeds. I've always had poodles growing up. So poodle family. Yep. Mike Winson: There you go. fave favorite comfort food. Madison West: I love Mexican food. Yeah. Mike Winson: Okay. Any Mexican food? Just Madison West: Literally like just take me to a authentic, you know, cozy Mexican restaurant. I'm getting a combo plate, maybe a margarita, and living my best life. Yes, I do. Yes. I love spicy Mike Winson: Are you a spicy girl? Do you like the spice? Yeah. Nice. Nice. Madison West: food. Mike Winson: I I make my own pickled jalapenos and I put them on everything humanly possible. Madison West: That sounds delicious. I'm in. Mike Winson: It's really easy to make. Peckled jalapenos are the easiest thing to make. No one should go buy them. They really shouldn't. Madison West: Yeah, that's true. I need to I need to get on that game. Need a jar first. Mike Winson: Yeah. Those are easy to get to. Madison West: Do not have a jar. Mike Winson: last show you binged. Madison West: Last show I binged was Bla Widows Bay. Yeah. Mike Winson: Okay. Yeah. Good one. Good one. morning person or night owl? Madison West: I'm a morning person. Yes. Mike Winson: Hmm. You're n you are one of very few so far that I have interviewed that says they are a morning person, which I guess makes sense in LA. Madison West: I am a morning person. Yes. I love to get up and go to the gym and make myself breakfast and maybe get a little bit of work done before I start my day. Because Mike Winson: Yeah. Madison West: it's like I have it's like a little secret. If you wake up early, you have an entire day before your day. Mike Winson: And nobody's up. So there's really nothing to to get to to distract you. You don't have to worry. Cause yeah, 100%. I Madison West: Yes. I love it. Mike Winson: actually will wake up early, do work. I I'm a weird person. When I tell you how weird I you're gonna hear this and you're gonna go, okay, Mike, Madison West: Do you go back to sleep? Mike Winson: you're I wake up, get a cup of coffee, start work, and then an hour later I will fall back asleep. Madison West: That's I don't think I could do that. I ha if I have coffee, I am I'm up, especially because I get like four shots for suppressum. Mike Winson: I well, yeah. but it surprises me every time it happens because I don't get up expecting to go to sleep. That's why I get the cup of coffee. I'm like laying there, I'm like, all right, I'm up, I'm awake, and Madison West: Yeah. Mike Winson: so I start working, and then it's like my body just goes, Okay, you got whatever was in your head out of your head, you got it done. Madison West: Mm. Mike Winson: I don't care if you had coffee, time to go Madison West: Yeah. Mike Winson: back to sleep. It's so weird. And Madison West: That is so funny. Mike Winson: But although when it happens, I actually actually end up sleeping more hours in a night than I would if I like slept straight. So I guess that's not Madison West: Huh. Mike Winson: a bad thing. Madison West: I feel like you are you laying down when you're up? Like when you're when you're awake, are you Really? Mike Winson: No, I'm like right here on my working on editing videos or whatever, like just working on uploading or planning what content I'm gonna make online or Madison West: If I'm sitting up and I'm awake, I ha had a cup of coffee, I'm up. I'm not go yeah. That's bad. I cannot. Wow. I'm impressed. Mike Winson: I can I can sleep sitting up if I if if I want to. Like, yeah. My dad is worse. My dad will anywhere, literally anywhere, anytime, will just be sitting there and all of a sudden. Madison West: No way. Mike Winson: And my my daughter used to jump on him, like think it was a game, be like, Madison West: Yeah. Mike Winson: I'm gonna wake grandpa up and like, stop. You're gonna give him a heart attack. is there a f Madison West: And you're like, stop my gosh. That's that's it that's impressive. Mike Winson: yeah, what no, what were you gonna say? Madison West: was gonna say that means he's probably a great traveller. Mike Winson: Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. He travels a lot. Madison West: I'm jealous. Mike Winson: one food ru you refuse to eat. Madison West: There is actually not a single food I refuse to eat, I don't think. I I'm a not a picky eater. I'll eat whatever. I Mike Winson: Yeah. Madison West: think maybe I don't love sardines. That's like Mike Winson: Okay. That's a good Madison West: the only thing. But even then I'd probably still eat it if someone was like, I made this, will you eat? I'd be like, okay. Yeah. Yeah. Mike Winson: I made this for you. So you won't eat a you won't just eat a tin of sardines that's brought in front of you, but if someone made a dish with it, you would you would still do it. Madison West: Yeah. Yeah. But there's really nothing I won't eat food wise. I like to try all new things. I even Mike Winson: Yeah. Madison West: ate guinea guinea pig once in Peru. That was crazy. That was probably the weirdest Mike Winson: Did it taste like chicken? Madison West: thing. It's I don't need to eat it again, but again, this this sweet lady was having us at her her house and and she roasted a guinea pig and it was like on a spick. And I mean she was like watching, she was like, please I made it for you. So I was like, okay, thank you. Mike Winson: my gosh. Madison West: Yeah. I hate it. I tasted like if you roasted a rat a little bit. Mike Winson: F for those of you that know what rad tastes like too, which I don't, but at least that's what we assume Madison West: Yeah, you don't you d I also don't. Mike Winson: it tastes like. Madison West: But you should at least try ever try everything once with an open mind and if you don't like it you don't have to finish it, you know? Mike Winson: You know, that's what I was thinking. in some of my other interviews, people have answered, have have said they've they have they like lavender ice cream, which I've never had. But the idea of lavender Madison West: Try it. Mike Winson: ice cream feels just so wrong to me on so many levels. And I Madison West: Yeah. Mike Winson: was thinking about while I was saying it, I'm like, you know what? I gotta stop that because I still have to try it one time before I actually say it. But it still feels really weird to me. Madison West: 'Cause what if you try it and you really like it? Exactly. I personally don't love lavender. I don't love lavender or like florally things because it's kinda tastes like soap. but you should still try it. I don't want to get put that in your head. You should definitely if is it like a lavender honey? Mike Winson: No, I'm definitely gonna try it. Madison West: Yeah, it could be refreshing. You never know. Mike Winson: Yeah. favorite season. Madison West: Summer. Mike Winson: Summer. Madison West: Summer all the way. The days are longer, the weather's warmer, everyone's in a better mood. It's my time to shine. I love it there. Mike Winson: sweet treat you can't say no to. Madison West: A warm chocolate chip cookie with Mike Winson: Hmm. Madison West: ice cream. Mike Winson: Like a vanilla ice cream or and something else. Yeah. Madison West: Yeah, yeah. Mike Winson: speaking of karaoke duets, real or dream, who would be your dream karaoke duet partner? Madison West: Dream. Do they I mean, can they be ali do they have to be alive? Mike Winson: They can be anything. Yeah. Hmm. That would be a fun one. Madison West: Probably Elvis. Yeah. I mean how cool. That'd be so epic. Mike Winson: That would that would be that would be pretty dang cool. if you had a free day with zero plans, what would you do? Madison West: That's great question. I would probably take my dog to the dog park because she loves Mike Winson: Mm-hmm. Madison West: it and I love watching her love things. I would probably work out and maybe go for A great lunch with a friend, just catch up with I like I'm an extrovert at heart, so I I like to be with people. Mike Winson: Yeah, yeah, yeah. Madison West: yeah, lunch with a friend, maybe the I I'm a big AMCA-list girl, so go see a movie. And Mike Winson: Heck yeah. Madison West: yeah, could not recommend it more. go see a movie maybe with some people and do a puzzle at night. Mike Winson: Nice. Madison West: I love puzzles lately. Mike Winson: Do you know Claudia Hawkins? Have you met her? She Madison West: No. No, not yet. Mike Winson: she's a new vert actor. She's based in Madison West: Okay. Mike Winson: Atlanta, but she was actually in LA for like a month doing some verts. Madison West: How nice. Mike Winson: But and she might move to LA at some point. But she's huge Madison West: Cool. Mike Winson: into puzzles. Like she wants to be a competitive puzzle person. Madison West: Okay, I'm not I don't know if I'm at Claudia's level, but I do just enjoy a pastime puzzle puzzle. Mike Winson: Yeah, yeah, yeah. Madison West: Yeah. that'll probably be like my perfect day. Maybe go to this maybe see a sunset somewhere, Mike Winson: Mm. Madison West: maybe sunset beach. But then then we're looking at a really busy day. That's that's a lot to do. Yeah. Mike Winson: sunset. Yeah, that's a really busy day. Yep. Madison, for anyone that wants to follow you and and watch Madison West: Yeah. Mike Winson: your watch support you and watch your stuff, you know, support real people and stuff, where where can they where where can they find you? Madison West: Well, you can find me on Instagram and TikTok. So my Instagram is that's Madison West. And then my TikTok is It's Madison West. And let's, yeah, connect through there. You can watch all of my things through probably the platforms on Instagram and TikTok. and the you'll see me maybe on your for you page on TikTok because I've recently done some projects for their studios, Mike Winson: Yeah. Madison West: which is fun. but yeah, Instagram and TikTok, that's Madison West or it's Madison West. Mike Winson: Well make sure you you check out all of Madison's stuff, everyone, every chance you get, because we got to help all these people. Madison West: Thanks guys. Mike Winson: Thank you, Madison, so much for coming on here. It was it was an absolute Madison West: Thank you so much, Mike. Mike Winson: wonderful time talking with you. Madison West: right back at you. Mike Winson: for everyone that has gotten this far, thank you so much. Please hit all those buttons down below, like, subscribe, follow, share, everything. Madison West: Thanks, guys. Mike Winson: It helps me keep doing what I'm doing, which is talk to amazing people like Madison right here. And for those of you that may be new to Breaking the Meta, just so you know, we're about having hard conversations when necessary, fighting to break the status quo and the idea that all people, no matter your race, religion, gender, or identity, deserve rights, respect, dignity, and safety. Again, Madison, thank you for being here. For everyone else, we'll see you next time on Breaking the Meta. Madison West: Thank you. Thanks. Mike Winson: Bye, guys. Madison West: Bye.