Meganne Young

Oh yes, guys, it’s true! Kissing Booth 3 is here and we are beyond excited! Here at TILTED, we had the pleasure of speaking with Meganne Young who stars in the film again! Having been part of this franchise from the beginning, this has been a dream come true! Having already learned so much as an actress, Meganne continues to grow both in her professional and personal world as she experiences new encounters, moments, and more. Get to know the beautiful Meganne and her thoughts on the world, the industry, and more!

Meganne Young On…

On FRIENDSHIP

Surround yourself with people who love and respect you as much as you love and respect them. I feel inspired by my closest circle every day and when one of us succeeds, we all succeed.

On FAMILY

Family can look different for different people but at the end of the day, true family are those people who love and accept you for who you are.

On SEXUAL FLUIDITY

I’ve never liked being put into a box, or labeled. It always makes me feel like there isn’t room to change or adapt or grow. When everything in life is a journey, why would your sexuality or experience as a sexual being be any different?

On GENDER EQUALITY 

Looking forward to the day when this is an unequivocal reality in every single aspect of society.

On SOCIAL MEDIA

You can control your algorithm. Follow accounts that inspire you, make you feel good and accounts that educate you.

On TECHNOLOGY

I’m a little scared of how quickly technology is advancing. Amazed. But a little scared.

On IMPORTANCE OF PERSONAL STYLE

Trends come and go. Sometimes they suit me. Most times they don’t. Find what works for you and what makes you feel comfortable and, more importantly, happy when you catch a glimpse of how cute you look just being you.

On CULTURAL DIVERSITY 

I was born in a country that is a self-identified melting pot of cultures. I also grew up as an expat baby, meaning: I travelled to and lived in different countries growing up. The older I get, the more I appreciate these two facts and how they’ve shaped my perspective. I don’t want to be surrounded by people that look and sound and think the same as me. Diversity makes our world far more interesting and far more beautiful.

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So excited for “The Kissing Booth 3”! Share with us what it has been like being part of all three movies. How have you and your character grown over the years?

I’m so excited too! Honestly, it’s been a little surreal. I still find it hard to believe that I’m part of a franchise. It’s so weird! You don’t see a lot of Rachel in the first movie, so I was really excited once I realized she had been developed into a really meaty, emotional roller-coaster of a storyline. As an actress, that’s a dream. It did come with a lot of pressure though… because the first film was so successful, I really wanted to make sure that I leveled up. Rachel has a lot of big scenes, some real emotional ones, and it was important to me to do them justice. I think as much as I felt Rachel really grow into herself, I felt the same. As a person and as an artist. I’ve become a lot more comfortable in my skin, in my ability, and in knowing what I want out of life and my career. I think what I really love and admire about Rachel is that she has a great sense of self-worth and she’s incredibly kind, I’ve learnt a lot from her.

Why did you decide to get into acting? Growing up, what role did TV/Movies play in your life?

I always gravitated towards performing and the arts. It always felt really natural to me, in a way that’s a little difficult to articulate. It just feels like it’s where I belong. Growing up I watched a lot of films and TV shows with my family. I loved the idea of sharing experiences, whether it’s as an audience member or the performer.

Tell us about a time you were challenged on set and what you learned, how you overcame it. 

There was a time where I was shooting a project and my character was nude in a scene. The thing is, it was pretty clear that you wouldn’t actually see anything because the network wouldn’t allow that to be shown so you’d think that I could wear underwear, right? Well, the director wanted me to be fully nude. Long story short: I was on the phone with my agent and refusing to leave my trailer until I was given something to wear. I also wasn’t given a closed set as was stipulated in my contract. It was a big learning experience. I’m happy that I had the confidence and knowledge to challenge what was happening on the day. I’ve heard too many stories of actors being pressured on the spot and because a whole crew is waiting you feel like you’re holding everyone back. I think if I were to ever do a role that involved nudity now, even implied, I would want to ensure a discussion was had prior to shooting, have us work out all the details, and I would want to make sure I had an intimacy coach. Someone to protect me.

To keep yourself balanced you gravitate towards fitness and body positivity. Tell us more about how that become important to you. 

Pursuing a career in this industry is anything but linear and I struggled a lot with that, especially at the start of my career. I started to realize that my personality, although I hate the idea of being stagnant I also need some routine in my life. When I first started going to the gym, it meant that on specific days I had to be awake at a specific time to make it to the class I wanted to go to. Going to the gym gave me a  guaranteed schedule. It also was something I could control, and a big part of being an actor is relinquishing control. All you can do is the work and you hope a casting director or producer or director picks you out of hundreds. Thousands! I’d say over the last 8 years that I’ve been consistently working out, I’ve started to re-examine my body image and explore what “body positivity” means to me. My weight has fluctuated over the years. I’ve tried various workout routines. Now I’m in a place where my priority is to feel strong. I know what my body is capable of and I love pushing it and challenging myself. So much of weightlifting is mental, believing you can do something. That confidence has translated into so many aspects of my life.

Do you have a story of a time you felt really down in regards to your body image and what made you switch your mindset?

One memory that really sticks with me is a time I burst into tears on a film set because I didn’t realize I was meant to wear something quite revealing in a scene and I had already eaten lunch. I actually said the words “if I had known I wouldn’t have eaten”. I often think back to that moment and I feel quite horrified to the extreme I was judging my body and how it might change appearance if, God forbid, I ate something.

What advice would you give our readers/ your audience in regards to this?

This is honestly such a hard question to answer because advice is so easy to give but when you’re trying to dismantle ideas around body image and beauty standards in your own mind.. no one is in your skin. What works for me won’t necessarily work for another person. A big part of taking care of yourself, mentally and physically, is getting to know yourself. Know what works for you. Know your triggers. I keep saying this but the key for me has always been to check in with how I feel. I try and let that lead me. I still have bad days. I think I’ve learned to accept them as part of my process and I just make my way back to the things that make me feel good.

What is something most people do not know about you?

I make the best roast chicken and I’m actually very silly and playful.

Where do you hope to end up in 5 years?

I’d love to be directing and producing. I’ll always be an actor at heart but I also think that’s what would make me a good director. Ultimately, I want to tell stories and I want to do that in any and every capacity I can. I would also like to have my own sunscreen brand!

@tilted.style
Talent & Creative Director MEGANNE YOUNG @youngmeganne_
Photography TOM BELDING @thetombelding
Hair + Makeup NADIA HOECKLIN @nadiahoecklin
Interview ALEXANDRA BONNET @alexbonnetwrites