You Don’t Have to Wait to Be Professional | Madelynn Wierda on Trusting Yourself Before They Tell You You’re Ready

04/22/25 • 52 min

What does it mean to call yourself an actor before the industry gives you permission? In this episode, Madelynn Wierda talks about navigating the awkward in-between of student and professional, how she chooses roles based on instinct, and why setting your own tone on set can make all the difference. We explore the mental side of auditioning, asking questions before you arrive, and letting go of “aspiring” in favor of actually doing the work.

Madelynn is a Chicago-based actor who’s extensively trained in both theatre and film, currently pursuing her BFA at Columbia College Chicago. She’s played lead roles in award-winning short films, performed in commercials and stage work, and continues to train at studios around the country. Known for her grounded performances and sharp preparation instincts, she brings presence and intentionality into every space—on and off camera.

In this episode:
→ Shifting from “aspiring” to I’m already doing it
→ Booking more once she stopped clinging to auditions
→ How to prep when there's no rehearsal
→ Knowing when to say no, even when you’re early in your career
→ Reframing the idea of professionalism from the inside out

Follow Madelynn on Instagram at @madelynnwierda.

You can follow us on Instagram and TikTok @mischiefpod. Produced by @ohhmaybemedia.

Follow Madelynn on Instagram at @madelynnwierda.

You can follow us on Instagram and TikTok @mischiefpod. Produced by @ohhmaybemedia.

Previous Episode

What If Story Didn’t Require Conflict? Donald Conley on Empathy, Tension Without Trauma, and Stories Without Villains

What if the point of a story wasn’t conflict—but something more subtle, more layered, and more human? In this episode, award-winning director and producer Donald Conley joins Mishu to talk about the evolving shape of story, the language of tension, and how Nonviolent Communication changed the way he writes characters, builds scenes, and approaches collaboration.

Donald Conley is a filmmaker whose work orbits themes of justice, memory, and emotional honesty. He’s produced documentaries distributed by Netflix, PBS, and Max—including Dallas, 2019, a 5-part socio-political series for Independent Lens. His short documentary Matriarch and narrative short About Time have screened at major festivals across the U.S. and Canada, including the 60th Annual Chicago International Film Festival. He’s currently directing a feature doc on the 1970 Syracuse 8 boycott and its legacy in college football.

In this episode, we talk about Tension vs. trauma: how Donald builds story without defaulting to conflict

Redefining narrative structure with empathy at the center
Recasting the role of the antagonist
The cost—and value—of slowing down the creative process
Directing intimacy with care, conversation, and consent

Follow Donald on Instagram @meekley for updates on About Time, his current doc project, and more.

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You can follow us on Instagram and TikTok @mischiefpod. Produced by @ohhmaybemedia.

Next Episode

Follow the Butterfly | Alex Rembold on Quitting the Job, Starting the Jam, and Finding Joy in the Weird

What if the most meaningful thing you ever made wasn’t your biggest show—but the space you created for someone else to play? In this episode, Alex Rembold talks about leaving a soul-crushing job to start Catjam, the community-driven open mic series he founded to give others permission to show up, sound weird, and feel welcome. We talk about shifting from competitive to collaborative mindsets, the invisible power of musical vulnerability, and what it means to build something out of kindness rather than branding.

Alex is a songwriter, music director, and producer who works with The Second City, iO, and The Annoyance. He’s the founder of Catjam Chicago, a nonprofit that creates inclusive, improvisational music spaces—currently hosting weekly jams at Insect Asylum and (soon) the floating Wild Mile garden on the Chicago River. He also fronts the band Funky Fünke, produces the cozy and chaotic improv show The Cozy Sweater, and still finds time to write introspective bangers about connection, grief, and joy.

We talk about:
→ Leaving the practical job (and the existential crisis that followed)
→ The real risk: not taking one
→ Music as empathy in motion
→ Changing the room by being the room
→ Following the butterfly, even if it leads to a weird warehouse on a Tuesday night

Catch Catjam every Tuesday from 7–10pm at the Insect Asylum (and starting June, at the Wild Mile). Follow Alex on IG at @remby_on_the_bone or check out his work at alexremboldmusic.weebly.com.

You can follow us on Instagram and TikTok @mischiefpod. Produced by @ohhmaybemedia.