Megan Hilty of Smash Stops By to Chat
IHH: What’s been the biggest challenge/surprise for you as far as your character Ivy is concerned on Smash? (– submitted by @myheadbroke)
MH: I love that she’s anything but predictable. Most of the challenges have been the intimate scenes because I’ve never done anything like that. It’s an interesting challenge, and one that I never thought I would ever be doing. It’s very different, highly choreographed and there’s nothing sexy about it. Jack [Davenport] is the greatest guy ever though, so he made it so much easier than it would be.
IHH: You work alongside Katharine McPhee – do you girls every hang out off set?
MH: We’ve become quite close as the season’s gone on…she’s really, really cool and we make each other laugh. She just left for Africa, but before she left she had a birthday party and we hit the town together.
IHH: Where did you get your performance genes?
MH: I started at an early age. I wanted to be a singer, but there were no singers in my family. My mom read an article when I was little that tone-deaf mothers shouldn’t sing to their [children], so she wouldn’t sing but instead played a lot of music. And I became obsessed with it! I always knew [I would wind up] in the industry in some way.
IHH: Can you tell me about the record deal you just landed?
MH: I’m working on it in May and will hopefully push it through and release it the same time as the second season of Smash. It’s a brand-new thing for me!
IHH: How do you deal with all of your spotlight – is it hard? You have so many fans!
MH: I love that people have been responding to the show in such a positive way. I love talking to people on the streets! People do recognize me and want to talk about [the show] and my character. With that comes bad stuff, too. You can’t please everybody, and Twitter has helped me develop a thicker skin.
IHH: Where do you get your style inspiration – do you have a stylist? What are your fav stores? (– submitted by @glamkaren)
MH: We have a stylist (Amanda Ross) for show events, and she’s amazing! She’s very open to what makes us powerful. And, for me, it’s always things that celebrate a “real’ woman’s body – and that includes curves. My style is a little more classic because I think the classic cuts are more figure flattering. My mom let me and my sisters dress ourselves because she said it’s one of the most basic forms of self expression, and I totally believe in that. My style changes constantly!
Intermix is my fav place to shop; it’s my go-to place if I have a last-minute thing. I always know they’re going to have something for me there, and I can look online and get an idea of what I’ll see when I walk in there. I hate trying on clothes!
IHH: Do you ever have any free time…when you do, what do you like to do? How do you keep going?
MH: I have two Jack Russell terriers, and I love to take them to Central Park. It’s a form of meditation, enjoying the outdoors with them. And it’s important to reconnect with friends – there are a lot of brunches! [I can’t have] late-night drinks anymore since I work at 5 a.m.
I quit coffee for the first season [of Smash] because I was drinking a lot. I was able to better maintain my energy throughout the day. I’m back on it now. Maybe I’ll quit again for the next season!
P.S. You can also catch Megan as “dumb blonde” Lorelei Lee in in the Encores! production of Gentlemen Prefer Blondes opening May 9 at New York City Center. Her voice also will be heard in Disney’s upcoming television special Tinker Bell and the Pixie Hollow Games – and she’s currently in production on Summertime Entertainment’s animated film Dorothy of Oz with Kelsey Grammer, Hugh Dancy and Lea Michele.
You can catch Smash on Mondays at 10/9 CST!
[Photo Courtesy playbillvault.com]