By Mike McCarthy
Lindsey McKeon may not have survived the pilot of Training Day, but she has still made a lasting impact. Lindsey has been on the big and small screens for two decades, all starting with Boy Meets World when she was Libby Harper. She has parlayed that first job into work that we have all seen and fallen in love with. Lindsey’s love of her work shines through in every role she has played and you can tell that wouldn’t change what she does for the world.
Lindsey spends her time in front of the camera, not only as an actress but as a mentor via her website, Evolve by Lindsey. Evolve started as a blog for Lindsey to get her thoughts and feelings out and has transformed into a way for readers and fans to express their feelings to Lindsey and get her feedback. Whether it be about her learnings, her diet, a reader’s life experiences, all of these things and so much more has been answered and discussed by Lindsey on Evolve.
Whether you loved Lindsey on Supernatural, Saved by the Bell: the New Class, or so many of her her other projects, keep an eye out for some projects she is working on now. It all begins with Evolve by Lindsey, so make sure to go over to her website, check out current and past writings and videos. If you want to be inspired or motivated, watch Lindsey’s vlogs and read her blog, there is nothing on her website that won’t lift your spirits and make you want to keep coming back and expand your mind.
Wingman Magazine: Your cast mate from Training Day, Bill Paxton unexpectedly passed away last week. Can you tell us about how it was to work with him.
Lindsey McKeon: Honestly it was just such a joy. It was the first that I had met and worked with him, and he was nothing but lovely to work with. It’s obviously a shock to hear this happen to somebody so young, especially somebody that I just worked and connected with. It’s crazy.
Wingman Magazine: Training Day is coming up on its fourth episode. Unfortunately your character, Jen didn’t make it out of the first episode. How was it working on that set for the pilot episode?
Lindsey McKeon: It was absolutely wonderful. It’s so fun and come in and have it be new for everybody. Sometimes I go onto shows, like NCIS and everybody has been together for years and you are already coming into a family and something that is running really smoothly. When you are on a pilot, it’s new and exciting for everyone. It was Antoine Fuqua’s first show that he ever suggested and created that got picked up. Justin Cornwall has been an actor in Chicago, but this is his first big break. To have that many first and new experiences for everyone, brought us all together in a whole new way. For me, I really enjoyed that. Last week I went to Katrina (Law)’s house to do a live tweet, tonight we are going to something for Bill (Paxton) and it has just been a beautiful experience.
Wingman Magazine: When reading the script, were you comparing it to the film at all in the back of your mind?
Lindsey McKeon: I still love that film, but I don’t remember if I compared it to the script at all. It would be the natural thing to do, but I guess as an actor and you read so many scripts and so many roles that there is always going to be a different take on them, so it’s kind of nice to go in with new eyes instead of judging or relating it to something from the past, even if it’s based off of that.
Wingman Magazine: You transitioned over from your regular blog to Evolve by Lindsey at the beginning of February. What made you want to make that change?
Lindsey McKeon: There were a bunch of different events that set this into emotion. Even though this is for everybody, I still do it for myself and if I wasn’t doing it for myself then I probably wouldn’t be doing it. I really only ever do things to grow myself and to do things that are important to me. Not that I don’t love you guys for watching it, but I have to be able to benefit from it as well and to be entertained. Different people suggested it to me over time and it was something that I kept hearing in the back of my mind. My first blog was just something for me to start writing and get my voice out there and then as it turned into Evolve, it’s a joy to write and hard to write and get into that headspace. It’s a lot of time to sit down, write, be inspired and then do all of the edits required and I don’t have time for that. I was talking to someone and I thought, I am an actress and I have a camera, I can just turn it on myself and show everyone what’s going on in my normal life much faster. And people might actually enjoy that because people love to be in touch with other people. Writing is a little bit removed because you aren’t actually seeing the person and here I could be in front of you, talking to you, sharing my experience.
Wingman Magazine: How has it been perceived by your fans and readers? Has anyone reached out and shared any experiences or thoughts with you?
Lindsey McKeon: Oh definitely! That is the exciting part for me. I have actually had some people write to me and tell me some of their stories or ask my opinion on things with events they are having trouble with in their lives, or how to get started on eating healthy and getting on the right track. But of course there are some crazy people out there that write some pretty creepy things, which I weed out. But the ones that are sharing their experiences and really looking for information is just so exciting for me. I then get to write back or do a vlog which pertains to the questions that they asked. It is very meaningful and I absolutely love the amount of contact with readers it has given me.
Wingman Magazine: I spent a lot of time reading your blog and watching your vlogs and you told a story about meditating on the set of Saved By the Bell: The New Class. Looking back at that, how was that perceived by the other castmates? Did anyone reach out and want to try it out with you?
Lindsey McKeon: No! Honestly it was probably because I really didn’t know what I was doing back then and wasn’t something that would’ve drawn somebody else to it. It was more of me to have some sort of discovery for myself. Part of it was just a way to get out of going to P.E. class and that I was going to meditate instead but I really had no idea what I was talking about. Something inside of me was drawn to that, but now I know why. Now when I tell someone that I meditate it’s always like, “oh I meditate too,” or “who’ve you studied with?” and questions like that because it resonates deeply within me now that if someone calls to it or hears then it automatically draws them in. Back then on Saved by the Bell I had no clue what I was doing, we were all kids. It wasn’t that deep back then (laughs).
Wingman Magazine: You are a staple at comic conventions now with your ever growing popularity. Fans of Supernatural are so dedicated to that show, that I know it can get crazy. Tell us about some of your favorite fan meetings at the cons or a story that sticks out the most for you from a fan.
Lindsey McKeon: Oh dear god! Don’t put that out there (Laughs)! It’s such a hard question to answer…. But no. Whenever something I have done has touched someone in some way, that is the most important thing to me and most exciting part of the conventions for me. When the fans think of me playing Tessa from Supernatural, or whatever role I am playing and have done it justice, I am their favorite reaper, or they are sad that I am gone, it’s lovely to hear that and that I have made an impact in their lives.
The most meaningful situation I have had recently, which is different from your question. Because I play Tessa and she’s a reaper and is not of Earth, and because I am Lindsey and have done a lot of spiritual work, which is what Evolve is all about, I got to speak to this woman who after speaking with her, I found out that her son had passed away. I got to have the most beautiful conversation with her and told her that he may not be here, but he’s in another dimension. He may not still be on Earth but he is still around. If you talk to him, he will acknowledge you. You will be able to smell him, feel him and have experiences with him. That is him, his essence and his being, it just not in a physical form anymore. We both had tears in our eyes and she so thankful for what I had told her and that I had been there for her. That touched my life that I could give that to her, and I would never know, knock on wood, this experience of a mother who has lost something so deep to her. Those experiences for me, are the most wonderful and meaningful.
Wingman Magazine: What is the geekiest or nerdiest thing about you?
Lindsey McKeon: I love the Matrix, Stranger Things, The OA, those are really my jams. I have always had that everybody has a little bit of a nerd in them. Some people play it off a little better and act so cool about it, but if you chisel away at that… everyone is a little bit uncomfortable, a little geeky. Everybody wants to act a little silly and shed these society chains that we live by. I am sure I have plenty of things, but I think they are more isms than anything else. I will stutter sometimes, my movements can be white girl nerdy instead of super cool, suave (laughs).
Wingman Magazine: You interviewed your close friend Chris Evans a while back and asked him a question that I wanted to ask you. What terrifies you?
Lindsey McKeon: (chuckles) Oh Shit! Normalcy (laughs again) and staying still. Stopping forward movement is a terrifying feeling.