Not all Brits in LA Members live in Los Angeles: in fact a fair number are scattered around the globe. This week’s Meet a Member is Megan Shandley, who lives in Edinburgh, Scotland.
Seeing as you don’t live in Los Angeles how did you end up joining Brits in LA?
I’m an actress from Edinburgh and trained in London at LAMDA. I’ve got lots of friends in LA, many of whom I trained with at drama school, and have visited LA a couple of times before, the last time being for three weeks back in 2016. I remember I arrived on Oscars night and watched my first ever crush, Leonardo DiCaprio, win his Oscar for ‘The Revenant’ on a big screen in Highland Park.
LA had always appealed to me as a place I could see myself living and thriving. I joined Brits in LA as a means of staying connected to LA when I was back home. There’s lots of helpful advice and tips, and it’s cool to read posts and find out more about people who have actually made the move over – something I’m hoping to do one day. I also appreciate the posts where people tell you very important things, like where you can get a good roast dinner or when UK Mother’s Day is. Brits in LA has got my back!
What were your first impressions of LA?
The weather, the people, the sense of opportunity… it’s like electricity in the air! I feel like if you work hard and are willing to be brave, anything can happen here. It’s not the same in the UK. It feels more closed off a lot of the time. Everyone stays indoors because it’s cold, and we don’t have as much of a social aspect to our working life.
Do you think you could ever see yourself moving to LA, if not tell us what keeps you in the UK?
Yes! 100%. It’s something that I’ve been thinking about for a while and am in the process of trying to make a reality.
Do you have a hidden gem that you want to share with us?
I’ve only just arrived for a three-month stint, but I went to the Beetle House for Valentine’s Day with some girlfriends, and it was awesome! I’m a huge ‘Nightmare Before Christmas’ fan, and so the decor was right up my street! Themed bars aren’t such a huge thing back home, especially in Scotland. LA does lots of things bigger and better.
Why would you recommend other overseas readers joining Brits in LA?
If you’re thinking about making the move, it’s a great first port of call, for advice on lawyers, visas, car insurance etc, or as I said, if you’re just in need of a proper pint or roast dinner! I also really enjoy the Brits in LA breakfast every Tuesday at Cecconi’s in WeHo; it’s really nice to talk to Brits from all walks of life and find out how they wound up here!
We hear you have been working on an exciting project. Care to tell us more about it?
I have a feature film coming out back in the UK at the end of April! It’s a Michael Caton- Jones movie called ‘Our Ladies’ and is based on the novel ’The Sopranos’ by Scots writer Alan Warner. It’s about six Catholic school girls who travel from a small town to Edinburgh for a day and all the mischief they get up to! It’s funny and dirty and real and I had a blast being part of it. You can watch the trailer on youtube.
Lots of our members join our group Brits in LA seeking out words of wisdom – what is the best piece of advice you’ve been given?
Be kind, work hard. I also love this quote by poet Mary Oliver: “Things take the time they take. Don’t worry.” It’s my mantra for tricky days when I feel like things aren’t moving as fast as I’d like them to.
Lastly, how can we find you on the Internet?
All my info is on my website: www.meganshandley.com and you can find me on Twitter/ Instagram: @mcshands
