Inspirational Women In Hollywood: How Emily De Margheriti Is Helping To Shake Up The Entertainment Industry

An Interview With Ming Zhao

Be comfortable with the uncomfortable. We are always trying to feel comfortable, adjusting the seat you sit in or the temperature of the room. Life isn’t going to always feel good.

As a part of our series about Inspirational Women In Hollywood, I had the distinct pleasure of interviewing Emily De Margheriti.

An Australia native, Emily De Margheriti is one of the original founders and a director of DEMS Entertainment, based in Los Angeles and splits her time between LA and Australia. Aside from her role as a producer, Emily also takes on a dual role as an actress in the films, I Hate Kids (2019, Chaos (2019) and Theatre of the Dead (2013). She graduated from WAAPA’s Bachelor of Performing Arts in 2016, Brent Street’s Cert IV in Performing Arts Course in 2012 and Canberra Dance Development Centre’s Vocational Dance Program in 2011.

Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Can you tell us the story of how you grew up?

I was born at St Margaret’s Hospital in Darlinghurst and lived by Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia. I moved to Canberra when I was 6 months old and grew up there for the majority of my childhood. I grew up with three brothers, my mother, and my father. As a middle child and the only young woman in the family I developed resilience extremely early! There was no more than four years between the four of us so we are all exceptionally close.

I am blessed to have such beautiful supportive parents. My mother’s side is British and my father’s side is Italian. Both of my parents immigrated to Australia with their families at a young age, for a better life. My father became a video games producer, however he now produces movies and my mother is a CEO of a film and video games school. It’s pretty amazing that we can all work together.

Growing up had its ups and downs, we grew up on very little, and with great support from my loving grandparents and my two aunties. I grew up with a loving family and was taught preschool by my grandmother, Josie who was a preschool teacher. I loved her dearly. She taught me kindness. She used to have a piece of paper listing “THE RULES ‘’ for preschool. I’m not certain how well I followed the rules as I ended up sitting in the naughty corner a lot, but it’s amazing looking back and seeing how I still implement these rules today. “Treat people how you would want to be treated” is one of the rules I remember the most and go by this.

My mother’s family comes from the theater background and it goes way back to the early 1900’s. My granddad was a child actor and his father was an actor, so it’s in my genes to follow this path. I’m the great-granddaughter of the British actor, Wally Thomas (1905–1990.) He worked in the business for over 70 years, starting in Music Hall and the newfangled film shows of the 1920s, via the Irish fit-ups, wintering with a circus and in repertory all over the UK. After war service, he became an actor-manager and ran a number of theatrical companies. He also appeared in the West End in shows such as ‘Irma La Douce’ and ‘My Fair Lady’ and in films like Monty Python’s ‘The Meaning of Life’, plus television series, such as ‘Pennies from Heaven’ and ‘The Barchester Chronicles’.

Right from a young age I was interested in performance. I spent many hours acting, dancing and spent some time doing gymnastics, horse riding, swimming and soccer -a “jack-of -all-trades” because of my zest for life — but after spending decades dancing, I ended up with my greatest love — acting!

I always loved doing too much. I did acting class as a child, acted in some shows “12 angry men ‘’ on stage and a few short films. I tried to get an agent and it really stopped there for a while because it seemed too hard at the time and I didn’t yet have a handle on how to get into the film industry, so I poured all my love into dance and it really drove me.

I knew that, throughout my schooling, filmmaking and acting had my heart — I turned almost every assignment into a movie or a performance of sorts… when I was younger.

Getting into an acting school was not easy, but I thought why not give it a go. So, after WAAPA — my production company Dems Entertainment was created, the name came about, as a combination of my first and last name. My production company looks for Australian written scripts or stories that are worth telling, and I’m blessed to have my dad engaged in the film industry, setting up a film studio for movie productions And working collaboratively together as creatives.

I decided to create my own production company instead of relying on others to create productions when I returned to reside in Sydney and Canberra. I felt that I had the capabilities to create beautiful stories, give opportunities to other creatives like me and create dance, theater shows and film productions. With that said, Dems Entertainment was created and it was beautiful to see my dreams and my family’s dreams align.

I flew to Los Angeles after getting a role in a film called “I Hate Kids.” That was an incredible experience being on my first Hollywood production. What a time to be in Hollywood, men of the industry being humbled with #metoo movement certainly made me feel a whole lot safer in the industry.

The pandemic really shook things up for our industry and I ended up spending the two years back in Australia which had a silver lining to it, as the conditions there were not as bad and we were lucky enough to film the movie SISSY. It was such a blessing for all involved.

Now that the pandemic is staying, and we are learning to co-exist with it, I’m back in LA, feeling the electricity of this city again, and continuing with my career but I will always go back and forth between countries as acting roles demand.

Can you share a story with us about what brought you to this specific career path?

It’s interesting because I used to be a dancer more so than acting. I’ll never forget doing an annual performance at Canberra Dance Development Centre (CDDC) (Where Mia Wasikowska also studied) and I had about 16 dances to do, but the one performance that really lit my soul on fire was when I acted as Pricilla queen of the desert. A woman pretending to be a man, being a woman. It was so fun to embody another person and be as big as I wanted and I think having Steve, our teacher, believe in me to cast me as her was huge back then. I owe him my gratitude. It was nice having someone who was not family believe in me and saying, “you can do this, you are talented”.

I always felt obsessed with the psychology of people and life in general. I studied psychology at school, obsessed late at night about life and death and I could honestly never sit still. I think this obsession in people and things helped my acting somewhat, maybe not my anxiety. I think it’s always been in my blood. I’m amazed by people and their stories.

Can you tell us the most interesting story that happened to you since you began your career?

A lot of interesting things happen in show business so here are a few –

• During the filming of Sissy, the film Dems entertainment produced — one of the scenes (without spoiling too much) I had to lie in my own grave, covered in dirt, I might add. I came to terms with a lot of things looking up at the night sky in my grave. I’m usually extremely terrified of spiders (I guess they can kill you in Australia… so it kind of makes sense) But I did have an experience that scarred me and now I usually squeal and resort to my 16 year old self, but in this case I just wanted to “get the shot”, I kind of just was so in the zone it wasn’t until after I realized “man, that was really messed up.”
• I was the producer and lead actor in my own play called the “North Plan” at the Sherry Theater in LA and I was nominated for best actor for the Theater Valley Awards. Also, having Chris Pine be in the audience was very unusual at the time, now I’m so used to famous people popping up out of the woodworks, so I suppose this is LA and of course actors are in the audience, it’s just an odd career where I’m from.
• I’ll never forget coming to LA and having an actress pick me up in her car and take me to the movies or a screening — thinking I’m going to a screening and rocking up at Jerry Bruckheimer’s house. I did in fact watch a film, in his private theater. I suppose on my way walking down to it in his house I saw pictures of him with actors and awards all down the hall and I thought, yeah I’m really working to be like him and become a kick ass producer AND an actor.

Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?

Oh gosh I think maybe when I realized I should turn off my mic when I’m not on set. As an actor I didn’t learn this yet and had the headset on when I was at the village with the other producers for a film which I was a producer on. I realized that we could all hear what the actors were chatting about.. It’s amazing what a little bit of bathroom talk can reveal. YOU CAN HEAR EVERYTHING!!

And then also the slang on set! Being Australian I never realized how many confusing words there are on set…

What are some of the most interesting or exciting projects you are working on now? Tell us about your role on SISSY

I play Alex in Sissy. Alex is the “bully” and the antagonist in the story, but every bully has an origin story. She is someone who falls into the mean girl trope. But to me she is someone who is very hurt and a survivor of abuse. She is not just a survivor, but a fighter and a loyal friend! She’s motivated by a desire to increase her popularity, but I suppose older Alex wants to protect herself and her friends, so she is very loyal. She is seeking to expose the truth while keeping her boundaries strong. I’m the opposite of a sissy, who is the protagonist of the film. A sissy to me is a wimp. A cowardly person who takes no accountability and is too weak to take responsibility. Someone who runs from the truth. That is not Alex. Alex confronts a lie and speaks the truth, but sometimes does not approach this the right way.

Alex is very different from me, I’d like to think I’m more of a soft and kind person. In preparing the role I had to explore what it means to be Alex — the loyalty she has, the hatred towards an abuser, both mentally and physically and the lengths she will go to make things right.

My role on Sissy made me realize just how complex female friendships are and reiterate my thoughts on how social media does have this dark side, an unhealthiness to it, which the film is trying to portray. We put the best versions of ourselves on social media — it’s not reality. Perception is not reality. Sissy really speaks to the perils of social media and the obsession trap we can fall into.

You have been blessed with success in a career path that can be challenging. Do you have any words of advice for others who may want to embark on this career path, but seem daunted by the prospect of failure?

Once you understand that failure is part of the process, you’ll be able to tackle anything. To fail is to fall forward. I’m always falling forward! I think in life we see the overnight success story, but boy oh boy, the amount of failure to get to that point and that you will continue to face during your career. I think if you really love it you’ll find a way, I’ve learned that there is no one way to get in. If your heart’s in it, you’ve got this.

What are your “5 things I wish someone told me when I first started” and why. Please share a story or example for each.

My 5 things I wish someone told me when I first started –

1. Be comfortable with the uncomfortable. We are always trying to feel comfortable, adjusting the seat you sit in or the temperature of the room. Life isn’t going to always feel good.

As an actor we live a life of uncertainty. Honesty, I think moving to Los Angeles takes guts and I admire anyone working far away from their family and friends. I remember the last rehearsals at The Sherry Theater, right before opening night for the North Plan by Jason Wells, that my production company Dems Entertainment put on. I was so anxious because I had a huge monologue to get through the beginning of the play. It was my first play in Los Angeles. I WAS THAT UNCOMFORTABLE that I felt like I needed to sleep and sweat it out. However, Instead of staying in bed and calling quits, I knew I needed to just DO IT! I gave myself a pep talk and said “Emily, you’ve got this. You love it, it’s okay to be uncomfortable.” I got up and went straight to the theater for opening night. Nerves make you feel excited and anxious and the concoction whirling around made me feel extremely uncomfortable. I was rewarded by not only having the time of my life and meeting some wonderful actors who are now close friends, but the play received a nomination for the Theater Valley Awards for Best Set Design, Best Lead Actress of a Play, Best Play of the Year, Best director of a play (which Cary Haze won!) and a nomination for Broadway World for Best Play! More importantly, I accomplished working through the discomfort of those nerves, and it was such a beautiful experience. I adore theater and I’ll never let my nerves conquer me!

2. KEEP GOING

sometimes what you love isn’t easy and comes with its own challenges. Acting is all about dealing with rejection. It’s the perseverance and sacrifice you make to keep that dream alive. Keep going.

I will never forget how difficult it felt to even learn to act and get into one of the top acting schools in Australia (ambitious I guess, but I thought, if I’m going to do it, I’m going to go hard.) It took me a few years of doing short courses at NIDA before getting accepted into Western Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA). Leaving Canberra, then leaving Sydney to study was just a part of chasing my dreams. Now living in LA and establishing roots here, is scary but exciting! So many challenges in this industry but sometimes you just need to make it happen.

3. Give yourself permission.

I truly struggled with this internal battle within myself but after giving myself permission and surrendering, it allowed me to show up. I gave myself permission to fail, permission to show what I could do. A wise auntie said to me once, “you will skip, you’ll hop and then you’ll run.” It’s important to be constantly challenging yourself and striving to be the best you, but you’re going to need to give yourself permission to learn first. When I was “skipping” it was hard to accept. I can’t speed up the process so permission to fail, to learn and grow is so vital.

4. A project is not real until it’s on the screen and you are in it. You can land a role only to have the project canceled or some of your scenes cut out. You need to move on and not let this get to your head as you have no control. Control what you can control and don’t worry about everything else.

We do an audition, and more often than not don’t get it, and even if we do get a part we may get cut from the film due to the time budgeting and pick only parts that truly serve the story. And also, if you are lucky enough to land the lead the film might not have the financing to finish it, or well, COVID could happen and disrupt the industry!!

I was fortunate enough to have a small role in the acclaimed Bruce Beresford film “Ladies in Black” and when I saw the premier my scene was significantly smaller — oh well, on to the next one!

5. Enjoy the creative process of acting and entertaining others. Then that process will be your best friend.

Ensure that the creative process is fun, that is; enjoy playing different roles in productions, learning new dialects, completing self-tapes and attending auditions. Playing around with the creative process is fulfilling.

I fell in love with the creative process in one particular audition where I worked on a larger than life character, “Miss Angel” for a film produced and directed by Bus Stop films that supports actors with disabilities. We set the scene and played around so much with them. I was the host of a party and the party atmosphere was contagious for everyone involved — This made the audition so much fun, and I suppose it showed because I got the part and got to work with some incredible actors at the Governor Generals, the Hon. David Hurley’s house (Government House) in Canberra. It’s not homework — as Les Chantery (a fantastic acting coach in Sydney ) said to me “as soon as it feels like homework don’t do it” it should feel like play.

Which tips would you recommend to your colleagues in your industry to help them to thrive and not “burn out”?

It’s about balance, right? So, make sure you have a little bit of play, be curious and explore and go on adventures — experiencing more things in life really just helps your craft. Listen to your body, your mind and your intuition.

Have “me” time and accepting that this looks different for everyone.

I would also recommend staying creative in some form to keep the creative juices alive! Also just cooking a nice home cooked meal, lighting a candle and running a bath helps me Zen out and am ready to tackle another day.

I love having other creatives around me working on new ideas, putting on plays and developing my craft.

“If all else fails make sure to treat yourself well.” —

If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger.

Empowering the “powerless.” I think that we face so much inequality. I just feel that we all go into the ground the same and that should humble us. It’s important to help lift up people who are struggling and give them the care they deserve. I know we can all do something, there should be a way for everyone to have their basic needs met.

None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story about that?

I have the most incredible team around me. I’m so grateful for them! Will Ward with Fourward has been someone who I appreciate greatly and Andy, based in Melbourne, has always been an amazing support — just a beautiful person. My family and friends have also been extremely supportive! I wouldn’t be where I am today without the support I have been given.

I suppose I’ll give a shoutout to my mentor and my friend Scott Haze for believing in my passion and love for acting and helping me put on The North Plan by Jason Wells. That was an incredible time and it’s amazing what you can do when you’re surrounded by people who love it just as much as I do. I also need to shout out to my coach Lisa Robertson, who has supported me in more ways than I can imagine.

Bruce Beresford for being another amazing creative who has given me wonderful advice!!

Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?

I think from an early age I’ve learned to embrace everything that’s thrown at me. I mean heck, I remember wanting to get a tattoo and I just wanted something with profound meaning. I contemplated this and rhen I thought — embrace! To receive the world with a big embrace.

Later in life my WAAPA coach made us work on this speech and it’s stuck with me ever since and it reflects the same outlook I have on life.

I feel that I am able to have my light shine when I am accepting all that’s thrown at me. It’s about embracing those trials and tribulations, those failures and even accepting those compliments. Life is beautiful and messy.

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, ‘Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?’ Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to manifest the glory of God that is within us. It’s not just in some of us; it’s in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others” — Nelson Mandela.

Is there a person in the world, or in the US whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might just see this, especially if we tag them.

I would love a breakfast or lunch with Adam Sandler, as I grew up watching his films and the fact that he is not only a great actor but an excellent producer. I love that he creates some very funny and touching movies, and that regardless of what the critics say about his films, they generally make money, and he gets to work with his group of friends who are really a part of his work family. He seems to really have fun and I would love nothing more than be in one of his productions. Adam is someone who has persevered through the ups and downs of working in the film industry! That to me is very inspiring. I love his and Drew Barrymore’s friendship too as I loved her films growing up as well!

How can our readers follow you online?

Sure thing! Feel free to follow my journey on Instagram @emilyjanede

This was very meaningful, thank you so much! We wish you continued success!

Thanks for having me! I appreciate it. All the best!