hi there, my name is Darby McDonough (she/her). 

i'm a midwestern gal from a small town in Illinois. i recently graduated with a BFA in Drama from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts in May of 2022, as well as the UNCSA high school program in 2018.  i am represented by Sweet 180 Talent & Literary Management & CESD Talent Agency in their On-Camera Commercial Department and Print Division.

i grew up with the gift of a family who always encouraged me to write songs for them, perform dances around the house, and host tea parties with all my stuffed animals. at my preschool graduation, i was awarded most likely to become a famous writer because i would tell the other kids at recess that we had to run away from Frankenstein. i had a new story every day. i think that’s why i love this work so much. art has cracked me open. every day holds the possibility to find new inspiration… whether that’s in a photograph, a song lyric, a line of poetry, a film and so on. my first experience with consuming art was movie nights with my mom. when we watched the romantic-fantasy-adventure film that is Stardust, it changed the game. i constantly dreamt of flying ships, and of ghosts and the stars. recently, a dear friend of mine gave me the book Stardust  to read, and i fell even more in love with the magical story. i guess to truly understand me is to know that all i want to do is keep dreaming. i want to dream, speak and “sing songs like that one, all about the lady our mother, and the nature of time, and the joys of shining and of loneliness.” (Stardust) 

you can also find me @darbymcdo on instagram. let's connect!