Janet McMordie is living the ultimate double life, and celebrating the wins along the way

The Firecracker Department

Janet McMordie is living the ultimate double life: she’s a practicing doctor and an actor, juggling two incredibly demanding careers with an impressive amount of energy and humor. She also hosts the Second Act Actors podcast, where she chats with fellow actors hustling to catch up to the pros who seem light-years ahead in the industry. In her conversation with Naomi, Janet opens up about her choice to keep both passions alive. She doesn’t want to rely on acting to pay the bills, but she’s not about to burn out by doing medicine full-time either, so she’s all about finding that sweet spot. She also shares how jumping into improv during the pandemic made her a better doctor, teaching her to think on her feet and tackle anything life throws at her. On stage and in the operating room, Janet values the trust and teamwork that comes with having a solid “scene partner”, and knowing someone always has her back makes all the difference. Through it all, Janet is determined to celebrate the little wins and keep things fun, proving that life—and art—is way better when you don’t take it too seriously.