Emmy winner Cady McClain and I chatted during COVID lockdown. Yup, my story of those incredibly long, unsettling months will always include that call. Best known for her iconic role as Dixie Cooney on All My Children, Cady McClain is a daytime legend, with three Emmy awards. If you need more proof that it was a simpler time, I contacted her through Twitter. She replied!

I pride my interview outlines as reaching well beyond the superficial. Cady shared a lot about her journey to acting in a memoir. It’s one more example of how the business robs child actors of their most joyful years. While continuing to act, Cady is a serious advocate for gender equity in entertainment production.

In part 2 of the conversation, she shares her experiences transitioning from daytime TV star to director and arts advocate. Through her 2017 documentary Seeing is Believing: Women Direct, Cady highlighted the struggles and triumphs of female filmmakers, offering insights into the creative process and the resilience required to thrive in the entertainment industry.  

Cady’s Emmy wins come from her roles as Rosanna Cabot in As the World Turns (2002-2010), Dixie Cooney in All My Children (1989-2011) and as Jennifer Horton-Deveraux in Days of Our Lives.