Good Trouble

Entertainment Spotlight: Daisy Eagan, Good Trouble

Actress, writer, and activist Daisy Eagan has been making waves in the entertainment industry since she was a child. At age eleven, Daisy became the youngest actress to win a Tony Award for playing Mary Lennox in The Secret Garden, and she is currently performing at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. On-screen, you can catch her playing Joey Riverton in Freeform’s critically-acclaimed series, Good Trouble. An award-winning writer with a loyal and growing audience, Daisy is a fierce fighter and activist for women’s and LGBTQ+ rights. We got the chance to ask Daisy a few questions about her extensive career, what she would wish for if she could, and what’s next for her.

What takeaways do you hope that viewers get from Good Trouble?

I think the show is doing an amazing job of showcasing real-life struggles of real people. Whether it’s gender identity and presentation, body image issues, family drama, or depression—I hope the audience feels seen and understood. I think there are messages of hope that everyone can take away from the show, even if that’s just feeling less alone in this world by seeing stories like their own being told.

What’s the first book, movie, or tv show that you remember being a fan of?

Honestly, and this is going to sound manufactured, but The Secret Garden was my favorite book growing up. I had read it six or seven times before being cast in the show. I recently re-read it. It…doesn’t hold up.

What’s your favorite character arc or storyline on Good Trouble?

Joey? Hahaha. Jk. Wouldn’t that be so tacky? If I were like, “Joey is my favorite!” Gross.

Seriously, though, Joey.

Is there a specific moment or event that you consider the highlight of your career up to now?

I have had a lot of highlights. I’ve been doing this for a loooong time. Obviously winning a Tony Award was a career highlight. But over the years there have been various productions that have meant a lot to me for one reason or another—whether it’s the play itself or the cast and company. Oddly enough, some of my best theater experiences have been in Southern California, even though it has a reputation (Los Angeles, specifically) of being a terrible place for theater. I treasure my theater experiences there. 

And being cast as Joey, after cutting my hair short and deciding after nearly 30 years to finally present in a way that made me happiest, has been one of the most affirming experiences of my career. To be able to represent a sorely unrepresented portion of the population is a privilege.

What do you look for when choosing a role?

As long as the piece is well-written and saying something meaningful and important, or if I’m going to have a lot of fun, I’m in. 

Some things will make me NOT take a role. Recently, I passed on a film that was yet another white savior story. We’ve seen that, and also, seriously? In 2019? Come on. Or if the piece is just generally culturally tone-deaf (sexist, homophobic, ideologically off-base, etc.).

If you had three wishes, what would you wish for?

An end to the Patriarchy. A new president. A fresh start for Humanity.

Do you have a dream role that you’d like to play one day?

I’d love to do How I Learned to Drive and The Heiress. The clock is seriously ticking on those for me, though.

What’s the most memorable thing that’s ever happened to you on set?

Probably getting to perform for the Obamas on Michelle’s birthday! It was the national tour of The Humans, and we were in DC. I have no idea if they liked the show, but I will always be able to say I performed for the Obamas.

Also in DC, a couple of years before that, I met Ruth Bader Ginsberg backstage. I waited where I knew she would exit the theater and thanked her for her work. She told me I was fabulous, I hugged her, and she left. Then I remembered I had a cold, and for the next few weeks, I lived in abject terror that I had gotten RBG sick. I hadn’t.

How did you prepare for the role of Joey Riverton?

I didn’t do anything specific to prepare for Joey, but I would say that a lot of my life experience has in some ways been preparing for the role. When I found out that Joey was coming out as non-binary, I spoke to a couple of non-binary people in my life to make sure they thought it was okay for me to represent that portion of the population, because at that time I wasn’t identifying as non-binary.  My partner at the time pointed out that I wasn’t exactly cis, and I was definitely in the process of questioning my own gender identity. I’d like to think that if we started to see more of Joey’s work as a radio DJ, I would bone up on current music. I’m kind of stuck in the yacht rock and early 90s grunge era. I have no idea what the kids are listening to these days!

What’s next for you?

I have a couple more weeks here at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, and then it’s right back to Good Trouble when I get back. I have a six-year-old son who’s starting first grade in a week, so I’ll be packing lunches, helping with homework, reading bedtime stories, and making up new ones—which he insists on even though I think I’m pretty bad at it. Also, I’m in pre-production for a short film I wrote, so we’ll be raising money for that. And I’ll be bracing myself for a gruelling election year, doing what I can to help get out the vote, and hopefully make some positive change.