Olivia Rose Keegan Discusses Soap Opera Debut and High School Musical: The Musical: The Series
Photographer credit: MK McGehee & Alexander Fenyves (@mk.mcg @fenivision)
Production credit: Linse Studios (@linse.studios)
Olivia Rose Keegan is a multi-talented beauty. An actress, a model, and a singer to say the least. Born to Kevin and Julie Keegan in San Rafael, California, musical theatre sparked her interest in acting. However, it took a long time to convince her parents that she was serious about acting full-time but eventually they agreed to let her spread her wings. She began booking auditions at 11 years old, and shortly after her acting inauguration, she booked two movies Decoding Annie Parker and Ashley. In 2015, Keegan booked her best-known recurring role as Claire Brady on NBC’s soap opera Days of Our Lives, which brought her home an Emmy Award.
Soap operas are often actors and actresses' first official footings in the industry. Keegan bestowed her personality and capability to the show from 2015-2020 depicting a spectrum of emotions that resided in her character. Claire, daughter of Shawn Douglas Brady and Belle Black, aches for love and harbors an insecure, dark, wild side. She’s a pyromaniac songbird; one who isn’t afraid. Keegan attests that she does have a wild side as well but don't question her good faith. Pyromania is not in her cards and she confesses that acting gives her the outlet to say anything she’s ever wanted to say to anybody she’s ever wanted to say it to. She continues,
“You can purge all your demons or live out your fantasies and it can be a wonderful, cathartic thing. I also love how watching a show/film can affect the way you see the world or see yourself. If my work can make someone feel less alone, help them, or educate them in any way, then I’ve done my job.”
It’s intriguing to know that on Days of Our Lives, they would shoot approximately 200 pages/65 scenes in a single day. Soap operas stand alone when it comes to production, but that isn’t any sort of red flag for the bona fide singer. She says, “I attribute so much of what I know to Days of Our Lives. I’m so grateful for my time on the show.”
Photographer credit: MK McGehee & Alexander Fenyves (@mk.mcg @fenivision)
Production credit: Linse Studios (@linse.studios)
The authentic prima donna has since found herself molding another character with a mean streak. In early 2020, she joined Disney+’s second season of High School Musical: The Musical: The Series as Lily, confessing that the audition process was very enlightening. She met co-star Roman Banks the same day of the call-back audition. This show is the same show that has projected mega-star Olivia Rodrigo. Now Lily is similar to Claire in nature. She hosts a competitive nature and certainly isn’t a fan favorite. Throughout the season Lily’s layers are unveiled and her backstory is dissected. Keegan shares, “One thing I really love about the show is that nobody is one-dimensional. Everybody has a reason they are the way they are. Of course, it’s not an excuse to go around bullying/manipulating people, but it’s a reason. I’m very excited for people to see all the twists and turns and layers to Lily.”
On which character she would play in the original High School Musical series: “Ms. Darbus!!!”
Photographer credit: MK McGehee & Alexander Fenyves (@mk.mcg @fenivision)
Production credit: Linse Studios (@linse.studios)
Music is another avenue that resides in Keegan’s blood. She has exceptional vocals and showcases them throughout the series. Inspired by everything from Hozier to Megan Thee Stallion to The Beatles to Metallica, she has a number of stunning vocal performances on YouTube and has original songs to her name; many of which have been featured in Days of Our Lives.
Perhaps Olivia Rose Keegan is the next Olivia Rodrigo, and very shortly.
Watch Season 2 of High School Musical: The Musical: The Series on Disney+
Meet the Author
Brianna Vacca is a Philadelphia-based writer. She has an unhealthy addiction to true crime documentaries, celebrity gossip, and writes overly dramatic sad songs.