Jason Harris
Maegan Anne Cross was a former Queensland state finalist in the Miss World Australia 2020 pageant. She’s an actor, dancer, singer, and model who has a Cert III in Screen and Media. She’s a freelance model who’s had both photographic and runway experience, and she has performed in a range of shows including musical theatre, pantomime, and various plays. Currently, she’s working as a burlesque dancer and performer.
StarCentral Magazine recently caught up with Maegan to discuss her journey in the modelling industry and here’s what went down:
How were you actually ‘discovered’?
When I was 16 I started modelling for all of my friends’ photography assignments until a local agency in Hobart did the first photoshoot with me and signed me to their agency. After that, I started making connections and freelancing on my own.
What are your favourite downtime activities?
Living in the Whitsundays I try to get out in the sunshine and on the water as much as I can. My partner and I have a jetski and are only a 5-minute drive to the beach. I also love going on road trips and exploring North Queensland. I play guitar and sing, alongside dancing and choreographing.
How did you start with modelling?
After being with an agency for a year I had collated a portfolio of images alongside a few incredible photographers that I worked with closely. I started modelling for various Hobart photographers and became involved in runway modelling for various fashion shows and gown companies. This opened up opportunities in screen acting and commercials which widened my view of how many aspects of modelling there really are.
What do you like most about the modelling industry?
My favourite part would come down to the people that you meet along the way. I have met some of my best lifelong friends through modelling opportunities who I can always count on for continual support. In the day and age of social media, modelling has allowed me to connect with some amazing brands and create content, releasing my creativity.
These experiences have also led to using my platform to speak out on the issues I believe in and inspire young women to always chase their dreams. As a young girl who was bullied and told she would never be a model or achieve my dreams, it fills me with pride to be involved in this ever-changing industry. I wish to promote self-confidence to others and help them to overcome their fears and begin their own self-love journey.
The downside to being a model?
The stigma behind being a model is still very opinionated and often categorised into a certain personality type. I have often been spoken to as a lesser individual or assumed as less intelligent as those around me, this also comes with being blonde. I am impressed with the strides that the industry is making, including models of all colours, sizes, and shapes to model their products, providing realistic beauty standards and a body that each person can relate to.
What has been the most memorable experience of your life as a model so far?
Modelling introduced me to the world of pageants which are some of my most treasured memories. I competed in Country Girl Management and achieved the award of Miss Confidence 2018. I then went on to compete in the Miss World Australia Preliminary and State Finals. My most recent was as a National Finalist for Miss Australia Pageants which is my most memorable yet.
This has opened doors with brands and networking opportunities that will take my career forward and help me achieve my goals. Spending a week with like-minded women who all wish for each other to be the best that can be is such an uplifting experience. As a future educator, I hope to pass on this positivity to my students and have them acknowledge their inner beauty from a young age.
I’m guessing you’ve been in the industry for a few years now, what has been the most valuable lesson you’ve learned. This can be about the industry or about yourself. Or both!
Definitely that you must not compare yourself to anyone. Every individual has their own beauty inside and out. No one in the world can do a better job of being you than you.
Working in an industry whose only emphasis is on the outside characteristics of a person, how have you stayed grounded?
By surrounding myself with those who connect with my own positive energy. I always strive to be myself and to not stray from my true self, and that means having true friends and connections with others. I have also made a lifelong goal of making other people smile, I get so much out of seeing others happy.
Is your family supportive of your career?
My family has been my cheer squad since I started dancing at age 3. Coming to every performance, watching my dance concerts and competitions, musical theatre shows, pageants, and is the ultimate fans of everything I do. I’m truly grateful and lucky to be so loved.
What are your future plans? Inside your career or out of it.
I am currently studying towards being a teacher, however, I would like to use my story and my voice to travel through Australian schools/towns and hold self-confidence courses for young women. However, I am a true believer in what will be will be and will take every opportunity that I resonate with and aim to make a positive difference in others’ lives.
The ‘LIGHTNING FAST’ Round:
1. Last good movie I’ve seen: My ultimate favourite “Bridget Jones Diary.”
2. What do you consider beautiful and why? True friendship and love, the idea that we can be so connected to another person that we accept all that they are.
3. What haven’t you done yet that you wish you could? Live in another country!
4. Complete this sentence: “If I had no fear, I’d be…” packing everything up and travelling the world for a year.
5. What is the one “flaw” you wouldn’t change about yourself? My stubbornness, I know what I don’t and do want and stick to it.
Jason Harris
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