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Marianna Palka on That One Audition with Alyshia Ochse

062: Marianna Palka

062: Marianna Palka 1500 750 Alyshia Ochse

We were so lucky to sit down for a second conversation with Marianna Palka. She’s a triple threat artist (writer/director/actor) with such a singular vision and voice to bring us closer together, change humanity and give the world a deeper understanding of the human condition. This is a conversation about creating the kind of work that is so needed in our landscape today. Her first film “Good Dick” came from a desire to explore how a sexual assault victims find intimacy and birthed from her frustrations about the lack of good, interesting/complex/ real characters for women. As Maya Angelou inspired her to write her scripts isolated in a hotel for a long weekend, she shares her writing ethic and her confidence to take ownership of her creativity and our shared responsibility to change the world. This is a MUST listen for all creative types!. These are the fearless, moving, authentic, compelling, owning your own space stories that have all led Marianna Palka right here.

Marianna Palka is Glasgow born and Los Angeles based filmmaker, actress and writer. She studied at the acclaimed New York Atlantic Theater Company before beginning her career in theater, film and television. Palka wrote, directed and starred in “Good Dick,” a 2008 Sundance Film Festival’s Grand Jury Prize nominee, joining Jason Ritter, Martin Starr, Mark Webber and Tom Arnold in an exploration of intimacy and connection after sexual trauma. Palka’s critically acclaimed feature film “Bitch” premiered at Sundance last year and tells the story of a woman who transforms under the enormous pressure of motherhood, leaving her absent husband, Jason Ritter, to discover what it means to be a parent. Additionally Palka directed “Always Worthy,” “Heirloom,” “I’m the Same,” and “Egg,” starring Christina Hendricks, Alysia Reiner, David Alan Basche. Her recent work include “Mississippi Requiem,” a series of four short films written by William Faulkner and developed by James Franco, “We Are Boats,” “Spoonful,” “The Adventures of Thomasina Sawyer,” and “The Lion’s Mouth Opens,” Lucy Walker’s short documentary following Palka’s own relationship to Huntington’s Disease and her risk of inheriting. Palka is currently starring in Netflix’s Golden Globe nominated “GLOW” as Reggie Walsh.

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“I just feel like there’s something about human frailty and connection that I’m really fascinated by and I really want to make films that make the world a better place on an intimacy level.”

“I think it’s really cool to always know what you want and what your north star is because if you know what that is no one can take that away from you. You always know where you’re going.”

“Being huge is absolutely fine and take up that space and fill your life with stuff that you’re excited about because God knows we need it.”

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014: Marianna Palka

014: Marianna Palka 1500 1000 Alyshia Ochse

Born and raised in Glasgow, Scotland, Marianna Palka is a passionate actress and humanist filmmaker. Marianna can be seen as Reggie in Netflix’s new original series “GLOW”, which follows the personal and professional lives of a group of women who perform for a wrestling organization in Los Angeles. At the age of 17, Marianna moved to New York from Scotland to study at David Mamet and William H. Macy’s Atlantic Theater Company. From there, she amassed numerous roles in theater, film and television. Marianna made her first journey to Sundance with her film GOOD DICK in 2008, starring Jason Ritter and herself. She returned in 2010 as a Sloan juror. Marianna can be seen in Peter Mullan’s 2011 BAFTA award winning film NEDS and in the lead role in director Jeremiah Jones independent film RESTIVE, which won the Audience Award at the 2011 Austin Film Festival and was nominated for Best Actress and Best Feature Film at the 2012 Charlotte Film Festival. She appeared in two short films which premiered at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival; SPOONFUL by director Jenee LaMarque and Bryce Dallas Howard’s second film WHEN YOU FIND ME, executive produced by Ron Howard for the Canon sponsored Project Imagina8tion. She returned to Sundance again in 2014 with the short documentary THE LION’S MOUTH OPENS. Marianna recently returned from yet another stint at Sundance after premiering a film which she wrote and starred in, BITCH; a surreal, manic, funny, absurd, tragic, and painful depiction of family life about a woman who takes on the identity of a wild dog. BITCH had its international premiere at Sundance London this June. She is currently directing EGG, starring Alysia Reiner, Christina Hendricks and Anna Camp.

On the small screen, Marianna’s work includes HBO’s “Girls”, “Derek and Simon”, and Comedy Central’s “Drunk History”.

Tune into our interview right HERE

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QUOTES:

“Art and money are the same thing. You make money from art. Money is there to support art.”

“Richness of life is in art. The most beneficial thing you can do to survive as a human being is to go work as an artist.”

“I’m working with joy and positivity. Never think about the project as good or bad, I just follow the instinct and believe it in.”

“Self love is not selfish. Take the time to love yourself so that you can be the portal to the artist message.”

“Acting can heal something or someone out there. Performances are there to support the human experience.”

“People hire your enthusiasm and your self-belief. Being up for it is what people employ.”

“Leave space for the absolute miracle that is suppose to happen.”

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013: Alysia Reiner

013: Alysia Reiner 1500 1000 Alyshia Ochse

Alysia is best known for her role as Natalie “Fig” Figueroa, the tough as nails assistant warden everyone loves to hate on NETFLIX’s hit series ORANGE IS THE NEW BLACK. Alysia won a SAG award as part of the amazing ensemble cast, and you can see her in all 5 binge-worthy seasons. She is currently in production on Season 6 of ORANGE IS THE NEW BLACK and recently launched her very own eco-friendly fashion label, Livari. Alysia recently wrapped production as both a producer and star of motherhood dark comedy EGG, starring with Christina Hendricks and Anna Camp.

You can also catch her as Sunny in F/X’s critical hit and Peadbody Award winning BETTER THINGS, brought to you by the inimitable Louie CK and Pamela Adlon. And don’t forget to look for her in recent/upcoming episodes of YOUNGER, BROAD CITY and ODD MOM OUT.

Alysia may be all over your streaming shows and on your TV, but she couldn’t get an agent for years and self-submitted and taped for the break role in the Oscar nominated film SIDEWAYS. Listen in to hear her daily practice for being a creative person and how she is mentoring the next generation of female storytellers.

Tune into our interview right HERE

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QUOTES:

“Don’t wait, create” CLICK TO TWEET

“Daily practice for a creative person; Do something for the business, something for the artist in the business and something for artist.”

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ALYSHIA OCHSE

Los Angeles-based actress, bestselling author, host of That One Audition podcast, entrepreneur, & mother.

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