Canadian actor

Cindy Busby
Cindy Busby 1920 1080 Alyshia Ochse

Today, we’re stepping inside the audition room with Cindy Busby, an actress who has built an incredible two-decade career with more than 20 leading roles across film and television. From her breakout role as Ashley Stanton on the beloved series Heartland, to starring in fan favorites like Unleashing Mr. Darcy and Royal Hearts, to her current series lead on When Hope Calls, Cindy knows what it takes to build a career with real staying power.

In this episode, Cindy takes us all the way back to the theater school assignment that unexpectedly landed her first agent and a role on MTV’s Undressed, and the nationwide search that changed her life when she booked Heartland. But she also gets candid about what happened when the momentum stopped, including a grueling two-year career slump that forced her to completely rethink her relationship with the business. Cindy shares how studying the Meisner technique, doing deep mindset work, and creating her own recovery rituals helped her rebuild her confidence, return to Heartland 11 years later, and ultimately step into a new chapter as the lead of When Hope Calls.

These are the unforgettable stories that landed Cindy Busby right here.

About Cindy Busby:

Cindy Busby (pronounced “Buz-bee”) has been a prominent presence in film and television for over two decades. She is best known for her series regular role as Ashley Stanton on Heartland, one of Canada’s most successful television series, syndicated in more than 81 countries and a longtime fan favorite on Netflix.

Most recently, Cindy stars as leading lady Nora Anderson in When Hope Calls. The series recently wrapped its third season, with a fourth officially announced for Great American Pure Flix and Great American Family. The first two seasons will also debut on Netflix in the U.S. and Canada on September 14. Cindy will next star in Great American Media’s holiday film Christmas Wrapped in Love.

Over the course of her career, Cindy has starred in more than 20 leading roles, including Unleashing Mr. Darcy, which premiered to over three million viewers and broke the network’s social media record, and Royal Hearts alongside James Brolin. Her film credits also include The Big Year with Steve Martin, A Life Interrupted with Lea Thompson, Honey Girls with Ashanti, Picture This with Ashley Tisdale, and The Wrong Daughter with Sydney Sweeney.

On television, Cindy has held recurring roles on Hallmark’s first original series, Cedar Cove, alongside Andie MacDowell, and ABC’s Somewhere Between. She showcased her comedic talents as a series regular on Date My Dad, starring Barry Watson and Raquel Welch, and has made memorable guest appearances on Supernatural, Psych, The L.A. Complex, and The Vampire Diaries.

Originally from Montreal, Quebec, Cindy now lives in Los Angeles with her husband and rescue dog, Suzie. A passionate supporter of animal welfare, she volunteers with organizations including the ASPCA and donates all proceeds from her Cameo appearances to animal rescues.

Credits:

  • When Hope Calls
  • Heartland
  • Date My Dad
  • The Big Year
  • When Calls the Heart
  • Cedar Cove
  • Royal Hearts
  • Supernatural
  • Psych
  • The L.A. Complex
  • The Vampire Diaries

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THAT ONE AUDITION’S LINKS:

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EPISODE CREDITS:
  • HOST/PRODUCER: Alyshia Ochse
  • WRITER: Maddie McCormick
  • WEBSITE & GRAPHICS: Chase Jennings
  • SOCIAL: Alara Cerikcioglu

Colin Lawrence
Colin Lawrence 1920 1080 Alyshia Ochse

Award-winning actor Colin Lawrence has established himself as a compelling and versatile performer, known for portraying strong, complex characters with depth and authenticity. He currently stars in Netflix’s critically acclaimed series Virgin River, which follows nurse practitioner Melinda Monroe (Alexandra Breckenridge) as she relocates from Los Angeles to a small Northern California town. Lawrence shines as John “Preacher” Middleton, a former Marine turned chef and co-owner of Jack’s Bar, who serves as a cornerstone of the community—often putting others before himself. The series is set to premiere its seventh season on March 12, 2026.

With a career spanning decades, Lawrence has built an impressive body of work across multiple genres, demonstrating both his adaptability and broad appeal. His standout role as Hamish “Skulls” McCall in Battlestar Galactica helped solidify his reputation as a dynamic actor, followed by notable recurring roles in Endgame as Detective Jason Evans, The Killing as Benjamin Abani, iZombie as Janko, and Riverdale as Coach Clayton. His performances across these projects highlight his ability to move seamlessly between science fiction, drama, action, and suspense.
Of Jamaican descent, Lawrence was born in London and raised in Vancouver, Canada. He began his acting career in 1995 and has steadily built a successful career with each new role. He currently resides in Vancouver with his wife and two daughters.

Credits:

  • Virgin River
  • Riverdale
  • Battlestar Galactica
  • The Killing
  • iZombie
  • The Good Doctor
  • Watchmen
  • Girlfriends’ Guide to Divorce
  • Colony
  • Timeless
  • Fantastic Four
  • The L Word
  • The Twilight Zone
  • The Man in the High Castle
  • Smallville
  • The X-Files

Guest Links:

THAT ONE AUDITION’S LINKS:

For exclusive content surrounding this and all podcast episodes, sign up for our amazing newsletter at AlyshiaOchse.com. And don’t forget to snap and post a photo while listening to the show and tag me: @alyshiaochse & @thatoneaudition

EPISODE CREDITS:
  • HOST/PRODUCER: Alyshia Ochse
  • WRITER: Maddie McCormick
  • WEBSITE & GRAPHICS: Chase Jennings
  • SOCIAL: Alara Cerikcioglu
11 Emily Hampshire on That One Audition with Alyshia Ochse

Emily Hampshire
Emily Hampshire 1920 960 Alyshia Ochse

Montreal native and SAG Award Winner Emily Hampshire is best known for her role as “Stevie Budd” in the hit series Schitt’s Creek opposite Eugene Levy and Catherine O’Hara. The series made history by winning nine Emmy awards and in all major categories. Hampshire won six consecutive Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy awards at the Canadian Screen Awards and has won a SAG Award for her role on Schitt’s Creek.

Hampshire will next be seen starring as the female lead in the highly anticipated series THE RIG; a six-part thriller directed by Line of Duty and Bodyguard director John Strickland, premiering on Amazon on January 6th. Additionally, in April 2023, Hampshire will release her first graphic novel, Amelia Aierwood: Basic Witch in partnership with Z2. Hampshire is currently in development on the remake of Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman alongside Norman Lear, where she will co-write, executive produce and star as the title character of “Mary Hartman.” She has also partnered with Elliot Page and his company Page Boy Productions to write and create a new television project and starring vehicle for Elliot that is currently in development. On television, Hampshire starred opposite Adrien Brody in Chapelwaite, Epix’s period limited series based on Stephen King’s short story Jerusalem’s Lot. Previously, she starred in Syfy/Hulu’s 12 Monkeys and garnered numerous accolades and acclaim for her performance in the character first made iconic by Brad Pitt.

Hampshire has been a longtime supporter of the LGBTQ+ community of which she is also a member, Hampshire identifies as pansexual, and has used her celebrity and voice to support and spread awareness for the LGBTQ+ community.

Resources

EMILMY HAMPSHIRE’S  LINKS:
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For exclusive content surrounding this and all podcast episodes, sign up for our amazing newsletter at AlyshiaOchse.com. And don’t forget to snap and post a photo while listening to the show and tag me (@alyshiaochse)!

EPISODE CREDITS:
  • WRITER: Lizzy Dalla Betta
  • SOUND DESIGN: Zachary Jameson
  • WEBSITE & GRAPHICS: Chase Jennings
  • ASSISTANT: Elle Powell
  • SOCIAL OUTREACH: Bebe Katsenes
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ALYSHIA OCHSE

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

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