HBO

Brendan Patricks
Brendan Patricks 1920 1080 Alyshia Ochse

Today, we’re joined by Brendan Patricks, the British actor and close-up magician whose 20-plus-year career has taken him from the West End to acclaimed series like Downton Abbey, Rivals, and Gentleman Jack. Brendan shares how picking up his first deck of cards at 21, after his father gave him a tiny book of tricks, sparked a lifelong obsession with magic and ultimately transformed the way he approaches acting.

In this episode, Brendan takes us behind the scenes of playing Evelyn Napier on Downton Abbey, including the nerve-wracking audition where he bluffed about knowing how to ride a horse. He also shares clever self-tape techniques he picked up while performing virtual magic shows over Zoom, stories from set with Toni Collette and Patrick Dempsey, and reveals how mastering sleight of hand, misdirection, and improvisation has shaped his work as an actor. Tune in for a fascinating conversation about the surprising overlap between acting and illusion, and why sometimes the secret to a great performance is knowing exactly where you don’t want the audience to look.

These are the unforgettable stories that landed Brendan Patricks right here.

About Brendan Patricks:

Brendan Patricks is a British actor and accomplished close-up magician with more than two decades of experience across stage, television, and film. Born in Reading, England, Patricks studied Drama at the University of Hull before training at the prestigious London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (LAMDA). He left LAMDA early in 2004 after landing a leading role in the acclaimed West End production of Journey’s End, launching a professional career that has now spanned more than 20 years. Patricks is perhaps best known to television audiences for his recurring role as Evelyn Napier in Downton Abbey, appearing throughout the celebrated series as one of Lady Mary Crawley’s longtime friends and suitors. His extensive television credits also include Rivals, Gentleman Jack, Grace, Gavin & Stacey, and numerous other British productions.

Alongside acting, Patricks has built a second career as an expert close-up magician and sleight-of-hand artist. He is a member of The Magic Circle, one of the world’s most prestigious organizations devoted to the art of magic, and regularly performs professionally throughout London and the UK. On occasion, his two worlds have collided, allowing him to bring his real-life expertise as a magician to screen roles in projects including Grace and Gavin & Stacey.

Credits:

  • Rivals
  • Downton Abbey
  • Gentleman Jack
  • Outlander
  • Doctor Who
  • Bad Education
  • Grace
  • The Ghost Writer
  • Traitors
  • Resurrection
  • Breeders
  • Skins

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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

Abubakar Salim
Abubakar Salim 1920 1080 Alyshia Ochse

BAFTA nominated actor Abubakar Salim is an actor, producer and video game creator.

Salim returns to the role of Alyn of Hull in the highly anticipated third season of House of the Dragon, created by George R.R. Martin. The 8-episode third season, which will pick up immediately after the events of season 2, will premiere in June on HBO Max. Fans can expect to see a lot more of Alyn of Hull in this season.

He can currently be seen as a part of the ensemble cast in Mark Kassen’s tech-driven political thriller PH-1, and recently wrapped shooting a guest role in Michaela Coel’s First Day On Earth for HBO later this year.

In 2019, Salim formed award-winning gaming company Surgent Studios, and secured a major deal with Electronic Arts and its EA Originals Label. As CEO and creative director, Salim set out to create content stemming from human truth. He and his team, along with Electronic Arts, released their first game Tales of Kenzera: Zau, following a young shaman who has made a deal with the god of death to bring his father back to life in exchange for three great spirits. The game was recognized with the win for the prestigious Best Game Beyond Entertainment BAFTA Games award in 2025, among multiple other nominations. The studio also released the psychological-horror Hollywood-set game Dead Take, which is nominated for a BAFTA Game Award for voice acting talent this year, and the physics puzzler game FixForce.

Salim also starred as ‘Father’ in Ridley Scott’s sci-fi drama series Raised By Wolves for HBO Max. The series, which centers on two androids tasked with raising human children on a mysterious virgin planet, had a loyal following for two seasons.  He also appeared in Scott’s Napoleon, starring Joaquin Phoenix.

Salim has produced many award-winning projects over the past several years through Surgent Studios, including Wild Goat Surf and the short films Essex Girls, Things I Never Told My Father and The Whale.

Credits:

  • House of the Dragon
  • First Day on Earth
  • Assassin’s Creed: Origins
  • Raised by Wolves
  • Napoleon
  • Black Mirror
  • PH-1
  • Informer
  • Jamestown
  • 24: Live Another Day

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

Margot Bingham
Margot Bingham 1920 1080 Alyshia Ochse

Margot Bingham is an acclaimed actress, singer, and musical theatre performer known for bringing emotional depth and magnetic presence to both stage and screen. Bingham first gained widespread recognition for her breakout role as jazz singer Daughter Maitland on HBO’s acclaimed period drama Boardwalk Empire, where her powerhouse vocals and captivating performance made her a standout favorite among audiences and critics alike. She later went on to star in projects including The Walking Dead, She’s Gotta Have It, New Amsterdam, The Family, and Lawmen: Bass Reeves.

In addition to her television and film work, Bingham has an extensive background in musical theatre and live performance. She appeared in the Off-Broadway revival of Rent and has performed as a recording artist and live vocalist alongside major artists including Jason Mraz, Kelly Clarkson, and the Black Eyed Peas. Known for her soulful voice, dynamic range, and grounded authenticity, Margot continues to build a career that seamlessly bridges dramatic storytelling and music.

Credits:

  • The Walking Dead
  • Watson
  • New Amsterdam
  • Boardwalk Empire
  • Lawmen: Bass Reeves
  • The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
  • She’s Gotta Have It
  • Queen Sugar
  • Barbership: The Next Cut
  • Blue Bloods

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

Christina Chang
Christina Chang 1920 1080 Alyshia Ochse

Actress Christina Chang has built a dynamic and enduring career across television, film, and stage. Most recently, she captivated audiences in the breakout hit Heated Rivalry (Crave / HBO Max), a global sensation that took the television landscape by storm upon its winter premiere. Chang stars as fan-favorite Yuna Hollander, a role she will reprise in the highly anticipated second season.

She is perhaps best known to international audiences for her starring role on ABC’s long-running medical drama The Good Doctor, which aired from 2017 to 2024. Throughout its successful seven-season run, Chang delivered a nuanced and commanding performance that solidified her as a compelling and versatile presence on screen.

Credits:

  • Heated Rivalry
  • The Good Doctor
  • Unstable
  • Random Hearts
  • 24
  • Live Free or Die Hard
  • Rizzoli & Isles
  • Lucifer
  • NCIS
  • Nashville
  • Revenge
  • Desperate Housewives
  • Suits
  • Private Practice

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

Mustafa Shakir
Mustafa Shakir 1920 1080 Alyshia Ochse

Mustafa Shakir is an acclaimed actor and Harlem-raised hip hop artist best known for his powerful, scene-stealing performances across film and television. He garnered widespread recognition for his breakout role as Bushmaster, the formidable Jamaican crime boss in Marvel’s Luke Cage, followed by his starring turn as Jet Black, the iconic intergalactic bounty hunter, in Netflix’s live-action adaptation of Cowboy Bebop. His additional standout credits include HBO’s The Deuce as Big Mike and the Apple Original feature Emancipation, in which he portrayed Lt. André Cailloux opposite Will Smith under the direction of Antoine Fuqua.

Beyond the screen, Shakir is a respected force in music. A lifelong hip hop artist, he has collaborated with legendary producers including Pete Rock (Nas, The Notorious B.I.G., CL Smooth), 9th Wonder (JAY-Z, Rapsody, Mary J. Blige), and Mark Batson (Dr. Dre, Eminem). He is the founder of ibreakrecords music, where he continues to develop his own projects while collaborating with some of the industry’s most influential artists and producers. Next up, Shakir will appear in the Focus Features musical drama Song Sung Blue, opposite Kate Hudson and Hugh Jackman, directed by Craig Brewer.

Credits:

  • Song Sung Blue
  • Marvel’s Luke Cage
  • Cowboy Bebop
  • The Deuce
  • Emancipation
  • Love Hurts
  • Ghosted
  • The Night Of
  • American Gods
  • Shameless
  • House
  • Timeless
  • Quarry

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:
  • WRITER: Erin McCluskey
  • WEBSITE & GRAPHICS: Chase Jennings
  • ASSISTANT: Elle Powell
  • SOCIAL OUTREACH: Alara Ceri

Paul Ben-Victor
Paul Ben-Victor 1920 1080 Alyshia Ochse

Paul is just wrapped filming a fun recurring role in M.I.A. for Peacock and MRC.  He will next be seen recurring Lanterns for Max, in Man On Fire for Netflix and Raising Kanan for Starz.  Also, he’ll be seen playing “Sam Giancana” in the feature Killing Castro opposite Al Pacino, which is premiering at TIFF.  He just recurred in the massive hit Netflix show, Nobody Wants This and can also be seen recurring in The Lincoln Lawyer for Netflix and Bookie for Max.  Paul can also be seen in our Lionsgate film Plane, in Hulu’s Pam & Tommy for Craig Gillespie and he is best known for David Simon & HBO’s The Wire and Martin Scorsese’s Vinyl.

Paul Ben-Victor’s most recent work includes recurring in the Netflix hit NOBODY WANTS THIS and THE LINCOLN LAWYER recurring in BOOKIE for Max.  Paul can also be seen in EMANCIPATION for Apple & Antoine Fuqua opposite Will Smith, PAM & TOMMY for Craig Gillespie and Hulu opposite Lily James, PLANE for Lionsgate opposite Gerard Butler, and THE IRISHMAN for Martin Scorsese opposite Al Pacino. He’s well known for playing the Greek mobster Spiros on the acclaimed HBO series THE WIRE for David Simon and his series regular role in VINYL for Martin Scorsese and HBO. Paul will next be seen in recurring in MAN ON FIRE for Netflix, RAISING KANAN for Starz and starring opposite Al Pacino in KILLING CASTRO. His other work includes TRUE DETECTIVE, ENTOURAGE, MONSTER, WILL & GRACE, THE SHIELD, MONK, THE X-FILES, and TRUE ROMANCE among many others.

Credits:

  • The Wire
  • Nobody Wants This
  • Entourage
  • Everybody Hates Chris
  • True Detective
  • The Irishman
  • Get Hard
  • Vinyl
  • Power Book III: Raising Kanan
  • True Romance
  • Green Lantern
  • The Lincoln Lawyer
  • Pam & Tommy
  • Man on Fire
  • The Chosen
  • Killing Castro

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:
  • WRITER: Erin McCluskey
  • WEBSITE & GRAPHICS: Chase Jennings
  • ASSISTANT: Elle Powell
  • SOCIAL OUTREACH: Alara Ceri

Wynn Everett
Wynn Everett 1920 1080 Alyshia Ochse

Wynn Everett was born and raised in Atlanta, Georgia. As a junior in high school she played the lead role in “Children Of A Lesser God”, where she won Georgia State Best Actress. She graduated from Auburn University with a major in Communication and a minor in Theatre.

Wynn moved to New York City to work for ABC’s “Good Morning America” where she there began her career in film and television. She can be seen in “Palmer” for Apple TV, “Charlie Wilson’s War” directed by Mike Nichols, “The Newsroom” and “Doom Patrol” for HBO,  Marvel’s “Agent Carter,” “Ordinary Joe,” “Modern Family” and “Mind Games” for ABC, Steven Spielberg’s pilot “Lumen,” NBC’s “This is Us,” Dolly Parton’s “Heartstrings,” “The Walking Dead,” for AMC as well as Jenji Kohan’s “Teenage Bounty Hunters”  and the mentally unstable Kathy for 2 seasons of “Sweet Magnolias” for Netflix.

As a Voice Over artist, she has voiced the national campaign for American Cancer Society and originated the role of Madame Masque/Whitney Frost both in the live action “Agent Carter” and animated series Disney’s “Avengers Assemble.”

Wynn recently wrapped filming on “Merv” for Amazon Pictures, “She Dances” written by Steve Zahn, directed by Rick Gomez.  “MIA” for Peacock, “DTF St. Louis” for HBO, “Cape Fear” for Apple.  She can be seen next September 30th in “Chad Powers” for HULU.

Credits:

  • Chad Powers
  • M.I.A.
  • Agent Carter
  • Doom Patrol
  • The Newsroom
  • Merv
  • DTF St. Louis
  • This is Us
  • Ordinary Joe
  • Young Rock
  • Sweet Magnolias
  • The Walking Dead
  • Teenage Bounty Hunters
  • Modern Family
  • Grey’s Anatomy
  • Charlie Wilson’s War

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:
  • WRITER: Erin McCluskey
  • WEBSITE & GRAPHICS: Chase Jennings
  • ASSISTANT: Elle Powell
  • SOCIAL OUTREACH: Alara Ceri

Gabby Beans
Gabby Beans 1920 1080 Alyshia Ochse

Taking on the dual roles of Mercutio and Friar Lawrence in Romeo + Juliet, Gabby Beans delivers a performance of extraordinary range and depth that has captivated Broadway. The production—directed by Sam Gold—just made history with the youngest ticket-buying audience on record, the highest-grossing limited engagement at Circle in the Square Theatre, and three single-performance gross records.

Playing two characters of opposite genders and temperaments is a rare challenge, and Gabby embraces it with seamless duality. The Observer praised her “tremendous panache and humor,” describing her Mercutio as “an acid-tongued stoner perpetually in shades” and her Friar Lawrence as “a gentle, optimistic soul.” Inspired by the show’s rave-infused aesthetic, Gabby drew heavily on her love of EDM and nightclub culture in shaping her performance.

Her career has been steadily rising: she earned a 2022 Tony nomination for her Broadway debut in The Skin of Our Teeth, and went on to win Obie and Lucille Lortel Awards for Jonah at Roundabout Theatre. Other acclaimed stage credits include I’m Revolting, Anatomy of a Suicide, and Mary’s Seacole. On screen, Gabby recently appeared in Apple TV+’s Presumed Innocent opposite Jake Gyllenhaal, as well as Succession, Blue Bloods, The Good Fight, House of Cards, and Ray Donovan. She next stars in Ethan Coen’s upcoming film Honey Don’t alongside Margaret Qualley, Aubrey Plaza, and Chris Evans.

Outside of acting, Gabby is a dedicated health and fitness enthusiast, helping her maintain the stamina required for eight shows a week—and a lifelong fan of EDM, which has uniquely influenced her work in Romeo + Juliet.

Credits:

  • Honey Don’t!
  • Presumed Innocent
  • Succession
  • Your Friends & Neighbors
  • House of Cards
  • The Good Fight
  • ROMEO + JULIET (Broadway)
  • Ray Donovan
  • Blue Bloods

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:
  • WRITER: Erin McCluskey
  • WEBSITE & GRAPHICS: Chase Jennings
  • ASSISTANT: Elle Powell
  • SOCIAL OUTREACH: Alara Ceri

Jolene Purdy
Jolene Purdy 1920 1080 Alyshia Ochse

Jolene Purdy is an American actress known for her scene-stealing versatility across television and film. She stars opposite Kevin Bacon in the Amazon Prime Video series The Bondsman as Midge Kusatsu, reuniting with her Donnie Darko co-star Beth Grant more than two decades after playing the unforgettable Cherita Chen in the cult classic. Purdy’s television credits include standout turns in the first season of HBO’s The White Lotus, Marvel’s WandaVision, and Netflix’s Orange Is the New Black, for which she won a Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series.

In film, Purdy recently headlined the Blumhouse survival thriller Unseen, earning praise for her gripping, phone-bound performance. With a career that spans quirky comedy, sharp drama, and genre-bending thrillers, Purdy continues to bring wit, warmth, and depth to every role—captivating audiences while building a body of work that’s both memorable and refreshingly unpredictable.

CREDITS:

  • The White Lotus
  • The Bondsman
  • WandaVision
  • Firefly Lane
  • The Magicians
  • Orange Is the New Black
  • The Resident
  • Teachers
  • Breaking Bad
  • Superstore
  • Under the Dome
  • Glee
  • Unseen
  • Donnie Darko

Resources

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:
  • WRITER: Erin McCluskey
  • WEBSITE & GRAPHICS: Chase Jennings
  • ASSISTANT: Elle Powell
  • SOCIAL OUTREACH: Alara Ceri

Courtney Taylor
Courtney Taylor 1920 1080 Alyshia Ochse

Courtney Taylor just wrapped her lead role opposite Maggie Q in the highly anticipated Amazon series titled BALLARD which premiered on July 9. Courtney can currently be seen on the second season of the Apple series SHRINKING alongside Harrison Ford, Jason Segel, and Jessica Williams. She can also be seen reprising her role in season 4 of the hit series ABBOTT ELEMENTARY where she plays the fan favorite role of “Erika” opposite Quinta Brunson.

Most recently, Courtney starred in the Disney+ feature film, OUT OF MY MIND, produced by Big Beach and now streaming on Disney+. The film premiered at Sundance last year to rave reviews. She previously starred in Shea Serrano’s Netflix series NEON, and opposite Nathalie Emmanuel in the Sony Screen Gems feature THE INVITATION. On television, she can be seen on HBO’s INSECURE where she played Issa’s assistant “Quoia,” recurring roles on ABBOTT ELEMENTARY and THE COMPANY YOU KEEP, as well as in a series regular role on the ALLBLK series SEND HELP.

CREDITS:

  • Ballard
  • Abbott Elementary
  • Shrinking
  • Insecure
  • Neon
  • Killing It
  • Send Help
  • Single & Anxious
  • The Company You Keep
  • The Invitation

Resources

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:
  • WRITER: Erin McCluskey
  • WEBSITE & GRAPHICS: Chase Jennings
  • ASSISTANT: Elle Powell
  • SOCIAL OUTREACH: Alara Ceri
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ALYSHIA OCHSE

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

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