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009 David Dastmalchian on That One Audition with Alyshia Ochse

David Dastmalchian
David Dastmalchian 1920 960 Alyshia Ochse

No Agent, No problem

Award winning actor, writer, producer, and filmmaker David Dastmalchian is known for bringing complex characters to life on screen in film and television, and penning raw, harrowing tales of flawed individuals from all walks of life. David has become one of the most in-demand talents in the entertainment industry today.

This year David will be heading to the DC Universe starring as the iconic Polka-Dot Man opposite Margot Robbie, Joel Kinnaman, John Cena, and Idris Elba in James Gunn’s “The Suicide Squad” (Warner Bros Pictures). The film follows super villains Harley Quinn, Bloodsport, Peacemaker, Polka-Dot Man, and a collection of nutty cons at Belle Reve prison who join the super-secret, super-shady Task Force X as they are dropped off at the remote, enemy-infused island of Corto Maltese. “The Suicide Squad” will debut in theaters on August 6, 2021. Next, David will star in Legendary Studio/Warner Bros’ upcoming blockbuster adaptation of Frank Herbert’s bestselling sci-fi novel “Dune,” playing Piter De Vries opposite Timothée Chalamet, Oscar Isaac, Rebecca Ferguson, Dave Bautista, and Josh Brolin. Directed by Denis Villeneuve, this visually stunning, sci-fi masterpiece is slated for release on October 1, 2021.

Originally from Kansas, David was discovered by Christopher Nolan nearly a decade ago, making his silver screen debut in the iconic, award winning feature “The Dark Knight,” which launched his career from the stage, to film and television. Since then, David has been hand-picked for dynamic roles by critically acclaimed directors including: David Lynch, Denis Villeneuve, James Gunn, two-time Cannes winner Michel Franco, Sam Taylor Johnson, and Susanne Bier (to name a few). Previous film credits include: Sam Taylor-Johnson’s directed film adaptation of “A Million Little Pieces,” Academy Award nominated feature “Prisoners,” (Warner Bros.) Disney/Marvel’s “Ant-Man” and “Ant-Man and the Wasp,” “Birdbox” opposite Sandra Bullock for Netflix, “The Domestics” for MGM, “Blade Runner 2049” for Warner Bros. opposite Ryan Gosling and Robin Wright, indie horror-thriller “The Belko Experiment” opposite Michael Rooker and John C. McGinley, and “Relaxer,” written and directed by Joel Potrykus.

While working in film and television keeps David busy, he recently collaborated with Dark Horse Comics to turn his childhood passion of creating a comic book series into a reality, with the launch of “Count Crowley: Reluctant Midnight Monster Hunter.” Written by David and illustrated by Lukas Ketner, the comic follows Jerri Bartman, a once rising TV journalist who has returned to her small Midwest hometown TV station. Demoted to hosting the nightly Creature Feature, Jerri’s professional humiliation is eclipsed by the discovery that her new job comes with a secret, supernatural duty. Her missing predecessor, Count Crowley, was one of the last “appointed” hunters of monsters. Monsters are real, and they’re hell-bent on controlling the news and information consumed by humans. All issues of “Count Crowley” are available online and at comic stores nationwide.

Resources

LINKS:
QUOTES:

“I love when actors and directors have those special relationships.”

“You have to get to know yourself and care about yourself so deeply and in such an authentic way that it’s enough. The journey is enough. The process is enough. The work is enough.”

VIDEOS:

Credits:

  • WRITER: Erin McCluskey
  • SOUND DESIGN: Zachary Jameson
  • WEBSITE & GRAPHICS: Chase Jennings
  • ASSISTANT: Elle Powell
  • SOCIAL OUTREACH: Bebe Katsenes
016 Rosalind Chao on That One Audition with Alyshia Ochse

S2 016: Rosalind Chao
S2 016: Rosalind Chao 1500 750 Alyshia Ochse

The Consummate Actor

Rosalind Chao is best known for The Joy Luck Club (1993), Star Trek, What Dreams May Come, and most recently The Laundromat (2019), and Plus One (2019). She was born and raised in Orange County, California where her parents ran a Chinese restaurant and pancake house. Rosalind first began appearing in commercials and television after having been spotted as a small child at her family restaurant. She had also trained and appeared on stage from an early age in the Peking Opera and Chinese dance. She continues to act in the theater, most recently starring in 2018 the National Theatre of Great Britain in a new play The Great Wave. She has been married to Simon Templeman since 1989. They have two children.

Resources

LINKS:
QUOTES:

“Having a child gives you a loaf of bread but it doesn’t all come at once.”

“I’ve made quite a few fear-based decisions in the past and I’m not going to do that anymore.”

VIDEOS:

Show Links:

Credits:

  • WRITER: Alysia Livingston
  • SOUND DESIGN: Zachary Jameson
  • WEBSITE & GRAPHICS: Chase Jennings
  • ASSISTANT: Elle Powell
  • SOCIAL OUTREACH: Bebe Katsenes
Simone Missick on That One Audition with Alyshia Ochse

S2 004: Simone Missick
S2 004: Simone Missick 1500 750 Alyshia Ochse

The Spiritual Path of Acting

Simone leads CBS’ ALL RISE which is currently the most popular new network show of 2019! She is the first African American woman to lead a series on CBS, and it’s been a huge huge hit for the network. The show is sort of a “Grey’s Anatomy” type of format and follows the lives of judges in Los Angeles.

She will also soon be seen opposite Anthony Mackie in the second season of Netflix’s hit sci-fi anthology drama ALTERED CARBON. As an anthology series, this second season will follow the huuuuugely successful first with all new characters and storylines. Taking place 300 years in the future where society has been transformed by new technology, this season will also set out to solve a mystery. Simone plays Trepp, an expert bounty hunter who is known for her ability to track down anyone… for the right price. She has several layers to her storyline which are revealed along the way (she and her wife have a child, which is crazy expensive to do in the world she lives in, which explains why she is so driven at work). She also has this awesome technology of coils built into her hair which help her see what people are doing (yeah, I know… will have to see it to believe it lol). There isn’t a lot we’re allowed to talk about yet, but… you get the picture.

Simone was most recently be seen as the iconic Marvel character, and television’s history-making first African-American female superhero, Misty Knight on Netflix’s LUKE CAGE. Prior to that, she appeared in ABC’s SCANDAL and in Showtime’s RAY DONOVAN. Additionally, for the role of “Sweet Tea” in The Road Weeps, the Well Runs Dry at the LA Theatre Center; Simone was nominated for the NAACP Best Supporting Actress Theater Award in 2014. Simone studied acting at Howard University and the British American Drama Academy in Oxford, taking master classes with legends like Ben Kingsley, Alan Rickman, and Jane Lapotaire.

The woman is a FORCE. She’s truly impressive and is just blowing people away.

Resources

LINKS:
QUOTES:

“The reliance is not on self, it’s on trust”

“We keep a spirit of positivity and love by giving grace”

VIDEOS:

Credits:

Anthony Meindl on That One Audition with Alyshia Ochse

WW: Anthony Meindl
WW: Anthony Meindl 1500 750 Alyshia Ochse

Stop Waiting: Allow Yourself A World Beyond Acting

Anthony Meindl is an LA-based multi-hyphenate talent. He is a director, screenwriter, teacher, actor, coach, entrepreneur, author, and inspirational speaker. He is also the founder of AMAW studios worldwide, with studios in LA, London, NY, Vancouver, Toronto, Sydney and Atlanta.

Anthony is known for revolutionizing a more modern understanding of acting training. He has guest lectured at the Gaiety School/The National Theatre School of Ireland, the prestigious Moscow Art Theater, the Actors Centre London, and is the guest acting teacher at David Lynch’s Masters of Filmmaking Program. He has taught internationally in Sofia, Bulgaria, Rome, Capetown, South Africa, Melbourne, and Paris.

As a filmmaker, Anthony has received a number of awards and acclaim. His latest feature film, WHERE WE GO FROM HERE premiered at Outfest in Los Angeles, won the Jury Award at NYC’s East Village Queer Film Festival, and is available to view on HULU.

As an inspirational speaker he’s shared the stage with such luminaries as Jim Carey, Jack Cornfield and Tom Shadyac. He is also the author of three books: At Left Brain Turn Right, Book The F*cking Job and Alphabet Soup for Grown-ups. His latest book, You Knew When You Were Two, is soon to be published.

You can check out Anthony’s podcast In The Moment on iTunes.

Resources

LINKS:
QUOTES:

“Acting is just ONE vehicle of expression of who we are.”

“You don’t need more confidence to act, you just need more courage.”

VIDEOS:

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Credits:

S2 001: Maz Jobrani
S2 001: Maz Jobrani 1500 750 Alyshia Ochse

The Entrepreneurial Actor/Comedian: What Separates You From Everyone Else?

Maz Jobrani was born in Iran, and relocated to Tiburon in the San Francisco Bay area after his family was forced to flee during the revolution.  He went on to receive a B.A. degree from UC Berkeley, and chose to further his education by enrolling in UCLA’s PH.D. program, when he decided to change course to pursue his calling in “showbiz.”

Most recently Jobrani was seen opposite Rita Wilson in the indie feature “A Simple Wedding,” (from the producers of My Big, Fat, Greek Wedding), and portrayed the loveable “Fawz” on the CBS comedy SUPERIOR DONUTS as a series regular.  He has additionally frequented on television’s most popular shows such as GREY’S ANATOMY, CURB YOUR ENTHUSIASM, THE DETOUR, LAST MAN STANDING, and SHAMELESS.

His original standup special IMMIGRANT, was filmed at the prestigious Kennedy Center and is currently streaming on NETFLIX.  He’s also released 3 additional solo specials on SHOWTIME including: BROWN AND FRIENDLY, I COME IN PEACE, and I’M NOT A TERRORIST, BUT I’VE PLAYED ONE ON TV. No stranger to the comedy circuit, Jobrani was a founding member of THE AXIS OF EVIL comedy tour, which aired on Comedy Central.  He is a regular panelist on NPR’s WAIT WAIT DONT TELL ME and has given 2 TED Talks. His LA Times Best Selling Book, I’M NOT A TERRORIST BUT I’VE PLAYED ONE ON TV, was published by Simon & Schuster.  He’s also given two TED Talks:

Jobrani currently hosts his own podcast Back to School with Maz Jobrani and is currently on tour with his Peaceful Warrior Tour (tickets and tour dates available at MazJobrani.com).

Resources

LINKS:
QUOTES:

“You live once and you gotta live for you.”

“More specific you get the more others can relate.”

“Write as much as you can. Get up as much as you can and write about things that are specific to you”

VIDEOS:

RE-RELEASE: Michaela Watkins
RE-RELEASE: Michaela Watkins 1500 750 Alyshia Ochse

The Road to 100+ Credits: Say YES to Opportunity

Todays guest has over 100 film and TV credits to her name and a career that began with roles in repertory theatre in Portland, Oregon, and ultimately lead her to Los Angeles where she discovered improv and sketch comedy and became a member of The Groundlings. She shares how her experiences doing improv in LA prepared her for the rest of the business, including joining the cast of SNL for one season, and how her departue from the show, seemingly premature at the time, made way for countless new opportunities to expand her storytelling capacity.

A natural talent with an undeniable energy, Michaela Watkins has made her mark through a variety of impressive and unforgettable roles.

Watkins can currently be seen in the fourth and final season of the hit Hulu show CASUAL. The show has received critical acclaim with a Golden Globe nomination and recognition in THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER calling it “funny, strongly realized, self-assured and a joy to watch. After watching an episode, you want another.”  She plays the lead role of ‘Valerie Cole’, a newly divorced sex therapist who is re-entering the world of casual dating.

Up next, Watkins can be seen playing Rob Delaney’s Sister in the new season of CATASTROPHE and playing a tightly wound, full of bravado, federal prosecutor hell-bent on putty Dory (Alia Shawkat) and Drew (John Reynolds) behind bars in the next season of SEARCH PARTY.

Watkins can be seen in the first and second season of Amazon’s Golden Globe winning show, TRANSPARENT.  Additionally, she can be seen in the Netflix limited series WET HOT AMERICAN SUMMER opposite Bradley Cooper, Amy Poehler and Paul Rudd.  Prior to that, she was last seen playing the eccentric and loveable ‘Jackie’ on the ABC critically-acclaimed series TROPHY WIFE opposite Bradley Whitford and Malin Ackerman.

Other past television credits include VEEP, THE GOLDBERGS, MARRIED, THE COMEDIANS, NEW GIRL, ENLIGHTENED, MODERN FAMILY, CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL, THE NEW ADVENTURES OF OLD CHRISTINE, CURB YOUR ENTHUSIASM, PARENTHOOD, KEY AND PEELE, THE KROLL SHOW, DRUNK HISTORY AND CALIFORNICATION.

On the creator side, Watkins executive produced, created and wrote the comedy series BENCHED with Damon Jones, which aired on the USA Network. This series starred Eliza Coupe.

Tune in

Listen On iTunes

Resources

LINKS:
QUOTES:

“Work begets work. You do this one thing, and then you hear about this other thing. Each little thing made room for another little thing.”

“A good manager will say this to you: ‘We’re doing the long game. I don’t care if you book a stupid episode. We’re looking BIG picture.”

 

RE-RELEASE: T.R. Knight
RE-RELEASE: T.R. Knight 1500 750 Alyshia Ochse

GENIUS Character from GREY’S ANATOMY

Among his long career in theater and television, T.R Knight is best known for his incredibly dynamic portrayal as Dr. George O’Malley in Grey’s Anatomy, earning him both a Screen Actors Guild Award for Best Ensemble and an Emmy Nomination. He performed and starred in The Guthrie Theater’s Amadeus and Ah, Wilderness! Knight guest starred in The Good Wife, portraying Jordan Karahalios, in the CBS drama starring Julianna Margulies as she navigates her career after a political scandal involving her husband. In 11.22.63, the Hulu produced miniseries and adaptation of Stephen King’s science fiction novel, Knight is Johnny Clayton, starring with James Franco and Sarah Gadon, and following one teacher’s journey after he slips through a time portal and desperately attempts to prevent the assassination of John F. Kennedy. Knight joined The Catch in its second season, a cat and mouse thriller starring Mireille Enos and produced by Shonda Rhimes, playing the self serving and down on his luck Tommy Vaughan. Most recently, you can find T.R Knight in Genius, National Geographic’s first scripted television show, transforming himself into J. Edgar Hoover.

In this interview we discover how T.R Knight navigates the bouts of unemployment, the nature of creativity, his love of prosthetics and his hobby as a writer.

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Listen On iTunes

Resources

LINKS:
QUOTES:

“I think the goal always was to just work, and work with people I admire.”

“Don’t work with everybody. Don’t take any job. Go for the people that you like their work and try to work with them, especially when you’re young and impressionable.”

“You act twice. Act to be confident, and then act for the audition.”

“The gratitude is everything.”

“So much of it is luck, and I know some people hate using that word when it comes to acting and jobs, but there are so many of us that I just don’t see how being at the right place, at the right time, how that does not come into play.”

Necar Zadegan on That One Audition with Alyshia Ochse

082: Necar Zadegan
082: Necar Zadegan 1500 750 Alyshia Ochse

Today we’re sitting down with television, film, and theatre actress Necar Zadegan. From her break-out performance on the hit TV series 24, to her starring turn on Broadway with Robin Williams in the Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo, and her roles in Girlfriend’s Guide to Divorce and currently in NCIS: New Orleans, Necar has built her career playing fierce, powerful, and passionate women who always leave us wanting more.

She shares how her upbringing afforded her exposure to the arts from an early age and how her parent’s encouragment kept her going as she ultimately found herself on stage in the Edinburgh Fringe Festival at 16 years old. After a few years in the theatre honing her craft and obtaining a literature degree, she made her way to Los Angeles, and shares how her determination to find collaborative relationships guided her into a career on screen. From her audition for 24, to reading for a play workshop that ultimately lead her to Broadway, she honestly answers a few of the listeners questions, and shares how she goes about trusting her voice, winning the room, and making fans of future collaborators.

Prior to that Necar scoring her star level turn as Delia Hassen on the mega-hit Fox TV series, ’24’ for Season 8, her television credits include “Harry’s Law,””A Gifted Man”,”CSI: Miami,” “The Shield,” “Nip/Tuck,” “The Unit,” “NCIS,” “How I Met Your Mother,” “Lost” among others. Necar graduated with honors from the University of California at Santa Barbara with a degree in English Literature.

Tune in

Listen On iTunes

 

Resources

LINKS:
QUOTES:

“I didn’t enter this business to play different versions of Iranian women. I entered this business to play different characters of all kinds…”

“Whatever you think might be a disadvantage, can also be an advantage.”

VIDEOS:

075: Michaela Watkins
075: Michaela Watkins 1500 750 Alyshia Ochse

Todays guest has over 100 film and TV credits to her name and a career that began with roles in repertory theatre in Portland, Oregon, and ultimately lead her to Los Angeles where she discovered improv and sketch comedy and became a member of The Groundlings. She shares how her experiences doing improv in LA prepared her for the rest of the business, including joining the cast of SNL for one season, and how her departue from the show, seemingly premature at the time, made way for countless new opportunities to expand her storytelling capacity.

A natural talent with an undeniable energy, Michaela Watkins has made her mark through a variety of impressive and unforgettable roles.

Watkins can currently be seen in the fourth and final season of the hit Hulu show CASUAL. The show has received critical acclaim with a Golden Globe nomination and recognition in THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER calling it “funny, strongly realized, self-assured and a joy to watch. After watching an episode, you want another.”  She plays the lead role of ‘Valerie Cole’, a newly divorced sex therapist who is re-entering the world of casual dating.

Up next, Watkins can be seen playing Rob Delaney’s Sister in the new season of CATASTROPHE and playing a tightly wound, full of bravado, federal prosecutor hell-bent on putty Dory (Alia Shawkat) and Drew (John Reynolds) behind bars in the next season of SEARCH PARTY.

Watkins can be seen in the first and second season of Amazon’s Golden Globe winning show, TRANSPARENT.  Additionally, she can be seen in the Netflix limited series WET HOT AMERICAN SUMMER opposite Bradley Cooper, Amy Poehler and Paul Rudd.  Prior to that, she was last seen playing the eccentric and loveable ‘Jackie’ on the ABC critically-acclaimed series TROPHY WIFE opposite Bradley Whitford and Malin Ackerman.

Other past television credits include VEEP, THE GOLDBERGS, MARRIED, THE COMEDIANS, NEW GIRL, ENLIGHTENED, MODERN FAMILY, CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL, THE NEW ADVENTURES OF OLD CHRISTINE, CURB YOUR ENTHUSIASM, PARENTHOOD, KEY AND PEELE, THE KROLL SHOW, DRUNK HISTORY AND CALIFORNICATION.

On the creator side, Watkins executive produced, created and wrote the comedy series BENCHED with Damon Jones, which aired on the USA Network. This series starred Eliza Coupe.

 

Tune in

Listen On iTunes

 

Resources

SOCIAL:
NEWS & MORE:
QUOTES:

“Work begets work. You do this one thing, and then you hear about this other thing. Each little thing made room for another little thing.”

“A good manager will say this to you: ‘We’re doing the long game. I don’t care if you book a stupid episode. We’re looking BIG picture.’”

“Your body knows when you hear the thing—that’s the thing for me. I truly believe that we’re not crazy when we feel that.”

“Being safe is not a great plan for being an actor.”

 

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.

Tune in

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Resources

LINKS:
QUOTES:

“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.”

VIDEOS:

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ALYSHIA OCHSE

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

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