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Candice Coke on That One Audition with Alyshia Ochse

Candice Coke
Candice Coke 1920 960 Alyshia Ochse

Candice hails from Long Island, New York where she was born from a Jamaican/Cuban Father and a Polish mother. In her late teens she transported to NYC where she discovered the “Artist” lifestyle. This led her to NYU, where she studied Educational Theater while on a scholarship for academics and springboard diving. She started her career dancing in the states and internationally for icons like Michael Jackson, Prince, Biggie Smalls, Ricky Martin and many others. She was a Knicks City Dancer while juggling college and appeared at the WORLD CUP in Seoul Korea. After booking over 20 national commercials and finding her way into the Independent Film world, eventually she made the transition to Los Angeles where she has been successfully working in Film and Television.

Candice has had a career filled with a range of color. She was hand picked by Werner Herzog to work along side of Wilem Dafoe in a David Lynch film, has been a key player in Tyler Perry’s Temptation, has shared the screen with talents such as Sam Elliot, Gary Sinise, and Simon Baker to name a few. You can also see her in the iconic opening scene of the Oscar winning movie La La Land, directed by Damien Chazelle. She was recurring on the hit FOX show Proven Innocent, and is now currently co-starring in Kevin Can F*** Himself with Annie Murphy for AMC.

In her spare time you can find her volunteering at Children’s Hospitals all around the Los Angeles area and giving back to her community as much as possible. She is also an ongoing player with Deborah Aquila in her Masters program.

Resources

CANDICE COKE’S LINKS:
THAT ONE AUDITION’S LINKS:

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EPISODE CREDITS:
  • WRITER: Lizzy Dalla Betta
  • SOUND DESIGN: Zachary Jameson
  • WEBSITE & GRAPHICS: Chase Jennings
  • ASSISTANT: Elle Powell
  • SOCIAL OUTREACH: Bebe Katsenes
042 Skeet Ulrich on That One Audition with Alyshia Ochse

S2 042: Skeet Ulrich
S2 042: Skeet Ulrich 1500 750 Alyshia Ochse

Fun Character Building

Today’s guest kicked off his career in the 90’s with memorable characters such as Chris Hooker in The Craft, and Billy Loomis of the classic Halloween favorite, Scream. Since then, he’s gone on to build an impressive 30 year career across all genres and is still going strong. Today, I sit down with Skeet Ulrich as he shares his journey from the invaluable lessons he learned at NYU, to how parenting has influenced his artistry today.

Although he originally set out to study marine biology, Skeet instantly fell in love with the stage after trying his hand at a scene design course and went on to win the Actor of the Year award at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts the year he graduated. Having studied with incredible acting teachers such as William H. Macy, things took off pretty quickly for Skeet as he entered the professional world of entertainment. Though he always put his energy into his artistry first, rather than spending time chasing the business, casting directors saw his talent and potential and his long list of credits speaks for itself.

You’ve seen him in film and television in popular projects such as Riverdale, Jericho, #FreeRayshawn, Miracles, As Good as it Gets, Nobody’s Baby, Last Dance and many more. Today, Skeet emphasizes the importance of technique and how every audition is a chance to incorporate something fun into a character, as well as an opportunity to personalize the text in a way that only YOU can.

Resources

LINKS:
QUOTES:

“Once you’re cast, they cast you for a reason, and the reason is for you to bring your opinions to it. Not to be a puppet, but to bring your intellect, your heart, your soul, what’s funny to you, what’s sad to you, all these things, and it’s your job to bring them.”

VIDEOS:

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)!

Show Links:

Credits:

  • WRITER: Erin McCluskey
  • SOUND DESIGN: Zachary Jameson
  • WEBSITE & GRAPHICS: Chase Jennings
  • ASSISTANT: Elle Powell
  • SOCIAL OUTREACH: Bebe Katsenes
018 Malin Akerman On That One Audition with Alyshia Ochse

S2 018: Malin Akerman
S2 018: Malin Akerman 1500 750 Alyshia Ochse

The Rock Goddess: Be Present and You Won’t Miss A Beat

Named one of Variety’s “10 Actors to Watch” in 2007, Swedish-Canadian actress and producer Malin Akerman has since been tearing up Hollywood with her beauty and charisma, her sharp comedic timing, and her touching dramatic performances. She currently stars in Showtime’s television series Billions, alongside Damian Lewis and Paul Giamatti, which premiered its third season in March 2018.

Akerman starred in the feature film Final Girls in 2015, opposite Taissa Farmiga and Nina Dobrev, and had a role opposite Blythe Danner in 2015’s critically acclaimed film, I’ll See You In My Dreams. She also appeared on the big screen in 2016 in Lionsgate’s Misconduct opposite Anthony Hopkins and Al Pacino as well as the independent film, The Ticket, opposite Dan Stevens and directed by Ido Fluk, which made its feature debut at the 2016 Tribeca Film Festival.

In April 2018, Akerman starred as the villain in Warner Brother’s Rampage, opposite Dwayne Johnson and Naomie Harris, which was released in April 2018. The movie grossed over $426 million worldwide and is the all-time best reviewed film based on a video game. Most recently, Akerman can be seen in the 2019 Sundance Film Festival hit To The Stars, which tells the story of 1960s Oklahoma where a shy farmer’s daughter forges an intimate relationship with a new girl.

Akerman’s range in comedy and drama is exemplified by her diverse body of work in film and television. In 2007 she starred alongside Ben Stiller in The Heartbreak Kid, directed by the Farrelly brothers, followed by the 2008 romantic comedy, 27 Dresses, directed by Anne Fletcher, and a year later she joined Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds in Fletcher’s The Proposal. In 2009 Akerman was seen in the comedy Couples Retreat, opposite Vince Vaughn, Kristen Bell, Jason Bateman, and Jon Favreau, and co-starred in Zack Snyder’s blockbuster Watchmen, which opened at number one with more than $50 million in box office sales. She was seen in theaters nationwide in the 2010 Sundance Audience-Award winner, Happythankyoumoreplease, opposite Kate Mara, Zoe Kazan and Josh Radnor and at the 2011 Tribeca Film Festival, Akerman shared the big screen with Ryan Philippe and Taylor Kitsch in Steven Silver’s The Bang Bang Club.

In 2012, Akerman graced the big screen in Wanderlust, with Paul Rudd and Jennifer Aniston, sang alongside Tom Cruise in the musical adaptation of the Broadway hit Rock of Ages, and starred in Sebastian Gutierrez’s nod to classic film noir, Hotel Noir.

Next up on the silver screen, Malin can be seen starring in and producing the upcoming comedy Friendsgiving, alongside Kat Dennings, Wanda Sykes, and Jane Seymour, in addition to the Netflix movie The Sleepover alongside Joe Manganiello. She can also be seen starring in AMC’s upcoming anthology series entitled Soulmates, alongside Charlie Heaton.

Akerman is also no stranger to the small screen. Her breakthrough came in 2005 on the HBO series The Comeback, with Lisa Kudrow. She had a memorable recurring role on the third season of Entourage, as well ABC’s hit comedy, Suburgatory, was seen in a special episode of How I Met Your Mother, and starred in the third season of Adult Swim’s Emmy Award-winning medical-drama parody, Children’s Hospital. From 2013-2014 she starred in the title character of ABC’s comedy, Trophy Wife, opposite Bradley Whitford, Marcia Gay Harden, and Michaela Watkins.

Resources

LINKS:
QUOTES:

“There’s no trick. It’s really just breathing and letting the nerves just be where they are.”

“Just be as present as possible so you can be ready for the next thing to come at you so you’re not missing a beat.”

“Remember when you go into those auditions in the beginning that [casting directors] are on your side!”

VIDEOS:

Credits:

  • WRITER: Nicole Steinwedell
  • SOUND DESIGN: Zachary Jameson
  • WEBSITE & GRAPHICS: Chase Jennings
  • ASSISTANT: Elle Powell
  • SOCIAL OUTREACH: Bebe Katsenes
009 James Badge Dale On That One Audition with Alyshia Ochse

S2 009: James Badge Dale
S2 009: James Badge Dale 1500 750 Alyshia Ochse

Perfect is Boring: Winning with Your Imperfections // Lessons in Long-term Relationships With Yourself, Your Art, and Your Team

James Badge Dale is an American actor known for his early work in the 1990 film adaptation of Lord of the Flies, and his roles on the popular Fox TV series 24, HBO’s The Pacific, and AMC’s Rubicon.

James was born in New York City to actress Anita Morris and actor/choreographer Grover Dale. At 10 he was picked out of his 5th grade class in Wonderland Elementary School to play Simon in Lord Of The Flies. After five months on location in Jamaica, he returned to California and took a pause from the industry. He pursued hockey and played as a goalie at Manhattanville College until an injury prevented him from playing. This break from sports re-ignited his passion for acting and he decided to move to NYC to train as an actor.

Since then, and in addition to working on several award-winning TV series, he’s been in multiple feature films including The Departed with Jack Nicholson, Iron Man 3, World War Z, The Lone Ranger, Parkland, and Only The Brave. Currently you can watch him starring as Detective Ray Abruzzo in STARZ’s new crime drama Hightown.

Resources

LINKS:
QUOTES:

“If you’re acting, it’s not a part time thing—it’s a full-time thing.”

“It’s the only time in life when being reactive is actual damn good.”

“I don’t want to live this way: where my own self-worth as an individual is based on these auditions.”

VIDEOS:

Credits:

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

RE-RELEASE: Julie Benz
RE-RELEASE: Julie Benz 1500 750 Alyshia Ochse

DEXTER Was NO ORDINARY FAMILY, But BUFFY Became An ANGEL

NYU graduate Julie Benz has worked, developing a career that has ridden high waves as a series regular on several TV shows…but she still auditions and LOVES it. By the time Julie Benz was 16 years old she had retired from her professional career as a figure skater due to an injury and was dragged by her Mom to her first audition. Julie got cast in the play and loved it. But Julie didn’t feel like she was a “natural” at acting and enrolled at the drama department at NYU, plus took additional acting classes in the city to get more experience. When NYU tried to kick her out for auditioning for a pilot, a tenured teacher put her reputation on the line and said she would quit teaching if Julie was kicked out of the program. Three years later, Julie graduated NYU and ran to Hollywood. Julie isn’t a prude, but she insists there must be a financial transaction to see her in a bikini. This smart and savvy woman stands her ground and respects her craft, yet will bravely put her raw “makeup free” heart and soul into an audition. Listen in to hear how accepting Vampire Girl #1 for Buffy the Vampire Slayer impacted her career and set the foundation of being on a short list for studios. Here she shares her “most favorite things” about acting, auditioning and The Secret gratitude journal.

Julie Benz currently can be seen critically acclaimed show Dexter, Defiance, Hawaii Five-0 and constant reruns of Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

Tune in

Listen On iTunes

Resources

LINKS:
QUOTES:

“Roles come into your life at certain time when you need them. Not only do I inform the character, but the character helps inform my life. It’s a synergy that happens with characters.”

Bridget Regan

099: Bridget Regan
099: Bridget Regan 1500 750 Alyshia Ochse

The Gift of Our Craft: Always Learning, Always Growing

Bridget Regan stars as the villain Rose AKA Sin Rostro on the Golden Globe nominated series, “Jane the Virgin.” This, as well as portraying the original Black Widow, Dottie, in Marvel’s Agent Carter (2015), and the multiple personality spy opposite Matt Bomer on USA’s “White Collar” made E! Online declare her “The Ultimate Kick-Butt TV Villain.”

From 2015-2018 Regan starred opposite Eric Dane as the bad ass, multi-lingual Navy Intel Officer, Sasha Cooper, on the TNT hit action drama series The Last Ship (2014) produced by Michael Bay.

A native of Carlsbad, California, Regan relocated to New York City to pursue her acting career upon graduating from North Carolina School of the Arts under the direction of Gerald Freedman. Regan fulfilled a life long dream to work on Broadway, originating the role of Cecile Leroux in the comedy ‘Is He Dead?’ written by Mark Twain, adapted by David Ives and directed by Michael Blackmore.

In 2010, she completed her run bringing to life the heroine, Kahlan Amnell, in ABC Studio’s cult hit “Legend of the Seeker,” produced by Sam Raimi and Rob Tapert, shot in New Zealand. Her other television credits include recurring roles on “Grey’s Anatomy,” “MacGyver,” “The Good Wife”, “Person of Interest,” “Sons of Anarchy,” “Beauty & The Beast,” “Perception,” “The Black Donnelly’s,” Lisa Gardner’s bestselling mystery thriller, “Hide” alongside Carla Gugino, “NCIS: Los Angeles,” “Six Degrees” and “Law & Order: Criminal Intent.”

Regan’s film credits include “Devil’s Gate” opposite Milo Ventimigllia, “John Wick” with Keanu Reeves, HBO’s “The Leisure Class,” “The Best and the Brightest” alongside Neal Patrick Harris, “Sex and the City,” “The Babysitters” and “Binders.”

Tune in

Listen On iTunes

Resources

LINKS:
QUOTES:

“My only real ritual is preparation.”

“You have to let yourself off the hook, the truth is that an audition is just a sketch.”

“We have to accept that we’re always gonna be growing, we’re always gonna be learning. That is the gift of our craft.”

 

095: Peter Facinelli
095: Peter Facinelli 1500 750 Alyshia Ochse

Do Your Best Work, The Subjectivity of Art

No stranger to Hollywood, Peter Facinelli’s craft as a leading man has undoubtedly created a strong foothold that has transcended from the spotlight as actor, to behind the camera as a notable director, writer, and producer.

With a myriad of credits under his belt, Facinelli is likely most recognized for his starring role as Doctor Carlisle Cullen in the blockbuster TWILIGHT franchise, based on Stephenie Meyer’s #1 New York Times bestselling literary series. Next up for Facinelli is the STX film COUNTDOWN starring opposite Elizabeth Lail, P.J. Byrne, and Jordan Calloway, as well as RUNNING WITH THE DEVIL (September 13th, 2019 release) starring opposite Nicolas Cage, Laurence Fishburne, and Leslie Bibb,

Facinelli recently completed his second directorial feature HOUR OF LEAD, which he also wrote starring Anne Heche, Thomas Jane, and Jason Patric. He made his debut as a director last year with the indie sensation “Breaking and Exiting,” starring Jordan Hinson and Milo Gibson.

Additional recent credits include the 1920’s mobster pic GANGSTER LAND, the thriller ASHER, opposite Famke Janssen, Ron Perlman and Richard Dreyfuss, Damian Harris’ indie feature THE WILDE WEDDING opposite John Malkovich and Glenn Close, as well as the Chris Silverton thriller HEARTTHROB starring Lone Skye and Keir Gilchrist.

Other past film credits include the cult classic “Can’t Hardly Wait,” opposite Jennifer Love Hewitt, FREEZER, with Dylan McDermott; Penny Marshall’s RIDING IN CARS WITH BOYS, with Drew Barrymore; THE SCORPION KING, opposite Dwayne Johnson; the dramedy FINDING AMANDA, with Matthew Broderick; TEMPTED, with Burt Reynolds and Saffron Burroughs; a starring role in Walter Hills’ sci-fi thriller SUPERNOVA, with James Spader and Angela Bassett; THE BIG KAHUNA, opposite Kevin Spacey and Danny DeVito; DANCER, TEXAS, POP.81; FOXFIRE, alongside Angelina Jolie..

Despite success on the silver screen, Facinelli has also made his mark in television with such credits as the CBS Drama S.W.A.T. as Michael Plank, and Dr. Fitch Cooper on the full seven season run of Showtime’s hit dramedy NURSE JACKIE. Among its numerous accolades, the series earned Emmy, SAG, Golden Globe, and Writers Guild Award nominations, as well as being named one of AFI’s Top Ten Television Shows of 2009.

Facinelli additionally portrayed villain “Maxwell Lord” in the first season of the hit CBS show SUPERGIRL, and starred opposite Anna Friel in NBC’s drama AMERICAN ODYSSEY in 2015. He also appeared in
GLEE, DAMAGES, HBO’s SIX FEET UNDER, for which he shared the cast’s 2005 nomination for the SAG Award for Best Ensemble in a Drama; as well as a starring role in FASTLANE in 2003.

In 2010 Facinelli started the production company A7sle Films. Its first feature, LOOSIES, was a
fast-paced dramatic comedy that Facinelli wrote and starred in about a clever and romantic pickpocket in
the New York City subways. It co-starred Michael Madsen, Jaimie Alexander, Vincent Gallo, and Joe
Pantoliano. The company later partnered with FilmDistrict to produce the true story horror picture THE
LAST WORD, based on a documentary of the same name about Johnny Frank Garrett, which premiered
at the Austin Film Festival in 2016, and was directed by acclaimed indie director Simon Rumley. The company has additionally produced projects across film, TV, and digital platforms with Electus, 5×5, Boom Comics, College Humor, YouTube, ISH, and ARC Productions.

A man of many trades, Facinelli augmented his writing repertoire in 2015 when he co-wrote After the Red Rain, a YA novel with New York Times best-selling author Barry Lyga, which was distributed by Little Brown Company. It is a dystopian novel set in a future world of environmental collapse and mass poverty, where a mysterious boy named Rose discovers that he possesses inhuman powers that can irrevocably change the lives of everyone on the planet.

A graduate of NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts, Facinelli splits his time between New York and Los Angeles.

Tune in

Listen On iTunes

Resources

LINKS:
PRESS:
QUOTES:

“Agents don’t get jobs, they get you opportunities.”

“Agents don’t get jobs, they get you opportunities.”

077: Amanda Warren
077: Amanda Warren 1500 750 Alyshia Ochse

Today we’re chatting with actress, Amanda Warren, whose incredible artistry is matched by her wisdom, insight, and extraordinarily grounded and compassionate energy. She has established herself with a resume that is not only lengthy, but loaded with some of TV and Film’s most respected projects in recent years. From her work with Martin McDonagh and Darren Aronofsky to Denzel Washington, Francis McDormand, and beyond, her work ethic and craftsmanship has earned her the respect of her peers and gained the attention of artists across the industry.

She shares how she works on set, what she’s learned from working with world-class artists, and how she stays focused on her own journey—putting in the work, one step at a time.

Most recently her on screen work includes THREE BILLBOARDS OUTSIDE EBBING, MISSOURI, THE PURGE for USA, MOTHER, HOUSE OF CARDS, BLACK MIRROR, THIS IS US, HBO’s THE LEFTOVERS, and Apple TV’s new series DICKINSON.

IG: @amandawarrenofficial

 

Tune in

Listen On iTunes

 

Resources

LINKS:
QUOTES:

“We do not need to adhere to this ‘stuggling artist’ theory anymore. This is your craft, this is your talent, you are giving of yourself and your tools. I’m going to give you my energy and pay you to see it…”

“You do the work at home so you can play on the day. If you do the work at home, you can do everything 7000 different ways to Sunday.”

“There’s a lot of money that goes into telling stories, expecially with the screen work, and time is money. It is so valuable, expecially these days. People need to know that they are trusting you with not only the story, but the money that they’re going to put into this.”

“There are quality rejections–quality ‘no’s.’ Just because it doesn’t work out for you then, doesn’t mean it doesn’t work out later.”

“What makes those great people so great at what they do…what makes them great craftspeople is that they work with their scene partners, they are never above their scene partner.”

“We’re in the business of saving lives…it’s an escape for people. Don’t think about the business, just bring them with you. Help them escape, help them stop thinking about business.”

VIDEOS:

044: Kristoffer Polaha
044: Kristoffer Polaha 1500 1000 Alyshia Ochse

Kristoffer Polaha is an actor who has build a diverse body of work to his name over the seventeen years he’s been in film and television. He is best known for his performance as a series regular in Backstrom, a television show following the Portland Police Bureau’s Special Crimes Unit as Peter Niedermayer. He starred alongside Sarah Michelle Gellar in Ringer as Henry Butler, following their family in New York City, navigating stolen identities and lies. Polaha joined Shiri Appleby and Britt Roberston in Life Unexpected, a sweet show about two people discovering they suddenly have a 15 year old daughter to support. He is also known for Miss Guided, Where Hope Grows, North Shore, and Rocky Mountain Christmas. Most recently, Polaha has guest starred in Ballers and is currently portraying Sam Barber in Condor, following the life of a CIA analyst Joe Turner.

Tune into our Interview on iTunes HERE

kristoffer polaha

Resources

LINKS:
QUOTES:

“My faith is sort of the back bone of my entire career.”

“This is a quote out of the Bible. It says, “I will use stories to speak my message and explain things that have been hidden since the creation of the world.” I mean it’s kind of epic. It’s kind of mind blowingly epic.”

“I think what’s important as an artist is to define your voice. Whose story are you telling? What story are you telling?”

VIDEOS:

005: Julie Benz
005: Julie Benz 1500 1000 Alyshia Ochse

NYU graduate Julie Benz has worked, developing a career that has ridden high waves as a series regular on several TV shows…but she still auditions and LOVES it. By the time Julie Benz was 16 years old she had retired from her professional career as a figure skater due to an injury and was dragged by her Mom to her first audition. Julie got cast in the play and loved it. But Julie didn’t feel like she was a “natural” at acting and enrolled at the drama department at NYU, plus took additional acting classes in the city to get more experience. When NYU tried to kick her out for auditioning for a pilot, a tenured teacher put her reputation on the line and said she would quit teaching if Julie was kicked out of the program. Three years later, Julie graduated NYU and ran to Hollywood. Julie isn’t a prude, but she insists there must be a financial transaction to see her in a bikini. This smart and savvy woman stands her ground and respects her craft, yet will bravely put her raw “makeup free” heart and soul into an audition. Listen in to hear how accepting Vampire Girl #1 for Buffy the Vampire Slayer impacted her career and set the foundation of being on a short list for studios. Here she shares her “most favorite things” about acting, auditioning and The Secret gratitude journal.

Julie Benz currently can be seen critically acclaimed show Dexter, Defiance, Hawaii Five-0 and constant reruns of Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

Listen in to the unforgettable stories that Julie Benz HERE.

 

Julie Benz Podcast Thumbnail

 

Resources

QUOTES:

“Roles come into your life at certain time when you need them. Not only do I inform the character, but the character helps inform my life. It’s a synergy that happens with characters.”

Follow @AlyshiaOchse on Instagram
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ALYSHIA OCHSE

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

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