Theatre

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

Guest Links:

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

Kahyun Kim
Kahyun Kim 1920 1080 Alyshia Ochse

Kahyun is best known for her role as Beth in Universal Pictures COCAINE BEAR directed by Elizabeth Banks. Kahyun will next be seen returning as a series regular on the NBC/Peacock workplace comedy ST. DENIS MEDICAL, playing Serena, a nurse with a strong belief in holistic care. The first season of the show received a nomination for Best Comedy Series at the 2025 Critics Choice Awards.  She continues to balance her screen work with acclaimed stage performances, most recently appearing in A DOLL’S HOUSE, PART 2 at Pasadena Playhouse. Last year, she starred in A FAMILY GUIDE TO HUNTING with Maragret Cho which premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival. She also appeared in Starz drama TV series AMERICAN GODS and in Disney’s 2018 film FREAKY FRIDAY. She has had numerous guest star and recurring roles including THE ROOKIE: FEDS, GREY’S ANATOMY, 9-1-1, MR MAYOR and TOMMY amongst many others. Kahyun is a 2012 graduate of the Juilliard BFA program.

Credits:

  • St. Denis Medical
  • Cocaine Bear
  • American Gods
  • Freaky Friday
  • The Rookie: Feds
  • Grey’s Anatomy
  • 9-1-1
  • Austin & Ally
  • Timeless
  • Adam Ruins Everything
  • Shameless

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

Mariana Treviño
Mariana Treviño 1920 1080 Alyshia Ochse

Already one of Mexico’s most celebrated stars, award-winning actress Mariana Treviño continues to blaze a trail on the global stage. Known for her magnetic presence and emotional depth, she has captivated audiences across both Latin American and American film and television. Whether in comedy or drama, Treviño brings a dynamic, unforgettable energy to every role.

In 2025, Mariana stars alongside Academy Award nominee Owen Wilson in the highly anticipated Apple TV+ comedy series Stick. The series follows Pryce Cahill (Wilson), a washed-up ex-pro golfer whose career was cut short two decades earlier, and his new protégé Santi Wheeler (Peter Dager) as they travel the U.S. playing in golf tournaments. Treviño plays Elena, Santi’s loving and fiercely protective mother, who joins them on tour—cementing the show as a heartfelt, feel-good comedy about chosen family and personal growth. Stick premieres on Apple TV+ on June 4, 2025.

Treviño recently starred opposite Academy Award winner Tom Hanks in Marc Forster’s acclaimed feature A Man Called Otto, based on the bestselling novel A Man Called Ove. Her performance as Marisol, the sharp-witted neighbor who challenges Otto’s bleak worldview, earned her an Imagen Foundation Award nomination for Best Actress in a Feature Film.

On the television front, Mariana led the global Netflix hit Club de Cuervos, becoming a fan favorite. Her additional standout roles include appearances in Netflix’s La Casa de las Flores and Narcos: Mexico. She also stars in the title role of the Paramount+ series Cecilia, further showcasing her remarkable range and versatility.

CREDITS:

  • Stick
  • A Man Called Otto
  • Narcos: Mexico
  • Mentrias, The Series
  • Overboard

Resources

GUEST LINKS:
THAT ONE AUDITION’S LINKS:

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

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.”

 

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.”

 

Trevor Long on That One Audition with Alyshia Ochse

055: Trevor Long
055: Trevor Long 1500 750 Alyshia Ochse

Ever wondered how you are going to land a career changing role without a manager or agent? This episode is all about the craft and keeping your head down and doing good work. Good work is the best branding for an actor and creates angels in the industry (Philip Seymour Hoffman and Jason Bateman). Trevor Long has had some remarkable angels shed light on his 20 year artistry and he lays it all out here.

Trevor Long is a film, stage and television actor with twenty years of experience to his name. He is best known for his stand out, recurring role as Cade Langmore, in Netflix’s highly acclaimed series “Ozark,” acting alongside Laura Linney and Jason Bateman. He is also known for his work in “Low Winter Sun,” the AMC series following the murder of a police officer by a fellow detective in Detroit. Long starred in Andrew Dominik’s “Killing Them Softly,” as Steve Caprio, along with Brad Pitt, Ray Liotta and Richard Jenkins. He stars in and co-produces the upcoming horror thriller “Seeds,” directed by Owen Long. The film follows Long’s troubled character Marcus after he retreats to the New England Coast. Long has guest starred in numerous television shows throughout his career, including “Blacklist,” “Unforgettable,” and “Blindspot.” He is a longtime member of acclaimed NY LAByrinth Theater Company.

Tune in

Listen On iTunes

 

Resources

LINKS:
QUOTES:

“I was going to do whatever it takes. I spent three years in a conservatory. Spent a lot of money, did a lot of training. I knew that this was not like, oh, what’s plan B?”

“I left the room feeling very exhilarated, because Hoffman took the time to really work with me, and pushed me and knew that I had the talent, but he was trying to push me through my little tricks.”

“It may take you ten to fifteen years before you start working…and he was pretty much right.”

“I don’t doubt the way I approach the work. I don’t second guess it like I did all those years, trying to figure it out, and please the teacher.”

“I think actors really want to be validated and seen for who they are, and when we don’t get that in life we try to put it into our art, our craft.”

VIDEOS:

047: Rebecca Field
047: Rebecca Field 1500 1000 Alyshia Ochse

Rebecca Field is an actress and director best known for her roles as Lacey on Lifetime’s “The Client List,” starring alongside Jennifer Love Hewitt, Janet on the ABC drama “October Road,” and her portrayal as Jane Gould in “Criminal Minds.” She had a recurring role on ABC’s “Grey’s Anatomy,” and “Kittens in a Cage.” Field has guest starred on numerous television shows, including TNT’s “Hawthorne,” “NCIS: LA,” “Castle,” “Mike & Molly,” “Drop Dead Diva,” and “Monk.” Most recently, she guest starred in David Lynch’s “Twin Peaks,” and “Movie Nights.” Be sure to watch Rebecca in the upcoming Gus Van Sant film “Don’t Worry He Won’t Get Far On Foot,” starring Joaquin Phoenix as John Callahan, and “A Star Is Born,” with Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga.

In this conversation we hear how she protects herself as an actor and champions for herself, how she found her agency and her confidence, and how hypnotherapy and a vision board helped land her first series regular on ABC show “October Road”.

Tune into our Interview on iTunes HERE

 

 

Resources

LINKS:
QUOTES:

“Go big or go home. Either get there and do it big or don’t bother doing it at all.”

“I do think there is a fine line between being like overly obsessive and hounding agents every five seconds, or just being an advocate for yourself and for your own career and staying on top of things.”

“When it’s your coverage and your turn, also, go for it. Take your moment, and do the great things you know you’re capable of.”

 

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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