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Wanderlust

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

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.”

 

065: Elliot Knight

065: Elliot Knight 1500 750 Alyshia Ochse

In our second conversation with Elliot Knight we take a deeper look into everything, from his relationship to auditioning, to how he makes the distinction of being in love with the performance, the storytelling, and the craft rather than the industry and what that difference means for him. He talks about wanting to be the kind of performer who reveals rather than masks. This is a conversation for anybody that needs reminding to own and honor the space you take up, to be expansive, to be vulnerable in your art, and how to let life imitate art.

Elliot Knight is an English actor best known for his break out performance in the British television series “Sinbad,” playing the titular role. Knight received his theatrical training at The Manchester School of Theatre before landing the coveted role. Knight appeared as a recurring character in the BBC crime drama “By Any Means” before making his US television debut in ABC’s “How to Get Away with Murder,” joining Viola Davis, Aja Naomi King, and Alfred Enoch. Knight joined the cast of ABC’s hit fantasy series “Once Upon a Time” as Merlin in the show’s fifth season. He starred alongside Juliet Rylance and Antony Starr in “American Gothic” before being cast in Erin Cardillo and Richard Keith’s “Life Sentence,” which aired on the CW. “Life Sentence” follows Lucy Hale’s character Stella as she navigates life after her terminal cancer is cured, her family, and her relationship with her husband, played by Elliot Knight. The show is currently available on Netflix. You can catch Elliot on Greg Berlanti’s DC universe “Titans,” which has just finished its first season.

 

Tune in

Listen On iTunes

 

Resources

LINKS:
QUOTES:

“Never believe your own press package.”

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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