Hollywood Dream Maker: Acting class with Master Teacher Billy Gallo

"Don't give up; it could be the very next audition that puts you on the map." Phillip Bruenn was in high school when he and a couple of friends signed up to do extra work on a pilot filmed in Wilmington, North Carolina, where he grew up. He had to play a guy enjoying himself during a rock concert scene, so he did. He got so into it that the production team noticed him, "this guy is really feeling...

Words move the plot; your emotions tell the story. Born and raised in Brooklyn, Wass Stevens didn't take acting seriously until his mid-30s, when an actress he was dating insisted on him taking acting classes with her acting coach. Wass put his desire to become a lawyer aside, and after a couple of months of acting classes, he got Taft Hartley on his first audition by Joe Bologna. Completely in lo...

Expand your skillset, don't only be an actor. Born and raised in Los Angeles, Ava Kolker got "accidentally" into acting. Her sisters, eight and ten at the time, were taking headshots with their manager, who decided to shoot Ava too, who was four. A couple of weeks later, Ava was on the set of American Horror Story. Everything happened very fast for Ava, who fell in love with acting and has never s...

As you get older, as you are doing it for longer and longer, you learn how to get out of your own way. Born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, Tony Danza is one of America's most iconic and beloved actors. He starred in two of the most acclaimed and successful TV series in American history, Taxi and Who's The Boss, and many films, such as Angels In Outfield, She's Out of Control, Crash, and A Brook...

"The real experience for me is between action and cut; everything else is preparation." Jeff Kober was born in Montana, where he worked as a farmer and factory worker until his early 20s. Then, trying to escape from his rough childhood, he followed a girl who dreamed of being an actress to Los Angeles and started a rock band, The Walking Wounded. A couple of years later, Jeff was alone in L.A.; th...

"Keep picking up the breadcrumbs on the yellow brick road, even if there's a little fear; just do it anyway." Born and raised in Seattle, Washington, Ashley Gonor moved to San Diego and studied at the San Diego State University, where she got a Business Degree. After some time in corporate America, Ashley decided to invest her time and energy in a different type of project, something that would he...

What actions are you taking to make your dreams come true?  In today's episode, the last of 2022, I take a moment to express my gratitude to you, the listeners, and my fabulous guests. In these two years of podcasting, I had the pleasure of interviewing extraordinary people, like Emilio Rivera, a former gang member who decided to chase his dreams and become a successful actor. Or Raphael Luce...

"Create your own projects. The world starts opening up things to you when you start doing for yourself a little bit." Ronnie Gene Blevins is best known for his role as the small-time criminal "Willie Russell" in the award-winning film JOE, starring Nicolas Cage, directed by David Gordan Green. He'll be supporting Will Smith in The Apple TV plus movie "Emancipation," and he'll also reoccur in the n...

"You don't walk into an audition as an actor playing a part; you walk in as the character living the story." Christopher Adam Leroux is a former professional Major League Baseball pitcher and a radio and TV broadcaster from Canada. He played for the Florida Marlins, the Pittsburgh Pirates, The New York Yankees in MLB, and the Tokyo Yakult Swallows in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB).  Today...

Directing is not about being a dictator but about letting things happen. After selling a couple of scripts in New York but feeling burned by the lack of production companies, George Gallo decided to take his 800 bucks and try luck in Los Angeles. After knocking on many doors and a lot of cold calling, he sold MGM a script for a movie. He walked around with that 100K check in his wallet for a week...

Be on your craft all the time and stay sharp. Work on your instrument every single day. Born in Germany, Kerstin von Schulze tried improv when she was 14 in a theatre in Munich and immediately fell in love with it. Being on stage was very comfortable for her, and nothing would feel better for her than making people laugh. Taking care of herself was always her other passion; she was a silver medali...

What is your WHY?  In today’s solo episode, I am sharing my story and the lessons I have learned. I always dreamed of getting out of my challenging home life as a child and becoming an actor in Hollywood. However, once I achieved my dreams and still wasn’t fully satisfied, I realized that some of my goals were not because I really wanted them but because I wanted to prove myself to other peop...

Behind every great show you see is a writer who created the story.  Born and raised in Hell’s Kitchen, Amanda Moresco is a WGA writer who is known for writing strong, diverse, and captivating characters. Her father, Bobby Moresco, is an Academy Award winning writer and has paved the way for Amanda’s love for writing. She has writing credits on critically acclaimed shows, such as NBC's “The Bl...

It only takes one audition to change your life.    Raphael Luce is an up and coming actor in Hollywood who had his breakout role in Stranger Things, the Netflix TV show that is a global sensation. He landed the role as young Henry Creel, appearing in Season 4 of the show. However, this role came after Raphael had many auditions, worked in smaller roles, attended workshops, and committed...

Do you struggle to turn off your brain and the all-consuming thoughts of fear?  Jill Willard is a speaker, meditator, teacher, and author of the book, Intuitive Being: Connect with Spirit, Find Your Center, and Choose an Intentional Life . Through her book and programs, Intuitive Meditation and The Present Program, Jill helps people to rewire their patterns so they can improve their connectio...

Advocating for minorities and challenging stereotypes is important in every industry, including Hollywood. Don’t wait for someone else to make the changes you wish to see, take the action yourself!  Hamzah Saman is a MENASA actor, CSA Casting Director, and owner of Arab American Casting. Hamzah was born in Lebanon and came to the U.S. when he was 15 years old. This has fueled his career in Ho...

The first official job landed for any actor is a monumental step in their career. However, some are the lucky ones with their first role being in a blockbuster hit.  Joseph D'Onofrio is a wildly successful actor who has enjoyed both comedic and dramatic roles throughout his career.  In the beginning of his acting career, D'Onofrio landed film roles in "Good Fellas" (1990) as Young Tommy,...

Who has been your favorite guest that has appeared on Hollywood Dream Maker?  Today’s episode is a compilation of some of the best pieces of advice from the past 58 episodes of Hollywood Dream Maker. I’ve been blessed to have amazing guests who have made their mark in Hollywood and continue to inspire the next generation of actors and actresses. In this episode, you will hear pieces of advice...

Do you know that you have the power to change your story? And if you change your story, you change your life. Today’s solo episode is all about using your imagination to visualize what you want to achieve in life. It is said that if you can imagine it, forget about it. For those who want to achieve a dream, you should take time to experience, enjoy and live that dream in your mind. Familiarize you...

“They pay me to wait, I act for free”  Terri Ivens is a thirty-five year SAG seasoned professional, Best Supporting Actress Emmy® nominee, Series Regular on 25 x Emmy® Award winning, Outstanding Digital Drama Series, The Bay, on Amazon Prime. During her seven-year portrayal of Simone on ABC’s All My Children, Terri became a fan favorite. Her film credits include Roger Corman’s Syfy cult-class...

One thing that many of us who get bit by the acting bug have is a natural love for performing, but each of our journeys into the industry is one of a kind.  Will Roberts is an award-winning actor, film and television weapons expert, cowboy, author, reporter, dancer, and holder of two Guinness World Records. Some of his film credits include The Redeemer, A Soldier's Revenge, iBot, The West and...

Do you struggle to get what you need from the relationships in your life? Taking the time and effort to work on your relationship with yourself is so important in order to make the most of your relationships with other people.  Michele Paradise is a former model turned Relationship Healer. She is certified in Neuro Linguistic Programming, helping her clients to work through their developmenta...

Have you been scammed in Hollywood?  Unfortunately, there are many scams within the acting and entertainment industry in Hollywood. Many people prey on the hopeful young actors and talent that are desperate for their big break. Whether it is acting workshops, modeling opportunities, talent management, or anything else - if it sounds too good to be true then it definitely is.  In this sol...

Do you have an agent or a manager? If you’re looking for representation, it’s incredibly important to find someone that aligns with your goals  so they can help you get to where you want to go within Hollywood.  Brian Patacca, also known as “The Representation Whisperer” helps actors get what they want without suffering. He  helped 542 actors find representation (and counting!), get...

While specializing in certain genres in Hollywood can be valuable, saying yes to new opportunities and different types of roles can open incredible doors for your future as an actor.  Oscar Torre is one of the most successful Cuban-American actors of a generation. Oscar currently stars as Vinny Malone on Tyler Perry's hit series, "THE HAVES AND THE HAVE NOTS." and is best known for his critic...