In the Envelope: The Actor’s Podcast

It was a rejection, following a promising audition, that pushed Charlotte Nicdao to pursue the life of an actor. “I was devastated,” she remembers. “I was like, how am I this upset about this thing that’s not even my job?” In her native Australia and stateside, she has committed to the highs and lows of an on-camera career: weathering auditions of all kinds, growing her skillset as a comedic perfo...

Riley Keough could be considered an authority on how actors can avoid judging their characters. The indie film star, who has held onto a lifelong dream of playing fascinating, liberated women on camera, reveals the different creative processes she uses to connect with such roles: “I don’t know if you need to love your character.” But, she adds, “When you’re playing somebody, you have to try and fi...

How has Neil Patrick Harris been able to thrive in so many areas of the entertainment biz? “I don’t like resting on my laurels,” he tells Backstage, detailing the twists and turns of a career that has enabled him to consistently surprise audiences. Those hoping to avoid pigeonholing and play a variety of roles should listen closely to Neil’s advice, both practical and philosophical. “Being able to...

Someone as prolific and consistently stellar as Queen Latifah needs no introduction. At every surprising turn of her career as an actor, musician, and producer, she’s used an exacting work ethic and irrepressible enthusiasm to inspire women like her. “There were no blueprints for a lot of what I was doing,” she says of her beginnings in the music and filmmaking industries. How has she persevered f...

Despite their distinct training backgrounds and character construction techniques, “Bridgerton” stars Nicola Coughlan and Phoebe Dynevor agree on plenty when it comes to acting. It’s a fickle business, for one, and no matter where an actor is in their career trajectory, self-doubt remains part of the journey. “You have that fear where you go, I don’t think I know how to act anymore!” says Nicola o...

Writer-actors always make for insightful interviews, but that’s particularly true for Maya Erskine and Anna Konkle, who write, produce, edit, and star as middle school–aged versions of themselves on Hulu’s Emmy-nominated cringe comedy “Pen15.” Together they shed light on their “creative ESP” as collaborators, their distinct page-to-screen process alongside director Sam Zvibleman, and how to overco...

What makes for an ideal collaboration between actors and behind-the-camera talent? Misha Green and Jurnee Smollett, the respective creator-showrunner and star of HBO’s “Lovecraft Country,” have plenty of insights into maximizing creativity and trust on set. “You gotta have an environment in which the ‘captain’ has created a level of safety, a level for you to fail big,” says Jurnee. “We’re going t...

Ryan O’Connell and Punam Patel join the podcast together this week to discuss advocating for oneself as an artist, giving voice to communities underrepresented in entertainment, and their hit Netflix comedy, “Special,” which just premiered its second season. The two Emmy-nominated actors provide relatable advice to performers and writers looking to make their mark in Hollywood—confidently. “You ca...

Actor, writer, director, and all-around storyteller Ethan Hawke is an advocate for truthfulness in both art and life. Although wary of giving advice, he provides plenty in his thoughtful “In the Envelope” interview: get out of your head and into your gut, study the work of artists you admire, use auditions as opportunities to exceed your comfort zone, and more. The more holistically one approaches...

While best known for her Tony Award–winning Angelica Schuyler in the Broadway musical “Hamilton” and its Disney+ filmed version, Renée Elise Goldsberry has played a significant array of roles across screen, stage, and music industries. “I’ve been around long enough to have had so many versions of my career,” she tells Backstage, providing key advice on how artists—particularly women—can truly have...

Today’s “In the Envelope” episode takes an in-depth look at safety and parity in the entertainment industry, and in particular an organization leading that conversation. We’re honored to be joined by Tina Tchen, president and CEO of TIME’S UP: https://timesupnow.org Created in 2018 partly in response to sexual assault allegations in Hollywood and its resulting #MeToo movement, TIME’S UP Now and th...

Now is a particularly exciting time to talk to Amber Ruffin, an improvisation-trained comedy performer and writer whose talent, perseverance, and upbeat charm have led to her own late night variety series. Peacock’s “The Amber Ruffin Show” allows the multihyphenate host to both indulge in the silliest comedic premises and cover current events with a refreshing directness otherwise rare in late nig...

As this year’s film awards season nears its conclusion, we’re diving deep into one of its most fabulous, and essential, ceremonies: the Film Independent Spirit Awards! Founded in the 1980s as the Independent Feature Project/West by producers looking to foster cinematic visions outside of Hollywood’s traditional studio system, Film Independent offers year-round resources, programming, and events—al...

Singer-songwriter-turned-award-winning actor Cassandra Monique Batie goes by Andra Day—a stage name inspired by one of her biggest influences, Billie Holiday. It feels meant to be, then, that Andra’s recent Golden Globe win and Oscar nomination are for her portrayal of the iconic musician in Hulu’s “The United States vs. Billie Holiday,” adapted for the screen by Suzan-Lori Parks and directed by L...

Attention, SAG-AFTRA members! We’re dedicating this episode to a deep dive on the SAG-AFTRA Foundation, your guild’s 501(c) non-profit organization. Board members Sharon Lawrence and Jason George are here to check in on the state of the biz in 2021, offer advice to their fellow working actors, and remind union and non-union artists alike of the resources, programming, and aid the Foundation offers...

Often referred to as one of the best “character” actors around, Bill Camp memorably appears—or often disappears—into countless supporting roles, and can be counted on to give a truthful, compelling performance each time. His “In the Envelope” interview sheds light on how to do so, from heightening material onstage or onscreen to harnessing the power of imagination and sense memory. “I’m recalling...

Daniel Kaluuya is now a two-time Academy Award–nominated actor, in 2018 for his breakout in “Get Out” and this year for playing the assassinated Black Panther Chairman Fred Hampton in “Judas and the Black Messiah,” which has also earned him SAG Award, BAFTA film, and Golden Globe recognition. The electrifying stage and screen star takes us into the depths of his subconsciousness, describing the pr...

Daveed Diggs is best known for his Tony Award–winning portrayals of Marquis de Lafayette and President Thomas Jefferson in the Broadway musical “Hamilton,” released last year as a TV film on Disney+ and garnering Daveed a SAG Award nomination. Here, the singer-rapper-songwriter and actor-writer-producer reveals much of his creative philosophy to Backstage—a publication he used to read in the early...

With the entertainment industry still in flux due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, we at Backstage want to keep actors and storytellers informed on the latest trends—and how they can best pursue their craft in 2021. Our ""In the Envelope"" casting insider Christine McKenna-Tirella has assembled an international panel of experts from the Backstage casting team to do just that. Joined by Backstage’...

In both navigating her impressive career and approaching the acting craft, Nicole Beharie has never given less than 100%. In this fun and forthright conversation, she delves into her artistic process, which differs from role to role but ultimately entails an earnest examination of her proximity to a character. And through it all, Nicole advises, you have to love acting and be clear on why you love...

Throughout a stage and screen career spanning decades, Delroy Lindo has intentionally set out to play the widest possible variety of characters. “I want to be able to encompass different human beings,” explains the actor, detailing the ebbs and flows of his career on this week's episode of “In the Envelope.” Delroy’s advice is balanced between optimistic encouragement and no-nonsense realism. It i...

If you’re an auditioning actor, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II has a strange but effective tip for you: wear mismatched socks. “It takes the pressure off of trying to be perfect,” says the Emmy-winning star, who has many other practical tips for his peers. The former architect’s rigorously methodical approach to both his career and craft is proof that there’s no one path to success in the entertainment ind...

Happy Black History Month! As part of Backstage’s ongoing mission to provide platforms for BIPOC storytellers and amplify inclusive stories, we’re presenting a very special podcast episode for Black and non-Black listeners alike. Echoing questions the arts community has faced with particular urgency over the last year, “In the Envelope” has asked recent guests about the state of the biz: How do Bl...

Emma Corrin is best known as the SAG- and Golden Globe Award–nominated star of Peter Morgan’s Netflix drama “The Crown” Season 4, where she took on the daunting role of Lady Diana Spencer, the Princess of Wales. As the breakout star points out, there’s something inherently effortful in the term “breakout”—Emma earned the part of Diana after a rigorous, years-long process, first serving as a reader...

If you’re a performer who has recorded a self-taped audition over 300 times, Aldis Hodge is your craft and career guru. An actor and entrepreneur since childhood, Aldis has risen through the ranks of Hollywood and made thoughtful, intentional choices on- and off-screen (including resisting Black stereotypes). “Put that hustle in,” he advises fellow artists. “I find the true professionals to be mor...