In the Waiting Room with Rashad Edwards

🎙️ Episode 12: Christian DeMarais...is in the Waiting Room! In this episode of In the Waiting Room , I sit down with Christian DeMarais for a grounded conversation about craft, patience, and the quiet discipline required to stay in the work. We talk about the realities of building a career over time, the difference between visibility and longevity, and how personal conviction—artistic, moral, and...

In this episode of In the Waiting Room , Rashad sits down with Andy Ingalls for a wide-ranging, deeply reflective conversation about the long arc of an artistic life. Andy traces his journey from growing up in Houston within a strict Southern Baptist environment to building a creative career in New York City over the past thirteen years. They explore how judgment—religious, cultural, and professio...

In this episode of In the Waiting Room , Rashad Edwards sits down with Amazon Prime's Fallout actor and Columbia University acting instructor Rafi Silver for a wide-ranging conversation about judgment, discernment, and the inner life of the working artist. The episode opens with a reflection on filmmaker Ryan Coogler’s decision to decline membership in the Academy—not out of protest, but out of a...

In this episode of In the Waiting Room , Rashad Edwards sits down with Carolyn Michelle for a grounded, honest conversation about one of the most difficult—and liberating—realities of an acting career: accepting who you are in the marketplace. Rather than chasing endless versatility or resisting being “typed,” Carolyn shares how clarity around her strengths, presence, and natural casting lane allo...

In this candid and deeply insightful episode, Rashad sits down with acclaimed actor Deirdre Lovejoy ( The Wire , Bones , The Blacklist ) for a conversation that pulls back the curtain on the realities of a life in the arts. Lovejoy reflects on her journey from Evansville, Indiana, to the stages of Broadway and the sets of prestige television, offering a rare look at the intentionality, resilience,...

🎙️ Episode 7 — “That Joy!” In this episode, Rashad reconnects with actor and artist Paul Deo, Jr. , his NYU Grad Acting classmate whose creative journey has been anything but linear. From performing in Shakespeare in the Park to building storyboards in the Vegas desert during the pandemic, Paul shares how life’s detours shaped his art — and how losing an agent in the middle of nowhere became an un...

In this episode of In the Waiting Room w/ Rashad Edwards , Broadway actor Andrew Hovelson ( Stranger Things: The First Shadow ) sits down to talk about the realities of building a life in the arts — on stage and off. Andrew shares candid stories about juggling family responsibilities, making ends meet through odd jobs when acting work is scarce, and the small joys that come with realizing you’re n...

In this episode of In the Waiting Room w/ Rashad Edwards , actor Michael Gaston ( Jack Ryan, The Leftovers , Prison Break , The Man in the High Castle ) joins Rashad for a conversation that goes beyond career credits and into the heart of why we tell stories. Michael reflects on his journey from grad school to stage and screen, and opens up about the deeper purpose behind the work: acting as a ref...

In this solo episode of In the Waiting Room w/ Rashad Edwards , Rashad dives into an old interview with Viola Davis where she spoke out about the pay gap between herself and actresses like Meryl Streep. Why does a performer as gifted and accomplished as Viola continue to face such disparities? Rashad unpacks the issue using insights from economist Thomas Sowell, breaking down the basic market forc...

Episode 3 — Marchant Davis: Choosing Roles & Facing the Industry’s Strange Truths In this episode of In the Waiting Room w/ Rashad Edwards , actor Marchant Davis ( The Day Shall Come, A Journal for Jordan ) joins me for a raw and unfiltered conversation about how actors navigate the business behind the art. We dive into: The metrics Marchant uses to decide which roles to take The strange reali...

In this episode of In the Waiting Room w/ Rashad Edwards , Rashad sits down with the multi-talented Zoey Martinson — actor, director, writer, and co-founder of Smoke & Mirrors Collaborative. Zoey shares wisdom every actor needs to hear: the importance of staying in your lane, letting go of the pressure to do everyone else’s job on set, and finding joy in the craft. With her unique journey acro...

In this episode of In the Waiting Room w/ Rashad Edwards , Rashad sits down with the incredible Victor Williams ( The King of Queens , Happy Together , The Affair ) for a candid conversation about his journey as an actor. From growing up in Brooklyn to landing roles that became household favorites, Victor shares insights on longevity in the business, the power of humility, and what it takes to sta...