Off Duty Actors

If you haven't listened to my full chat with the incredibly insightful actor and producer Kathleen Simmonds, I highly recommend it - and if you have, welcome back to this Bite-Sized-Bits! In this quick, yummy, 10 minute episode Kathleen and I discuss the importance of marketing, particularly just how much of your budget should go towards it. We chat about attaching names to a production and wh...

Aussie actor and producer Kathleen Simmonds joins us all the way from New York for this episode! If you’ve ever felt stuck in the wrong career and wondered whether acting or producing might be for you, this is a realistic conversation about whether the grass is truly greener and what it means to follow your gut. Kathleen shares her tumultuous decision to leave her job as a lawyer in Brisbane, Aust...

Welcome to Off Duty Actors! You might recognise our stunning guest Rebecca Dyson-Smith “Becca” from shows such as Slow Horses, The Queens Gambit, SAS Rogue Heroes , the list goes on. In this episode we chat about how Becca found her point of difference in her German heritage and used it to her advantage, creating work for herself before she even left acting school and how she maintains a consisten...

It was a beautiful reunion, interviewing my mafia boss father from my second-ever short film, actor Mirko Grillini, more than a decade after we wrapped. It’s a reminder of how important the relationships you form early in your career can be! You might recognise Mirko from The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader , Wanted (Netflix), Underbelly Files: Infiltration , or the recently A...

Emerald Fennell's "Wuthering Heights" first thoughts, Lucky Chap and Margot Robbie are redefining the cinema experience, SEND HELP! (but don't!) Personal Branding & What TV We're Watching Right Now!  Welcome to February’s Yapper Board Session with your hosts Actor Rachel Di Renzo and Creative Producer Brooke Lagana. In this episode of Yapper Board, Rachel and Brooke dive...

Welcome to Off Duty Actors! I had the absolute pleasure of interviewing The Co-Founder and Artistic Director of Intermission Youth Theatre , Darren Raymond. Darren was announced as a recipient of the 2025 Sam Wanamaker Award , presented by Shakespeare’s Globe in London. This prestigious award recognises individuals who have made pioneering contributions to Shakespearean Theatre, bringing understan...

Welcome to an infectious episode of Off Duty Actors featuring actor Poppy Gilbert ! You may know this dazzling redhead from My Oxford Year (Netflix), The Catch (Prime), My Week with Macy alongside Joanna Lumley. Last year she returned to The Globe Theatre to portray Desdemona in OTHELLO and you’ll see her in The Other Bennet Sister (Coming March 2026) , where she plays the iconic Lizzie Bennet. Po...

Welcome to Off Duty Actors! If you’re an actor living in London, you’re gonna wanna listen to this episode featuring the lovely Lainy Boyle. You might recognise her from shows such as T he Good Ship Murder, 3 Body Problem, Maternal, Casualty and the upcoming mini series Jack the Ripper: Written in Blood . But if you’re an actor, you’d know her friendly face soothing your nerves in a casting at Obs...

Your favourite Creative Producer + Actor duo are back to yap. This week on Off Duty Actors: Yapper Board Sessions , we’re diving headfirst into Frankenstein , dipping our toes into Wuthering Heights (we’re in our Jacob Elordi Era) Marty Supreme , Heated Rivalry , The Housemaid , awards season chaos, and the full-blown trauma-bonding cinematic experience that is Hamnet . Welcome back, happy 2026. H...

In this episode of Yapper Board , actor and ODA host Rachel Di Renzo and creative producer Brooke Lagana discuss the success and standout artistry of Bugonia , the idea of female leads being “unlikable,” The Beast in Me (and the heavy breathing we all noticed), and (how could we not) the Netflix acquisition of Warner Brothers, which we distilled into two succinct paragraphs so we can accurately un...

Welcome to Bite Sized Bits! The segments of the Off Duty Actors Episodes that deserved their own ‘bit’ even though they didn’t make the original cut. This section is from Kate Winter’s Episode, which I highly recommend listening to if you haven’t already. We go in-depth on Kate’s short film ‘Ortolan’, about the inspiration, the on-set experience, not working with dickheads, the festival run and th...

Welcome to Off Duty Actors. This episode is brought to you by two very excitable yet relaxed actors on a girls trip by the beach for the weekend, infused with the promise of oysters and afternoon naps. I had the absolute pleasure of interviewing actor, writer and voice over artist Kate Winter on the ODA podcast and it was a bloody treat. You might know Kate from when she ran her theatre company Ve...

Off Duty Actors presents the bits of conversation that were left on the cutting room floor, but are so so worth hearing. Please enjoy this Bite Sized Bits episode with Actress and Casting Assistant Alice Brittain. I recommend listening to Alice’s whole episode, but here’s a little bit that didn’t make the final ep! Alice has worked for multiple Casting Directors in London as a Casting Assistant, C...

Welcome to Off Duty Actors and honestly, I have no doubt you'll love this episode as much as I loved recording it. I’m not sure if you can tell, but I had to edit out many many of my cackles of laughter throughout this interview with the self proclaimed ‘Type Cast as Brit Welcoming American to the UK’ Actress and Casting Assistant Alice Brittain. Alice’s many on-screen credits include  Black M...

Please enjoy this Bite Sized Bits episode with Director, Writer and Producer Alex Hanno. I recommend listening to Alex's whole episode, but here's a little bit that didn't make the final ep! Alex gives us a little advice and insight into screenwriting, the process and preparation along with some helpful advice on the best mindset for networking. Follow us on Instagram & TikTok, thi...

This week I had the absolute pleasure of interviewing Director, Writer and Producer Alex Hanno. Based in Los Angeles, Alex co-owns the production company The Chameleon Effect and has worked as a director, screenwriter and producer on films such as Elephant, A Social Contract, Detox and the up-coming feature film where we met, Bravado . It’s a special privilege to be cast in a film where you immedi...

Join ODA host and actor Rachel Di Renzo and Creative Producer Brooke Lagana for monthly episodes of YAPPER BOARD. This series will be focused on intellectual discussions and hot takes on current film, television and pop culture. In this episodes Yapper Board, Brooke and Rachel discuss the phenomenon that is ‘second screen viewing’ and how we can see the shift in TV shows and streamer films through...

Welcome to this weeks episode of Off Duty Actors where I got to spend hours talking to my best friend, my wifey, my confidant, my second pair of eyes, the woman I’d call if I needed to bury a body: creative producer Brooke Lagana. Brooke’s work spans across documentary, short film, music video and above-the-line conceptual TVC and content for reputable global brands. She’s an avid supporter of wom...

Welcome to Episode Eight of the Off Duty Actors Podcast! I recommend this podcast for any actor that needs a calming presence to help you figure out your "why?" and inspire you to “fail courageously”. Because that’s what this chat is. A calming in-depth discussion with the wonderful actor Alfie Gledhill. You might know Alfie from his time as a presenter on ABC’s Studio 3 , from one of hi...

Welcome to Episode Seven of the Off Duty Actors Podcast! I somehow managed to convince actress Mia Morrissey to come on the podcast. You’d know Mia from shows such as Deadloch (Prime), In Your Dreams (Prime), Totally and Completely fine (Stan) and the feature film Together . Mia’s work feels deeply personal, we discuss how one of the driving forces in the work she creates is the concept of shame,...

Welcome to Episode Six of the Off Duty Actors podcast with Actress Christina Sankari! Christina is a true creative, exploring all areas of her craft and finding ways throughout her life to pursue creativity in any manor of ways. Christina’s face would be familiar in any Aussie household for the many commercials and tv shows she’s starred in, including but not limited to, Operation Buffalo (Netflix...

Welcome to Episode FIVE with Director, Actor, Writer and Producer Claudia Dzienny (previously Claudia Pickering). Claudia is the ultimate indie filmmaker, her problem solving and can-do attitude are second to none. She burst onto the Australian scene with her indie feature film Frisky and then went on to do shows such as Google’s Resting Pitch Face, Wanderbust, Cheetah Airways, Wentworth,  Flawsom...

Welcome to Episode Four with Director Benjamin Ryan! Benjamin is an all-rounder, having made it his mission to work in all crew departments so that he can do his job as a Director with skill and ease. He’s worked in commercial land whilst also creating his own work, directing shorts like his most recent film, 'No Feedback', which premiered at Cinefest OZ and garnered a Best Short Film Finalist Nom...

Welcome to Episode Three of ODA with actor Duncan Fellows! Talking to Duncan is talking to a jobbing actor who has a wealth of experience and understanding of the in’s and outs of the tv and film industry. Duncan’s resume ranges from a travelling kids theatre show, BBC's CBeebies, Home and Away, All Saints, The Letdown, Deadlock, We interrupt this broadcast, the list goes on. We chat about contrac...

Welcome to Episode One of the ODA podcast! Today I'm chatting with actor Ryan Bown a.k.a Sonny from Home and Away about his 'break' into the industry, the London hustle and what it's like being back in Australia to star as Summer Bay's 'Sonny'. Who needs a back-up plan when you have charisma and talent coming out your eyeballs? Enjoy this banter-worthy chat with Ryan-Freakin-Bown! Follow us on Ins...