The DNA Podcast with Douglas Nyback

Sergio Di Zio was on everything ever made BEFORE he was a lead on the hit series “Flashpoint” and he’s been on everything under the sun since. Don’t believe me? Check out his IMDB. Not only does he boast a prolific screen resume, but he’s also a thriving theatre talent and just an all around great guy. Connection, in-person work, and living in the moment with his scene partners has been the throug...

Erika Prevost is one of the stars of the hit series “St. Pierre”—a unique and highly entertaining police drama where she plays the charismatic and complex Patty Montclair-Ito (among many other credits including “The Boys”, “Assassin’s Creed Shadows”, and “The Next Step” to name a few). This was one of those episodes where I was blessed to meet an actor for the first time and dive right into the de...

Bianca Melchior is one of a kind. Seriously, try to find another actor/dancer/artist like her. You won’t be able to. The longer you spend in this industry the more you understand this is one of the most valuable assets you could possibly cultivate. I’ve known Bianca through several iterations of her acting journey, including from the relative beginning, and I was beyond excited to touch base with...

Star of the hit Netflix series “Finding Her Edge”, Alexandra Beaton is someone I’ve wanted to get on the show for ages. I’ve been a huge fan of hers since I saw her in Amazon Prime’s “Overcompensating” as the brutal and hilarious mean girl, Bridget. Alex has a laundry list of credits that clearly chart the course to her growing lead status but more importantly, I think, she has an unwavering super...

I recently worked with Jake Epstein on Doc and was SO excited to finally meet the guy I’d been hearing so much about for years. Jake is a profoundly talented actor who began as a child star and quickly found himself as a regular on the iconic teen drama, Degrassi. Where his story becomes even more interesting is that he chose to leave that show and go to theatre school, beginning the steps of the...

Devin Cecchetto is a hugely talented actor and musician who is very much following the path of her own choosing. There’s a lot to learn from this episode, but one of the things that stuck with me the most is the courage Devin brings to backing herself and trusting that the right things will come her way so she’s free to pull the creative threads of her life that light her up. And light up she does...

Patrick Walker is one of many unbelievably talented series regulars on the hit Fox medical drama “DOC” where he plays Dr. TJ Coleman. He also happens to be one of the kindest, most passionate, and creative people I have the good fortune to know. Listen, I’m biased on this one because Patrick and I work together on the show. This also happens to give me first hand credibility when I say that Patric...

Colleen Rush is a casting director who works via her own company, as well as in collaboration with Larissa Mair Casting & Associates. She—in addition to being smart, kind, and hard working—is one of the most exciting voices in casting today. Colleen’s deeply invested in actors and is fascinated by the symbiotic nature of the relationship between casting and performer. In this episode, as we se...

Julia Tomasone’s journey through life hasn’t always been easy, in fact the road that has led her to starring as Delilah in the hit series “The Way Home” has taken her all the way from child actor, to patient at Sick Kids Hospital, to author, producer, and much more. I’ve worked with Julia for years and I was shocked by just how much I didn’t know about her. This is one of my favorite things about...

Katherine Fogler—creator and star of the super popular Kat Watches Horror Movies YT channel—just so happens to be both incredibly funny and one of my best friends. She’s an inspiration to me, to be honest, because early on she realized that the industry is changing and modes of distribution and creation are evolving at a pace that’s nearly impossible to predict. So, in addition to her successful a...

I’ve been a fan of Daniel Maslany’s work since first seeing him on the YouTube Red series, Impulse. Since then he and I have crossed paths many times but we finally got a chance to work together on the pilot for Fox’s Doc. Getting to see his work up close was a delight. He’s empathetic, present, focused, giving, and professional. He saturates everything he does with thought and personality, bringi...

Early on, Kristian Bruun was taught the lesson “to thine own self be true”. Now. What does that mean to an 18 year old theatre kid? Not much. But it’s since become a theme that’s led him through a profoundly successful career. Kristian’s an actor who’s a student of theatre and film, technique, and has also woven that theme through himself at a core level. He is, unapologetically, himself (as you’l...

There is nobody on the planet quite like Steffi D. In so many ways she is like the second coming of Liza Minnelli in that she is a powerhouse of musical and acting talent that is rarely seen on stage or screen. She has IMDB list as long as my arm (including major series + films like Chucky, Umbrella Academy, and Stage Fright) and a musical theatre resume that is both prolific and growing. She was...

Sara Garcia has been gracing your screens—and ears (she’s also a very successful voiceover artist)—for years, with prominent and leading roles on Ride, The Flash, X Company, and Reign, among countless others. She’s currently reaching new heights in the leading role of Jennifer Morales on NBC’s The Hunting Party. Sara’s journey through life and into professional acting is truly unique, taking her a...

Evan Stern is basically the human embodiment of talent, opinion, and relentless charisma. The dude is one of the funniest actors out there, with a mastery of physical comedy that few can match. This episode is a deep dive into his iconic performance as Stuart on the hit show, Letterkenny, as well as all the successes and failures that came before and after. This conversation is wild, folks. We pul...

Lara Jean is what I’d call a “capital A Actor.” She’s been profoundly successful across both stage and screen, and whether you know her from her unforgettable turn as Freddie Lounds on NBC’s Hannibal, or from any of the other roles she’s carved out across an illustrious career (Chucky, The King Tide, Nightmare Alley, Designated Survivor, X Company, Antiviral, to name just a few), it’s clear she’s...

Dalmar Abuzeid is one of the stars of the iconic series Degrassi: The Next Generation and the deeply moving Anne with an E—among many, many other credits. What I’ve admired most about Dalmar, long before this episode, is how profoundly thoughtful he is. He takes both life and craft seriously, but never pretentiously—he’s measured, grounded, and endlessly curious about the work. Talking with him al...

Sara Mitich is one of the stars of the hit series Star Trek Discovery (where she played two different characters over the show’s run). She also happens to be one of the best actors and people I know. I’ve been working with Sara for years, as a client, colleague, and collaborator.  Her talent and ability to mine complex, dark emotions is formidable. She’s always game to go deeper—to dive into the i...

A Juilliard-trained dancer, star of The Next Step, Netflix’s Tiny Pretty Things, Fear Street: Prom Queen, and now a producer and actor on the feature film Loathe Thy Neighbor—it’s clear that Brennan Clost is a multi-talented artist in every sense. I’m not gonna lie, this conversation was a genuine delight. Brennan is incredibly open about the things that have driven him to succeed at such a high l...

Ryan George is a YouTube comedian with over 1.8 million subscribers on his personal channel alone. You probably know him for Pitch Meeting and his viral split-screen sketches where he plays all the characters. I’ve been a fan for years—I don’t think there’s a comedian who lampoons the film and TV industry more effectively while never doing it in a mean-spirited way. He’s razor sharp, highly intell...

Sarah Fisher is maybe the nicest person I know. And I’m not kidding here. Sarah brings light and joy into every part of her life and career, from her early work as Becky Baker on Degrassi: The Next Generation to feature films like Kiss and Cry (BIG shout out to the fine folks at Carley’s Angels and the good work they’re doing in creating access to integrative cancer care), Someone Like You, and no...

Being a number one (lead character) on a series is both a blessing and a challenge. I have a lot of friends and clients on the hit CW series “Sullivan’s Crossing” and ALL of them speak so highly of Morgan. Join us as I sit down with her to chat all things Sullivan’s, as well as her journey from the start of her career to where she is now. Morgan is so many things, cool under pressure, dedicated, s...

Zoé De Grand’Maison exudes art in everything she does. Whether it’s in her role as Agnes on Amazon Prime’s hit series The Summer I Turned Pretty, her work as the villainous Evelyn Evernever on Riverdale, Gracie Johanssen on Ophan Black, or any of her other innumerable acting credits she is always searching for more connection, more embodiment, deeper connection to character and self. Watching her...

Is there anything David Reale hasn’t done? He’s a veteran of a gajillion shows (The Boys, Suits, Poly is the New Monogamy to name a few), he’s a world class Meisner instructor, he’s a veteran of both stage and screen AND he just happens to be the guy I most admired and was secretly jealous of for literal decades of my early career. See, David and I started at the exact same time in the exact same...

Varun Saranga is a funny guy. He became a student of comedy as he learned to act, becoming a (my words here, not his) master at the rhythms of winning and losing in a way that makes people laugh. He has had tremendous success (Wynonna Earp, Carter, How to be Indie, Workin’ Moms to name just a few). The thing about Varun, though, is that in addition to his comedic super powers he possesses an under...