Working Actor Life

Why we're stepping away from the podcast for the month of July, and why we think you should be looking at your own schedule for what can come off your plate right now. Gab just took a full week off and we break down what that actually looked like (from nighttime resets to finally catching up on sleep debt) and what happens when you let yourself really disengage instead of half-assing a break.....

We are literally in the car on the way to set. Sam booked her first commercial in three years, and Gab is along for the ride. Sharing exactly how this booking came together, why being a local hire in Atlanta actually makes financial and logistical sense for Sam specifically, what it takes to pull that off without it being a disaster, how wardobe fittings work, what to pack when you're doing an...

one of our members just hit a massive milestone:first co-star, first rep, SAG-E status, woo hoo! but instead of feeling on top of the world, she's feeling the weight of how much further there is to go. we've all been there. you work so hard for the thing, and when you finally get it, you look up and realize it's just the beginning. we wanna chat about this specific flavor of overwhelm and why it d...

Get in on the LIVE class! EDIT: it is now JULY 7th! *Everything you need to know before your next headshot session, and how to build your headshot plan from the data you already have!*We are recording this one from Sam's living room with Gab fresh off a week of working in person together and yes we are talking headshots AGAIN. This is not about telling you to just "get good headshots.&quo...

Join the LIVE Headshot Class! We're sharing exactly how we're approaching our upcoming headshot sessions, including why we booked two different photographers, how we used our audition histories to figure out what we actually need, and why we're finally remaking The Headshot Class. We break down the process of pulling your character types from real audition data, why you shouldn't b...

Gab shared a post this week about the "thanks but no thanks" emails that come with the job, and the internet had...feelings. Which brings us into difference between processing your feelings and wallowing in them, why having a big resume doesn't make rejection sting less, and how the pressure to perform positivity (online and as actors in general) quietly makes us smaller...and how mu...

Trigger Warning: we discuss eating disorders and sexual assault in this episode. Please only listen if this is a safe space for you. Two real booking stories, one booking and one not (yet), and what they reveal about the auditions we almost talked ourselves out of: this week, Gab is dialing in live from Nashville where she's on set for a commercial that put her through one of the most challeng...

So you booked and want to know how to turn that momentum into something more. PR? Get a Deadline article? Rebrand? We're getting honest about what actually moves the needle versus what just burns money. We break down our own PR experiences and why media coverage hits differently depending on your credit level. And what else you can do with your wins. Links: The Membership: https://themembershi...

Our in-house Coach Vas is back on the pod, and we brought him on at exactly the right moment: his Deadline article just dropped for his brand new booking on the Netflix limited series I Will Find You , and we could not wait to dig into every part of how it happened. From the audition process + live Zoom session and the day to day of being on the set, this episode is a real behind-the-scenes look a...

We're pulling back the curtain on two very different audition-challenges we're each navigating right now: Sam took a leap on an audition that requires her to sing an original Christmas song..despite having been removed from choir as a kid. Gab is managing the physical, emotional, and logistical reality of straightening her 4C hair for a series of auditions while unpacking the complicated f...

Sometimes the universe clears your calendar for a reason. So what happens when auditions go quiet? We think that silence might be exactly what you needed. We share three real examples from our own lives and inside The Membership of actors who shifted their focus, trusted the timing, and watched things open up in ways they never expected. We also get into why "just be grateful" is not the...

We are about to get so for real. MANAGERS and AGENTS. When and why actors should consider adding a manager to their team, the differences between managers and agents, the importance of having leverage before hiring, financial and legal considerations, team dynamics, and a hell of a lot of personal experience. Take the free Actor Type Quiz⁠ Join the waitlist for The Membership⁠ Sam’s IG Gab’s IG

We pulled real comments from our Working Actor Express Bootcamp participants and broke down what we would say to each of them if we were coaching them live. Chances are, if they're wrestling with it, you are too. We dig into the "waiting until ready" trap that so many actors fall into, including the outdated idea that you need a perfect package before reaching out to reps. We also ge...

Everything we knew about this industry two years ago is probably already outdated...We are back after a week off because auditions came first, and that is exactly the point. This episode covers a big, busy week. We talk about redirects that feel like callbacks, a five-minute straight monologue callback tape, the reality of sustained audition volume without a booking, why levels in this industry ar...

Doors to The Membership are opening soon. If you’re tired of spiraling alone after auditions, ⁠this is where we fix that! What actually goes through our heads when the camera is rolling and nobody's watching? This episode, we pull back the curtain on the messy, unfiltered, very human We take turns going deep on the real inner monologue behind the self-tape process, from imposter syndrome to be...

Doors to The Membership are opening soon. If you’re tired of spiraling alone after auditions, this is where we fix that! We break down exactly how we prepped two very different auditions + why there is no one-size-fits-all method for working actors. We’re talking: - how to decide how much time an audition actually deserves - indie film vs network tv prep differences - when to immerse yourself in r...

Last week we were on actor HIGHS: SEVEN auditions between the two of us. Voiceover sessions. Commercial callbacks. Zoom auditions with five-minute slots. Manager calls about new agents. This week? Nada. So let's break down the MENTAL hustle of staying in the game when the momentum spikes and then fades. Cause this is what we signed up for as working actors.⸻ We’re talking: • What a 5-audition...

If you’re only measuring your career by bookings, you’re going to feel like you’re failing. Booking signifiers are getting rarer. Callbacks, avails, pins, chemistry tests. They don’t show up the way they used to. This episode is about the new scoreboard. We break down what actually counts as success for working actors right now and how to recognize momentum and success metrics for yourself.⸻We’re...

Managing losses without letting them define you will be the thing that makes this all do-able. So let's talk about the difference between a setback and a defeat and why your response to not booking matters more than the booking itself. We're covering: handling avail checks and callbacks that fall through managing audition rejection and disappointment why comparing your acting career to oth...

How have our definitions of success have shifted over time? Trust in our reps. Financial breathing room. Free time. Staying in the work when things are quiet. And learning how to measure wins that no one else can see. Let's get into: why success isn’t a single moment or milestone the different “buckets” that can make us feel successful at different times why auditions, trust, and consistency m...

We’re talking about the acting advice we used to give, fully believed, and would absolutely change or nuance now. We break down why blanket advice ignores actor markets, how self-tapes and demo reels have shifted, what actually works when reaching out to agents and managers, and why productivity systems can become performative instead of helpful. Plus our real-real: audition timing strategy, light...

We're back to break down the current state of the acting industry after sitting in on a closed-door TM only “state of the union” style call with casting. We share what we expected to hear going into the call, + what actually surprised us. Then our real-life working actor moments, including callbacks, Zoom auditions, eating on camera, voiceover marathons, and the absolute chaos of trying to pla...

starting the year in person and doing something radical: caring less. we talk about why giving fewer f*cks is not laziness but can help you get further (technically also faster). we are building a working actor system that works with your brain, setting real time boundaries, choosing habits that support it, and letting the rest go. and cause WHY NOT: backyard digging, hobbies that stay hobbies, an...

Rest in an industry that rewards blurred boundaries and convinces actors they can control outcomes they absolutely cannot....is it possible? Let's discuss how to use end-of-year downtime without spiraling or trying to fix your entire career in two weeks. We also break down why acting income alone is no longer reliable and what SAG national commercials actually pay in 2025. Timestamps: 00:00:00...

We brought Vas back from The Online Actor, nobody breaks down auditions, industry waves, and self tape strategy like he does. And we hit on the standard of jealousy, comparison...with an email template for you. Most importantly: authenticity is actually booking more than “perfect” ever did. what we cover: ● the truth about end of year auditions and why the landscape is shifting ● how to hear “ther...