That One Audition with Alyshia Ochse

Susie Abromeit trains in her craft the same way she trained as an athlete. As a tennis player, Susie dedicated hours a day to perfecting her game and eventually earned the title of #6 top tennis players in the U.S. Despite her incredible success as an athlete, it was performance that always lit up her soul. Growing up in Florida, Susie spent much of her childhood drawing, writing stories, and being encouraged by her teachers and parents when it came to her natural acting talent. After reflecting on whether or not tennis was still serving her dreams and goals, at 18, Susie began to step away from tennis and started writing her own songs which eventually led her to perform alongside hip-hop artist Fat Joe for Atlantic Records. Applying that “killer instinct” from her tennis days, Susie went after what she knew she wanted in her acting career, and has shaped an impressive resume with roles in projects such as “Jessica Jones,” “Sex Drive,” “The Forever Purge,” “Chicago Med,” “The Haves and the Have Nots,” “Battle: Los Angeles,” “Devious Maids” as well as two upcoming projects including the holiday film, “Much Ado About Christmas,” and an appearance alongside Will Smith in the biographical drama “King Richard” set to release this November. Today, Susie shares how she believes stories help us make sense of the world around us. She believes that instead of making our lives into art, it is art that shapes our lives. She leaves listeners with helpful tools such as how to use character development as a form of line memorization, how she went about creating her own project, and she gets honest about the realities of the “machine” that is Hollywood. Tune in as she concludes with an incredible story of how she was able to leave an impression on the legendary Will Smith in a scene that demanded moment to moment actor discovery. Guest links: IMDB: Susie Abromeit INSTAGRAM: @susieabromeit TIKTOK: @susieabromeit For exclusive content surrounding this and all podcast episodes, sign up for our amazing newsletter at AlyshiaOchse.com. And don't forget to snap and post a photo while listening to the show and tag me (@alyshiaochse)! Show Links: WEBINAR: Back to Basics (Aug 27 @ 3pm PST) COURSE: You Booked, Now What?? (Sep 21) CONSULTING: Get 1-on-1 advice for your acting career from Alyshia Ochse COACHING: Get personalized coaching from Alyshia on your next audition or role INSTAGRAM: @alyshiaochse INSTAGRAM: @thatoneaudition WEBSITE: AlyshiaOchse.com ITUNES: Subscribe to That One Audition on iTunes SPOTIFY: Subscribe to That One Audition on Spotify STITCHER: Subscribe to That One Audition on Stitcher Credits: WRITER: Erin McCluskey SOUND DESIGN: Zachary Jameson WEBSITE & GRAPHICS: Chase Jennings ASSISTANT: Elle Powell SOCIAL OUTREACH: Bebe Katsenes

Before she became known as Hollywood’s go-to stunt woman for top box office films and television, Kimberly Shannon Murphy had a love of dance and gymnastics as a child. Her interests expanded into acrobatics when she joined AntiGravity in New York City touring the world as a silk and hammock aerial performing artist. Today, she shares with us how she was able to break into the entertainment business through commercial dance work when she booked her first ever audition breakdancing in an Old Navy commercial. From there, she made herself known by reaching out to reputable stunt coordinators in the industry and was able to form long term working relationships that lead her to double for some of Hollywood’s biggest female stars, Uma Therman, Cameron Diaz, Kaitlin Olson, Taylor Swift, Angelina Jolie and Blake Lively, just to name a few. Today, she breaks down the nuts and bolts of the stunt industry by walking us through the booking process for stunt performers, the role that SAG plays in ensuring their safety and well-being on set, and the importance of knowing your camera angles in performance. She emphasizes that above all, training and persistence is what will build you a long lasting successful career. For her, that hard work has resulted in over 100 credits to show over the course of her 15 year career. Guest links: WEBSITE: kimberlyshannon.net IMDB: Kimberly Shannon Murphy INSTAGRAM: @kimberlyshannonmurphystunts STUNT RESOURCES: https://www.stuntcontact.com http://www.brandxstunts.org https://stuntsunlimited.com https://www.isastunts.com https://stuntwomen.com STUNT GYMS: http://joiningallmovement.com https://www.tempestacademy.com   For exclusive content surrounding this and all podcast episodes, sign up for our amazing newsletter at AlyshiaOchse.com. And don't forget to snap and post a photo while listening to the show and tag me (@alyshiaochse)! Show Links: WORKSHOP: You Booked, Now What?? (Sep 21) CONSULTING: Get 1-on-1 advice for your acting career from Alyshia Ochse COACHING: Get personalized coaching from Alyshia on your next audition or role INSTAGRAM: @alyshiaochse INSTAGRAM: @thatoneaudition WEBSITE: AlyshiaOchse.com ITUNES: Subscribe to That One Audition on iTunes SPOTIFY: Subscribe to That One Audition on Spotify STITCHER: Subscribe to That One Audition on Stitcher Credits: WRITER: Erin McCluskey SOUND DESIGN: Zachary Jameson WEBSITE & GRAPHICS: Chase Jennings ASSISTANT: Elle Powell SOCIAL OUTREACH: Bebe Katsenes

Over the course of his 30 year career, Aasif Mandvi has learned that the dreaded phrase, “Jack of all trades, master of none,” is nothing more than a myth. As an actor, writer, producer, podcast host and much more, Aasif has no shortage of creative endeavors and has learned to embrace that multiplicity rather than fight it. Born in Mumbai, India, Aasif moved with his family to the U.K. and grew up in north England. His creativity was evident from a young age, from drawing to writing poetry to even performing a radio play as encouraged by his parents. Joining a children’s theater company, Aasif describes how acting served as an escape for him and how the “no pressure” attitude from his parents gave way to a sense of freedom in his acting with no expectations attached. After moving to America, Aasif studied drama in both high school and college and immediately secured a job with Disney. Upon moving to New York, Aasif felt that the lack of representation in the media left him without a career roadmap to follow from other actors that looked like him. While studying his craft, Aasif began to explore other ways he could get seen within the industry and wrote a one-man-show titled, “Sakina’s Restaurant” which was the first story of a south Asian immigrant family to be performed in New York City’s theater scene in Times Square.  You’ve seen him in hit films and television series such as CBS’ “Evil,” “This Way Up,” “Million Dollar Arm,” “Blue Bloods,” “The Last Airbender,” CBS’ “Jericho,” “The Internship,” “The Proposal,” and a fan favorite correspondent on “The Daily Show” with John Stewart. Today, Aasif opens up about his character-building process. He shares with listeners how to work with material that you may be struggling to connect with, and reveals how he navigated the decision to stick with telling his own story early on, even when other opportunities began to present themselves. These are the unforgettable stories that landed Aasif Mandvi right here. Guest links: IMDB: Aasif Mandvi INSTAGRAM: @aasif TWITTER: @aasif PODCAST: Lost at the Smithsonian with Aasif Mandvi AUDIBLE: Sakina's Restaurant AMAZON: No Land's Man For exclusive content surrounding this and all podcast episodes, sign up for our amazing newsletter at AlyshiaOchse.com. And don't forget to snap and post a photo while listening to the show and tag me (@alyshiaochse)! Show Links: WEBINAR: Back to Basics (Aug 27 @ 3pm PST) COURSE: You Booked, Now What?? (Sep 21) CONSULTING: Get 1-on-1 advice for your acting career from Alyshia Ochse COACHING: Get personalized coaching from Alyshia on your next audition or role INSTAGRAM: @alyshiaochse INSTAGRAM: @thatoneaudition WEBSITE: AlyshiaOchse.com ITUNES: Subscribe to That One Audition on iTunes SPOTIFY: Subscribe to That One Audition on Spotify STITCHER: Subscribe to That One Audition on Stitcher Credits: WRITER: Erin McCluskey SOUND DESIGN: Zachary Jameson WEBSITE & GRAPHICS: Chase Jennings ASSISTANT: Elle Powell SOCIAL OUTREACH: Bebe Katsenes

French-American, Stephanie Szostak (show-stack) acts, writes and speaks. She is currently starring on ABC’s hit series A MILLION LITTLE THINGS, is working on a book called "Oh The TiDDies You'll Grow!" and speaks to various organizations (from corporate to non-profits supporting immigrant women, teens and mental health) encouraging people to "find their truth... with love & humor." Szostak got a late start on the acting scene (age 30) and had the willingness to disrupt her life, leaving her career in the corporate world behind to seek an authentic life. Over the past decade, she has played alongside Meryl Streep, Robert Downey Jr., Jeff Bridges, Steve Carrell, Paul Rudd, Matt Damon, Kevin Bacon, Ryan Reynolds and more. Transforming her own false starts, setbacks, rejection and loss, she brings forward relatable and impactful stories to help anyone embrace their uniqueness. As part of that mission, she is passionate about encouraging people to discover their own truth and individuality. From being told "You should have never happened" as her career grew so did the pressure, causing her performance to be negatively affected by feelings of unworthiness and fear. In response, she began to work on her mental game and looked to the actors she was intimidated by for answers. She was surprised to learn they too suffered from negative inner dialogue. This pushed her to address mindset and discover its interconnection with performance. Fascinated by what she learned, she created her own “playbook” to incorporate new skills to be more confident and playful when the red light turned on. Knowing she is where she is only thanks to the help of so many, Stephanie thrives to help and connect people to support their pursuit of their darn naked truth! Most notable projects include The Devil Wears Prada, Ironman 3, Dinner for Schmucks, We Bought a Zoo, ABC’s hit series, A Million Little Things and USA Network series, Satisfaction. Guest links: IMDB: Stephanie Szostak INSTAGRAM: @stephshortstak For exclusive content surrounding this and all podcast episodes, sign up for our amazing newsletter at AlyshiaOchse.com. And don't forget to snap and post a photo while listening to the show and tag me (@alyshiaochse)! Show Links: CONSULTING: Get 1-on-1 advice for your acting career from Alyshia Ochse COACHING: Get personalized coaching from Alyshia on your next audition or role INSTAGRAM: @alyshiaochse INSTAGRAM: @thatoneaudition WEBSITE: AlyshiaOchse.com ITUNES: Subscribe to That One Audition on iTunes SPOTIFY: Subscribe to That One Audition on Spotify STITCHER: Subscribe to That One Audition on Stitcher Credits: WRITER: Erin McCluskey SOUND DESIGN: Zachary Jameson WEBSITE & GRAPHICS: Chase Jennings ASSISTANT: Elle Powell SOCIAL OUTREACH: Bebe Katsenes

Born in South Africa, Neil Sandilands’s decades-long career spans across the globe. As an actor, writer, director, and musician, Neil has meticulously put in the time to develop, hone, and refine his craft as an actor, as well as an all-around storyteller.  You’ve seen him in Netflix’s hit new post-apocalyptic series, “Sweet Tooth” as the witty and quirky General Abbot, opposite Tom Hanks in “News of the World,” in both The CW’s series “The Flash,” and “The 100,” AMC/Sundance TV’s “Hap and Leonard,” as well as classic beloved television series such as “House, “The Americans,” and many more.  Today, Neil shares his love of all that life has to offer. He confidently declares himself a human first and an actor second, urging listeners to embrace every breath that life has to offer and to identify who and what truly matters most in your world. He believes that the most valuable auditions are those that we don’t book and that it’s never too late to start again. Finally, you won’t want to miss his brilliant breakdown of the life of an actor which he separates into five distinct acts appropriately abbreviated as ACTORS: A for Approach, C for Curation, T for Technique, O for Overcoming, R for Release, and S for Start Again.  These are the unforgettable stories that landed Neil Sandilands right here.  Guest links: IMDB: Neil Sandilands INSTAGRAM: @realsandilands FACEBOOK: /realsandilands YOUTUBE MUSIC: Listen to Neil's Album! For exclusive content surrounding this and all podcast episodes, sign up for our amazing newsletter at AlyshiaOchse.com. And don't forget to snap and post a photo while listening to the show and tag me (@alyshiaochse)! Show Links: CONSULTING: Get 1-on-1 advice for your acting career from Alyshia Ochse COACHING: Get personalized coaching from Alyshia on your next audition or role INSTAGRAM: @alyshiaochse INSTAGRAM: @thatoneaudition WEBSITE: AlyshiaOchse.com ITUNES: Subscribe to That One Audition on iTunes SPOTIFY: Subscribe to That One Audition on Spotify STITCHER: Subscribe to That One Audition on Stitcher Credits: WRITER: Erin McCluskey SOUND DESIGN: Zachary Jameson WEBSITE & GRAPHICS: Chase Jennings ASSISTANT: Elle Powell SOCIAL OUTREACH: Bebe Katsenes

Today's guest was initially in the business of fashion til she seized the opportunity to fill in for a coworker as a background actor for a popular show. She made such an impression that she was asked to return week after week until she got her union card and the rest is history for YOLONDA ROSS.  An independent film darling, Yolonda made her feature film debut in the award-winning independent film “Stranger Inside” in 2001. Yolonda went on to win an IFP Gotham Award for Best Breakthrough Performance for the role as well as received her first Film Independent Spirit Award nomination in the category of Best Debut Performance. From there she's worked steadily from 24 to THE UNITED STATES OF LELAND, THIRD WATCH, LAW & ORDER, TREME, THE GET DOWN, and HOW TO GET AWAY WITH MURDER. But it is her sensitive turn in the recurring role as the tough but loving mother, "Nurse Jada", in Lena Waith's THE CHI on Showtime is where she's been able to deepen her craft. She's done all she can to not be a one trick pony by directing a short film but shares the challenges of producing her own work. Yolonda has made an impression on any director who has had the privilege to work with her including the dynamic Angela Bassett in WHITNEY and the incomparable Denzel Washington who cast her in ANTWONE FISHER. Yolonda shares her techniques in creating a character by using music, wigs, jewelry and even perfumes. She talks about how she built a career working predominantly with female directors and how she uses her body as a vessel to tell stories for those that are underrepresented.  These are the unforgettable stories that landed YOLONDA ROSS right here.   Guest links: WEBSITE: YolondaRoss.com IMDB: Yolonda Ross INSTAGRAM: @yolondaross_creator TWITTER: @YolondaRoss VIMEO: /YolondaRoss For exclusive content surrounding this and all podcast episodes, sign up for our amazing newsletter at AlyshiaOchse.com. And don't forget to snap and post a photo while listening to the show and tag me (@alyshiaochse)! Show Links: CONSULTING: Get 1-on-1 advice for your acting career from Alyshia Ochse COACHING: Get personalized coaching from Alyshia on your next audition or role INSTAGRAM: @alyshiaochse INSTAGRAM: @thatoneaudition WEBSITE: AlyshiaOchse.com ITUNES: Subscribe to That One Audition on iTunes SPOTIFY: Subscribe to That One Audition on Spotify STITCHER: Subscribe to That One Audition on Stitcher Credits: WRITER: Juan Francisco Villa SOUND DESIGN: Zachary Jameson WEBSITE & GRAPHICS: Chase Jennings ASSISTANT: Elle Powell SOCIAL OUTREACH: Bebe Katsenes

There is a small percentage of actors who get the opportunity to be part of one franchise, but with todays guest, KAREN GILLAN, she's been part of not just one, but TWO multibillion dollar franchises. Her first agent described her as having "sheer perseverance" due to her being relentless in having them represent her: AT THE AGE OF 15! Two working class parents who were her biggest fans to the point of even playing major roles in booking auditions. That's right, you will hear how her mother's thick Scottish accent made Adam Mckay laugh to the point where he cast Karen due to the sheer comedy of the self tape. Her father's love for old crooners such as Frank Sinatra gave Karen aspirations of being an opera singer. She was so infatuated with the performance arts that gymnastic looked like dance routines! Her iconic “Nebula” role on GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY was initially a one-off with her character dying in the first film but her take on the character inspired James Gunn to rewrite the fate of her character. She did not waste anytime after finishing drama school by booking the "Amy Pond" role on DOCTOR WHO which soon led to her torrid pace of SELFIE, AVENGERS, JUMANJI and the soon to be released Netflix GUNPOWDER MILKSHAKE. She is easily Box Office Gold but that doesn't deter her from being fearful of losing that momentum. She's reached a place where she would TAKE advice from her younger self instead of giving it. These are the unforgettable stories that landed KAREN GILLAN right here. For exclusive content surrounding this and all podcast episodes, sign up for our amazing newsletter at AlyshiaOchse.com. And don't forget to snap and post a photo while listening to the show and tag me (@alyshiaochse)! Guest links: IMDB: Karen Gillan INSTAGRAM: @karengillan TWITTER: @karengillan Show Links: THE NEW TRIPLE THREAT: Script Analysis Class CONSULTING: Get 1-on-1 advice for your acting career from Alyshia Ochse COACHING: Get personalized coaching from Alyshia on your next audition or role INSTAGRAM: @alyshiaochse INSTAGRAM: @thatoneaudition WEBSITE: AlyshiaOchse.com ITUNES: Subscribe to That One Audition on iTunes SPOTIFY: Subscribe to That One Audition on Spotify STITCHER: Subscribe to That One Audition on Stitcher Credits: WRITER: Juan Francisco Villa SOUND DESIGN: Zachary Jameson WEBSITE & GRAPHICS: Chase Jennings ASSISTANT: Elle Powell SOCIAL OUTREACH: Bebe Katsenes

Today’s guest grew up the daughter of two prominent Chicago attorneys and the youngest of three siblings immersed in the arts. Everyone welcome: Cassidy Freeman. Her poise, work ethic and determination to constantly challenge herself quickly paid off. She embraced her old soul and let go of her aspirations of being an ingénue which immediately led to her first big break. Not knowing what a "stand in" or a "#2 on a call sheet" might deter other folks, but not Cassidy. She used that experience on her first big show as her TV Acting grad school. You've definitely seen her in the star turning role as "Tess Luthor" on SMALLVILLE and she continued to THE PLAYBOY CLUB, VAMPIRE DIARIES, LONGMIRE and THE RIGHTEOUS GEMSTONES. But before blazing the small screen with these credits, she had to learn some hard lessons along the way that led her to have fun when acting...especially for auditions. We go from 7 year old Cassidy gracing the stage of The Chicago Lyric Opera to performing at The Atlantic Theater in New York City at 22 years old, with some sound advice from a close Broadway novice that completely shifted her dreams to Broadway by way of TV. She shares her appalling experience of auditioning for a prominent Casting Director who gave her advice that she still thinks about to this day. You will hear why acting is the one art form you can't do in a vacuum since we have to listen in order to be present which is why she still takes classes at Playhouse West to this day. This is why she continues to redefine success to this day by loving life by living it. Guest links: IMDB: Cassidy Freeman INSTAGRAM: @hatface TWITTER: @cassidyfreeman For exclusive content surrounding this and all podcast episodes, sign up for our amazing newsletter at AlyshiaOchse.com. And don't forget to snap and post a photo while listening to the show and tag me (@alyshiaochse)! Show Links: THE NEW TRIPLE THREAT: Script Analysis Class CONSULTING: Get 1-on-1 advice for your acting career from Alyshia Ochse COACHING: Get personalized coaching from Alyshia on your next audition or role INSTAGRAM: @alyshiaochse INSTAGRAM: @thatoneaudition WEBSITE: AlyshiaOchse.com ITUNES: Subscribe to That One Audition on iTunes SPOTIFY: Subscribe to That One Audition on Spotify STITCHER: Subscribe to That One Audition on Stitcher Credits: WRITER: Juan Francisco Villa SOUND DESIGN: Zachary Jameson WEBSITE & GRAPHICS: Chase Jennings ASSISTANT: Elle Powell SOCIAL OUTREACH: Bebe Katsenes

"Being an actor feels like such a privilege, but it’s not a privilege if you’re not enjoying what you’re doing.” - Jasika Nicole As the auditions start to pour in again, how are you enjoying your process? Let's focus on progress instead of perfection. Show Links: THE NEW TRIPLE THREAT: Script Analysis Class CONSULTING: Get 1-on-1 advice for your acting career from Alyshia Ochse COACHING: Get personalized coaching from Alyshia on your next audition or role INSTAGRAM: @alyshiaochse INSTAGRAM: @thatoneaudition WEBSITE: AlyshiaOchse.com ITUNES: Subscribe to That One Audition on iTunes SPOTIFY: Subscribe to That One Audition on Spotify STITCHER: Subscribe to That One Audition on Stitcher Credits: WRITER: Erin McCluskey SOUND DESIGN: Zachary Jameson WEBSITE & GRAPHICS: Chase Jennings ASSISTANT: Elle Powell SOCIAL OUTREACH: Bebe Katsenes

Today, I sit down with actor, producer, writer, and filmmaker, David Dastmalchian. For over a decade, David has built a dynamic career driven by ambition and vision. In an industry that often tells us there is only one way to success, David has proved time and time again that there are any number of roads an artist can take to get to where they want to be, and with he himself often taking the road less traveled. Starting out in the theater world of Chicago, David quickly began racking up commercial credits which brought him to New York. Having been told throughout the early years of his career that his type would not be marketable in Los Angeles, David stresses just how important it is to have representation that believes in the vision you have for yourself. So important in fact, that David has been flying solo without an agent for the last 4 years and has still found tremendous success in his career. Including his incredible story of auditioning for Christopher Nolan’s “The Dark Knight,” and the advice that Christopher offered him about acting that has stuck with him all these years later. After his time in Chicago and New York, David relocated to Los Angeles in 2010. Even with the success of “The Dark Knight” under his belt, David reveals that he still struggled to gain career momentum. David stresses to listeners the importance of doing anything and everything you can to practice your craft as you never know where it may lead. David began writing, making short films, creating his own features, taking every class and workshop available, as well as auditioning for filmmakers fresh out of film school - a move that ended up serving him well a couple years later in his career. You’ve seen him not only in “The Dark Knight,” but also in Warner Brother’s “Prisoners,” Disney-Marvel’s “Ant-man,” opposite Sandra Bullock in the hit Netflix feature film, “Birdbox,” “Blade Runner 2049,” “Reprisal,” “The Belko Experiment,” and soon to appear in James Gunn’s “The Suicide Squad,” and the upcoming sci-fi feature, “Dune” both premiering later this year. Starting every single day looking at his dreams and goals board mounted on his wall, David candidly and openly discusses the importance of caring for your mental health, making your own opportunities, and the value of knowing that whether or not you reach your life goals, that you’re going to make amazing things happen along the way. Guest links: IMDB: David Dastmalchian INSTAGRAM: @dastmalchian TWITTER: @Dastmalchian AMAZON: Count Crowley: Reluctant Midnight Monster Hunter For exclusive content surrounding this and all podcast episodes, sign up for our amazing newsletter at AlyshiaOchse.com. And don't forget to snap and post a photo while listening to the show and tag me (@alyshiaochse)! Show Links: THE NEW TRIPLE THREAT: Script Analysis Class CONSULTING: Get 1-on-1 advice for your acting career from Alyshia Ochse COACHING: Get personalized coaching from Alyshia on your next audition or role INSTAGRAM: @alyshiaochse INSTAGRAM: @thatoneaudition WEBSITE: AlyshiaOchse.com ITUNES: Subscribe to That One Audition on iTunes SPOTIFY: Subscribe to That One Audition on Spotify STITCHER: Subscribe to That One Audition on Stitcher Credits: WRITER: Erin McCluskey SOUND DESIGN: Zachary Jameson WEBSITE & GRAPHICS: Chase Jennings ASSISTANT: Elle Powell SOCIAL OUTREACH: Bebe Katsenes