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Carroll Baker Sep 24, 2019

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Carroll Baker's work in Elia Kazan's "Baby Doll" and Jack Garfein's "Something Wild" is just as impressive and valuable as any performance delivered by her legendary Actors Studio contemporaries Marlon Brando and James Dean. So why isn't she talked about in the same way? After the simultaneous sensation and scandal of "Baby Doll" (it was condemned by the Legion of Decency), Baker became a star, but she spent most of her career either avoiding sex-symbol roles or begrudgingly accepting them. Despite a handful of other great performances ("Giant," "Cheyenne Autumn," "The Big County," "Station Six-Sahara"), conflicts with studios, producers, and her husband (Garfein) marred her career. One can't help but wonder what it would have looked like if she had her druthers. I sat down with Baker on the second floor of the National Arts Club in New York City to talk about her work as an actor, and also, with the publication of her new mystery novel "Who Killed Big Al?", what she gets out of writing.

Thanks to the esteemed author and historian Foster Hirsch for his invaluable assistance in bringing us together.

Kaitlyn Dever Sep 17, 2019

Show notes

Kaitlyn Dever's sophisticated comedic instincts were on full display throughout her teens in the sitcom "Last Man Standing." This year she took it to another level, starring with Beanie Feldstein in the hit comedy sensation "Booksmart." And now we get to marvel at another side of her incredible acting talent in the powerful new Netflix limited series "Unbelievable." In this episode, she talks about how she dealt with the emotional weight of the material in that series, and one compelling monologue in particular where restraint was a key ingredient. Plus she explains how being a "moldy person" helps her work and the important role music plays in her preparation.

Wyatt Russell Sep 10, 2019

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Despite growing up in a Hollywood family, Wyatt Russell didn't seriously consider pursing acting until an injury ended his professional Hockey career. In a few years he's managed to cultivate a subtle and distinct style in comedies ("22 Jump Street"), dramas ("Overlord") and a unique and unclassifiable series that lies someone between (AMC's "Lodge 49"). In this episode, he talks about embodying the lovable Dud in that series, embracing an enunciation lesson from Joe Wright, getting "caught watching" Michael Parks, plus much more!

Michaela Watkins Sep 03, 2019

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A Groundlings and Saturday Night Live alum who has evolved beyond her improvisational prowess, Michaela Watkins continues to surprise us. "The Unicorn," "Search Party," "Transparent" and "Casual" are some of her television highlights. And I loved her in movies like "Afternoon Delight," "Person to Person," and the important and inspirational "Brittany Runs A Marathon." We talk about the vital role she plays in that film, and what, if anything, has changed in regards to meaty roles for woman. Plus she talks about being Jill Soloway's muse, and the importance of embodying a WHOLE person.

Lee Pace Aug 27, 2019

Show notes

Lee Pace has one of those dream acting careers where he gets to be painted blue or dons elf ears to play Ronan ("Guardians of the Galaxy") or Thranduil ("The Hobbit" films), sparking the imagination of countless fans around the world, and then he hits the Broadway stage and knocks 'em dead as Joe Pitt in "Angels in America." I ask him if he takes stock of that aspect of his career, and we talk about a curious note Barry Sonnenfeld gave him while making "Pushing Daisies" that he still uses to this day. Plus why he's not bothered by line readings, and how you have to "inspire yourself" into a role, like he did to play John DeLorean in the new film "Driven."

Jake Lacy Aug 20, 2019

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I first took note of Jake Lacy's exquisite comedic delivery in "The Office" and "How to Be Single," and was pleased to see him shine while going deep and dark, like in this year's "Diane," and last year's "I'm Dying Up Here." He even stands out playing opposite heavyweights like Rooney Mara in "Carol," and Michelle Williams in "Fosse/Verdon." I gathered from past interviews that he spoke with an authenticity that was going to work very well on Back To One, but I was not prepared for the level of comfort and delicacy with which he opened up to me about his acting process, experience, and evolution. He's got two movies out now - "Ode To Joy" (in theaters and on-demand), and "Otherhood" (on Netflix).

Greg Kinnear Aug 13, 2019

Show notes

He started out as a TV host in the 90s, but Greg Kinnear quickly made the transition to leading man thanks to legendary directors like Sydney Pollack and James L. Brooks investing in his acting talent. An Oscar nomination for "As Good As It Gets" followed, and he's been making movies ever since, "Little Miss Sunshine," "Auto Focus," "Little Men," to name just a few. This Summer he has three movies out - "Brian Banks," "The Red Sea Diving Resort" (Netflix), and "Phil," which he also directed. In this episode, we discuss the importance of tone, his penchant for playing real-life people, and how he reacts to being called a natural… plus much more!

Ruben Santiago-Hudson Aug 06, 2019

Show notes

Actor/writer/director Ruben Santiago-Hudson is the kind of artist whose awe-inspiring dedication to the work can almost be overwhelming. He won a Tony Award for his performance in August Wilson's "Seven Guitars." His autobiographical play "Lackawanna Blues" was a sensation at the Public Theater and went on to be an award-winning HBO film. He started directing plays (particularly Wilson's) and is now one of the most sought after directors working in theater. His production of "Jitney" on Broadway won the Tony award for Best Revival of a Play. As an actor, he can currently be seen on Showtime's "Billions" and recently on BET's "The Quad." He wrote the screenplay for "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom," which is coming to Netflix (starring Viola Davis). In this hour he generously gives us so many golden nuggets about his approach to this amazing craft, both as an actor and director, that you're going to want to listen with a pen and pad in hand.

Damon Herriman Jul 30, 2019

Show notes

It's rare for one actor to be cast as the same real-life character in two different productions almost simultaneously. When that real life character is Charles Manson, that makes some news. Australian actor Damon Herriman has taken on this challenging role in both Quentin Tarantino's "Once Upon A Time… In Hollywood" and the second season of David Fincher's Netflix series "Mindhunter." Herriman is perhaps best know for playing Dewey Crowe in the series "Justified" and currently plays Paul Allen Brown in "Perpetual Grace LTD." We talk about the character of Manson, how good writing makes for good acting, and why it's important to NOT add strings to a bow you don't have.

Kevin Corrigan (Part 2) Jul 23, 2019

Show notes

Kevin Corrigan will always have a special spot in the Back To One pantheon, not just because he was the very first guest, but because he set the stage for the discussions on the craft of acting that were to come—personal, steeped in the work, confessional at times, often inspirational, always educational. In this hour, he shares some more inspiring personal experiences from a life in acting, and also talks about the work of those who've inspired him, from his friend Natasha Lyonne and his current co-star Pete Davidson, to Marlon Brando, Glenda Jackson, Taylor Negron, the actor Bob Dylan, and much more!

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