In the Envelope: The Actor’s Podcast

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Brendan Fraser Feb 16, 2023

Show notes

Brendan Fraser was never really that far away—but when you’re as beloved as he was, any retreat at all feels like a loss. Luckily, the actor is back in a major way with Darren Aronofsky’s “The Whale,” a role that earned him his first Oscar nomination, and a renewed sense of self. “I know how wanting this profession can make people become… it can really change your brain chemistry to turn you into a different person that you maybe weren't anticipating,” Fraser says. “I wanted to make sure that I had a strong sense of identity. And that always came from feeling like I was comfortable in my own skin." In this episode of In the Envelope: The Actor’s Podcast, Fraser explains all the ways he’s changed as an actor—and as a person. --- Backstage has been the #1 resource for actors and talent-seekers for 60 years. In the Envelope, Backstage’s podcast, features intimate, in-depth conversations with today’s most noteworthy film, television, and theater actors and creators. This is your guide to every aspect of acting, from voiceover and commercial work to casting directors, agents, and more. Full of both know-how and inspiration, In the Envelope airs weekly to cover everything from practical advice on navigating the industry, to how your favorite projects are made, to personal stories of success and failure alike. Join host Vinnie Mancuso, senior editor at Backstage, for this guide on how to live the creative life from those who are doing it every day: https://bit.ly/2OMryWQ Follow Backstage and In the Envelope on social media: - https://www.facebook.com/backstage - https://www.twitter.com/backstage - https://www.twitter.com/intheenvelope - https://www.instagram.com/backstagecast Looking to get cast? Subscribe here: www.backstage.com/subscribe Browse Backstage casting listings: https://bit.ly/3mth68e Check out our community-driven virtual programming, The Slate: https://bit.ly/2WDNXf0 Backstage stands in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement: https://bit.ly/3cuMBt5 Special thanks to... - Host: Vinnie Mancuso - Producer: Jamie Muffett - Social media: Karen Jenkins - Design: Mark Stinson, Caitlin Watkins - Additional support: Kasey Howe, Samantha Sherlock, Oriella St. Louis

Paul Walter Hauser Feb 09, 2023

Show notes

Anyone familiar with Paul Walter Hauser from lighthearted romps like “Cobra Kai” and “Cruella” might be surprised to learn his performance in the Apple TV+ true crime series “Black Bird'' is genuinely one of the most unnerving in recent history. But for Hauser, taking on the role of serial killer Larry Hall—which has earned him Golden Globes and Critics Choice wins to go with a SAG nomination—was simply a matter of leveling up. "I really liken my acting to like how Dave Grohl talks about music, like you can be classically trained or you can just suck and then get good,” he tells us. “I don't think I ever sucked sucked, but I definitely wasn't where I am now. I think it's trial and error and you just absorb and you do. I think what I lacked in craft and sort of performance intellect I had in recklessness and fearlessness.” On this episode of In the Envelope: The Actor’s Podcast, Hauser takes us behind the scenes of his chilling performance and what it taught him about acting—and himself. --- Backstage has been the #1 resource for actors and talent-seekers for 60 years. In the Envelope, Backstage’s podcast, features intimate, in-depth conversations with today’s most noteworthy film, television, and theater actors and creators. This is your guide to every aspect of acting, from voiceover and commercial work to casting directors, agents, and more. Full of both know-how and inspiration, In the Envelope airs weekly to cover everything from practical advice on navigating the industry, to how your favorite projects are made, to personal stories of success and failure alike. Join host Vinnie Mancuso, senior editor at Backstage, for this guide on how to live the creative life from those who are doing it every day: https://bit.ly/2OMryWQ Follow Backstage and In the Envelope on social media: - https://www.facebook.com/backstage - https://www.twitter.com/backstage - https://www.twitter.com/intheenvelope - https://www.instagram.com/backstagecast Looking to get cast? Subscribe here: www.backstage.com/subscribe Browse Backstage casting listings: https://bit.ly/3mth68e Check out our community-driven virtual programming, The Slate: https://bit.ly/2WDNXf0 Backstage stands in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement: https://bit.ly/3cuMBt5 Special thanks to... - Host: Vinnie Mancuso - Producer: Jamie Muffett - Social media: Karen Jenkins - Design: Mark Stinson, Caitlin Watkins - Additional support: Kasey Howe, Samantha Sherlock, Oriella St. Louis

Ke Huy Quan Feb 02, 2023

Show notes

Ke Huy Quan found instant success as a child actor with “Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom” and “The Goonies”—and then he stepped away for decades, unsure if he’d ever return. Now? Quan is an Oscar nominee for the role of Waymond Wang in “Everything Everywhere All at Once,” just one of 11 nominations for the universe-hopping A24 action-comedy. "I've waited more than 30 years for this. Don't give up. That opportunity will come knock and you just have to be ready,” he says. “When it does, you have to pour your entire heart and soul into it. I hope people can hear my story and know if it can ever happen to me, it can happen to you. You just have to be patient." In this episode of In the Envelope: The Actor’s Podcast, Quan walks us through his entire inspiring journey back to acting, the doubts along the way, and what’s next for his improbable comeback. --- Backstage has been the #1 resource for actors and talent-seekers for 60 years. In the Envelope, Backstage’s podcast, features intimate, in-depth conversations with today’s most noteworthy film, television, and theater actors and creators. This is your guide to every aspect of acting, from voiceover and commercial work to casting directors, agents, and more. Full of both know-how and inspiration, In the Envelope airs weekly to cover everything from practical advice on navigating the industry, to how your favorite projects are made, to personal stories of success and failure alike. Join host Vinnie Mancuso, senior editor at Backstage, for this guide on how to live the creative life from those who are doing it every day: https://bit.ly/2OMryWQ Follow Backstage and In the Envelope on social media: - https://www.facebook.com/backstage - https://www.twitter.com/backstage - https://www.twitter.com/intheenvelope - https://www.instagram.com/backstagecast Looking to get cast? Subscribe here: www.backstage.com/subscribe Browse Backstage casting listings: https://bit.ly/3mth68e Check out our community-driven virtual programming, The Slate: https://bit.ly/2WDNXf0 Backstage stands in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement: https://bit.ly/3cuMBt5 Special thanks to... - Host: Vinnie Mancuso - Producer: Jamie Muffett - Social media: Karen Jenkins - Design: Mark Stinson, Caitlin Watkins - Additional support: Kasey Howe, Samantha Sherlock, Oriella St. Louis

Barry Keoghan Jan 19, 2023

Show notes

Barry Keoghan woke up the morning after his first Golden Globes ceremony—where his latest project, “The Banshees of Inisherin,” took home three wins—to learn that “Banshees'' had also nabbed five Screen Actors Guild Awards nominations, including a supporting actor nod for himself. But even as a newly crowned awards season favorite, the native of Summerhill, Dublin always seeks to remember his roots. "I always want to hold on to some rawness. Hold on to that rawness,” he advises fellow actors. “That's what the truest form is; the purest form. Hold on to whatever that is, that untrained thing that you're doing." In this episode of In the Envelope: The Actor’s Podcast, Keoghan gets candid about his unlikely road to Hollywood, his roles in films like “The Killing of a Sacred Deer,” “Eternals,” and “The Batman,” as well as the surprising story behind his emotional scene in “The Banshees of Inisherin.” --- Backstage has been the #1 resource for actors and talent-seekers for 60 years. In the Envelope, Backstage’s podcast, features intimate, in-depth conversations with today’s most noteworthy film, television, and theater actors and creators. This is your guide to every aspect of acting, from voiceover and commercial work to casting directors, agents, and more. Full of both know-how and inspiration, In the Envelope airs weekly to cover everything from practical advice on navigating the industry, to how your favorite projects are made, to personal stories of success and failure alike. Join host Vinnie Mancuso, senior editor at Backstage, for this guide on how to live the creative life from those who are doing it every day: https://bit.ly/2OMryWQ Follow Backstage and In the Envelope on social media: - https://www.facebook.com/backstage - https://www.twitter.com/backstage - https://www.twitter.com/intheenvelope - https://www.instagram.com/backstagecast Looking to get cast? Subscribe here: www.backstage.com/subscribe Browse Backstage casting listings: https://bit.ly/3mth68e Check out our community-driven virtual programming, The Slate: https://bit.ly/2WDNXf0 Backstage stands in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement: https://bit.ly/3cuMBt5 Special thanks to... - Host: Vinnie Mancuso - Producer: Jamie Muffett - Social media: Karen Jenkins - Design: Mark Stinson, Caitlin Watkins - Additional support: Kasey Howe, Samantha Sherlock, Benjamin Lindsay, Oriella St. Louis

Olivia Cooke Jan 05, 2023

Show notes

Olivia Cooke just had the biggest year of her career, thanks to HBO’s hit “Game of Thrones” spinoff, “House of the Dragon.” Part of creating her standout performance as Alicent Hightower was accepting not every part of her process would line up exactly with the massive amount of fan expectations surrounding the show. “Whatever layers I try to give the character in order to make a more nuanced performance… ultimately it’s not going to please everyone,” she says. “But that’s just what I have to do in order to give a decent, honest performance. I have to imbue it with just things that justify the characters, actions and emotions. And those might not necessarily be in the original text, or even in the scripts.” In this episode of In the Envelope: The Actor’s Podcast, Cooke brings us behind the scenes of “House of the Dragon,” explains the layers she added to Alicent, and shares her mindset as she gears up for season 2. --- Backstage has been the #1 resource for actors and talent-seekers for 60 years. In the Envelope, Backstage’s podcast, features intimate, in-depth conversations with today’s most noteworthy film, television, and theater actors and creators. This is your guide to every aspect of acting, from voiceover and commercial work to casting directors, agents, and more. Full of both know-how and inspiration, In the Envelope airs weekly to cover everything from practical advice on navigating the industry, to how your favorite projects are made, to personal stories of success and failure alike. Join host Vinnie Mancuso, senior editor at Backstage, for this guide on how to live the creative life from those who are doing it every day: https://bit.ly/2OMryWQ Follow Backstage and In the Envelope on social media: - https://www.facebook.com/backstage - https://www.twitter.com/backstage - https://www.twitter.com/intheenvelope - https://www.instagram.com/backstagecast Looking to get cast? Subscribe here: www.backstage.com/subscribe Browse Backstage casting listings: https://bit.ly/3mth68e Check out our community-driven virtual programming, The Slate: https://bit.ly/2WDNXf0 Backstage stands in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement: https://bit.ly/3cuMBt5 Special thanks to... - Host: Vinnie Mancuso - Producer: Jamie Muffett - Social media: Katie Minard, Karen Jenkins - Design: Mark Stinson, Caitlin Watkins - Additional support: Kasey Howe, Samantha Sherlock, Benjamin Lindsay, Oriella St. Louis

Austin Butler Dec 22, 2022

Show notes

Austin Butler is building Oscars buzz for his lead performance in “Elvis”—the peak of an inspiring journey that started with background and one-line roles in children’s TV. "I look back on Nickelodeon shows or Disney things that I did, and... even though my skill wasn't there, I still had a mentality of wanting to give the energy of if I was gonna go make ‘Raging Bull,’ '' he says. “I just kept that sort of fierce dedication towards trying to find more truth." In this episode of In the Envelope: The Actor’s Podcast, Butler dives deep into that same fierce dedication he brought to “Elvis,” how he’s preparing for “Dune: Part Two,” and what he’s learned from Denzel Washington, Quentin Tarantino, and Baz Luhrmann. --- Backstage has been the #1 resource for actors and talent-seekers for 60 years. In the Envelope, Backstage’s podcast, features intimate, in-depth conversations with today’s most noteworthy film, television, and theater actors and creators. This is your guide to every aspect of acting, from voiceover and commercial work to casting directors, agents, and more. Full of both know-how and inspiration, In the Envelope airs weekly to cover everything from practical advice on navigating the industry, to how your favorite projects are made, to personal stories of success and failure alike. Join host Vinnie Mancuso, senior editor at Backstage, for this guide on how to live the creative life from those who are doing it every day: https://bit.ly/2OMryWQ Follow Backstage and In the Envelope on social media: - https://www.facebook.com/backstage - https://www.twitter.com/backstage - https://www.twitter.com/intheenvelope - https://www.instagram.com/backstagecast Looking to get cast? Subscribe here: www.backstage.com/subscribe Browse Backstage casting listings: https://bit.ly/3mth68e Check out our community-driven virtual programming, The Slate: https://bit.ly/2WDNXf0 Backstage stands in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement: https://bit.ly/3cuMBt5 Special thanks to... - Host: Vinnie Mancuso - Producer: Jamie Muffett - Social media: Katie Minard, Karen Jenkins - Design: Mark Stinson, Caitlin Watkins - Additional support: Kasey Howe, Samantha Sherlock, Benjamin Lindsay, Oriella St. Louis

Eddie Redmayne Dec 08, 2022

Show notes

Eddie Redmayne is an Oscar, Tony, SAG, and Olivier Award winner because he puts in the work. Whether it’s a “Cabaret” revival, the massive “Fantastic Beasts” franchise, or quiet true crime character studies like “The Good Nurse,” the actor always finds his character in the preparation. “The more you can go and just gain insight into what [the role] is, the more ideas you can come with on the day,” he says. “Whether it’s props or costume, I try to get ahead of all that. So there’s always something surprising on the day. You only have such a limited period on camera to find ideas, so it’s good to have some sort of runway.” On this episode on In the Envelope: The Actor’s Podcast, Redmayne explains what he learned from the major roles in his career, including blockbusters like “Jupiter Ascending” and his subtler turns in “The Theory of Everything” and “The Danish Girl.” --- Backstage has been the #1 resource for actors and talent-seekers for 60 years. In the Envelope, Backstage’s podcast, features intimate, in-depth conversations with today’s most noteworthy film, television, and theater actors and creators. This is your guide to every aspect of acting, from voiceover and commercial work to casting directors, agents, and more. Full of both know-how and inspiration, In the Envelope airs weekly to cover everything from practical advice on navigating the industry, to how your favorite projects are made, to personal stories of success and failure alike. Join host Vinnie Mancuso, senior editor at Backstage, for this guide on how to live the creative life from those who are doing it every day: https://bit.ly/2OMryWQ Follow Backstage and In the Envelope on social media: - https://www.facebook.com/backstage - https://www.twitter.com/backstage - https://www.twitter.com/intheenvelope - https://www.instagram.com/backstagecast Looking to get cast? Subscribe here: www.backstage.com/subscribe Browse Backstage casting listings: https://bit.ly/3mth68e Check out our community-driven virtual programming, The Slate: https://bit.ly/2WDNXf0 Backstage stands in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement: https://bit.ly/3cuMBt5 Special thanks to... - Host: Vinnie Mancuso - Producer: Jamie Muffett - Social media: Katie Minard, Karen Jenkins - Design: Mark Stinson, Caitlin Watkins - Additional support: Kasey Howe, Samantha Sherlock, Benjamin Lindsay, Oriella St. Louis

Janelle Monáe Nov 24, 2022

Show notes

Janelle Monáe has a simple explanation for how she became an eight-time Grammy nominated musician, activist, sci-fi writer, and an actor in buzzy awards films and the highly-anticipated “Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery.” “I have clones,” Monáe says. “All of my clones go out, and they are representatives for the many things that I put my heart and my spirit into. Sometimes things don't go as planned, but that is life, and so I welcome all the highs and the lows and the peaks and the valleys.” She’s kidding. Or is she? In this episode of In the Envelope: The Actor’s Podcast, we unlock the mystery of Monáe’s multifaceted output, from turns in Oscar players like “Moonlight” and “Hidden Figures” to her enigmatic role in “Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery.” --- Backstage has been the #1 resource for actors and talent-seekers for 60 years. In the Envelope, Backstage’s podcast, features intimate, in-depth conversations with today’s most noteworthy film, television, and theater actors and creators. This is your guide to every aspect of acting, from voiceover and commercial work to casting directors, agents, and more. Full of both know-how and inspiration, In the Envelope airs weekly to cover everything from practical advice on navigating the industry, to how your favorite projects are made, to personal stories of success and failure alike. Join host Vinnie Mancuso, senior editor at Backstage, for this guide on how to live the creative life from those who are doing it every day: https://bit.ly/2OMryWQ Follow Backstage and In the Envelope on social media: - https://www.facebook.com/backstage - https://www.twitter.com/backstage - https://www.twitter.com/intheenvelope - https://www.instagram.com/backstagecast Looking to get cast? Subscribe here: www.backstage.com/subscribe Browse Backstage casting listings: https://bit.ly/3mth68e Check out our community-driven virtual programming, The Slate: https://bit.ly/2WDNXf0 Backstage stands in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement: https://bit.ly/3cuMBt5 Special thanks to... - Host: Vinnie Mancuso - Producer: Jamie Muffett - Social media: Katie Minard, Karen Jenkins - Design: Mark Stinson, Caitlin Watkins - Additional support: Kasey Howe, Samantha Sherlock, Benjamin Lindsay, Oriella St. Louis

Aubrey Plaza Nov 10, 2022

Show notes

Aubrey Plaza has played a Marvel mutant, a social media-obsessed cyber stalker, an underground credit card scammer, and Aaron Burr. Understandably, she’s a bit tired of all these characters getting painted with the same brush. “Soon I'm going to get into the world of prosthetics… where I change my nose and my hair so people can just completely forget that it's me,” she says. “I'm always surprised that when I do something new, there's always that one person who says, 'there she goes, doing the Aubrey Plaza thing again.' I only have my own instrument to work with. Anyway, I sound bitter, but I'm not. But I am always surprised that people use 'deadpan' to describe some things that I've done. It just feels a little reductive. But that's my journey.” On this episode of In the Envelope: The Actor’s Podcast, Plaza takes us even deeper into that journey, including her creative process for ‘Emily the Criminal’ and ‘The White Lotus,’ as well as what to expect from Francis Ford Coppolla’s ‘Megalopolis’ and the MCU’s ‘Agatha: Coven of Chaos.’ --- Backstage has been the #1 resource for actors and talent-seekers for 60 years. In the Envelope, Backstage’s podcast, features intimate, in-depth conversations with today’s most noteworthy film, television, and theater actors and creators. This is your guide to every aspect of acting, from voiceover and commercial work to casting directors, agents, and more. Full of both know-how and inspiration, In the Envelope airs weekly to cover everything from practical advice on navigating the industry, to how your favorite projects are made, to personal stories of success and failure alike. Join host Vinnie Mancuso, senior editor at Backstage, for this guide on how to live the creative life from those who are doing it every day: https://bit.ly/2OMryWQ Follow Backstage and In the Envelope on social media: - https://www.facebook.com/backstage - https://www.twitter.com/backstage - https://www.twitter.com/intheenvelope - https://www.instagram.com/backstagecast Looking to get cast? Subscribe here: www.backstage.com/subscribe Browse Backstage casting listings: https://bit.ly/3mth68e Check out our community-driven virtual programming, The Slate: https://bit.ly/2WDNXf0 Backstage stands in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement: https://bit.ly/3cuMBt5 Special thanks to... - Host: Vinnie Mancuso - Producer: Jamie Muffett - Social media: Katie Minard, Karen Jenkins - Design: Mark Stinson, Caitlin Watkins - Additional support: Kasey Howe, Samantha Sherlock, Benjamin Lindsay, Oriella St. Louis

Jonathan Majors Oct 27, 2022

Show notes

Jonathan Majors is a Netflix Western hero; the Big Bad of the Marvel Cinematic Universe; the most formidable opponent to sit across from Michael B. Jordan in the “Creed” series. He is, in other words, extremely cool. But one of the secrets to his success, he says, is how deeply uncool he can be about his craft. “It’s okay to care. That’s one of the things that really gets me about actors; about us,” he says. “Sometimes there’s this devil may care attitude. ‘I’ll get to it when I get to it.’ The truth of the matter is, you care more about this thing than anything else in the world and it scares you to death. You can act cool about it. I don’t act cool about it at all. It is what I love the most.” In this episode of In the Envelope: The Actor’s Podcast, Majors dives deep into the process that led him to Kang the Conqueror, “Creed III,” and beyond. --- Backstage has been the #1 resource for actors and talent-seekers for 60 years. In the Envelope, Backstage’s podcast, features intimate, in-depth conversations with today’s most noteworthy film, television, and theater actors and creators. This is your guide to every aspect of acting, from voiceover and commercial work to casting directors, agents, and more. Full of both know-how and inspiration, In the Envelope airs weekly to cover everything from practical advice on navigating the industry, to how your favorite projects are made, to personal stories of success and failure alike. Join host Vinnie Mancuso, senior editor at Backstage, for this guide on how to live the creative life from those who are doing it every day: https://bit.ly/2OMryWQ Follow Backstage and In the Envelope on social media: - https://www.facebook.com/backstage - https://www.twitter.com/backstage - https://www.twitter.com/intheenvelope - https://www.instagram.com/backstagecast Looking to get cast? Subscribe here: www.backstage.com/subscribe Browse Backstage casting listings: https://bit.ly/3mth68e Check out our community-driven virtual programming, The Slate: https://bit.ly/2WDNXf0 Backstage stands in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement: https://bit.ly/3cuMBt5 Special thanks to... - Host: Vinnie Mancuso - Producer: Jamie Muffett - Social media: Katie Minard, Karen Jenkins - Design: Mark Stinson, Caitlin Watkins - Additional support: Kasey Howe, Samantha Sherlock, Benjamin Lindsay, Oriella St. Louis

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