Little Known Facts with Ilana Levine

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Episode 65 - Cazzie David & Elisa Kalani Oct 17, 2017

Show notes

Cazzie David, daughter of "Seinfeld" and "Curb Your Enthusiasm" creator Larry David, was followed by TMZ the day she moved into her college dorm. Any hopes for an anonymous matriculation were blown immediately -- and most of the students Cazzie encountered on campus weren't quite sure how to interact with the child of a major Hollywood star. The one person who didn't seem to be nonplussed by it all was Elisa Kalani. In her refreshingly straight forward manner, Elisa acknowledged how wonderful -- and strange -- it was to have Cazzie at the school. The two freshmen became fast friends and have remained the best of friends ever since those first surreal days.

Cazzie and Elisa, co-creators of the critically acclaimed web series "Eighty-Sixed," chat with Ilana about their work and what it means to be "millennials." Elisa and Cazzie describe their relationship to technology as second nature -- but as millennials they are actually on the cusp; they lived a life before having all of these technological advances and social media so they know life before and after Snapchat. "Eighty-Sixed," as described by Cazzie, is simultaneously critical of her generation and sympathetic. In other words, it's honest, real and of course hilarious.

These two young, smart writers go in depth with Ilana about what it was like doing a project that shot in Larry David’s home -- but didn’t involve Larry David! Cazzie shares what it feels like being the child of a famous father -- and they both discuss what’s next for them. These brilliant young women are taking Hollywood by storm on their own terms with their unique take on what it’s like to be in your 20’s in America today.

The two met their first week at Emerson College and forged a friendship that has turned into a prolific creative partnership since graduating.

Here is what critics had to say about this spotlight into the world of millennial break ups.

"(DAVID’S) BRITTLE, DEADPAN CHARISMA IS INNATELY WATCHABLE, AND THERE ARE FEW FULL-LENGTH SHOWS SUCCESSFULLY MINING THE COMPLEX NORMS AND PRESSURES OF SOCIAL-MEDIA ETIQUETTE THROUGH A COMEDIC LENS." — NY MAGA

"CAZZIE DAVID MIGHT BE THE NEXT VOICE OF A GENERATION...SHE [REMI] IS NOT HERE TO IMPRESS YOU. AND WE'RE SERIOUSLY IMPRESSED." — REFINERY29

"WHAT’S SO GREAT ABOUT EIGHTY-SIXED IS THAT IT NEVER FEELS LIKE IT’S TRYING TOO HARD. THE INTERNET IS FULL OF OVERLY AMBITIOUS WEB SERIES, BUT THIS ONE IS FULLY SELF-AWARE AND DELIGHTFULLY WRY." — DECIDER

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Episode 64 - Bill Camp Oct 10, 2017

Show notes

Bill Camp, the Emmy and Tony nominated actor, has had an illustrious career on stage and in film for over three decades. His most recent turn as "Dennis Box" in HBO's highly acclaimed limited series "The Night Of " earned him an Emmy nomination for his compelling portrayal of an NYPD Detective in pursuit of the truth. Camp brought tremendous pathos and dimension to the role -- as he does to every role he plays. Beloved by some of the most accomplished directors of our time including Mike Nichols and Stephen Spielberg, Camp has become one of the most sought after actors working today. On this episode, Bill opens up to Ilana about his years of "deviant" behavior and how he weathered the storm. He also shares intimate and hilarious details of his courtship and ultimate marriage to actress, Elizabeth Marvel.

Bill is best known for his Emmy Award nominated performance (Best Supporting Actor in a Limited Series) in HBO's critically acclaimed limited series "The Night Of," starring alongside John Turturro and Riz Ahmed directed by Steve Zaillian and written by Richard Price. Bill is currently filming the "The Looming Tower," where he will portray FBI veteran Robert Chesney. The upcoming Hulu series in the based on Lawrence Wright’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel that chronicles the events that led to the September 11 terrorist attacks. Bill recently shot the Francis Lawrence-directed spy thriller "Marble," based on Jason Matthew’s espionage novel. This film also marks his second time working with Steve Zaillian, who is attached as a producer on the Fox feature. Additionally, Bill filmed "The Land Of Steady Habits" both written and directed by Nicole Holofcener with Anthony Bregman of Likely Story producing. Bill also shot a pivotal role in "Molly’s Game" directed by Aaron Sorkin and co-starred alongside Jake Gyllenhaal and Carey Mulligan in "Wildlife," Paul Dano’s directorial debut. Other upcoming films include "The Killing of a Sacred Deer" directed by Yorgos Lanthimos, "Woman Walks" Ahead directed by Susanna White, and Scott Cooper’s latest feature, "Hostiles." This will be his second time working with Cooper, as the duo previously collaborated on "Black Mass." Last year, Bill held key roles in "Midnight Special" and "Loving" (both from writer-director Jeff Nichols) as well as "Jason Bourne" directed by Paul Greengrass. Bill has also appeared in "Gold" for director Stephen Gaghan, "Aloha" for director Cameron Crowe, "Birdman" (Academy Award Winner, Best Picture) for director Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu, "Love & Mercy," "12 Years a Slave," "Lincoln," "Compliance," "Lawless," "Tamara Drewe" and "Public Enemies."

On the small screen he has played recurring roles on "The Leftovers," "Manhattan," "Boardwalk Empire" and "Damages."

A veteran of the stage, Bill received a Tony Award nomination for his performance as Reverend John Hale in Arthur Miller’s "The Crucible," directed by Ivo Van Hove and produced by Scott Rudin. He is an alumnus of The Juilliard School and recipient of several awards and honors, including the Obie, Elliot Norton, Drama Desk, and Boston Critics Association.

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Episode 63 - Gillian Pensavalle Oct 03, 2017

Show notes

Gillian Pensavalle is the host of "The Hamilcast" podcast. Gillian started the podcast at the beginning of 2016 because of her love, passion and obsession with all things "Hamilton, An American Musical." Each week Gillian has conversations with members of the Hamilton community, theater luminaries, friends and Hamilton fans about all things ... Hamilton. Slowly Gillian's audience has grown and grown -- and it is now regarded as the "official" podcast of Hamilton by its cast members. In the summer of 2017, Lin Manuel Miranda recognized Gillian on twitter with his signature "I see you @TheHamilcast" and a conversation began -- a conversation that has culminated in a four hour dialogue between Lin and Gillian that has become known as #Lintoberfest on "The Hamilcast" podcast. Find out how it all evolved and unfolded on this exciting new episode of "Little Known Facts with Ilana Levine."

A born and raised New Yorker, Gillian Pensavalle is a karaoke enthusiast who says hello to dogs on the street, but always asks permission first. She is a proud Ravenclaw and loyal to House Stark.

Gillian is the creator, executive producer, and host of "The Hamilcast: A Hamilton Podcast," the first Hamilton podcast to hit the airwaves in January of 2016, which has since earned the title of "The Official Hamilton Podcast" among cast members and has listeners in over 140 countries. Guests include over two dozen people involved in Hamilton including cast members, crew, musicians, and the man who started it all: Lin-Manuel Miranda. How lucky we are to be alive right now indeed.

Gillian is also the co-creator and co-host of comedy podcast "True Crime Obsessed," with podcast maven Patrick Hinds. This smart, well-researched, respectful, and hilarious podcast received critical acclaim almost instantly thanks to the duo’s undeniable chemistry, nonstop passion, and zero tolerance policy for garbage people.

Teaming up with her husband Michael Paul Smith, Gillian is the co-creator, producer, and star of "The Residuals," a successful comedy series based on the couple's the real-life auditioning for commercials in New York City. Guest stars include Horatio Sanz, Michael Torpey, and Emily Tarver.

In the digital video world, Gillian has pitched, wrote, hosted, produced, and edited over 2,000 videos that have been distributed to over 12,000 partner sites including The Huffington Post, Hearst, AOLOn, MSN, Amazon, USA Today, and Roku. Topics included viral animal stories, dumb criminals, travel tips, "Game Of Thrones" and "Breaking Bad" recaps, and general pop culture. From telling a story straight to camera or editing text-only videos, Gillian’s pieces have amassed over tens of millions of views.

With over ten years of experience in the entertainment industry, Gillian is a content creator through and through: she is an actor, voice-over artist, on-camera host, podcaster, editor, writer, SAG signatory producer, and showrunner.

Twitter: @GillianWithaG / @TheHamilcast

Instagram: @GillianWithaG / @TheHamilcast

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Episode 62 - Allison Janney Sep 26, 2017

Show notes

Allison Janney, a seven-time Primetime Emmy Award winner, had dreams of becoming an Olympic figure skater. That dream ended when, at age 17, she ran through a sliding glass window. The injury was serious, and, suddenly Allison's future goals shifted. She found herself at Kenyon College and she became a theater major. While at Kenyon Allison was discovered by Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward who had come to the college to direct a play at their alma mater. They encouraged Janney to go to NYC and pursue a career in acting professionally. What happened after that is the subject of this funny and intimate conversation with host Ilana Levine, a dear friend of Allison's. The two met and became fast friends when Ilana was starring in the HBO series "Tanner 88" with a mutual friend. Allison walks us through her audition for "The West Wing" and opens up about why the recent loss of her brother makes starring on the CBS hit show "Mom" all the more important for her during this emotional time.

The incredibly versatile Allison Janney has taken her place among a select group of actors who combine a leading lady’s profile with a character actor’s art of performance. Currently starring alongside Anna Faris in the CBS/Chuck Lorre sitcom, “Mom,” Janney also received rave reviews for her turn as ‘Margaret Scully’ on Showtime’s groundbreaking drama “Masters of Sex.” Janney won Emmys for both roles in the same year; a rare feat in Emmy history. She won a second Emmy for “Mom” the following year, bringing her total number of ATAS statues to seven. She was also recently honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. In addition, Janney has continually taken on movie roles during her hiatus weeks from the sitcom. She’s completed filming “I, Tonya” with Margot Robbie for Miramax Films. Janney also appeared in two of the previous summer’s biggest box office titles: the adorably animated “Minions” and “Spy” with Melissa McCarthy. Prior feature work includes “The Duff,” Jason Bateman’s directorial debut “Bad Words,” the Dreamworks’ animated film “Mr. Peabody & Sherman,” and “The Way, Way Back” with Steve Carell and Toni Collette. Additionally she co-starred in the much anticipated feature film "The Help" based on the best-selling novel of the same name, winning the Ensemble awards from the Screen Actors Guild, National Board of Review and the Broadcast Film Critics. For her role in Todd Solondz's film "Life During Wartime" she was nominated for Best Supporting Actress by the Spirit Awards. She received another Spirit Award nomination for her work in the independent feature “Our Very Own,” and starred opposite Meryl Streep in “The Hours,” which received a SAG Award nomination for Outstanding Ensemble Cast in a Motion Picture. Other feature credits include the Academy Award winning film “American Beauty” (for which she won a SAG Award for Outstanding Ensemble Cast in a Motion Picture) as well as “Nurse Betty,” “How to Deal,” “Drop Dead Gorgeous,” “10 Things I Hate About You,” “Primary Colors,” “The Ice Storm,” “Six Days Seven Nights,” “The Object of My Affection,” and “Big Night.” On TV, she is renowned for her starring role in the acclaimed NBC series "The West Wing," where she won a remarkable four Emmy Awards and four SAG Awards for her portrayal of White House Press Secretary ‘CJ Cregg.’ She made her Broadway debut in Noel Coward’s “Present Laughter” for which she earned the Outer Critics Circle Award and Clarence Derwent Award. She also appeared in Arthur Miller’s "A View from the Bridge," receiving her first Tony Award nomination and winning the Outer Critics Circle Award as well as the musical "9 to 5," Janney made her return to Broadway earlier this year in the revival of John Guare’s “Six Degrees of Separation."

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Episode 61 - Celia Keenan-Bolger Sep 19, 2017

Show notes

Celia Keenan-Bolger, a native of Detroit, Michigan, has made a very impressive mark in the Broadway community. A Tony nominee beloved for her talent, kindness and political activism, Celia has moved effortlessly between musicals and straight plays. She burst onto the scene with her role in "The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee." Shortly thereafter she captivated audiences as Laura in "The Glass Menagerie," showed her comedic genius in "Peter and the Starcatcher," and moved us to tears when she starred in "Les Miserables" (a childhood dream).

In this intimate episode Celia discusses how she handles the highs and lows that inevitably come along with a life in the theater. Married to actor John Ellison Conlee, Celia shares what it's like for two actors in a marriage and she opens up about the joys and surprises of parenthood. Celia also touches on her early years -- including her time with Sutton Foster in the children's theatrical troupe "The Peter Pan Players." Listeners will feel closer to -- and more in awe of -- this deeply talented, and equally kind, award-winning actress.

CELIA KEENAN-BOLGER- Broadway: Glass Menagerie (Tony Award Nomination, Drama Desk Award, Dorothy Loudon Award), Peter And The Starcatcher, (Tony Nom, Drama Desk Nom, Drama League Nom), The Cherry Orchard, Les Miserables (Drama Desk nom.), The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (Tony Nom, Theatre World Award, Drama Desk Award for Best Ensemble), Off Broadway: Tumacho (Clubbed Thumb) The Oldest Boy (Lincoln Center Theater), Merrily We Roll Along (City Center Encores), A Small Fire (Playwrights Horizons), Bachelorette (2econd Stage). TV: Louie, The Good Wife, Nurse Jackie, Good Behavior, Elementary, Blue Bloods, Law & Order SVU, Heartland. Film: The Visit, Mariachi Gringo, Breakable You, Diane (upcoming). Celia is a graduate of The University Of Michigan.

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Episode 60 - Julianne Moore Sep 12, 2017

Show notes

Julianne Moore, the Academy Award winning actress, spends time with Ilana talking about her nomad childhood in a military family, her early years in NYC waitressing, and her first break -- being cast on a soap opera playing twins.

In the 90's as the indie film world took off so did her career and she talks in depth about the roles she chooses and how she approaches them. A star who has appeared in over 70 films Julie, as she is known to friends, has remained grounded because of her devotion to her husband and children. Raising her family in New York City has been a way to remain connected to a life of normalcy although her marriage to director Bart Freundlich, has made filmmaking a family business. Julianne and Bart met while making his film "The Myth of Fingerprints" together and it's a love story that Julianne tells in great detail on the podcast. Over the course of an hour Ilana and Julianne talk about the films that made Julianne famous, the pressure on actresses to look a certain way, the paparazzi and its impact on her family, how she decides on doing a role that has nudity and her ability to make the transition so elegantly from being herself to making the leap into playing the character once "action" is called on the set of a film. This is Julianne Moore -- up close and personal.

Julianne Moore is an Academy Award and Emmy winning actor, and the first American woman to be awarded top acting prizes at the Cannes, Berlin, and Venice film festivals. She is also a NY-Times best selling author, for her children’s book series Freckleface Strawberry. Julianne is on the Advisory Council of The Children's Health Fund, is a supporter of the Tuberous Sclerosis Alliance and in 2015, became founding chair of the Everytown for Gun Safety Creative Council, a creative community established to help amplify the movement to end gun violence in America. In 2017, she will be seen in the upcoming films KINGSMAN 2: THE GOLDEN CIRCLE, WONDERSTRUCK, and SUBURBICON. She lives with her family in New York City.

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Episode 59 - Brian d'Arcy James Sep 05, 2017

Show notes

Brian d'Arcy James (award winning actor) originated the role of King George in "Hamilton," The Broadway musical. He has starred in over 14 Broadway shows and just as many film and tv shows. Among them, the Academy Award winning film "Spotlight," "13 Reasons Why," "Smash," "Unabomber," "Ghost Town," and many more upcoming projects.

In this candid conversation, Brian shares with Ilana the tough choice he had to make when the opportunity to star on Broadway in "Something Rotten" was presented at the same time "Hamilton" was going into rehearsal for it's Public Theater run. This and other stories about his life in the theater make for one of the most compelling and hilarious episodes of "Little Known Facts."

Brian dʼArcy James is an award-winning theater, film, and television actor as well as a recording artist. Hailed recently as “one of the most celebrated actors of his generation in both straight plays and musicals” (Jeremy Gerard, Deadline), Brian is a three-time Tony nominee, and an Obie and Drama Desk Award winner for his varied and extensive work in the theater on Broadway and off-Broadway. Brian reprised his award-winning role as King George III in Lin-Manuel Mirandaʼs musical HAMILTON at the Richard Rodgers Theatre on Broadway. He originated the role of King George (“played with vaudevillian brilliance”—Ben Brantley, The New York Times) in the sold-out Off-Broadway run of Hamilton at The Public Theater. In 2015, immediate following Hamilton, Brian starred in the Broadway musical SOMETHING ROTTEN, for which he was nominated for a 2015 Tony Award, Drama Desk Award, Outer Critics Circle Award, and Drama League Distinguished Performance Award.

In film, Brian starred in the 2016 Academy Award–winning Best Picture SPOTLIGHT, alongside Michael Keaton, Mark Ruffalo, and Rachel McAdams as the four-member “Spotlight” columnists for the Boston Globe. Brian was awarded the 2016 SAG Award, Critics Choice Award, Gotham Award and the Independent Spirit’s Robert Altman Award for Best Ensemble for his portrayal of Matt Carroll. 2017 proved to be a busy year with the spring premiere of the Netflix series THIRTEEN REASONS WHY, in which Brian co-stars with Kate Walsh, followed by his appearance in Discovery Channel’s Manhunt:UNABOMBER miniseries.

Additional credits include guest starring roles in THE GOOD WIFE, THE BIG C and PERSON OF INTEREST, among many others. A veteran of the stage with more than a dozen Broadway credits to his name, highlights include his Tony award nominated performances for starring roles in SWEET SMELL OF SUCCESS and SHREK THE MUSICAL, as well as roles in Broadway plays such as MACBETH, TIME STANDS STILL and LIEUTENANT OF INISHMORE. Off Broadway highlights include his Obie winning solo performance of THE GOOD THIEF, Drama Desk nominations for GIANT and THE WILD PARTY along with originating roles in NEXT TO NORMAL and FLOYD COLLINS, among others. As a recording artist, Brian has a Grammy nomination for his performance on the Broadway Cast Album of SOMETHING ROTTEN. His solo Christmas album FROM CHRISTMAS EVE TO CHRISTMAS MORN features holiday classics along with three original songs including the popular song “Michigan Christmas.” Brian dʼArcy James resides in New York City with his wife and daughter. He has supported and performed many times for an organization in his hometown of Saginaw, Michigan, called the Field Neurosciences Institute (FNI). The mission of the FNI is the prevention, early diagnosis, care and cure of neurological diseases, disorders and injuries.

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Episode 58 - Brendan McDonald Aug 29, 2017

Show notes

Brendan McDonald is the co-creator and executive producer of "WTF" with Marc Maron. He is an Emmy-winning producer and veteran of television, radio and digital media. He lives in Brooklyn with his wife and son.

Brendan McDonald, Emmy Award winner and co-creator/producer of "WTF" with Marc Maron, discusses the evolution of their ground-breaking podcast and how they made history when President Obama came on the show. Brendan grew up in a family devoted to the arts and the seeds were planted at an early age to appreciate and create art with integrity. His own performance background and his encyclopedic knowledge and obsession with "Saturday Night Live" all played a part in his becoming the co creator of "WTF." He met Marc Maron in the early days of Air America when they were hired to create a live radio show together and it was clear to Brendan that Marc was the next Howard Stern. As a kid, Brendan performed in school plays but he understood early on what it would take to chase a career as a performer. So he set his sights on producing and he has done so for decades working with some of the biggest talents in news, but with Marc and the 'WTF" podcast, he has gained international recognition as a pioneer in the world of podcasting. His is a great success story where a labor of love and a passion for hard work has made something uniquely special. Together with Marc Maron, he has written and edited a book creating an oral history of life by weaving together stories from the podcast called 'Waiting for the Punch."

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Ben Platt, Revisited Aug 22, 2017

Show notes

At 23, actor Ben Platt won the Tony Award for the physically and emotionally demanding role of Evan Hansen in the Tony Award winning musical, "Dear Evan Hansen." Platt has said in order to take on such a demanding role he lives a monkish existence. As long as he is performing the role everything he does on stage and off is in service of the play. He has changed his diet, works carefully with a vocal coach, physical therapist and even endures the ancient form of alternative medicine known as "cupping." In this intimate conversation with Ilana Levine, host of Little Known Facts, he describes his childhood, his lifelong passion for musical theater, his love of Judaism, family, sexuality, what he learned from Meryl Streep about acting and more never heard before details about this uniquely gifted rising star.

BEN PLATT originated the title role in "Dear Evan Hansen" to critical acclaim (Obie Award, Outer Critics Circle and Drama League nominations) and won the 2017 Tony Award for his Broadway performance. Platt was the original Elder Cunningham in the Chicago production of "The Book of Mormon" and reprised the role on Broadway (dir. Trey Parker and Casey Nicholaw). Film: Benji Applebaum in "Pitch Perfect" and "Pitch Perfect 2," "Ricki and the Flash" (dir. Jonathan Demme), "Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk" (dir. Ang Lee), "Drunk Parents" (dir. Fred Wolf). National Tours: "Caroline, or Change" (directed by George C. Wolfe). Regional credits include "Dear Evan Hansen" (Arena Stage), "The Black Suits" (Barrington Stage Company), "The Power of Duff" (dir. Peter DuBois/New York Stage and Film), "Dead End" (dir. Nicholas Martin/Ahmanson Theatre), :The Music Man," "Mame," "Camelot," and "The Sound of Music" (dir. Gordon Hunt/Hollywood Bowl).

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Episode 57 - Jen Rudin Aug 15, 2017

Show notes

Jen Rudin, author of “Confessions of a Casting Director,” offers listeners a unique behind the scenes experience of the casting process. A child actress herself, Jen shares tips and stories for both the seasoned actor and young professionals, on how to best navigate the often harrowing and unruly process of auditions. In this funny, candid and insightful interview, Jen explains the process of auditions from the perspective of the casting director. Learn why going in and doing the best you can is always better than not taking advantage of every opportunity. Even when the call comes in the night before...

Jen Rudin is an award-winning casting director who began her thirty-year career in show business as a child actor at age eight. As a casting executive at the Walt Disney Company, Jen conducted extensive talent searches all over the United States, identifying and hiring actors who went on to star on Broadway in "The Lion King," "Mary Poppins" and "The Little Mermaid" and in beloved Disney movies like "The Incredibles," "The Princess and the Frog," "Chicken Little" and "Brother Bear." Her company, Jen Rudin Casting, casts projects in New York and Los Angeles. She is the author of "Confessions of a Casting Director."

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