Back To One

You might know Todd Stashwick from “The Riches” or “12 Monkeys” (the Syfy series, where he played Deacon), but you definitely know him from his guest star work on countless shows, both dramas and comedies, spanning more than two decades. And now he plays Captain Liam Shaw in the new season of “Picard.” On this episode, he talks about how the little boy “Star Trek” fan in him leapt for joy when he sat in his captain’s chair for the first time, while the “all business” actor in him had to focus on the work at hand. Plus we discuss his “resting villain face,” he shares his secret approach to auditioning, the importance of knowing your character’s role in the story, and much more. Back To One is the in-depth, no-nonsense, actors-on-acting podcast from  Filmmaker Magazine. In each episode, host Peter Rinaldi invites one working actor to do a deep dive into their unique process, psychology, and approach to the craft.  Follow Back To One on Instagram

Jonathan Roumie—actor, director, producer, and speaker—is best known for his award-winning role as ‘Jesus' in the groundbreaking series and global sensation, "The Chosen.” His new movie, the Lionsgate period drama “Jesus Revolution,” is based on the events of the last great spiritual revival in America. Roumie portrays the enigmatic, hippie street preacher, Lonnie Frisbee. On this episode, he gives us a peek at his in-depth approach to the work, which ranges from authentic ‘Method’ to ‘mystically inspired.’ He talks about how his occasional need for solitude on set stems from being easily distracted, why chemistry reads should be not just for romantic portrayals, how the role of Jesus has completely changed his life, and how he’s dealing with all that role demands from him. Plus much more! Back To One is the in-depth, no-nonsense, actors-on-acting podcast from  Filmmaker Magazine. In each episode, host Peter Rinaldi invites one working actor to do a deep dive into their unique process, psychology, and approa

Elliott Crosset Hove is a true rising star in the Danish film world. The remarkable new film “Godland,” his third collaboration with Icelandic director Hlynur Pálmason, just landed him a European Film Award nomination for Best Actor. On this episode, he walks us through his extensive preparation “check list” which he uses to stimulate his unconscious mind and build a defense system to combat doubt. He talks about how the stunning but grueling environment where they shot “Godland” helped him stay in the moment, his method for approaching a character from another time period, and much more. Back To One is the in-depth, no-nonsense, actors-on-acting podcast from Filmmaker Magazine. In each episode, host Peter Rinaldi invites one working actor to do a deep dive into their unique process, psychology, and approach to the craft.  Follow Back To One on Instagram

Clay Tatum and Whitmer Thomas wrote and star in the wonderful new comedy “The Civil Dead,” which Tatum also directed. On this episode, they discuss their long collaboration and friendship that goes back to Alabama at age 11, doing comedy events in Los Angeles with Power Violence, filming sketches, honing their craft, learning valuable lessons on the HBO/A24 production “The Golden One,” the importance of rhythm in comedy, the importance of trusting your own voice, and applying it all toward the modest indie film that won the audience award at Slamdance last year and is about to win audiences over everywhere—"The Civil Dead.” Back To One is the in-depth, no-nonsense, actors-on-acting podcast from Filmmaker Magazine. In each episode, host Peter Rinaldi invites one working actor to do a deep dive into their unique process, psychology, and approach to the craft.  Follow Back To One on Instagram

British TV and film star Joanna Scanlan won the Best Actress BAFTA award last year for her incredible performance in “After Love.” She plays Mary, a devout convert to Islam who, shortly after becoming a widow, discovers her late husband's secret family. In this episode, she takes us on a little tour of the meaningful aspects of her acting process— the investigative phase of initial script reading, the “harnessing” of feelings, the mystical “clicking in” that happens through the words, and why it’s always been about the love of it. Plus much more! Back To One is the in-depth, no-nonsense, actors-on-acting podcast from Filmmaker Magazine. In each episode, host Peter Rinaldi invites one working actor to do a deep dive into their unique process, psychology, and approach to the craft.  Follow Back To One on Instagram

To say Guslagie Malanda plays Laurence Coly in Alice Diop’s “Saint Omer” feels incorrect; she becomes her. It’s a performance that holds such subtle power and authenticity that it’s easy to take it for granted. On this episode, Malanda explains why she turned down countless acting jobs after her first film, “My Friend Victoria.” She talks about the year-long pre-production period that she needed to prepare for the role, the nightmares that plagued her during that time, the breakthrough of learning to breathe, and much more. Back To One is the in-depth, no-nonsense, actors-on-acting podcast from Filmmaker Magazine. In each episode, host Peter Rinaldi invites one working actor to do a deep dive into their unique process, psychology, and approach to the craft.  Follow Back To One on Instagram

Tallie Medel is an award winning actor, educator, artist, and one third of the legendary Cocoon Central Dance Team. Her fiercely authentic and nuanced performances in films like Dan Sallitt’s “Fourteen” have garnered attention from critics and audiences alike. This past year she gifted us with Becky in the acclaimed  “Everything Everywhere All At Once.” In this episode, she talks about the communal environment on that production that benefited the performances, the importance of establishing true connection with her scene partners and using the present moment as a tool, how learning and teaching Clown has changed and shaped her work, plus much more. Find out more about Tallie's Clown classes here. Back To One is the in-depth, no-nonsense, actors-on-acting podcast from Filmmaker Magazine. In each episode, host Peter Rinaldi invites one working actor to do a deep dive into their unique process, psychology, and approach to the craft.  Follow Back To One on Instagram

If the Back To One podcast has one tradition, it is the yearly visit from its very first guest, the living patron saint of the working actor, Kevin Corrigan. This is his fifth time on the show (Ep. 1, Ep. 67, Ep. 133, Ep.185), and as you’ll hear, he still has a healthy supply of great stories, laughs, and inspiration to dish out. He talks about his recent stints on “Law and Order: Organized Crime,” “City on a Hill,” and the indie film “Bang Bang;” tells a hilarious story illustrating the ways he practices acting when not on a job; gets nostalgic describing the masterful mix tapes he used to make; plus much more! It all starts out with my recounting of a Corrigan-themed phone call I had with the legendary Amy Taubin minutes before the interview. Back To One is the in-depth, no-nonsense, actors-on-acting podcast from Filmmaker Magazine. In each episode, host Peter Rinaldi invites one working actor to do a deep dive into their unique process, psychology, and approach to the craft.  Follow Back To One on Inst

The last time Vicky Krieps (“Phantom Thread,” “Bergman Island”) was on this podcast (episode 174), we learned about how she approaches the work through a kind of “emptying out” of herself, and a “deconstruction” of everything in her obit, even her preconceptions regarding the role. This time she’s back to talk about her astounding work in Marie Kreutzer’s film “Corsage,” an imaginative re-telling (or perhaps a “correcting?”) of a year in the life of Empress Elisabeth of Austria. Krieps talks about treating the work as an invitation to play, how dealing with the coldness of the character had an effect on relationships outside of the frame, why she feels at ease when she’s lost in the reality of unknowing, and much more! (Spoiler Alert: Toward the end of the episode, the conversation turns to the end of the movie. And although nothing is specifically said about what exactly happens in the end, one can certainly make the case that it is a minor spoiler. All the more reason to see “Corsage” as soon as possible. I

The first time Andrea Riseborough was on the podcast (episode 100), we got a chance to hear how this incredible actor approaches her craft. On this episode, we get to focus on her astounding work in the new movie “To Leslie.” She talks about the interesting ways shooting on film in the middle of the pandemic affected everything, why working on her character’s alcoholism would have been a disaster, finding a touchstone with director Michael Morris in Barbara Loden’s “Wanda,” taking the objective “to just exist” from Mike Leigh, seeing constrains as freedoms, the importance of keeping your integrity, and much more. “To Leslie” is streaming now.  Follow Back To One on Instagram Back To One is the in-depth, no-nonsense, actors-on-acting podcast from Filmmaker Magazine. In each episode, host Peter Rinaldi invites one working actor to do a deep dive into their unique process, psychology, and approach to the craft. 

Marc Maron is a stand-up comedy veteran and the host of the popular “WTF” podcast. As a screen actor, he cut his teeth playing a version of himself in the series “Maron.” Lately the Netflix series “Glow” and Lynn Shelton’s “Sword of Trust” put more of his range on display. And now he delivers the epitome of “supporting” performance in the incredible new film “To Leslie,” opposite Andrea Riseborough. On this episode, he talks about his apprehension with accepting the role, his impatience with the process of acting in general, the importance of making himself emotionally available in his scenes, what it would take for him to feel like this crazy endeavor is “worth it,” and much more. Follow Back To One on Instagram Back To One is the in-depth, no-nonsense, actors-on-acting podcast from Filmmaker Magazine. In each episode, host Peter Rinaldi invites one working actor to do a deep dive into their unique process, psychology, and approach to the craft. 

Ever since her incredible performance in “I’ve Heard The Mermaids Singing” 35 years ago, Sheila McCarthy has been one of Canada’s most hardworking and reliable actors in theater, television, and film on both sides of the border. In her latest project, she joins a “murderers’ row” lineup of actresses like Judith Ivey, Claire Foy, Jessie Buckley, Frances McDormand, and Rooney Mara in Sarah Polley’s powerful new film “Women Talking.” On this episode, she talks about how the production was both daunting and exhilarating, why it felt like the “acting olympics,” what having this “extraordinarily ordinary” powerhouse director at the helm brought out of her, plus wonderful stories about a debt owed to Liza Minnelli and a letter that changed Bruce Willis. Follow Back To One on Instagram Back To One is the in-depth, no-nonsense, actors-on-acting podcast from Filmmaker Magazine. In each episode, host Peter Rinaldi invites one working actor to do a deep dive into their unique process, psychology, and approach to the cra

You may know Grace Van Patten from “Nine Perfect Strangers,” “Under The Silver Lake,” or “Tramps.” I first took note of her in "The Meyerowitz Stories,” where her youth belied a seemingly effortless command of her character among the likes of Adam Sandler, Ben Stiller, and Dustin Hoffman. In her latest, the hit Hulu series “Tell Me Lies,” she stars as Lucy Albright, and now she commands the screen with the same effortlessness, mixed with a complexity and nuance that is compelling viewers who are begging for a second season. On this episode, she breaks down one important scene from both “Meyerowitz" and “Lies," and we get an idea of her unique approach to the craft, which is fueled by sizing up the world surrounding her character, connecting with her partner in the scene, and staying in the moment. Plus she talks about how her 11 year old sister June inspires her inner actor, and much more! Follow Back To One on Instagram Back To One is the in-depth, no-nonsense, actors-on-acting podcast from Filmmaker Magazi

Paul Walter Hauser is that rare character actor who has made a name for himself as a stellar talent in both comedy and drama equally. He established himself in films like “Blackkklansman” and “I, Tanya,” but playing Richard Jewell in Clint Eastwood’s film put him on the map. Now he’s wowing audiences and critics alike with his incredible performance as serial killer Larry Hall in the Apple+ limited series “Black Bird.” On this episode, he lifts the hood and lets us peek in on his acting process. He explains why his first step is all about self amusement, how mundane details help to bring him closer to the character he’s playing, why he believes you do not need to be a dark person to be an effective actor who takes on dark roles, plus much more.  Follow Back To One on Instagram Back To One is the in-depth, no-nonsense, actors-on-acting podcast from Filmmaker Magazine. In each episode, host Peter Rinaldi invites one working actor to do a deep dive into their unique process, psychology, and approach to the craf

Renowned as “a one-woman global village,” Sarah Jones is a Tony Award-winning solo performer, writer, comedian and activist. Her directorial debut, “Sell/Buy/Date,” is a hybrid documentary/meta film which features Jones and four of her characters (all played by her) on a journey across the country to listen to real people telling personal stories about their experiences that land them on both sides of various aspects of the complex topic of sex work in America. On this episode, she talks about overcoming the many obstacles and controversies to bring this important film to life, how trusting in collaborators like cinematographer Joshua Weinstein meant so much to her as a first time director who is also in front of the camera in every scene, why she had to make telling the truth her north star, plus much more! “Sell/Buy/Date” is currently playing in New York City and will be streaming on-demand on November 8th. Back To One is the in-depth, no-nonsense, actors-on-acting podcast from Filmmaker Magazine. In each

On a special episode of Back To One, I’m sharing a segment from a recent episode of the popular screenwriting podcast Scriptnotes called “Writing As Acting.” In it, screenwriters John August and Craig Mazin “analyze what lessons writers can learn from acting techniques (such as staying present) and working with actors (like staying open).” When I first heard this segment, I desperately wanted to share it with Back To One listeners because I thought it was very enlightening, and maybe even healing, to hear creatives on the other side of the camera talk thoughtfully, and with sensitivity, about the process of the actor. Some of the points John and Craig make about the unique connection between actors and screenwriters inspire me to facilitate a larger conversation where actors can chime in about their experiences giving life to characters that screenwriters have been living with, in their own way, for years. Something to think about. But first, check out this segment from episode 568 of Scriptnotes, and, if you

Britt Rentschler is the star of “Pretty Problems,” a smart and hilarious new indie adult comedy which she also produced and helped write with screenwriter and co-star Michael Tennant. In this episode, she talks about their lengthy commitment to making the story work, building their characters with depth, and the risky but triumphant decision to cast their talented friends in supporting roles rather than famous actors who might have secured more money. She describes how her apprehension toward playing the lead role of Lindsay actually benefited her performance, the ways director Kestrin Pantera brought the best out of everyone, plus much more. “Pretty Problems” is in select theaters across the US, and on VOD. Follow Back To One on Instagram Back To One is the in-depth, no-nonsense, actors-on-acting podcast from Filmmaker Magazine. In each episode, host Peter Rinaldi invites one working actor to do a deep dive into their unique process, psychology, and approach to the craft. No small talk, no celebrity stories

Dolly de Leon is a Filipina veteran actor of film and TV who is now, due to her outstanding performance in “Triangle of Sadness,” being spoken about with words like “newcomer” and “breakthrough.” That might have something to do with the “I’m the captain now” nature of the role she plays in the Palme d’Or winning film. It’s like the character and the actor are both saying “I have arrived.” In this episode, she describes the dark place she was in right before auditioning for the part, how director Ruben Ostlund’s collaborative approach sparked her dynamic creativity, why watching the film with audiences cheering for her character feels like live theater, and much more. Follow Back To One on Instagram Back To One is the in-depth, no-nonsense, actors-on-acting podcast from Filmmaker Magazine. In each episode, host Peter Rinaldi invites one working actor to do a deep dive into their unique process, psychology, and approach to the craft. No small talk, no celebrity stories, no inane banter—just the work.

If Isabelle Huppert is not your favorite actor, she’s the favorite actor of someone you know. Guaranteed. There’s something about her that is unlike any other actor that has ever been on film. But it’s really hard to talk about what that “something” is. In each performance, in every film she’s made, she has such a command of the character, the text, the frame, that we place her in equal authorship with the directors she’s worked with, who happen to be some of most interesting and important in the last half-century—Jean Luc-Godard, Michael Haneke, Claude Chabrol, Michael Cimino, Claire Denis, Joachim Trier, Mia Hansen-Løve, Hong Sang-soo, to name a few. She always found a way to play complex, multi-dimensional, often morally questionable characters, even in a time when the female variety were in short supply. In this woefully short episode, she talks about some of the important, yet somewhat mysterious, aspects of her approach to the craft—curiosity, collaborating with the director, the present moment, listeni

Xolo Maridueña has been playing Miguel Diaz on the hit series “Cobra Kai” for five seasons, starting when he was 16 years old. On this episode, he talks about how preparing for his dream role as “Blue Beetle” (the D.C. superhero movie coming out next year) sent him down a road that expanded his acting capabilities in new and exciting ways. Plus he talks about William Zabka’s positive influence on him, and the ways that played into how he took on his leadership duties when he got to be number one on the call sheet.  Follow Back To One on Instagram