We all remember the iconic film that defined the early 2000s rom-com genre: the popular jock can’t date the girl next door until her offbeat sister finds her own date, leading him to hire a rugged bad boy to charm her. Loosely based on William Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew, it was also Heath Ledger’s major film debut. You know it as 10 Things I Hate About You, but for director Gil Junger, It's just one of the many impactful projects he has led over his forty-year Hollywood career.

In today's episode, Gil joins Thomas to discuss what he looks for in an extraordinary audition, his advice on how actors should approach cold reads, and the craft of filmmaking from a director’s perspective. But that's only part of the conversation. The heart of this interview is a deep, hour-long dive into the unexpected and often unexplored corners of the creative psyche. Gil opens up about the extreme highs and lows of his career, sharing why—despite our best efforts to manage it—anxiety, doubt, and insecurity are experiences all humans (and especially actors) grapple with. Should we continue to combat these feelings or embrace them? This thought-provoking discussion exemplifies Gil’s out-of-the-box thinking and his unique approach to creativity.

And of course, they also touch on Heath Ledger’s first American audition with Gil—a story that’s unforgettable on its own. Don’t miss this one!

To learn more about Gil’s actor workshops, visit https://thebreakthruco.com/.

About Gil: Director, writer, and producer Gil Junger is a creative powerhouse, perhaps best known for his debut film 10 Things I Hate About You, which became a defining moment for a generation. He received Emmy and DGA award nominations for directing Ellen DeGeneres’s groundbreaking “coming out” episode on ELLEN. Drawing on his vast experience, Gil founded the Breakthru Company to revolutionize the industry’s approach to nurturing talent, helping actors overcome self-limiting beliefs and trust their authentic voices, building a direct, unfiltered connection to their creative gifts.