this is incredibly validating for anyone who’s felt like they’re falling behind or not “getting it right” in their creative career. lynn’s career path and healing process reminds us that success doesn’t always look like we imagined....

originally aired july 8th 2021, this in-depth conversation with actor Lynn Chen is an episode that closed out season 4 of the podcast and hit hard for a reason.

Lynn walks us through the emotional highs and lows of “making it” as an actor: from child opera performances and Law & Order bookings to struggling with food, being dropped by reps, and ultimately finding her voice through blogging, vulnerability, and directing her own feature film.

We cover:

• Growing up performing at The Met (like, age four-level early)

• The moment acting felt more like obligation than love

• Booking Law & Order and getting her SAG card

• The weight of the industry’s standards...literally

• Binge eating, emotional triggers, and recovery

• When a Sundance debut doesn’t equal steady work

• Why she started “The Actor’s Diet” and what it gave her back

• Her “holding deal” era + writing her first pilot

• Getting dropped by reps… and getting back up

• Resilience, reinvention, and reclaiming acting on her own terms

Referenced in the episode:

• The Actor’s Diet Blog (redirects to her main site)

originally aired april 13 2021, brian unger has been on your screen more times than you probably realize but this episode isn’t a flex. it’s a real convo about the weird limbo between being talented and being bookable. what it actually feels like to get hired. and the emotional whiplash of the audition hustle

we talk about

• how pilot season used to work and what’s changed

• why bookings don’t mean you’ve made it

• the quiet grind behind working actor life

• the surprising advice brian got that changed his entire career

this episode is a reminder that success in acting rarely looks the way you imagined it. and that one good job isn’t the whole story. a must relisten if you’re questioning your momentum or measuring your worth by your credit...

ever feel like your to-do list has morphed into a crisis of identity? same. this replay (from oct 30th 2023) is here to pull you out of that “should I cut my hair or get a manager?” spiral and help you simplify the actual next steps in your acting career.

we talk about why your brain is overloaded (it’s not just you), how to dump your mental tabs into one place, and why taking out the trash (metaphorically) might be your best productivity tool. oh, and we break down how to decide what the hell to work on without drowning in FOMO.

i do not care how you identify, this episode is for you. Rain + Jase are here to educate me on how actors can advocate for their trans (and all LGBTQIA) community, what they wish writers were focusing on, and how a safe place is created.

so get your pronouns on and listen up:

mentioned in this ep:

@actnowLA@rainvaldez@livelaughjase

Rainbow Rated

In this throwback convo from Sept 2018, I sat down with the unstoppable Christina Ochoa (Animal Kingdom, A Million Little Things) for a seriously honest, occasionally hilarious, and refreshingly unfiltered look at what it actually takes to survive and thrive in this industry.

• Moving to LA with zero connections (and zero chill about the rent)

• Not working for 2.5 years after a major show… and how she survived it (Uber, eBay, and a underprepared tutoring gig)

• Auditioning while broke AF… and still booking the role

• The shift from “pretty but doesn’t know it” casting to owning your own vibe

• Saying no to mediocre TV (even when you really need the check)

• • Body image, being naked on set, and why she threw the damn breakdowns in the trash
  • Her trick for manifestation that doesn’t involve “morning pages” but does involve drawing yourself with dollar signs and scripts

• 
  

  
  

  Mentioned in This Episode

  
  

  • Sara Mornell

  • Book: The Power of Full Engagement by Jim Loehr and Tony Schwartz

  • Book/Workbook: The Artist’s Way Workbook by Julia Cameron

  • Christina’s orgs: Oceana and Earth’s Oceans

  • Show Mentioned: Animal Kingdom

  • Series Mentioned: A Million Little Things

  
  

  
  

  
  

our favorite multi-hyphenate chaos king Brendan Bradley is back (you might remember him from episode 208, aka “the stake captain saga”), and he’s bringing a lot in a short amount of time:

• actor thoughts on vertical shorts
• building a creative career from scratch
• surviving pivot after pivot
• embracing new tech without losing your soul

also… the audio cuts off at the end (rude), so we will be having him back. don’t worry.

things we mention:

brendan’s IG

brendan’s projects:

• the devil and the daylong brothers
• succubus
• VR work (ferryman collective)

You’ve heard about them so much, now they’re finally here by popular demand!Gabrielle is back! And we brought our husbands Caleb and Cory for a candid conversation about what it’s really like being in a relationship with someone in the entertainment industry. If you’ve been wondering how they handle the unpredictable schedules, self-tapes, and financial ups and downs of being with a Creative- this one’s for you. Buckle up for some laughs and a realistic look at what it really takes to make our relationships work!

TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 — Introducing the Husbands

02:26 — Dealing with a Partner Online

10:36 — The Importance of Communication

12:50 — Helping Your Partner Self-Tape

26:11 — What “Normies” Need from Creative Partners

28:28 — Challenges of a Creative Partner

33:47 — Why Sam & Caleb Stopped Drinking

38:03 — Advice for Normies Dating Creatives

43:00 — Finances & Relationships

📚 EPISODE RESOURCES:

★ Follow Gabrielle on IG!

★ Sign up for Side Hustle Academy

♡Even More Sam♡

Instagram

Patreon

Website

My IMDb

From meeting with Ben Affleck, to reading for Aaron Sorkin, working with intimacy coordinators in hardcore covid times, self-taping in Cabo, and cringing at past headshots— Lauren has done it all, and on her own terms. If you’ve ever wondered if there’s more than one way to make it in the industry, Lauren’s story is proof that success doesn’t have to follow a single path:

You may know her from ‘Winter’s Bone’ alongside Jennifer Lawrence, ‘True Detective’ on HBO, or Apple TV’s ‘For All Mankind.’ And today she opens up about her decision to leave Los Angeles for Arkansas, where she balances motherhood with her acting & producing career, and how she landed a role in her new film, ‘Sunfish (& Other Stories on Green Lake),’ which just premiered at Sundance!

TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 — Meet Lauren Sweetser

03:50— Early L.A. Memories with Lauren

06:50 — Leaving Hollywood for Fayetteville, AR

14:07 — The Business of Living Outside Hollywood

23:00 — BTS Scoop of “For All Mankind”

28:05 — Landing “Sunfish (& Other Stories on Green Lake)”

34:00 — Finding Your Path as an Actor

40:43 — Past Headshot Reflections

41:56 — Where to find Lauren & Her Work

📚 EPISODE RESOURCES:

★ Listen to Lauren’s first visit to OBA!

★ Follow Lauren on Instagram!

★ Check out Lauren’s IMDb

★ Follow ‘Sunfish (& Other Stories on Green Lake)’ on IG

★ Read about the Baby Scoop Era

♡Even More Sam♡

Instagram

Patreon

Website

My IMDb