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“You’re Either Inhabiting the Part, Full On, Or You’re Not, and There’s No Pretending Otherwise”: Theodore Bouloukos, Back To One, Episode 341
Theodore Bouloukos returns to the podcast after nearly seven years (first time was episode 14). The “secret weapon of independent cinema,” as The New Yorker’s Richard Brody called him, brings us up to date on his adventures in acting. He talks about why he never dwells on a project’s prospects after his work is done, explains the kind of characters that attract him, reminisces about a couple exceptional recent shoots (including the wonderful ode to the game of baseball that is the film Eephus), makes a case for going “full on” for every role, and much more. Eephus is currently […]
by Peter Rinaldi
in Back to One
on May 13, 2025 -
“Slow Cinema Meets Heavy Metal is Kind of Like My Goal in Life”: Joel Potrykus, Back To One, Episode 340
We rarely get to hear Joel Potrykus talk about himself as an actor. The independent filmmaker of such beloved low-budget treasures as Ape, Buzzard, and Relaxer says he has, in fact, never talked about it. In his latest, Vulcanizadora, he once again co-stars with the man he loves to point his camera at, Joshua Burge. The two reprise their roles of Derek and Marty exactly ten years after they birthed those characters in Buzzard. On this episode, Potrykus explains the decision to take on the role in both films, why he loves working with the “machine” that is Burge, the […]
by Peter Rinaldi
in Back to One
on May 6, 2025 -
“If You Are Being Presented with Obstacles, You Should Use Them; It’s a Gift.” Brett Gelman, Back To One, Episode 339
You know him as Murray in Stranger Things, or Martin in Fleabag, or loved him in Lemon (the wonderful indie film he also co-wrote), or his countless guest star roles on Comedy Central, Adult Swim, The Office, Curb (the list goes on), but lately Brett Gelman has been venturing into more serious projects like McVeigh and Lady in the Lake. On this episode, he talks about the conscious choice to just “do great roles” that often takes him away from comedy. He talks about his relationship to the craft which started in acting school, explains how bombing on stage doing […]
by Peter Rinaldi
in Back to One
on Apr 29, 2025 -
“That’s the Beauty of Theater, It Parallels Your Life In Sort of Mysterious Ways”: Adeel Akhtar, Back To One, Episode 338
Adeel Akhtar is a versatile British actor known for his powerful performances across film, television, and theatre. He gained widespread acclaim for his BAFTA-winning role in the BBC drama Murdered by My Father, and won another one, a few years later, for Sherwood. His other credits in front of the camera include Four Lions, The Big Sick, Enola Holmes, Utopia, and Sweet Tooth. On stage, Akhtar has appeared in productions at the National Theatre and the Royal Court. Currently he wows audiences as Lopakhin in a new production of Chekhov’s The Cherry Orchard at St. Ann’s Warehouse in Brooklyn. On […]
by Peter Rinaldi
in Back to One
on Apr 23, 2025 -
“Two Giant Oners Put Together into One Piece”: DP Hillary Fyfe Spera on Daredevil: Born Again
When it comes to the work of cinematographer Hillary Fyfe Spera, you’ll find two consistent elements – 1970s inspirations and Panavision glass. Both are present in Daredevil: Born Again, a new Disney+ series that continues the story of lawyer by day/vigilante by night Matt Murdock originally begun on Netflix. The season opens with Murdock (played by Charlie Cox) and his nemesis Wilson “Kingpin” Fisk (Vincent D’Onofrio) trying to forsake their daker halves before they’re ultimately pulled back into their respective alter egos as crime fighter and crime lord. The show’s final arc took a circuitous route to fruition. Nearly six […]
by Matt Mulcahey
in Shutter Angles
on Apr 18, 2025 -
Sacramento Writer, Director and Star Michael Angarano, Back To One, Episode 338
Michael Angarano has been acting since he was an infant and has a long resume of memorable work in both comedic and dramatic roles—Almost Famous, Will and Grace, This is Us, Gentlemen Broncos, Oppenheimer, to name a few. His latest is a wonderful comedy with a lot of heart that he stars in, co-wrote and directed called Sacramento. On this episode he talks about the long road of getting that film made, how he needed to adjust once he saw Michael Cera’s approach to the role, and the interesting realization that he may not need to act and direct and […]
by Peter Rinaldi
in Back to One
on Apr 15, 2025 -
“I Love Television Because You Have To Continuously Evolve Your Character”: Jolene Purdy, Back To One, Episode 337
Jolene Purdy is always a standout. She gained recognition for her performance as Cherita Chen in the cult classic Donnie Darko, and later appeared in hit shows like Orange Is the New Black, Under the Dome, Breaking Bad, WandaVision, and The White Lotus. She now plays opposite Kevin Bacon in the new Amazon series The Bondsman. On this episode, she talks about how the collaborative nature of that production ignited her creativity and brought out the best in her. She tells us her secret to mastering the art of delivering exposition, why she loves to be directed, how she learned […]
by Peter Rinaldi
in Back to One
on Apr 8, 2025 -
“I Don’t Want To Be On Stage If I’m Not Vibrating Inside with Life”: Hadi Tabbal, Back To One, Episode 336
The incredible Lebanese actor Hadi Tabbal just finished the monumental Broadway run of Sanaz Toossi’s Pulitzer Prize-winning play English. He originated the role of Omid, and performed in various iterations of this powerful and transformative play over the last few years. On this episode, he talks about the fascinatingly unique aspect of English that is unlike any other play he’s performed, and what he means when he says it is “alive” every night and “very delicate,” and he has to “take care” not to “derail” it. He explains the difference between “discovery” and “deciding,” talks about the “saddest” part of […]
by Peter Rinaldi
in Back to One
on Apr 1, 2025 -
Back To One Episode 335: Magazine Dreams‘s Jonathan Majors
Jonathan Majors is an actor. His latest film is Magazine Dreams. He sat down with me to talk about the work. Back To One can be found wherever you get your podcasts, including Apple Podcasts, Google Play, and Spotify. And if you’re enjoying what you are hearing, please subscribe and rate us! Follow Back To One on Instagram.
by Peter Rinaldi
in Back to One
on Mar 25, 2025 -
“Don’t Wait for Permission” Gazer star Ariella Mastroianni, Back To One, Episode 334
Ariella Mastroianni is an actor from New Jersey by way of Ontario, Canada. With director Ryan J. Sloan, she co-wrote and co-produced Gazer, which she also stars in. The film, which the duo shot on weekends over the course of two years, brings the paranoid thriller genre into wildly original new territory. On this episode, Mastroianni tells the story of deciding to shoot on film, using their own money, with no formal support, no connections, just a deep desire to make the film they were both dying to see. She talks about the tools her acting teachers (like Brad Fleischer […]
by Peter Rinaldi
in Back to One
on Mar 18, 2025
