The last time Alessandro Nivola was on Back To One (Ep. 37), he had just landed the role of Dickie Moltisanti in The Many Saints of Newark, the feature film prequel to The Sopranos, and had nearly six months to prepare for the role. On this episode, he takes us from there, detailing the extensive research, geographical immersion, voice and body work that went into the preparation process for the biggest role of his career. He talks about the importance of authenticity in every aspect of the character, how Raging Bull played a big part in keeping him on track, […]

When Dominic Burgess is not stealing scenes as a guest star, he’s getting raves as Jerry Summers in Dr. Death, Ember in The Magicians, and Victor Buono in the Ryan Murphy miniseries Feud. On this episode, he talks about why the vibe on a set is a big factor in his work, his struggles lately gauging what exactly “gay” means as a descriptor in heteronormative projects, why he appreciates when actors don’t let their unsettling methods infect others on the set, and how nearly every golden opportunity he’s had recently can be traced back to something that will forever force […]

John Pollono is a playwright, screenwriter, and actor. You know him from Mob City and This is Us. He wrote the film Stronger and the play Small Engine Repair, which had successful runs in Los Angeles and New York. The filmed version, which he also stars in and directs, is about to open after Covid delayed its release. It co-stars Jon Bernthal and Shea Whigham. In this episode, he talks in-depth about working with those guys, the changes that needed to be made from stage to screen that served to enrich the experience, and the factors that played a part […]

Her riveting and revelatory performance in Kazik Radwanski’s Anne At 13,000 Ft. is the latest in a run of risky work by the Canadian indie phenom Deragh Campbell. In this hour, she talks about the process of sinking into Anne as the production went on and the great benefits and humorous backfires of immersing with non-professional actors in some scenes. Blending non-fiction into her performances is something she does often, particularly in collaboration with director Sofia Bohdanowicz. She talks about the character they created together, Audrey Benac, and the interesting ways performing as her has evolved over five projects. Plus […]

When it comes to her characters, Emmy nominee Jurnee Smollett is guided by truth. In this episode, the Lovecraft Country star talks about how painting in the tiny details helps her know how to live in a character, and why she doesn’t need to know what her character doesn’t know. She talks about why actors shouldn’t be afraid to speak up when they are not getting what they need, and why she needs to express herself through acting for her very survival. Plus we go off on a pretty cool Al Pacino tangent, and much more! Back To One can […]

Actor, rapper, writer, producer: Daveed Diggs loves wearing many hats, often at the same time. Hamilton made him a star. He won a Tony for it. Now he’s nominated for an Emmy for his incredible work in the filmed version of the musical. In this episode, he talks about his need to find the character somewhere in his body, and why attending editing sessions for his new show Blindspotting on breaks from acting in the television series Snowpiercer was the opposite of overwhelming. He paints us a picture of his creative life in the lead-up to the life-changing experience of […]

After six seasons, Matthew Rhys won an Emmy for his stellar work on The Americans. Spielberg’s The Post, and A Beautiful Day in The Neighborhood (opposite Tom Hanks) followed, and now he’s nominated for another Emmy for his incredible work in Perry Mason on HBO. In this half hour, he compares the experience of building (and “wrestling”) his two major television characters into life. He talks about the humiliating way he learned the acting lesson that listening is just as important as speaking. He shares a few tools he uses when he can’t get in the groove, explains why he’s […]

Teeth, Somebody Up There Likes Me, Chained For Life, The Good Wife, are just a few of the great Jess Weixler’s credits. Ten years ago she co-stared in The Lie with Joshua Leonard. They played a couple with a baby and one big problem. He directed. Most of the dialogue came out of improvisation. Now they’ve done it again with Fully Realized Humans. They again play a couple. This time the baby is in utero and the laughs are bigger, the situations more absurd yet also more thought-provoking. Weixler is credited as co-writer. In this episode she details the improv […]

Phillipa Soo’s first time on Broadway was in the unprecedented phenomenon that is Hamilton. She was nominated for a Tony for her portrayal of Eliza, and now she’s nominated for an Emmy for her incredible work in the filmed version. In this episode, she talks about how she managed to not let the superlatives overwhelm her into paralysis during that run, and the surprising way deeper, more playable meanings began to grow out of the text. She details a few specific ways the tools she was given at Juilliard came in handy, particularly in her first New York stage production, […]

Jon Huertas is the first actor on the podcast to talk extensively about the “BMS Technique” for preparation. He plays Miguel on This Is Us. His past credits include Castle, Generation Kill, and the new film Initiation. He tells an amazing story about botching an audition so badly that he felt a formal apology was necessary (of course he landed the role). He talks about the importance of making different choices with every take, his mission, on the other side of the camera, to create content about Latinx people that completely avoids stereotypes, and much more! Back To One can […]