Back to One

A podcast about acting -- just the work. by Peter Rinaldi

  • “There’s a Lot in This Heart”: Sallieu Sesay, Back To One, Episode 276

    Sallieu Sesay is a Sierra Leonean-American actor who has had recurring roles on CBS’ Seal Team and HBO’s Barry, and, in his latest, delivers an incredible supporting performance in John Trengove’s nihilistic thriller Manodrome alongside Jesse Eisenberg. On this episode he talks about doing tons of research before taking on that part, having so little in common with the character and facing the pressure of being at the center of a movie’s most pivotal scene. He gives us a glimpse at his dedication to this craft, his continuous training with some of the best acting teachers around such as Ivana…  Read more

    On Jan 30, 2024
    By on Jan 30, 2024 Columns
  • “You Want It To Be So Familiar That You’re Not Thinking”: Jack Huston, Back To One, Episode 275

    Jack Huston has worked with Scorsese, Ridley Scott, David O’ Russell, The Coens, had meaty roles on series like Mayfair Witches, Fargo, and, maybe most notably, Boardwalk Empire, where he played Richard Harrow. His latest project is Lulu Wang’s Amazon series Expats. On this episode he talks about gaining 30 pounds for that part (which wasn’t as much fun as it sounds), why it all starts with the voice for him, writing and directing his passion project The Day of The Fight for Michael Pitt and Joe Pesci, and he reveals a common trait of all great directors he’s known.…  Read more

    On Jan 23, 2024
    By on Jan 23, 2024 Columns
  • “I Just Wanna Play the Good Guy, But Not the Boring Good Guy:” Spenser Granese, Back To One, Episode 274

    You know Spenser Granese from memorable roles on Better Call Saul, Fear of the Walking Dead, Pam & Tommy, and, perhaps most memorably, the character of Bevel in the final season of Barry. On this episode, he talks about landing that role after trying hard to get on the show for three seasons and the incredible working environment he found on set. He opens up about his unique approach to the craft having no formal training, why he keeps the lines barely memorized, avoids expectations, operates on his instinct, and much more! Back To One can be found wherever you…  Read more

    On Dec 26, 2023
    By on Dec 26, 2023 Columns
  • “It’s a Gift When People Share with Me their Stories”: Michelle Monaghan, Back To One, Episode 273

    Discovering Michelle Monaghan in Kiss Kiss Bang Bang was like finding evidence that the old-school Hollywood comedy actress gene, long thought extinct, was alive and well. She did more than hold her own opposite Robert Downey Jr. and Val Kilmer — she stole the movie. I’ve been rooting for her ever since. A few Mission Impossibles, Gone Baby Gone, True Detective followed, as well as some significant work in small indies like Trucker, Fort Bliss, and Nanny. She returns to comedy with her latest, The Family Plan, which is streaming now on Apple TV+. On this episode, she talks about…  Read more

    On Dec 19, 2023
    By on Dec 19, 2023 Columns
  • “I Was Like a Pig in Mud Making Golden Vanity.” Melora Hardin, Back To One, Episode 272

    Melora Hardin is best known for playing Jan on the American version of The Office. She was nominated for an Emmy for her work on the series Transparent. Recently she stepped back into the role of Trudy Monk for Mr. Monk’s Last Case: A Monk Movie, which is streaming now on Peacock. On this episode she talks about bringing the character Mabel Montgomery-Mayflower to life in the new independent film Golden Vanity, and how the perfect combination of director’s vision and true collaboration helped her deliver that tour-de-force performance. She takes us back to her early days as a child…  Read more

    On Dec 12, 2023
    By on Dec 12, 2023 Columns
  • “Part of Being an Actor is Living All the Time with a Certain Sensitivity”: Robbie Tann, Back To One, Episode 271

    You might know Robbie Tann from Preacher, The Deuce, or when he played Billy on Mare of Easttown, or Whitty in the “Mazey Day” episode of the latest season of Black Mirror. Currently he plays Shipley in this year’s most exciting and original sci-fi film, The Creator. On this episode, he tells how the run-and-gun style of shooting on that production, combined with the cast and crew’s infectious passion for the project, helped with all aspects of his work. He explains why he now bypasses a straightforward “roadmap” of preparation, focusing instead on letting the role seep into his unconscious.…  Read more

    On Dec 5, 2023
    By on Dec 5, 2023 Columns
  • “You Can’t Get to the Transcendent Stuff Without Risking That It All Might Go Off the Rails”: Olli Haaskivi, Back To One, Episode 270

    You know Olli Haaskivi from his work in series such as Winning Time, Manifest, and The Sinner, and films like Motherless Brooklyn, Nancy and of course, this Summer’s blockbuster Oppenheimer, where he played scientist Edward Condon. On this episode he shares his experience of working with Christopher Nolan on that film (which he says seemed less sprawling than some student films he’s worked on!), why he felt the freedom to bring his ideas and “all of himself” (spoiler: Nolan is not afraid of actors!), and how all this affected the work in the moment. Plus he talks about his “this…  Read more

    On Nov 28, 2023
    By on Nov 28, 2023 Columns
  • “It’s Hard to Survive if You Don’t Also Have Your Entrepreneur Hat On”: Brit Marling, Back To One, Ep. 269

    Brit Marling is an inspiration. The talented multi-hypenate became an indie darling in 2011 with Another Earth and Sound of My Voice—collaborations with Mike Cahill and Zal Batmanglij respectively. She avoided various vapid roles and unfulfilling career paths and instead went on to star in (and co-create with Batmanglii) the hit Netflix series The OA, which was bafflingly cancelled after two seasons, despite a rabid and large fan base. The two are back with another series, FX’s A Murder At The End of The World—a cool Zoomer detective whodunit set in a remote super-hotel in Iceland. On this episode, she…  Read more

    On Nov 22, 2023
    By on Nov 22, 2023 Columns
  • Back to One: “It’s Not About You,” The Sixth Annual Kevin Corrigan Episode

    The SAG strike is over and Back To One returns in the most fitting way—with The Sixth Annual Kevin Corrigan Episode. The living patron saint of the indie actor fills us in on what’s been going on in his world over the past year, talks about playing off of Tim Blake Nelson in his latest film Bang Bang, takes us way back to his first time on a film set as an extra in 1987, describes a recent rewarding experience of performing his own ultra personal material, and ponders his strange case of involuntary lens spiking. Plus stories about “manhandling”…  Read more

    On Nov 14, 2023
    By on Nov 14, 2023 Columns
  • “It’s a Braver and More Worthy Cause, At Least for Me, Than Me Being a Soldier or Politician”: Al Warren (Back To One, Episode 267)

    Dogleg is one of the best films of the year. A unique and hilarious feat of cinematic inventiveness, it follows amateur director Alan, played by Al Warren, after he loses his fiancé’s dog at a gender reveal party on the day of an important shoot. Warren also wrote and directed the film, which took more than half a decade to finish. On this episode, he tells us why he was in no hurry to complete the film, and why he has taken a much more intentional and meaningful approach toward bringing it to the audience. He takes us back to…  Read more

    On Oct 3, 2023
    By on Oct 3, 2023 Actors
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