Back to One

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

  • A still of actor Jon Hamm in Maggie Moore(s). “Part of What We Do as Actors Is Give It Up”: Jon Hamm (Back To One, Episode 258)

    Few television show characters are more iconic than Mad Men’s Don Draper. Jon Hamm played him for 7 seasons and just might have changed television forever. Since then Hamm has ventured into film and exercised his funny muscles. Last year’s Confess, Fletch was a wonderful example of what Hamm can do with good material, and so is his latest, Maggie Moore(s), directed by his friend (and Mad Men co-star) John Slattery.  In this episode, he talks about how Slattery worked with him to establish the very specific tone of that film, and what he needs from a director in general. He details how his previous television…  Read more

    On Jun 20, 2023
    By on Jun 20, 2023 Actors
  • An image of actor and filmmaker Mark Duplass, who wears a beige t-shirt, grey hoodie and scowls while looking off to the side. “I’m the Little Boy Believing That There’s a Pony in a Pile of Shit”: Mark Duplass (Back To One, Episode 257)

    Mark Duplass is the living patron saint of the indie filmmaker. Honest, simple, modest, positive, affirming about the work, Duplass, first with his brother Jay and now on his own, has become a household name in the film world for producing projects in a DIY style foregrounding authenticity, improvisational humor, and human connection. As an actor, both in his own productions and also series like The Morning Show, he finds a way to keep that homegrown genuineness alive in front of the camera. His latest film, Biosphere, which he co-wrote with director Mel Eslyn, is a true two-hander (with the wonderful Sterling…  Read more

    On Jun 13, 2023
    By on Jun 13, 2023 Actors
  • Actor Matthew Maher's headshot. “I Do Not Have an Adult Profession, and So You Need To Maintain Access to Your Childlike Self”: Matthew Maher (Back To One, Episode 256)

    In recent movies like Air and Funny Pages, television series like Our Flag Means Death, and plays like Annie Baker’s The Flick, Matthew Maher has made a name for himself as someone who can bring an oddball or weirdo to full life with enough charm, charisma, and genuine gusto to make us love him unconditionally. On this episode, he talks about his acting foundations, the tools formative teachers have given him, and some theories he has developed as a teacher himself. He explains the allure of experimental theater in ’90s New York City, makes a case for embracing contradictions and obstructions in a character and…  Read more

    On Jun 6, 2023
    By on Jun 6, 2023 Actors
  • A photo of actor Jeff Hiller. “The Sweat of Desperation Does Not Translate to a Series Regular”: Jeff Hiller (Back To One, Episode 255)

    It is extremely hard not to love Jeff Hiller’s character Joel, opposite Bridget Everett’s Sam, on the hit HBO series Somebody Somewhere. Their friendship is sweet, revelatory, and concerningly codependent, all at the same time. On this episode, he talks about how he got good at auditioning while wondering if he’d ever play someone with an inner life, “or a name.” He tells the story of landing “Joel,” the surprising connections he shares with the character, the secret ingredient that makes his chemistry with Everett work so well, and much more. Back To One can be found wherever you get…  Read more

    On May 30, 2023
    By on May 30, 2023 Actors
  • A headshot of actor Owen Teague wearing a black leather motorcycle jacket. “If You’re Gonna Do It, DO IT. And Maybe It’s Wrong, and That’s Fine”: Owen Teague (Back To One, Episode 254)

    Owen Teague is only 24, but he’s already had an opportunity to show his range as an exceptional young actor in shows like Bloodline, Black Mirror, and The Stand, and films like To Leslie, Montana Story, and the new Nicole Holofcener film, You Hurt My Feelings (which opens Friday, May 26th). On this episode, he talks about gleaning “a lot” from the great actors he’s worked with, knowing when to “separate yourself,” the importance of feeling scared but not intimidated, discovering how central a character’s physicality is for him, plus much more! Back To One can be found wherever you get your podcasts, including Apple Podcasts,…  Read more

    On May 23, 2023
    By on May 23, 2023 Actors
  • A headshot of actor Jon Voight. “I Think That’s Why I’m an Actor—I’m a Daydreamer”: Jon Voight (Back To One, Episode 253)

    With incredible performances in films like Midnight Cowboy, Coming Home, Deliverance and Runaway Train, Jon Voight has earned himself a spot in the acting Pantheon. At 84, he has never stopped working. Seven seasons of Ray Donovan being a recent highlight. On this episode, he talks about how he “starts slow” when developing an approach to a character, letting “things drop into my psyche.” He pinpoints directorial characteristics of John Schlesinger (director of Midnight Cowboy) that worked well for him, details a scrappy fight scene with Jonathan Rhys Myers on his latest film Mercy, reminisces about working with Cassavetes on Love…  Read more

    On May 16, 2023
    By on May 16, 2023 Actors
  • A headshot of actor David Gyasi. “I Don’t Want To Change a Punctuation Mark in This”: The Diplomat’s David Gyasi (Back To One, Episode 252)

    You’ve seen his work in such films as Interstellar and Cloud Atlas, and television series like Containment and Carnival Row, now David Gyasi plays Austin Dennison in Debora Cahn’s new hit Netflix limited series The Diplomat. On this episode, he talks about the rare collaboration he had with Cahn in developing Dennison, the part of the job he finds “sacred,” loving re-HEARsal, the real reason why he is so picky with the roles he takes on, and much more. Back To One can be found wherever you get your podcasts, including Apple Podcasts, Google Play, and Stitcher. And if you’re…  Read more

    On May 9, 2023
    By on May 9, 2023 Actors
  • Parker Posey's headshot. “It’s a Difficult Sport”: Parker Posey (Back To One, Episode 251)

    The 4K restoration and re-release of the comedy Party Girl brings Parker Posey to Back To One. Shortly after the success of that movie in 1995, she went on to star in so many independent films, like The Daytrippers, Clockwatchers, The House of Yes (not to mention a bunch of Hal Hartley and Christopher Guest classics), that she was dubbed “Queen of the Indies.” On this episode, she explains why that moniker was oddly detrimental to her career. She talks about recent experiences on the sets of Beau Is Afraid and The Staircase; the connection between actors and athletes; why,…  Read more

    On May 2, 2023
    By on May 2, 2023 Actors
  • Actor Betsey Brown's headshot. “The Only Thing We Have Is the Moment”: Betsey Brown (Back to One, Episode 250)

    My first encounter with the work of actor, writer, director Betsey Brown was her captivating and shocking performance in The Scary of Sixty-First. Then, in her first feature film Actors, she and her brother Peter Vack play over-the-top versions of themselves in a wildly fictional, yet super-personal exploration of their relationship that boldly pulls out all the cinematic stops. It’s the kind of rare indie that gives you hope for the future of film. In this episode, she talks about the aspects of the acting craft that are central to her—patience, relaxation, fearlessness, appreciation, the importance of the present moment—plus…  Read more

    On Apr 25, 2023
    By on Apr 25, 2023 Actors
  • Actress Emily Meade's headshot. She has long, wavy brown hair and wears a gray tank top. “I Don’t Care if People Don’t Like My Characters”: Emily Meade (Back To One, Episode 249)

    Emily Meade is best known for her roles in the HBO shows The Deuce, The Leftovers, and Boardwalk Empire. Her latest project, the Amazon series Dead Ringers, premieres on April 21st. She became an advocate for intimacy coordinators on set following a lack thereof on The Deuce, where she portrayed a sex worker. After urging HBO to hire an intimacy coordinator, her advocation ignited the use of intimacy coordinators on all HBO sets and beyond, creating a new standard in Hollywood. In this episode, she talks about needing to base her characters on real-life people she knows, how being a…  Read more

    On Apr 18, 2023
    By on Apr 18, 2023 Actors
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