Acting
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Back to One, Episode 135: Tuppence Middleton
English actor Tuppence Middleton is on a steady, slow rise and that seems to suit her just fine. On this side of the pond she’s perhaps best known for playing Riley Blue on the Netflix sci-fi series Sense8 and Lucy Smith in the Downton Abbey movie, but you’d be foolish not to seek out her work in Trap For Cinderella and War and Peace. Now she’s part of the impressive ensemble in David Fincher’s latest film Mank. She plays “Poor Sara” Mankiewicz, wife of the alcoholic co-writer of Citizen Kane, played by Gary Oldman. I ask her about working with […]
by Peter Rinaldi on Dec 8, 2020 -
Back to One, Episode 134: Aubrey Plaza
From Parks And Recreation to Legion, from indie film queen to The Happiest Season, Aubrey Plaza is not done surprising us. Everybody’s favorite late-night talk-show guest and hilarious awards-show host rarely gets to show off the serious roots of her acting chops. Enter Black Bear. The Sundance hit from Lawrence Michael Levine stars Plaza as a former actress on a writing retreat opposite Christopher Abbott and Sarah Gadon. Further description is not only pointless, it can be detrimental to your enjoyment of the film. Let’s just say it’s worth your time, in large part because of the emotional territory Plaza […]
by Peter Rinaldi on Dec 1, 2020 -
Back to One, Episode 133: Kevin Corrigan
It’s become a tradition to have actor’s actor Kevin Corrigan on the show every year. This is his third visit (his first two episodes are #1 an #67). Sitting down with the wise sage of indie film always ends up being both a reset and recharge. He has a way of speaking about this art that helps bring us back to the root of what it’s all about: connection, empathy, being alive. In this hour, he tells us about a life-changing event that happened right after wrapping work on the Showtime series Ray Donovan, and how the effects reverberate throughout […]
by Peter Rinaldi on Nov 24, 2020 -
Back to One, Episode 132: Ruth Wilson
With mesmerizing performances in such series as Luther, Mrs. Wilson, and The Affair, Ruth Wilson has established herself as one of our great actors. Her latest is the deliciously sinister Marisa Coulter on the hit fantasy series His Dark Materials. In this episode she explains the fascinating way she’s been able to build the multi-dimensional aspects of that character, and the challenge of hitting the proper balance when playing such a larger-than-life villain. She talks about the meditative aspect to her process, the invigorating power she gets from the theater, and how the energy of the audience affects her performance […]
by Peter Rinaldi on Nov 10, 2020 -
Back to One, Episode 126: Carrie Coon
Carrie Coon has quietly built a reputation as an acting powerhouse though a collection of phenomenal performances in television shows like The Leftovers, Fargo, and The Sinner, and movies such as Gone Girl, The Post, and her latest, The Nest. In this episode, she talks about the paramount importance of breath work, using “touchstones” for emotional connection, her first experience on the New York stage in Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf, the quarantine film education she’s getting with her husband, Tracy Letts, and much more! Back To One can be found wherever you get your podcasts, including Apple Podcasts, Google […]
by Peter Rinaldi on Sep 15, 2020 -
Back to One, Episode 125: Katherine Waterston
Katherine Waterston is one of our most brilliant and committed actors. She brings superstar power to indies like Queen of Earth and State Like Sleep, and a captivating authenticity to franchises like Fantastic Beasts and Alien. It was Inherent Vice that first brought her to my attention. In this episode, she talks about why she was “a pig in shit” making that film, why having lots and lots of time to live with a script is ideal for her, becoming comfortable being uncomfortable, the “best feeling I can experience without breaking the law,” and her exciting new multi-part project The […]
by Peter Rinaldi on Sep 8, 2020 -
Back to One, Episode 122: Niamh Algar
Irish actor Niamh Algar has been making her mark in the UK of late portraying women dealing with their intense pasts, like Dinah in Shane Meadows’ The Virtues and Ursula in Calm With Horses (which just opened in the States as The Shadow of Violence). The intensity continues with her latest project, Raised By Wolves, Ridley Scott’s sci-fi series for HBO MAX (which drops on September 3th). In this episode, she talks about following her gut, why she asks questions early, adapting to the director, the importance of not taking yourself too seriously, and much more. Back To One can […]
by Peter Rinaldi on Aug 18, 2020 -
Back to One, Episode 114: Daisy Edgar-Jones
She’s barely in her twenties, yet Daisy Edgar-Jones has given us a 12-part acting technique masterclass in the form of her portrayal of Marianne in Hulu’s hit series Normal People. Every state of emotion, every point of transformation is reached with striking authenticity, stemming from this complex character. It’s a timeless performance for the ages. In this episode, she breaks down some of that work, talks about her love of acting with accents, the importance of creative chemistry, how she manages her acting insecurities, and much more. Back To One can be found wherever you get your podcasts, including Apple Podcasts, Google […]
by Peter Rinaldi on Jul 3, 2020 -
Back to One, Episode 110: Peter Friedman
In these last 10 years, stage and screen veteran Peter Friedman has enjoyed a steady flow of work, more than the first 30 years of his career. Recently, he got raves for his Polonius in Sam Gold’s production of Hamlet at the Public Theater, had a recurring role on the Hulu series The Path, and now plays Frank Vernon on the hit HBO show Succession. On this episode, he talks about how being the “new kid in class” as a day-player on set makes him nervous, why it’s ok to dismiss work that doesn’t speak to you, how performing with […]
by Peter Rinaldi on Jun 3, 2020 -
Back to One, Episode 104: Miriam Shor
Miriam Shor is unrecognizable as Lorraine Ela in the powerful new Netflix film Lost Girls. It’s the kind of performance that doesn’t feel performed, that doesn’t get recognized often because it’s invisible. We talk about that phenomenon this half hour, and break down a hilarious moment from the show Younger, where Shor played the beloved character Diana Trout. She talks about the importance of feeling like she is in collaboration with a director, and how being cast in a role you don’t think you’re “right for” can help you grow. Plus much more! Back To One can be found wherever […]
by Peter Rinaldi on Mar 25, 2020
