Actors With Issues with Juan Ayala

This week we are joined by Conor Sherry, star of the new coming-of-age comedy ‘Snack Shack’ where he plays AJ, a middle America teenager trying to make some fast money with his best friend during their summer break, leading them to winning an auction for the snack shack at their local pool. Their success is soon upended when they both fall in love when a new girl moves to town and starts working as a lifeguard at the pool.

From his groundbreaking role of Ricky Vasquez in the 90s series “My So Called Life” to his commanding performances on Broadway and in television series like “13 Reasons Why”, “Red Band Society” and the critically-acclaimed “Star Trek: Discovery”, which premieres its fifth and final season today on Paramount+, Wilson Cruz has continually pushed boundaries and shattered stereotypes, cementing his status as a trailblazer in the entertainment industry. Beyond his undeniable talent, Cruz's journey is a testament to resilience and advocacy, as he fearlessly uses his platform to champion Afro-Latino and LGBTQ+ representation and social justice causes. In this conversation on Actors With Issues, we delve into the early days of his career, insights into how he’s overcome adversity and remained resilient, and guidance for young actors looking to break into the business.

We are delighted to be joined by actress, filmmaker, and author of 'The Brink: A Memoir" Jaime Andrews who delves into her book which explores her childhood and teen-year struggles with depression, mental health, and substance use issues. It's a darkly funny, emotional, and incredibly vulnerable look into the many trials and tribulations she overcame. "My mom would rather I didn't do that, she won't even read it. She said 'I lived through it the first time'", Jaime laughed. "I knew it was a crazy story so it had entertainment value but I really wanted to put it out there because I know people who struggle could find value in it, it could give them hope to go on and overcome the things that I overcame and that so many of us go through."

From collegiate athlete to sitcom star, Nyambi Nyambi’s career has ebbed and flowed through a variety of genres, mediums and roles, whether it was starring alongside Melissa McCarthy and Billy Gardell in Mike & Molly or joining the ensemble cast of acclaimed drama The Good Fight to returning to his sitcom roots in season two of NBC’s reboot of Night Court, streaming now on Peacock.

Warrior quietly took the world by storm in 2019 after the premiere of its first season, so much so that it was renewed almost immediately for a second season which premiered in 2020. A few episodes in, the series introduced us to soon-to-be fan-favorite character Hong, played by Chen Tang, a smiley-but-deadly newcomer to San Francisco who joins the Hop Wei. Chen joins us on Actors With Issues to look back at his time on the show, the hopes for a future home as the show dropped on Netflix last month, and discuss the many lessons learned throughout his career working on iconic shows like 30 Rock, Agents of Shield and one of his proudest projects besides Warrior, the live-action adaptation of Disney’s Mulan. 

Chen’s first TV role was on an episode of 30 Rock in 2011 where he played Jake Hu, a character in a show within the show who is an investigative reporter without a sense of smell and “has to get the story using his eyes, ears, and other senses”. The role didn’t call for him to perform with any of the series core cast, but he recalled how he still felt a tad nervous coming on to an established show as a guest star. But an encounter with series star and creator of the show Tina Fey made him feel welcome and put his nerves at ease.

“I remember Tina was walking by and she had a bunch of people following her, since she was also the producer and writer of the show, so she was busy. She actually stopped by and took the time to talk to a little guest star and that always stuck out to me. I always try to emulate that. I believe it’s our sacred duty to send the elevator down and to be kind and respect other artists and people. I remember being blessed that being my first gig in New York.” (34:20)

Speaking about his casting in Warrior, Chen shared that because the series had been renewed so quickly after its premiere, he didn’t have a chance to watch the show before booking the role and dove right into his preparation to play Hong and join the world of 1870s San Francisco and Chinatown.

Playing the role of Hong in Warrior, Chen said his approach to the character had constant duality, as he was a sensitive, caring person with a positive attitude but also a ferocious warrior, “you can always play off your internal life and it was fascinating to look at it through that lens. It was fun to zig when everyone else was zagging. You always have a cool choice to make.” 

During the ‘Dear Chen’ Q&A segment of the episode, we turn to fan questions who asked Chen to delve more into his character-building process for Warrior, pivotal moments from throughout the series, and the impact of portraying a gay character that was completely devoid of harmful stereotypes. 

“We never wanted to put a microscope on his sexuality. He just so happens to like men, but that’s not all he is. It was such a pillar of the creation process because that was the first thing that opened up this sense of duality and gave me so much as Hong,” he explained. “You look at the world he came from, Ching Dynasty China, which was already a very stereotypically masculine-dominated sphere, and then you’re also in a gang. You’re a soldier for the mafia. You’re already inhabiting this world that’s very masculine but deep down there’s other things around that life, how could those two things play off of each other? And that’s where I found humor, that’s where I found everything based on Hong’s sexual identity.”

Watch the full episode or tune in on your favorite podcast platform, and be sure to watch all three seasons of Warrior on Netflix to help secure a new season!

Few actors can say they’ve worked with some of the most notable names in entertainment like Morgan Freeman, Oscar Isaac, Tiffany Haddish, Mel Gibson, Emile Hersch and Tye Sheridan. Meet Dylan Flashner, a charismatic and talented star on the rise who has appeared in over a dozen feature films in the last five years, with another seven projects soon-to-be released. Not only is he a talented actor, he’s also a gifted singer-songwriter and musician, and through his production company, has produced nearly 40 films with the goal of highlighting stories from those who are underrepresented.

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Darius Rose, also known by his drag persona Jackie Cox, made his off-Broadway debut earlier this month in  Triangle Productions’ ‘Make Me Gorgeous: The True Story of Kenneth “Mr. Madam” Marlowe’ and we are delighted to be joined by Darius to delve into his journey with the show, his television and drag career, and get into some Star Trek and Drag Race-related fan-submitted questions.

Dubbed “one of the season’s sleeper hits”, ‘Make Me Gorgeous’ follows the life of LGBTQ+ trailblazer Kenneth Marlowe, who underwent countless trials and tribulations throughout their life until they spent the final decade as their true self, Kate Marlowe. From dealing with their mother’s excessive alcohol use and working as a Christian missionary to surviving assault while in the military and performing drag and burlesque across the country, Marlowe’s story is a fascinating, emotional and captivating tale, one that Darius Rose performed brilliantly in the 90-minute one-man show.

“Wade [McCollum, who originated the role] was off to do Water for Elephants on Broadway, so he could no longer continue in the role. He’s good friend with Willam, who was also on Drag Race and was in Titanique off-Broadway, and I think Wade had reached out to Willam to see the play and maybe if they were interested in doing the play, but he wasn’t available to do it,” Darius shared. “Willam and I work with the same manager and asked if the producers would be willing to see me for the role, so I went to go see the play for the first time in December and I wasn’t sure if I could do it myself. I had a lovely lunch for a couple of hours with our playwright/director Donnie and he said ‘I think you could do this, also my husband loves watching you on Days of Our Lives’, so come do it!”

Born in Canada and having grown up all around the US due to their mother’s work as a  Medical Researcher, Darius went on to attend the University of California in Los Angeles where they earned their Bachelor of Arts degree. Soon moving to New York City, their sights were set on a career as an actor, it wasn’t until they performed the titular role in the musical Hedwig and the Angry Inch that they would perform in drag for the first time. “My first time feeling the power of being in drag on a stage with a microphone and in heels was through that musical. Hedwig is a character that is so strong and powerful in her ability to use song and drag to convey her message, that was the first time that I felt the power of drag.”

During our listener-submitting Q&A portion of the show ‘Dear Darius’, fans asked which Star Trek character (as Darius is a huge Trekkie) they’d want to partner with for a drag makeover challenge, what the “wildest part” of working on Days of Our Lives is, and if they’d return to the Drag Race franchise for an All-Stars season.

Watch our full interview above, and be sure to see Darius Rose starring in Make Me Gorgeous, in performances in New York City until February 25th! 

This week we are joined by television actress and voiceover artist Jacqueline Piñol for a wonderful reflection on her career and the many lessons learned over the years. Jacqueline knew as early as 12 years old and after her parents moved their family from the Bronx in New York City to Los Angeles, her chosen career path was made even easier. From industry shifts and social media, and the importance of taking risks and making decisions for your own well-being, Jacqueline shares so many insights from her 20+ years in the business from 70+ episodes of television, a dozen feature films and voicing characters in some of the biggest video game franchises of all time, including Marvel’s Spider-Man, Uncharted and Quantum Break.

“My life has taken me in so many different directions that I wouldn’t have expected because I made choices that were risky,” she shared. “I said ‘you know what? I’m gonna just go away for 3 months and travel to China and learn Mandarin.’ It was so random and my mom was like ‘are you insane?’ and I just thought, ‘why not?’. It was one of the best things I could’ve ever done. So you miss 3 months of auditions. But I don’t subscribe to the idea of ‘what if I miss my big chance?’ My big chance is everywhere I go, so who cares?” she laughed.

Jacqueline also talks about her voiceover career and how much that side of the industry has changed because of easier access and the fact that there is more content today than ever before, sharing that finding one’s own voice is the key to success. “Because [voiceover] is so competitive today, you have to find what is authentically with your voice, what characters you find you can bring to life that are not just unique but really truthful or have a certain sound. Enroll in some really great classes where you actually feel the growth where you are building upon characters and that your voice is stretching to offer a different type of sound because then you have something to offer, or you’re looking to do voiceover jobs. Saying ‘I wanna be a voiceover actor, I can do that’ is enough anymore. 20 years ago, maybe.”

Looking back at her early years, Jacqueline shared that she wishes she could have told her younger self to trust her instincts more and to make choices based on what she felt was best for her, and not what others thought. “I was robbing myself from giving ME to audiences, to casting directors, to a performance or audition. I would tell her to just be herself and trust that what you’re giving out and doing is enough. I wish I’d know that earlier because when we trust ourselves. There’s only one of each of us and if we try to be like someone else, now the world doesn’t get to have that piece of us, we’re the only ones who can give it to them.”

Watch our full conversation above, or listen on-the-go on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

This week we chatted with rising star Ava Cantrell, who has gone from recurring roles in television and supporting roles in films to her first leading role in the new horror-thriller ABIGAIL where she stars as the titular character who has “an axe to grind” with some neighborhood bullies. Ava talks about the challenges of taking on a manipulative character and the physical challenges of nearly a month of night shoots working sundown to sun up, and also shares some advice for parents of child actors.

“Your parent’s support is so important as a child actor, it’s a very hard thing to do by yourself, so I would say [to parents] to be emotionally supportive of your kids,” she advises. “There’s a lot of rejection. You get so many no’s before you get a yes, [it’s important] to give your child the confidence to keep going and having that kind of grit you need to handle those no’s.”

You can see Ava Cantrell starring in ABIGAIL, now available to rent or stream on VOD.

This week we are joined by a delightful trio from the hilarious new queer-led comedy series OPEN TO IT: Frank Arthur Smith ('Greg' and series creator), Tim Wardell ('Cam') and Jason Caceres ('Princeton'), to talk all about the series' first season, upcoming Pride special, what they've learned about themselves throughout production, and what they hope changes in the industry, from better representation to more open-mindedness in the casting process.

The series follows loving gay couple Greg and Cam as they open up their relationship to explore a potential throuple with a Princeton. You can see the entire first season on OutTV, and stay tuned for a Pride special in June and the second half of season later this year.