An Actor Despairs

By Ryan M. PerezTV & Film Arts Film Interviews Performing Arts

An Actor Despairs episodes

September 21 WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THE MIDDLE DISAPPEARS? | Daniel Bessner on Hollywood & AI
Join your host Ryan M. Perez and Daniel Bessner for Part Two of their conversation around Daniel's new book, IMPERIALIST REALISM.
This time, the conversation turns from the decline of mass culture to the people trying to make a living inside the system replacing it.

Daniel examines what he describes as the "deindustrialization of white-collar work," and why the instability consuming Hollywood may be part of a much larger transformation of American working life. They discuss the disappearance of the middle, mass layoffs, AI, the economics of user-generated content, and why even people who made all the "right" career choices are discovering that stability is increasingly difficult to find.

Ryan and Daniel also dig into what this means specifically for actors and artists. There used to be ways to structure a life around pursuing creative work, even without becoming a star. What happens when the day jobs disappear, the middle of the entertainment industry contracts, and stability increasingly becomes a privilege reserved for people who already have money?

Finally, they turn toward possible solutions: using technology in service of people rather than against them, reconsidering old political playbooks, and asking whether ideas like a robust universal basic income for artists could help preserve creative careers in a radically changing economy.
Part Two of our conversation with Daniel Bessner asks a bigger question: if the old structures of work are no longer capable of providing stability, what should replace them?

https://imperialistrealism.substack.com/
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49 min
September 16 CAN HOLLYWOOD SURVIVE THE DEATH OF MASS CULTURE? | Daniel Bessner & Neal Bledsoe
Join your host Ryan M. Perez and guests Daniel Bessner and Neal Bledsoe for Part One of a wide-ranging conversation centered around Daniel's new book, IMPERIALIST REALISM.

Together, they examine what Daniel describes as a moment of American "decomposition and decay," and how the decline of American hegemony intersects with a rapidly changing entertainment industry.

They discuss the disappearance of a shared mass culture, the atomization of audiences, why Hollywood is still structured around a mass-media model that may no longer exist, and what happens to movies and television when they're competing for attention with content made 90 seconds at a time.
They also explore the economics of filmmaking, the changing role of actors and other artists, the collapse of old industry structures, and whether new, more localized models of cultural production can take their place.

This is Part One of our conversation with Daniel Bessner and Neal Bledsoe on IMPERIALIST REALISM.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
59 min
August 19 Jefferson White
Join your host Ryan M. Perez as he sits down with actor and producer Jefferson White, known for Yellowstone, The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping, Civil War, and The Americans, to discuss his unlikely journey from growing up in Iowa without imagining acting could ever be a career to becoming part of one of television’s biggest shows.

Jefferson reflects on moving to New York, breaking into the industry, the audition that led to Yellowstone, working with Taylor Sheridan, and navigating the peaks and valleys of a working actor’s life. He also discusses Civil War, The Hunger Games, rejection, self-tapes, launching his own production company, and why he’s reached a point where he can’t simply wait around for someone else to pick him.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
2 hr
August 11 Theo Rossi (Part 2 of 2)
Join your host Ryan M. Perez as he sits down with actor, producer, and entrepreneur Theo Rossi, known for Sons of Anarchy, Luke Cage, Emily the Criminal, The Penguin, and Army of the Dead, for an honest conversation about how the entertainment industry has evolved since the pandemic. Theo reflects on how Emily the Criminal reshaped his career, led to opportunities like The Penguin, and renewed his perspective on acting and storytelling.

The conversation explores the realities of self-tape auditions, the impact of streaming on Hollywood, why actors need to create and produce their own work, the disappearance of the industry's middle class, the changing relationship between audiences and film, and why great stories will always endure. Theo also shares his philosophy on longevity, taking creative risks, adapting to change, and building a sustainable career in an industry where there are no guarantees.
If you enjoyed Part 1, this episode goes even deeper into the future of Hollywood and what it takes to thrive as a working artist today.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
1 hr 33 min
August 04 Theo Rossi (Part 1 of 2)
Part 1 of 2: Join your host Ryan M. Perez as he sits down with actor, producer Theo Rossi, known for Sons of Anarchy, Luke Cage, Emily the Criminal, and Army of the Dead, to discuss his journey from growing up in Staten Island to becoming one of Hollywood's most recognizable character actors. In this first installment, Theo opens up about his childhood, overcoming addiction, discovering acting by chance, studying the craft with relentless intensity, moving to Los Angeles, hustling through countless jobs while chasing his dream, and the breakthrough moments that changed his life forever. The conversation also explores the realities of rejection, building a sustainable career, navigating the changing entertainment industry, and why success in Hollywood is as much about business, relationships, and perseverance as it is about talent.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
1 hr 26 min
July 29 Langley Kirkwood
Join your host Ryan M. Perez as he sits down with actor Langley Kirkwood, known for Warrior, Banshee, Black Sails, and Generation Kill, to discuss his journey from growing up in apartheid-era Johannesburg to building an international acting career. The conversation explores the formative experiences that inspired him to become an actor, his breakthrough roles in South Africa and Hollywood, working on acclaimed series including Banshee, Warrior, Black Sails, and Generation Kill, and his move to Los Angeles before ultimately returning home. Langley also opens up about his battle with alcoholism, achieving sobriety, the changing realities of today's entertainment industry, and why actors must become storytellers and create their own opportunities in an ever-evolving business.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
1 hr 54 min
July 23 Thomas Coombes
Join your host Ryan M. Perez and guest Thomas Coombes as they discuss growing up in the U.K., discovering the arts at a young age, navigating drama school, and breaking into one of the world’s most competitive industries. Thomas reflects on the realities of training, finding representation, landing his first auditions, and the perseverance it took to build his career.

They also dive into his work on BOILING POINT, BABY REINDEER, SLOW HORSES, THE AGENCY, and DEATH OF ENGLAND, collaborating with Stephen Graham, the lasting impact of the pandemic on actors, self-tape auditions, approaching complex roles, overcoming rejection, and the mindset required to sustain a career in the industry.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
1 hr 8 min
July 21 Gretchen Mol
Join your host Ryan Perez and guest Gretchen Mol as they discuss growing up in Connecticut, discovering acting, moving to New York, landing early roles in THE FUNERAL, DONNIE BRASCO, ROUNDERS, and SPIN CITY, and the lessons that shaped her career. Gretchen also reflects on the changing television landscape, the realities of self-tape auditions, staying true to her artistic compass, and the advice that's guided her through decades in the industry. Please see her new film HORSEGIRLS now in cinemas!
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
1 hr 3 min
July 09 Brian Geraghty
Join your host Ryan M. Perez as he sits down with actor Brian Geraghty, known for 1923, The Hurt Locker, Flight, and Jarhead, to discuss his journey from growing up in New Jersey to studying at the Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theatre and building a career in Hollywood. The conversation explores his early years in New York, the perseverance it took to establish himself as a working actor, collaborating with acclaimed filmmakers including Kathryn Bigelow and Robert Zemeckis, his experiences on The Hurt Locker, Jarhead, Flight, and 1923, and what he's learned about longevity, resilience, and navigating an ever-changing entertainment industry.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
2 hr 23 min
July 01 Macon Blair
Join your host Ryan M. Perez as he sits down with actor, writer, and director Macon Blair, known for Oppenheimer, Blue Ruin, and Green Room, to discuss his journey from growing up in Alexandria, Virginia to building a career as one of independent cinema's most respected storytellers. The conversation explores his lifelong creative partnership with Jeremy Saulnier, making homemade films together as kids, working as a production assistant in New York, writing spec scripts, and the years of persistence that led to the breakthrough success of Blue Ruin at the Cannes Film Festival. Macon also reflects on the making of Green Room, his work on Oppenheimer, the realities of independent filmmaking, and what it takes to build a lasting career both in front of and behind the camera.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
1 hr 50 min

About An Actor Despairs

From the publisher's feed

An inside look at life in the television and film industry. Join your host Ryan M. Perez as he speaks with actors, directors, and artists more about how the industry works and how to not only survive…