First Refusal Podcast

In this episode We're not talking with an entertainment industry professional, but our conversation is vital for actors, creatives, and frankly, anyone. Manifestation coach and podcast host Jennifer Coffey is here to explain the Law of Attraction and how examining our mindset can transform our careers and lives. She draws on her own remarkable story of manifesting a QVC Program Host position despite virtually no experience, and introduces us to a wealth of of manifestation topics: self-awareness, free will, money thermostats, best- and worst-case scenarios, deadlines, gratitude, surrender, and acting “as if.” We touch on the concept of co-creation, how success and betrayal can be synonymous, what fear really is, and allowing things to be easy. Enjoy this primer on mindfulness and creation that will benefit you in any walk of life.

Jen’s Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@JenniferCoffeyStyle

https://www.instagram.com/jennifercoffey/

https://www.instagram.com/pmontejr/

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Actor, spokesperson, entrepreneur, producer and documentarian Rich Henkels is an example of how it’s never too late to begin an acting career. At 55, he began his “third act” after careers in broadcasting and business. His silver fox look has landed him dozens of commercials, industrials, and spokes jobs, along with co-starring on Blue Bloods, FBI, and Law & Order. As a producer, Rich talks about the inspiration behind and making of the award-winning series Workforce, his documentary Camino de Santiago - The Pilgrims Speak, and establishing the performers forum Actors Think Tank which attracted an A-List guest. In addition to the business aspects of acting, we talk about family, relationships, the art of playing dead, how Rich manifested a scene with actress Bridget Moynahan, his connection to The Real Housewives of New York, and much more.

https://www.richhenkels.actor/

https://www.instagram.com/richhenkels/

https://www.instagram.com/pmontejr/

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After making his mark in dance and music, Matt Chua has his sights set on acting. After crashing his first audition with the help a friend, Matt went on to book commercials for Pepsi and Wawa, and landed his first dramatic role for the History channel docuseries The Food That Built America. He tells us about this latest passion, the filipino martial art Balintawak, what superhero he wants to portray, and his adventures in cosplay. We discuss the myth of acting competition, Paul’s experience working with Chris Evans on his feature directorial debut, and much more.

https://www.instagram.com/chuamerica/

https://linktr.ee/chuamerica

https://www.instagram.com/pmontejr/

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Rachel Nielsen is an actress who’s found her performing tribe, having appeared in several feature films for writer-director Dan Lantz, including a starring turn in the action-fantasy feature Alpha Rift with Lance Henriksen. Rachel takes us into the experience of working on these independent features. We also talk about special skills, kindness, relaxation, artistic connection, fake eating, the challenges of industrial films, Dungeons & Dragons, pageants and being Miss New Jersey, the set dynamics of the HBO series Mare of Easttown and working with Kate Winslet, celebrity encounters behind the Chinese Theater in Los Angeles, meeting Kevin Bacon, mental health, and more.

rachelnielsenactor.com

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Actress, model and “momager” Amy Garber is a shining example of a performer who succeeds in balancing show business with the demands of a young family. We get into how she gravitated to acting, her early break on the Chapelle Show while she was still in nursing school, how it took ten years for her hobby of show biz to become her profession, and the awkwardness of being featured on WikiFeet. Amy talks of breaking “golden handcuffs” into career expansion, the hurdles of getting your work to see the light of day, coaching and training, the positives and negatives of self tapes, and managing her children in the business. She dishes on QVC, her bud and celebrity hairstylist Chaz Dean, romance novel photoshoots, and much more. 

https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1634970/

https://www.instagram.com/amygarber38/

https://www.instagram.com/pmontejr/

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Actor and model Nic Detorie has been dubbed a man of many faces and a chameleon. Rightfully so. His extensive commercial and print portfolio features a diversity of characters few performers can match. He also knows how to treat entertainment as a business. We go into Nic’s extensive national representation, how to cultivate casting relationships, when it’s wise to take a gig for the connection rather than the paycheck, self-tape takes, the particulars of commercial auditioning, the Hallmark movie set experience, ventriloquism, the importance of staying in the marathon, and more. 

nicdetorie.com

https://www.youtube.com/@nicdet5195

https://www.instagram.com/nicdetorie_actormodel/

https://www.instagram.com/pmontejr/

paulmontejr.com

Phil Nobile, Jr., Editor-In-Chief of Fangoria, joins me for all things horror. We cover a lot of ground: How Phil took the helm of the magazine, the renaissance of the horror genre, newsstand covers and subscriber covers, content curation, producers and contractual credits, the pitch and production of Horror Noire: A History of Black Horror, the Cursed Films series, and how we are wired to make narratives out of chaos, do productions use real skeletons, what makes a horror film truly terrifying, Terrifier 3 versus Joker 2, Phil’s persistence to see Ian Fleming’s house at Goldeneye in Jamaica, how he would conceive a James Bond story, skydiving, and more. Enjoy this deep dive with an authority of horror: Phil Nobile Jr.

https://www.instagram.com/philnobilejr/

fangoria.com

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We're grateful to have actor Brian Anthony Wilson, stalwart of the Philadelphia acting scene and beyond, on the show. He talks about his big breaks — The Postman with Kevin Costner, and the acclaimed HBO series The Wire where he portrayed detective Vernon Holley. We hear about how sometimes you ride in a limo, and sometimes you sleep on a floor, the challenges of working as a local hire, and the lengths one can go to make it to the gig with no notice. Brian touches on the instinctual nature of finding the character, the ancestral channellings of August Wilson, playing against type, career sustainability, and much more. We hope you enjoy the insight and perspective of this true performing veteran, Brian Anthony Wilson.

https://www.facebook.com/brian.a.wilson.1217

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We’re proud to present our most informative episode yet. Acting coach Bryan Fox is here with non-stop wisdom on the craft and the business of show. He counsels everyone from green teen performers to seasoned veterans killing it at the box office. He traces his journey through classes, gigs, and production work in New York and L.A., providing insight into showbiz dynamics, knowing your energy, servicing the material, and more. In addition to taking us into the room for the network callback, Bryan talks about indifference, transitioning from the stage to the screen, and prepping actress Lauren LaVera for Terrifier 3. We also touch on how regional actors can vie for national projects, being ready for opportunities, and Bryan’s documentary about special needs children and baseball.

actorslabphilly.com

paulmontejr.com

https://www.instagram.com/pmontejr/

Actor Bruce Clifford is here to give us a read on the entertainment industry climate in Los Angeles, how varying perspectives can augment or shrink the prospects of acting work, and why it’s important to not wait, but to create. We dive into artificial intelligence, and how text prompt video rendering is getting scary good, as well as Bruce’s run on a military series that helps veterans. We also touch on why you shouldn’t get a real person to do an actors job, Bruce’s trippy experience of meeting Scrubs actor Zach Braff, and what it means to create unconditionally. Paul talks about the coolest commercial gig he’s ever had, and more.

https://www.instagram.com/bruceclifford_/

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