What makes for an ideal collaboration between actors and behind-the-camera talent? Misha Green and Jurnee Smollett, the respective creator-showrunner and star of HBO’s “Lovecraft Country,” have plenty of insights into maximizing creativity and trust on set. “You gotta have an environment in which the ‘captain’ has created a level of safety, a level for you to fail big,” says Jurnee. “We’re going towards the same goal, which is the truth of this character,” adds Misha. “And we’re both fearless in that.”

Before “Lovecraft Country,” the supernatural horror drama adapted from novelist Matt Ruff’s riff on H. P. Lovecraft, Misha and Jurnee worked together on the hit WGN thriller “Underground.” As a writer-director-producer, Misha is also the creative force behind “Helix” and the upcoming “Cleopatra Jones” and “Tomb Raider 2.” For more insight into her craft, check out Misha’s Meet the Maker feature: https://bit.ly/3hSEXiE

Jurnee began her career as a child actor, on “On Our Own” and “Full House,” then broke out in “Eve’s Bayou,” “The Great Debaters,” “Friday Night Lights,” and last year’s “Birds of Prey.” For her work as Leti on “Lovecraft Country,” Jurnee earned a Critics Choice Super Award and an ensemble SAG Award nomination. Read her recent Backstage cover story here: https://bit.ly/3wwPiEP

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Backstage has been the #1 resource for actors and talent-seekers for 60 years. In the Envelope, Backstage’s podcast, features intimate, in-depth conversations with today’s most noteworthy film, television, and theater actors and creators. This is your guide to every aspect of acting, from voiceover and commercial work to casting directors, agents, and more. Full of both know-how and inspiration, In the Envelope airs weekly to cover everything from practical advice on navigating the industry, to how your favorite projects are made, to personal stories of success and failure alike. Join host Jack Smart, Awards Editor at Backstage, for this guide on how to live the creative life from those who are doing it every day: https://bit.ly/2OMryWQ

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