Offstage Acting

Today's guest is the brilliant Brendan McNamara — actor, former child star, and founder of Beach Casting, a casting agency making waves across the UK and Ireland.

From appearing in films like Angela's Ashes and War of the Buttons to launching one of the most actor-friendly casting studios in the game, Brendan shares his uniquely personal journey through both sides of the audition table. We talk candidly about the transition from actor to casting director, the kind of performers he loves to work with, the shifting landscape of self-tapes, and why kindness and professionalism still matter.

A must-listen for actors, agents, and anyone curious about what makes a great casting experience — both behind and in front of the camera.

00:00 – A Very Irish Opening 05:01 – Todd returns from Derry 10:02 – Brendan's life as a child actor 15:04 – Transitioning into casting 20:06 – What makes an actor stand out 25:03 – Self-tapes: love, hate, and hope 30:00 – Building Beach Casting 35:01 – Advice for actors (and humans)

What resonated with you in Brendan's story? Drop your thoughts in the comments — or tag us on socials with your takeaways!

🎧 Full Podcast & More: https://offstageacting.com 🐦 Twitter: https://twitter.com/OffstageActing 📸 Instagram: https://instagram.com/OffstageActing 🌍 Brendan's Agency: https://beach-casting.com

#BrendanMcNamara #BeachCasting #acting #actingpodcast #actor #actors #act #actorslife #ToddKramer #JayReum #OffstageActing #childactor #castingdirector #filmindustry #selftapes #irishfilm

A diver trapped at the bottom of the ocean—true story. 😱 Todd and Robert descend into Last Breath, a survival thriller based on real events. Does it deliver pulse-pounding tension… or just tread water?

Stark lines. Stark lives. 🏛️ Todd and Robert unpack The Brutist, a visually striking and emotionally complex film about ambition, displacement, and design. Is it a masterpiece—or just beautifully boring?

Today's guest is not only a brilliant actor, but one of the loudest, clearest voices advocating for honesty and safety in the industry.

Alexa Morden is best known as the co-creator and co-host of The 98% Podcast — a refreshingly unfiltered look at life for the vast majority of actors who don't earn their full living from acting. She's also an award-winning performer in her own right, with credits in Skins, Fresh Meat, The Great Train Robbery, and the indie feature The Colour of Spring, which earned her over 25 Best Actress awards on the festival circuit.

In this episode, Alexa opens up about her own career journey, the mission behind The 98%, and her recent role in exposing the Bodhi Talent scandal — a shocking case where a UK agent scammed dozens of actors with fake auditions and unpaid work. Alexa helped connect victims, raise public awareness, and start a bigger conversation about ethics and accountability in actor representation.

It's a powerful chat about community, truth-telling, and what it really means to stand up for the people who keep this industry running.

00:00 – Opening 02:30 – Fierce advocate for actors & self-tape strategy 05:00 – From indie film to global Netflix releases 07:30 – Casting classically and breaking rules 10:00 – The craft of acting: what never goes out of style 12:30 – Tips for managing audition anxiety 15:00 – Alex on finding your edge in self-tapes 17:30 – Why he created "Let's Talk Acting" 20:00 – Acting as activism and industry mental health 22:30 – How to stand out when everyone's good 25:00 – Todd on the UK vs. US actor struggle 27:30 – Resilience, burnout, and holding the line 30:00 – Favorite roles and the characters who stuck 32:30 – Jay's chaotic energy and actor mythbusting 35:00 – The real deal with acting reels 37:30 – Coaches, gurus, and navigating bad advice 40:00 – Teaching with honesty and humour 42:30 – Wrapping up: gratitude and future goals

💬 Join the Conversation What was your experience with agents starting out? Have you ever felt misled or manipulated in the name of getting work? Drop us a comment below — we'd love to hear your story.

🔗 CONNECT & FOLLOW 🎧 Listen on Spotify, Apple, and more: https://offstageacting.com/podcast 📸 Follow Alexa: https://www.instagram.com/alexa_morden 🎙️ The 98% Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/3DjMU7Di7fWYCFd82U4jSC

🔖 Hashtags #acting #actorlife #AlexaMorden #The98PercentPodcast #BodhiTalent #OffstageActing #actingpodcast #actorcommunity #ToddKramer #JayReum #scamalert #actingcareer

She's older, wiser, and still delightfully awkward. 🥂 Todd and Robert dive into the latest Bridget Jones chapter—Mad About the Boy. Does it capture the charm of the originals, or has the magic faded with time?

A quiet film with a loud emotional pulse. 🎬 Todd and Robert reflect on September 5th, an intimate indie that tackles memory, grief, and time. Is it moving and masterful—or too subtle to land? Hear Robert's take and rating.

This week on Offstage Acting, Todd Kramer welcomes the brilliant Kezia Burrows — a Welsh actor whose career spans classical theatre, television drama, and the high-stakes world of motion capture and video game performance.

Born in Neath and raised in the seaside village of New Quay, Kezia trained at RADA and now voices and embodies characters in some of the most acclaimed games out there. You might know her as Amanda Ripley in Alien: Isolation, Dr. Emma Fisher in Observation, or from Cyberpunk 2077, CrossfireX, Hellblade, and more.

We dive into:

• 🎭 Her classical training and transition to screen and digital media

• 🎮 The art of performance capture and voice acting for video games

• 🧠 What it means to build a career across mediums — without losing yourself

• 😂 Funny moments, real talk, and the beauty of creative discipline

If you're a gamer, an actor, or just a curious human — this one's for you.

Let's get into it with Kezia (Kez to her friends — but not you!) Burrows.

00:00 – Opening 07:32 – "Is that the guest?" Jay jumps the gun 10:01 – Kezia's big entry and Todd's RADA memories 17:31 – On being ready when the work finally lands 22:32 – From Neath to the National Youth Theatre 27:31 – Hallmark movies and ocean filming 30:00 – Discovering voiceover through casting agents 34:30 – "What's in a name?" – Keziah vs. Kezia 39:00 – Laughing through auditions and self-tapes 42:30 – Drama school stories and rediscovering joy 45:00 – Losing her mum and acting through grief 48:00 – What theatre gives that screen doesn't 51:00 – Her first video game experience: nerves & lessons 54:00 – Todd on why acting in games is tougher than it looks 57:00 – The new podcast and why actors need community 1:00:00 – Family life, rural balance, and creative reset 1:03:00 – Jay's game obsessions and nerdy voice questions 1:06:00 – Baroness Jamie: intense prep and mental pacing 1:09:00 – "There are no breaks" – parenting as a performer 1:12:00 – Shifting gears: what's next for Kezia 1:15:00 – Wrap-up, reflection, and future projects

💬 Join the Conversation Are you a motion capture nerd? A classically trained actor with a digital side hustle? Or just someone who loves a good alien invasion? Drop a comment — let's talk performance, pixels, and posh accents.

This week we are celebrating our 50th episode! Hurray. Jay and I talk about where we've been where we are and were going. We catch up with Jay after his month long yoga retreat to India. My experience doing amateur dramatics. And we dive into a few other fun topics all in celebration of the good times we've had so far and the good times yet to come. So here's to the first and the next 50 episodes of the offstage acting podcast!

#acting #actingpodcast #actor #actors #act #actorslife

Bridget's back—again! 💕 But is Mad About the Boy a fitting finale or a fumbled encore? Todd and Robert weigh in on the latest chapter in the beloved rom-com series.

🎬 Thanks for watching OFFstage ONscreen! 🎧 Subscribe to the Offstage Acting Podcast: https://offstageacting.com/podcast

🎭 Hosted by Todd Kramer: https://toddkramer.com 📺 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@offstageacting 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/offstageacting 📘 Facebook: https://facebook.com/offstageacting

👉 Like, comment, and subscribe for more unfiltered film chats and acting insights. New episodes weekly! 🍿

Today's guest is Jason Baughan - a classically trained actor whose journey from the West End stage to directing cinematic storytelling in major video games is nothing short of epic.

In this episode, Todd Kramer and Jay Reum welcome the multi-talented Jason Baughan (yes, that's "Baughan," not "Bourne") for a spirited dive into his career evolution. Trained at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama, Jason started with a love of Shakespeare and a West End run in the Olivier-winning Sunny Afternoon, where he went from guitar player to live stage drummer in front of 900 people.

Eventually, burnout pushed him toward a surprising pivot — directing voice performance in major video games like Assassin's Creed and The Witcher. Jason talks about why actor-directors bring something special to the booth, how storytelling works differently in games, and why leaving the stage wasn't a step back but a step toward something new.

⏱️ CHAPTERS 00:00 – Opening 02:00 – Jay's packing panic for India 04:30 – Todd's amateur dramatic debut 06:10 – Jason Baughan or Jason Bourne? 07:45 – Baughan's Guildhall roots 09:00 – Theatre life and Olivier wins 10:40 – Playing drums live on West End 12:30 – Burnout and career redirection 14:15 – The "Sunny Afternoon" cast switch 16:00 – What makes a good show sour 17:50 – Discovering voice direction 19:10 – Skills actors bring to directing 21:00 – Working on Assassin's Creed 22:30 – The Witcher voice secrets 24:40 – Directing performance in games 26:20 – Why story matters in gameplay 28:00 – Loving the collaborative process 30:30 – Actor-director dynamics 32:15 – Jay and Jason's past projects 34:00 – Todd's accidental name flub 35:10 – Why Jason still calls himself an actor 36:40 – Getting real about identity shifts 39:00 – Final thoughts and actor wisdom

💬 Join the Conversation What resonated with you in Jason's story? Drop your thoughts in the comments — or tag us on socials with your takeaways!

🔗 CONNECT & FOLLOW 🎧 Full Podcast & More: https://offstageacting.com/podcast 🤩 Facebook: https://facebook.com/OffstageActing 📸 Instagram: https://instagram.com/OffstageActing

🌍 Jason Baughan 🎭 IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0062340/ 🎙️ Twitter: https://twitter.com/jasonbaughan 🎮 Side Global: https://www.sideglobal.com/

💫 TODD: https://linktr.ee/toddkramer 💫 JAY: https://linktr.ee/jayreum

📣 Hashtags #acting #actingpodcast #actor #actors #act #actorslife #ToddKramer #JayReum #OffstageActing #videogames #voiceacting #gamedevelopment #actingcareer #Shakespeare #AAAgames #Guildhall #AssassinsCreed #TheWitcher