Right For The Role with John Frank Levey

It’s the Season 2 Finale of Right For The Role and today, the tables are turned! 

Co-producer Trudi Roth takes over as host and interviews John Frank Levey about the career that made him one of Hollywood’s most respected casting directors. John reflects on the people, instincts, relationships, and experiences that shaped his approach to casting, including the importance of trusting your intuition and understanding the person behind the performance.

John and Trudi revisit some of the actors John recognized early in their careers, including Josh Gad and Jessica Chastain, along with the complicated reality of auditions and what happens when an actor delivers a great performance but still does not fit a particular role. 

Their conversation also explores John’s relationship with Mariska Hargitay and how honest feedback during the audition process helped her understand what a role required and ultimately led to her casting on ER.

The conversation then  takes an emotional turn as John discusses the responsibility that comes with casting stories that reflect real experiences, particularly his work on ER and Shameless. 

He shares how seeking authenticity for an HIV and AIDS storyline introduced him to actors whose personal experiences brought extraordinary depth to their performances, while another story involving a transgender actor reminds him of the personal impact casting can have on people who see their own experiences represented on screen.

Trudi also asks John to reflect on the qualities that have defined his career, his pride in the collaborative nature of casting, and the ways his work has allowed him to influence both performers and audiences. 

Key Takeaways:

• Discover why John considers his ability to trust his instincts and understand people one of the defining qualities behind his success as a casting director
• Hear the stories of Josh Gad and Jessica Chastain before they became household names and learn what John recognized in their early performances
• Explore the difficult reality of casting when an actor delivers an exceptional audition but still does not fit the specific requirements of a role
• Learn how authenticity and representation influenced John’s casting decisions on ER and Shameless, including stories that connected deeply with the actors and audiences involved
• Hear John reflect on the personal impact of his career and why the opportunity to change someone’s life through casting has become one of the most meaningful parts of his work

Connect with Trudi Roth
Website | LinkedIn

What happens when the skills that shape your creative life also shape the way you connect with other people? 

Ana Gasteyer joins John Frank Levey for a wide-ranging conversation about improv, collaboration, community, perseverance, and the winding path that took her from music and theater in Washington, D.C., to Northwestern, the Groundlings, Saturday Night Live, Broadway, television, film, and a career that continues to evolve.

Ana and John explore the influence of improv on her approach to acting, particularly the principles of saying yes, listening carefully, maintaining eye contact, and building something with the person standing across from you. Ana also opens up about the anxiety that can make auditions so difficult, explaining how she learned to trust her instincts and how her daughter’s ability to listen during self-tapes has reinforced her belief that active listening remains one of the most important skills an actor can develop.

The conversation traces Ana’s unconventional route into professional acting, including her childhood exposure to music, her early performances at the Washington Opera, her experience at Northwestern, and her discovery of improv comedy through the university’s Meow Show. 

Ana also reflects on six seasons of Saturday Night Live, the pressure of creating material under intense deadlines, the preparation that helped her succeed in the audition, and the career-changing discipline she brought to major opportunities such as SNL, Wicked, and, most recently, as a Tony Award-nominated star in the Broadway musical Schmigadoon! 

Key takeaways from the conversation:

• Ana explains why “yes, and” became a much deeper lesson in her development as an actor, teaching her to listen, watch, collaborate, and remain open to what another performer brings into the moment
• Her journey into acting took several unexpected turns, from studying music and performing at the Washington Opera to discovering improv at Northwestern and eventually finding her creative community at the Groundlings
• Ana reveals what she learned from preparing for her Saturday Night Live audition with her husband Charlie, who deliberately refused to laugh so she could become comfortable performing without immediate audience feedback
• She discusses the importance of creating your own positive signposts when pursuing a creative career, recalling how landing a Wiener schnitzel radio commercial at age 25 felt like confirmation that she was moving in the right direction
• Ana and John return to the idea of finding the role you are right for, exploring how community, collaboration, persistence, and a willingness to keep creating can influence both your career and your sense of where you belong

Follow Ana Gasteyer on Instagram

Sometimes the role that means the most arrives after you have spent decades preparing for it without realizing where that preparation is leading. For Katherine LaNasa, playing Charge Nurse Dana Evans on The Pitt brought together her experiences as a dancer, actor, mother, cancer survivor, and longtime working professional in ways that gave the character a deeply personal foundation.

Katherine joins John Frank Levey to explore the winding path that brought her there, from discovering ballet as a young girl and pursuing professional dance to entering Hollywood, learning the language of cinema from Dennis Hopper, and navigating the expectations placed on women throughout her acting career. Their conversation reveals how the people you meet, the challenges you endure, and the roles you take on throughout your life can ultimately shape the way you approach the work when the right role finally arrives.

Katherine and John explore her transition from dance into acting and the significance of working on shows such as ER, where she found opportunities to portray women with intelligence, sexuality, complexity, and genuine inner lives. Their conversation examines the pressures Katherine experienced when Hollywood placed heavy expectations on women to maintain a particular appearance, along with how changing opportunities in television and streaming eventually allowed her to approach her work with greater freedom and depth.

Katherine also discusses the perspective that comes with building a career over decades, including eight series regular roles, more than 25 recurring roles, films, and countless guest appearances before receiving the opportunity to work on a major hit at this stage of her career. As John and Katherine consider the experiences that prepare you for the roles you eventually receive, the conversation becomes a thoughtful examination of perseverance, creative confidence, aging, resilience, and the personal history each actor brings into the room.

Key takeaways from the conversation:

• Katherine’s journey from a young ballet student in Baton Rouge to professional dancer and eventually a celebrated actor demonstrates how early discipline and a willingness to pursue unfamiliar opportunities can shape an entire career
• Her experiences on ER and other John Wells productions reveal why multidimensional female characters mattered deeply to Katherine and helped her see greater possibilities for the kind of actor she could become
• Katherine opens up about the pressures women can experience when appearance becomes central to how they are perceived professionally, and how greater freedom from those expectations allowed her to focus more deeply on her craft
• Her experience surviving breast cancer became an unexpected source of understanding for playing Dana on The Pitt, particularly when portraying the vulnerability of patients and the significance of small acts of kindness during frightening moments
• Katherine’s decades of work prepared her for a moment when opportunities began arriving without the same audition process she had known throughout her career, raising an important question about what happens when persistence, experience, and recognition finally converge

Follow Katherine on Instagram

Dana Delany has built a career around following her instincts, embracing meaningful roles, and allowing her personal values to shape the choices she makes professionally. 

In this deeply personal conversation, John Frank Levey reconnects with his longtime friend to explore where Dana’s creative drive began, from childhood trips to the theater in Connecticut to her early experiences on Broadway and the realization that acting was a calling she had felt since she was three years old.

John and Dana revisit their time working together on China Beach, including the audition that eventually led Dana to the role of Colleen McMurphy and the unusual story of how she accidentally showed up for her audition a day early. Their conversation also examines the impact of that series, the authenticity Dana brought to Colleen, and how the experience taught her to trust her instincts while recognizing the responsibility actors carry when their work reaches millions of people.

Dana also opens up about the creative choices that have shaped her career, including her attraction to complicated female characters, her lifelong fascination with film noir, and her decision to turn down roles when something about the material or the people behind it did not align with her standards. John and Dana discuss the changing nature of television, the loss of intimate storytelling, the evolution of the audition process through self-tapes, and why Dana has increasingly gravitated toward independent films and projects with people she trusts.

The conversation ultimately becomes an exploration of identity, family, personal responsibility, and the lifelong process of discovering who you are through the choices you make. Dana reflects on using performance as a child to connect with her parents, the significance of her father seeing her perform on Broadway before his death, and the three words she chooses to describe herself today: curious, present, and a loner.

Key takeaways from the conversation:

• Dana explains why she knew from an extremely young age that she needed a creative life and how her childhood experiences with theater helped shape that calling
• John and Dana revisit the audition process for China Beach and how Dana’s instinctive connection to Colleen McMurphy helped create one of the roles she still identifies with most strongly
• Dana discusses why she has deliberately turned down major opportunities throughout her career, explaining how her personal standards and responsibility to audiences have influenced those decisions
• The conversation explores the importance of authentic human interaction in acting, from traditional auditions and working together in a room to the increasingly technology-driven world of self-tapes and remote casting
• Dana shares deeply personal reflections about her parents, the loss of her father at a young age, and the ways acting allowed her to connect with her family while discovering who she was becoming

Follow Dana on Instagram

Richard Lawson has built a career that spans decades, yet his passion for acting, teaching, writing, and mentoring continues to evolve with purpose. In this conversation, he reflects on the experiences that shaped his creative life, from serving in Vietnam as a medic to discovering acting as his life's calling and developing the resilience that has carried him through thousands of auditions, setbacks, and successes.

The discussion explores how personal hardship can become a foundation for growth when you commit to serving others instead of allowing difficult experiences to define your future. Through powerful stories from the battlefield, the classroom, and the entertainment industry, the conversation reveals how empathy, gratitude, and a clear sense of purpose have guided every stage of a remarkable career.

The episode also takes listeners behind the scenes of Hollywood, offering an honest look at rejection, career longevity, and the realities actors face while pursuing meaningful work. Richard shares why creating opportunities for yourself matters just as much as booking auditions, how separating your identity from your profession creates resilience, and why maintaining integrity often requires difficult decisions.

John Frank Levey and Richard Lawson also discuss the responsibility that comes with mentoring the next generation, the value of remaining in service to your craft and your community, and the lasting impact of choosing purpose over recognition. The conversation closes with thoughtful reflections on legacy, gratitude, and the simple daily question of whose life you can positively influence through your work and your presence.

Key Takeaways

• Serving as a combat medic during the Vietnam War shaped a lifelong commitment to empathy, leadership, and helping others navigate life's most difficult moments.
• Thousands of auditions, career disappointments, and unexpected detours became opportunities to strengthen purpose instead of reasons to abandon a lifelong dream.
• Learn how to build a sustainable creative career by balancing personal projects with professional opportunities while protecting your sense of identity.
• Gain insight into navigating Hollywood with integrity, including the importance of standing by your values when career-defining opportunities challenge who you are.
• Teaching, mentorship, and daily acts of service can become the foundation of a meaningful legacy that extends far beyond professional achievements.

Follow Richard Lawson on Instagram

@mrrichardlawson | @hyperlensstudios

Connect With Richard On His Websites

richardlawsonstudios.com
richardlawsonenterprises.com
hyperlensstudios.com

Follow Richard on TikTok

The experiences that shape your life rarely stay confined to childhood, and the lessons you learn through adversity often influence every major decision that follows. You’re about to dig into a conversation that explores how resilience, independence, and a willingness to embrace change can shape a meaningful career, strong relationships, and a lasting impact on the people around you.

On this episode of Right For The Role, John Frank Levey is joined by Susan Rovner to talk about the moments that shaped her path from a determined young woman navigating her parents' divorce to one of the most respected television executives in Hollywood. Together, they explore how listening before speaking, trusting your instincts, and embracing calculated risks can open doors to opportunities that may never have been part of your original plan.

The conversation also offers an inside look at the creative side of the television industry, examining how honest feedback, thoughtful leadership, and genuine collaboration help writers, actors, and producers do their best work. From giving constructive notes to navigating difficult career decisions, these stories reveal how respect and empathy can strengthen creative partnerships and build lasting professional relationships.

You’ll also get an up-close look at the rapidly growing world of the micro series and the new opportunities it’s creating for storytellers and performers. It also reflects on lifelong learning, career reinvention, mentorship, and why continuing to discover the roles that align with your strengths can create a more fulfilling personal and professional life.

Key takeaways from this episode:

• Childhood experiences can shape confidence, resilience, and long-term career decisions
• Listening first often leads to stronger leadership, better communication, and more effective collaboration
• Honest feedback and mutual respect help creative professionals produce stronger work and build lasting relationships
• Navigating career changes, embracing new opportunities, and making decisions that align with your values is imperative to self evolution
• The growing world of micro series is creating new opportunities for actors, writers, producers, and emerging storytellers

Catch Up With Susan Rovner!

Websites: atwist.com | aha-studios.com
Instagram: @atwistofficial | @ahastudios_

Some careers last because of talent, while others endure because of the character, resilience, and perspective behind that talent. Ming-Na Wen reflects on the experiences that have shaped her remarkable journey, sharing how authenticity, gratitude, and a commitment to lifelong growth have guided every stage of her career.

John Frank Levey and Ming-Na discuss the importance of embracing your identity instead of trying to fit someone else's expectations, especially in an industry that has historically relied on stereotypes. Their conversation explores how thoughtful conversations with creative leaders, confidence in your own voice, and a willingness to stay true to your values can create opportunities that have a lasting impact.

Every career includes moments when the phone stops ringing, and Ming-Na offers an honest perspective on navigating those quieter seasons with patience and purpose. She explains how investing time in family, personal interests, travel, and new experiences creates a richer life while also strengthening the work you bring to every future opportunity.

This conversation also explores the responsibility that comes with success and why using your platform to support meaningful causes creates fulfillment beyond professional achievements. John and Ming-Na examine how advocacy, community involvement, and maintaining a strong sense of gratitude can help you build a career that reflects who you are while making a positive difference in the lives of others.

Key Takeaways

• Embracing your identity creates stronger opportunities than trying to fit someone else's expectations. 
• Career slowdowns become opportunities for personal growth through family, travel, hobbies, and life experiences that enrich future work. 
• Honest conversations with creative leaders can help challenge stereotypes and encourage more authentic storytelling. 
• A fulfilling career includes interests and passions that exist outside of your profession and continue to shape your perspective. 
• Advocacy, gratitude, and community involvement create a lasting legacy that extends beyond professional success.

Connect With Ming-Na on Instagram

Grab a Copy of Ming-Na's cookbook, Have You Eaten Yet?

There comes a point in everyone's life and career where choosing a new path is the only way to move forward.

Lisa Edelstein joins John Frank Levey for a thoughtful conversation about creative reinvention, personal identity, and the choices that help shape a meaningful life on this episode of Right For The Role. Drawing from her experiences as an actor, writer, and artist, she explains how pursuing creative work for the joy of the process can provide clarity and fulfillment.

John and Lisa also discuss the pressure performers often feel to seek external validation and how stepping away from that mindset can open the door to genuine self-discovery. Lisa shares how engaging in creative practices without the expectation of an audience allowed her to reconnect with her own interests, values, and sense of purpose.

In addition, this conversation explores the importance of owning your unique background, building rituals that create stability, and making space for creative expression in everyday life. Lisa offers practical insight into how small, intentional practices can help anyone cultivate a stronger connection to their authentic self and continue growing through the simple act of doing.

Key takeaways from this episode:

• Creating for the sake of the process can reduce pressure and encourage personal growth
• Personal identity, heritage, and individual perspective can become valuable assets
• Consistent rituals and intentional practices can create stability and connection
• This episode features practical ideas for starting a low-stakes creative practice and using reflection to better understand their values

Follow Lisa Edelstein on Instagram

Check out Lisa's Artwork

It's the Season 2 Premiere of Right For The Role and, in this episode, John Frank Levey sits down with John Stamos for a conversation about the moments that shaped his career long before audiences knew his name. Together, they explore the value of learning from experienced mentors, why curiosity has remained one of John's greatest strengths, and how paying close attention to the people around you can create opportunities that no audition ever could.

As is tradition on Right For The Role, the conversation moves beyond acting to examine the personal work required to build a lasting career. John reflects on the importance of understanding your own experiences (like getting hooked up with The Beach Boys), embracing honesty instead of protecting your image, and recognizing how self-awareness gives performers the ability to connect with both their work and the people they meet throughout their lives.

The duo also discuss rejection, career setbacks, and the pressure that comes with high-stakes moments when everything feels like it is on the line. They unpack why many disappointments have more to do with timing and circumstance than talent, how perspective changes the way you recover from failure, and why persistence continues to open doors for people who remain committed to their craft.

Throughout this episode:

• John Stamos explains why becoming a student of experienced professionals helped shape every stage of his career.
• Both Johns discuss how self-awareness and honesty strengthen both creative work and personal relationships.
• Hear John Stamos' perspective on handling rejection, recovering from career disappointments, and understanding what is truly within your control.
• Discover why gratitude and meaningful relationships have remained central to Stamos' success long after achieving fame.
• Learn practical lessons on finding the role that fits who you are, both in your career and in your life.

Television shows discussed on this episode:

• General Hospital
• Full House
• ER

Connect with John Stamos on Instagram

Actor, director, writer, and producer Noah Wyle joins John Frank Levey to share the fascinating story behind his legendary ER audition and explore his remarkable three-decade career in television. 

In this intimate conversation, Noah reflects on how his role as Dr. John Carter evolved from an uncertain medical student to a confident physician, mirroring his own growth as an actor and person.

From his early resistance to television work to becoming one of the medium's most enduring presences, Noah discusses how ER's groundbreaking approach to diversity, storytelling, and medical authenticity changed both his career trajectory and emergency medicine itself. 

He shares moving insights about working alongside acting legends and the powerful mentorship dynamic between his character and Eriq La Salle's Dr. Peter Benton.

In this episode:

• The complete story behind Noah's memorable ER audition that won over Michael Crichton
• How the Dr. Carter/Dr. Benton relationship broke new ground in TV representation
• Working with legendary actors like John Randolph, Eli Wallach, and Alan Alda
• Noah’s real-world activism inspired by ER's Africa storylines
• The evolution of emergency medicine before and after ER's influence
• Finding creative fulfillment through three decades of television work
• Balancing his career with fatherhood and family life

Through candid stories and thoughtful reflection, Noah illuminates how finding the roles you're right for – both on-screen and off – can lead to profound personal and professional growth.

TV shows discussed in this conversation

• China Beach (TV)
• Dark Shadows (TV - unaired pilot)
• ER (TV)
• Leverage: Redemption (TV)

Connect

• Connect with Noah on Instagram: @therealnoahwyle
• Connect with John on Instagram: @john_frank_levey_
• Click here to order a signed copy of John's memoir, Right for the Role.

Acknowledgments

Photographer Eusebio Hernandez specializes in "hero shots" — his own artistic spin on headshots. He helped John Frank Levey, who typically hates having his picture taken, feel comfortable enough to get a great shot for his memoir "Right for the Role." Learn more at www.heroshots.la.

The Right for the Role podcast would not have been possible without the generous support of PBS Management, Karen Cease, and the estate of Peg Sweesy.

Many thanks to my producers, Jerod Morris and Trudi Roth of It's the TruStory (https://www.itsthetrustory.com)