Rollin' With Olan

Imagine how much you would learn if you directed 250 episodes of TV shows. Then imagine compressing that into one podcast episode. Bethany Rooney’s resume is incredible, and she shares so generously about her outstanding work.

After telling the story of how she got started when she moved to LA from Ohio, she breaks down everything that goes into how she prepares for an episodic TV show, how she helps select and work with actors and so much more. 

Here are just some of the television series she has worked on:

• Ally McBeal
• Beverly Hills 90210
• Boston Public
• Criminal Minds
• Dawson’s Creek
• Desperate Housewives
• Gilmore Girls
• Grey’s Anatomy
• Melrose Place
• One Tree Hill
• Private Practice
• The Wonder Years

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Bethany Rooney | Website | IMDb | IG
Directors Tell the Story | Book 

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What’s possible to accomplish once you start doing background acting? When you listen to this episode, you’ll realize the sky is truly the limit. These three people are so much more than just background actors, but that’s how they got going. 

Louie Novoa, Millette Pauley and Ramona Case have all been doing background acting and stand-in work for decades, and their stories remind us that anybody can do this.

Here are some of the awesome nuggets you’ll pick up from this episode: 

• How Romana went from not believing she could do it to acting for 30+ years
• How Millette was upgraded from background to regular background  to contract
• How Louie was upgraded on a GE commercial that ran for 4 years and made him $60K
• How they have done stand-in for A-list actors and children alike
• Did Louie really teach John Travolta to do the Latin Hustle in Saturday Night Fever?
• What being on time really means and why it’s one of the main keys to success
• How to get the opportunity to be a stand-in
• What else you need to do to be successful when you’re first starting out
• Millette’s story about leaving her corporate job to pursue her passion
• Ramon’s crazy story about the Jim Carey classic Liar Liar

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Louie Novoa | IMDb
Millette Pauley | IMDb | IG
Ramona Case | IMDb
Jeff Olan Casting | Website

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This is a legendary guest. Her stories are something else. Dishing on Robert Redford, Bob Dylan and Martin Scorsese just to name a few, Sally Kirkland shares more than we could have imagined from her 64 years of acting and all her other adventures in entertainment. 

Sally Kirkland is a survivor - in more ways than one. She’s had a life and a career most can only dream of, but there are lessons in there for us all. What an incredible piece of Hollywood history. Best Actress Oscar nominee, Golden Globe winner and so much more. 

Here are just some of the amazing parts of what she shared:

• Her mom got her started doing runway modeling as a young teenager
• Went off to doing plays off Broadway, eventually more than 60 shows
• Acted non-stop for 64 years and has done 200+ films
• Got the world’s attention when she did Anna at 44 years old in 1987
• Taught 1000+ people including Sandra Bullock and Liza Minelli 
• Went through deep heartbreak from her first love (Rip Torn)
• Became the first nude actress in American history in 1968 (Sweet Eros)
• Moved to Hollywood and did both The Way We Were with Barbara Streisand and Robert Redford and The Sting in 1973
• Credits Robert Redford for jump-starting her career
• Loved Barbara Streisand (“Anybody who says Barbara is difficult to work with is full of sh!t”)
• Met Bob Dylan when they were both 22, actually got together in 1975 and had an on and off relationship - she says he is the love of her life
• Dated Robert DeNiro on and off for a year 1967-1968
• Said Bob Dylan and Robert De Niro were the best kissers
• And on and on and on…

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Sally Kirkland | Website | IMDb

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What does it take to make a great independent film? Hear from Demise writer, director and producer, Yara Estrada Lowe, and two of the lead actors, Carlo Mendez and Liz Fenning, to get the full picture of everything that goes into independent filmmaking. 

Jeff Olan also had the pleasure of being one of the executive producers of the movie and was delighted to bring these amazing folks back together to talk about it.

Some of the fascinating things that came up: 

• Yara moving to LA in 2008 and originally signing up with Jeff Olan Casting to be a background actor
• All the prep that goes into pre-production for an independent film like Demise
• How strangers helped by providing key locations practically for free
• How one wrong casting can mess up an entire movie
• Why and how Carlo tries to distract himself while memorizing lines
• How Liz was able to prep for a really emotionally challenging scene
• Running out of time at specific locations like the mansion in Brentwood
• Surprises like needing a nurse on set when shooting with a 4-month old baby
• The importance of finding a patient editor who’s willing to dedicate a year to a project

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Yara Estrada Low | IG | IMDb
Carlo Mendez | IG | IMDb
Liz Fenning | IG | IMDb
Demise | Website
Jeff Olan Casting | Website

THANKS FOR ROLLIN’ WITH OLAN!

How do you end up with a script signed by John Travolta and Nicolas Cage? You cast the background actors for the blockbuster movie Face/Off. That’s the kind of work Vanessa Portillo does, and she has some amazing stories. 

Actors will learn a ton from how Vanessa breaks down how she works and how actors can keep leveling up. She also reminds us all how small the casting community is and that casting directors hear everything, so be on your best behavior!

Some of the things she touches on: 

• What it’s like to work with producers like David E. Kelley
• How she gets her info about what directors look for
• What it takes to become a background actor
• The hidden value of acting classes and table reads
• Stand-ins vs. photo doubles
• The school of set
• What it was like doing casting for the show Beef

Vanessa came to the studio with an incredible scrapbook with photos that captured her family’s history working on movies dating all the way back to the 1940s. You’ll see all that when this show premieres on YouTube soon. 

Her grandfather, Rafael Portillo, was a Mexican filmmaker (director and editor) based in Mexico and in the US who worked with legends like Bob Hope, Clark Gable and Ernest Borgnine. And her grandmother was a production manager on a number of movies. Her father, Ralph E. Portillo, was a filmmaker who directed and produced numerous feature films and television projects. It's safe to say the apple did not fall far from the tree.

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Vanessa Portillo | IG | Website

THANKS FOR ROLLIN’ WITH OLAN!

How does a person go from wanting to attend law school to becoming a DGA Award winner? Well, 1st Assistant Director Nicole Burke realized she prefers giving directions over taking them, and inevitably she was thrust into a business she did not intend to be in.

But there are so many ways to navigate Hollywood and ultimately find what makes you both happy and successful.

Early on, a well-known and respected actor suggested Nicole read for a role on a TV series. Although she accepted the small recurring role, she was bored and had no desire to be an actress. So she transitioned to becoming a reluctant crew member.

However, it didn’t take long for her to realize being an Assistant Director was right up her alley. Getting into the “boys club” may not have been easy, but she did it her way and has worked on several major projects along the way, including 24, 9-1-1, American Horror Story, Dead to Me and Sportsnight.

Check out the episode and get answers to these fascinating questions:

• Who was one of her favorite A-list actors to work with? 
• What is the best project she’s ever worked on? 
• What TV scene took 7 months to prep? 
• What popular set did she visit that was instrumental in helping her AD a 5-camera TV series? 
• What show was she referring to when she said “the only way we are ever leaving this show is if we get fired?” 

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Nicole Burke | IG

THANKS FOR ROLLIN’ WITH OLAN!

Welcome to Rollin' With Olan, a unique look into the past, present and future of Hollywood. You'll find longtime casting director and filmmaker Jeff Olan in deep conversations with all kinds of successful people in entertainment to cover areas of the industry that aren't typically explored in detail. The goal of this show is to help everyone with a stake in entertainment navigate Hollywood in the best possible way.  Thanks for rollin' with Olan!