Second Act Actors

Rebecca Durance Hine is a second act actor and cancer survivor and she joins me on this episode to discuss acting, cancer, gratitude, people pleasing and making the most of the present moment.

Like a lot of second act actors, Rebecca was interested in acting from a young age. She studied theatre at university and spent six months after graduation looking for acting work but eventually lost her confidence and decided to get a ‘real job’ instead. However, at the age of only 28, she was diagnosed with breast cancer and realised that life was too short to not pursue her dreams so when she recovered, she threw herself back into the acting industry alongside her day job.

She tells me about how she was able to recover from cancer with her mental and emotional health still so intact and how her sense of gratitude has shifted her perspective on life. We then talk about why she felt pressured to give up acting in the first place and the advice that she would give to others in the same situation.

This episode is full of words of wisdom, but you’ll definitely want to listen to the end to catch Rebecca’s final words of wisdom on not holding onto regrets. If you enjoyed the episode, please subscribe to the Second Act Actors podcast and share it with someone in your network that needs an inspirational boost

Links

Rebecca Durance Hine website

Rebecca Durance Hine on Instagram

Rebecca Durance Hine on Facebook

Second Act Actors website

Second Act Actors on Instagram

Second Act Actors on Facebook

Second Act Actors on YouTube

Janet McMordie website

Janet McMordie on Instagram

Janet McMordie on LinkedIn

Janet McMordie on Twitter

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Yale Quarterback to actor…is it a viable career path? On this episode of the Second Act Actors podcast, I talk to Alvin Cowan who made the leap from the football field to the big screen.

Alvin tells me about his journey from American football quarterback to professional actor with credits such appearances in Westworld and Better Call Saul to his name. He details how he broke into acting as a young man arriving in Los Angeles with no connections to his name, and the training he did to develop his acting skills. 

You’ll hear about what Alvin’s life is like now, one where he balances acting with writing and producing. He shares some great insights into his approach to creative living, such as how he finds the inspiration to write and what he does to make himself ready to be vulnerable in front of others. Listen out for his excellent advice about not depending on your passion for acting for all of your income and why you should think about diversifying your creative skillset.

This is a great episode of Second Act Actors which is full of memorable advice, industry insights and a Clint Eastwood story too! If you enjoyed it, make sure to subscribe to the Second Act Actors podcast so that you get every episode directly in your podcast queue.

Links

Alvin Cowan on IMDb

Alvin on Twitter

Second Act Actors website

Second Act Actors on Instagram

Second Act Actors on Facebook

Second Act Actors on YouTube

Janet McMordie website

Janet McMordie on Instagram

Janet McMordie on LinkedIn

Janet McMordie on Twitter

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this episode of Second Act Actors, I introduce the lovely and talented Erin Zukowski who’s moved into acting from an office management job and is starting to gather momentum in this second act of her career.

Erin recounts her life story of growing up in Florida, losing her dad at a young age and then deciding to move to Chicago. She met her husband in Chicago and they always enjoyed watching theatre and improv shows, but Erin didn’t get involved with it herself until she eventually moved to L.A. She tells me what finally pushed her to start acting, how she balanced it around the demands of her job and how acting eventually won out over her day job.

We discuss how second act actors can get started on a path towards an acting career and why we should ‘pay it forward’, which is in contrast to the popular ‘veil of secrecy’ attitude over how actors get started in the industry. We also swap notes on the struggles of being an empath and how having a career before acting can help you to build up resilience and determination.

If you liked this episode of Second Act Actors, please share it with a friend and subscribe to the podcast to hear previous episodes.

Links

Erin Zukowski on Instagram

Erin Zukowski on Facebook

Erin Zukowski on Twitter

Erin Zukowski on IMDb

Second Act Actors website

Second Act Actors on Instagram

Second Act Actors on Facebook

Second Act Actors on YouTube

Janet McMordie website

Janet McMordie on Instagram

Janet McMordie on LinkedIn

Janet McMordie on Twitter

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode of Second Act Actors features the lovely Stephanie, who came to acting after working in sales but who also has experience as a waitress, cleaner, gogo dancer, mother, wife and much more. Tune in as we go over her story and share our thoughts on rediscovering acting after your 20s.

Stephanie tells me about the huge overlap that exists between working in sales and acting, which is an extended form of selling yourself to a casting director. She explains why she felt pressured to quit acting in the first place and what coming back to acting has been like. You’ll be surprised to hear her thoughts on the availability of roles for women over 30 in the industry!

We also discuss the different kinds of pressure that second act actors feel compared to people who got into acting at a young age and Stephanie shares excellent advice and words of wisdom for second act actors, including how she balances acting around raising her four children and why she’s just starting to build momentum in her script writing projects.

This is a beautiful episode of the Second Act Actors podcast that will inspire you to push that bit harder to make acting a part of your life, however big or small. If you liked the episode, please subscribe to the podcast and leave a review.

Links

Second Act Actors website

Second Act Actors on Instagram

Second Act Actors on Facebook

Second Act Actors on YouTube

Janet McMordie website

Janet McMordie on Instagram

Janet McMordie on LinkedIn

Janet McMordie on Twitter

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Michael Stein is a second act actor unlike any other. Acting is actually part of his first and third act, as he started out doing stand-up and then landed a role in a film through a friend. From there, he tried to get his own films off the ground but wasn't having any luck in the Hollywood pitching game so he left acting behind to start his own business. He managed to make half a million dollars in his first year and is using the money from his business to fund the next stage of his acting career.

Michael tells me about the other elements of his life story, including being a ‘long shot’ as he was born very prematurely into a family with a grandmother who fled antisemitic persecution in Russia and a father who grew up homeless in New York. We talk about the mindset of being second act actors and how you can still bag work by making real, genuine connections in the industry. We also dive into the knotty question of typecasting and whether you should lean into your typecast or try to break away from it.

This is such a fun episode of Second Act Actors with another interesting and exciting guest who has a unique perspective on the entertainment industry. If you enjoyed the episode, please subscribe to the podcast and share it online or with a friend.

Michael Stein on IMDb

Michael’s stand-up comedy sets on YouTube

Second Act Actors website

Second Act Actors on Instagram

Second Act Actors on Facebook

Second Act Actors on YouTube

Janet McMordie website

Janet McMordie on Instagram

Janet McMordie on LinkedIn

Janet McMordie on Twitter

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For this episode of Second Act Actors, I’m sitting down with another actor who came into acting from the medical field. Eliza Shin applied to medical school and spent years training to be a doctor and then specialising in urology, but she knew in her heart that medicine wasn’t for her. She tells me about her mental health struggles throughout her time in med school and how she built up the courage to walk away from it all and follow her dream to be an actor.

Eliza and I compare notes of our experiences at med school, from the huge gender disparity in students and doctors to the kind of person that med school turns you into. Eliza tells me that she constantly felt as if she were playing a character when she was a doctor and that she didn’t fit in with people who clearly loved what they were studying when she didn’t.

We also go into what Eliza’s life looks like now working as an actor and how she was able to make that huge transition. You’ll hear us discuss what ‘working on your acting skills’ actually looks like and how you can become a better actor by learning to let go.

This episode of Second Act Actors covers some pretty deep topics and shines a light on the diversity of actors working in the industry today. If you liked it, make sure to subscribe to the podcast.

Links

Eliza Shin on Instagram

Eliza Shin on Facebook

Eliza Shin on YouTube

Second Act Actors website

Second Act Actors on Instagram

Second Act Actors on Facebook

Second Act Actors on YouTube

Janet McMordie website

Janet McMordie on Instagram

Janet McMordie on LinkedIn

Janet McMordie on Twitter

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode of Second Act Actors is packed full of advice and insights from actor and acting coach Jacqui Maloney. From the ‘tall poppy’ syndrome to her mentality around auditions to the right reasons and wrong reasons to become an actor, Jacqui’s got a wise word to say on every topic.

Jacqui is another second act actor who felt called to act from a young age but put her dreams to one side to take up a more stable career. However, she couldn’t ignore her vocation and eventually retrained as an actor and moved to New York. She tells me about how she was able to make her acting dream a reality and how her initial ‘side hustle’ attitude to acting has helped her to keep her sense of joy and playfulness alive.

In the episode, you’ll also hear Jacqui discuss the film industry in Australia and how the Covid-19 pandemic has forced actors to broaden their skillset. Jacqui shares a funny story from a KFC advertisement and tells me about what her family thinks of her career now, giving advice on how to broach difficult conversations around finances and stability with the people closest to you.

If you liked this episode, please consider sharing it with a friend to show your support of the Second Act Actors podcast.

Timestamps

[0:04] Jacqui explains the root of her love of acting, how she was pushed into pursuing a ‘real’ career, and her move to New York

[3:26] Why Jacqui felt compelled to take an acting class in Sydney

[5:40] How Jacqui was able to gather up the courage to move her life to New York

[8:15] The ‘tall poppy’ syndrome in Australia vs. New York

[10:36] Why Jacqui moved back to Australia and what her life has been like since then

[12:15] “Lots more opportunities to be seen”: Jacqui explains the Australian film industry and how it’s changed since the pandemic

[16:40] The perspective you have on working as an actor if you don’t go to theatre school

[20:30] The advantage of treating acting as a side hustle instead of as a main job

[22:28] Jacqui’s advice on starting acting later in life

[24:43] How Jacqui brings the joy into acting and a story of how an actor was able to make a character his own

[33:03] Jacqui’s funny KFC advertisement audition experience

[35:50] How Jacqui’s family view her career now

[39:30] No-one teaches us how to communicate through conflict

[43:07] What Jacqui’s excited about this year

[44:12] Jacqui’s mentality around auditions

[49:20] The wrong reasons and the right reasons to become an actor: Jacqui’s final words of wisdom

Links

Jacqui Maloney on Instagram

Jacqui Maloney on IMDb

Jacqui Maloney Coaching on Instagram

Second Act Actors website

Second Act Actors on Instagram

Second Act Actors on Facebook

Second Act Actors on YouTube

Janet McMordie website

Janet McMordie on Instagram

Janet McMordie on LinkedIn

Janet McMordie on Twitter

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Vincent Salvador has had a pretty interesting life. He acted in plays in school but decided to study humanities at university. After graduation, he ended up working nights with an organisation combating financial crimes. During the day, he pursues his acting career, auditioning for roles and writing scripts.

Vinnie and I talked about his passion for acting and how by chance he came to work on an award-winning production. We discuss why learning to improvise improves your acting skills, which is something that Vinnie knows a lot about as his brain injury has impaired his ability to learn lines. We also compare notes on how our lives outside of acting have put us in contact with a much broader range of people and the wealth of experience that gives us to draw upon to build up well-rounded characters.

During the interview, Vinnie gives some inspiring advice about maintaining gratitude and how he tries to appreciate every moment that he spends on set. As he says, “If you don’t love the process, don’t do it!”

If you learned something from this interview, subscribe to the Second Act Actors podcast to hear more episodes with other brilliant actors.

Timestamps

[0:04] Vinnie explains how he got into acting

[5:39] Vinnie’s first act in working nights in a financial crimes department

[6:50] Thinking on the fly: How Vinnie was able to let go of the 9-5 mindset

[9:07] The unfortunate incident that allowed Vinnie to develop his improv skills

[10:50] Using improv to let go of the idea of being perfect and to learn how to listen

[13:10] What Vinnie’s brought from his first act to his second

[16:45] Building a character from the people you encounter outside of acting

[20:27] What surprised Vinnie about joining the industry

[23:20] Advice from Vinnie about how to sustain your gratitude

[25:18] Vinnie’s mad on-stage and on-set stories

[32:50] What Vinnie’s looking forward to this year

[34:27] “If you don’t enjoy the process, don’t do it!”

Links

Vinnie on Instagram

Vinnie on Facebook

Vinnie on Twitter

Vinnie on TikTok

Vinnie on IMDb

Second Act Actors website

Second Act Actors on Instagram

Second Act Actors on Facebook

Second Act Actors on YouTube

Janet McMordie website

Janet McMordie on Instagram

Janet McMordie on LinkedIn

Janet McMordie on Twitter

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

          What does being a cop have in common with being an actor? Well, more than you’d think, according to Victor Dobro! Victor is my guest on this episode of Second Act Actors and he’s here to talk to me about background work, auditions, starting out as a new actor, and drawing on his real-life experiences to portray a more accurate and relatable character.

Victor always enjoyed watching cop shows as a child and got interested in acting when his friends were cast in shows like Breaking Bad. He decided to break into the industry, working as an actor, stuntman and a police tactical advisor, but found a passion for acting and is working towards acting full-time.

We talk about what his journey’s been like so far and how he’s managing his personal life, police work and his finances during this transition. Victor shares some insights into his positive mindset around looking for acting roles and gives great advice to other new actors about what they can do to prepare themselves for the industry.

Please follow or subscribe to Second Act Actors to show your support for the podcast and for the small community of brave people who know that it’s never too late to follow their acting dreams.

Timestamps

[0:15] How Breaking Bad inspired Victor to start to transition from being a police officer to being an actor

[6:10] Victor’s interest in films and what he’s learnt since he started working in the industry

[8:18] Do you really need to memorise your lines before you film?

[10:10] What is it about acting that Victor loves so much?

[14:45] Loosening up your analytical mind to perform better

[17:10] The difficulty of moving from stage to screen

[19:25] “You better believe I’m going to give you three crazy takes!”: Channelling different emotions in self-tapes

[21:57] What has Victor brought from the police force to his acting career?

[25:00] Victor on bringing authentic emotions to the scene drawn from his real life experiences

[30:01] “How do U.S. generals behave?”: Acting as a U.S. army general

[33:43] Victor’s advice for people who want to start acting

[37:57] You can’t win if you don’t play

[40:35] Getting into the mindset of loving the unpredictable and how Victor’s preserving his time and money during the auditions process

[43:50] Victor’s fun on-set story from The Walking Dead

[47:35] The life of a background actor

[49:15] “You’re gonna get out of it what you put into it”: Victor’s advice to new actors

[53:20] It’s not brown nosing, it’s networking

[58:00] And what does Victor think of cop shows??

Links

Victor Dobro on Instagram

Victor Dobro on Facebook

Victor Dobro on IMDb

Second Act Actors website

Second Act Actors on Instagram

Second Act Actors on Facebook

Second Act Actors on YouTube

Janet McMordie website

Janet McMordie on Instagram

Janet McMordie on LinkedIn

Janet McMordie on Twitter

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Megan Beers is an American-Canadian actor who’s worked in both Toronto and Los Angeles. Today she’s my guest on Second Act Actors and she shares her experiences of moving to a new city, working on the set of The Handmaid’s Tale and what marketing and acting have in common.

Megan always knew that she wanted to be an actor but decided to complete a degree in marketing with a minor in theatre. She explains to me why she chose marketing over acting at that time in her life and what she’s brought from her marketing background into her acting career. We discuss why she moved to Toronto and then to L.A. and she also unpacks the madness of L.A. pilot season, which is totally specific to acting in L.A.

If you’re looking to become an actor, listen out for Megan’s advice on why working on pilots is such a great opportunity and what she learnt from her background acting jobs. At the end of the episode, you’ll also hear Megan’s inspiring words for anyone who’s thinking about pursuing acting as a career.

Subscribe to the Second Act Actors podcast to hear more funny and inspiring interviews with people who never gave up their dreams of being an actor.

Timestamps

[3:50] Megan tells the story of how she got into acting and but still wanted to do a degree in marketing

[6:35] Degrassi: The reason why Megan chose Toronto

[11:04] Building up your acting career momentum in a new city

[12:40] Background acting is still real acting!!

[15:40] What Megan learnt from doing background work on Shadowhunters

[17:48] What’s the difference between doing acting classes in Toronto and L.A.?

[18:53] Theatre acting vs. camera acting, and transitioning from one to the other

[22:00] How to make a connection with someone over Zoom

[24:00] What Megan brought from marketing into acting

[27:00] ‘Taming yourself’ to become a successful actor

[29:21] Pulling from your previous experiences to make a more convincing character

[30:50] What surprised you about the acting industry?

[32:03] “My family is secretly creative”: Where Megan’s creative talents come from

[34:18] Megan’s memorable moment on the set of The Handmaid’s Tale

[37:30] What Megan’s looking forward to this year

[39:44] “It’s a wild time”: Megan explains L.A. pilot season

[41:34] Why it’s great to work on pilots

[42:33] Megan’s final words of wisdom to an any aspiring second act actors

Links

Megan on IMDb

Megan on Instagram

Second Act Actors website

Second Act Actors on Instagram

Second Act Actors on Facebook

Second Act Actors on YouTube

Janet McMordie website

Janet McMordie on Instagram

Janet McMordie on LinkedIn

Janet McMordie on Twitter

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.