Story & Craft with Marc Preston

Actor Natalie Alyn Lind from “The Goldbergs” and Paramount+'s “Dutton Ranch” joins us on Story & Craft.

In this episode, Natalie opens up about what it was like growing up on a TV set and hitting major life milestones while playing Dana Caldwell on the hit sitcom “The Goldbergs”. She shares how those early experiences shaped her approach to acting, giving her the chops to step into her own producing role with the upcoming indie comedy/horror flick, “Halloween Store”. Natalie even geeks out over her love of classic horror films and what it's like to build a project from the ground up alongside her friends.

The conversation naturally shifts to the sweltering heat of Texas and her immersion into cowboy camp for the highly anticipated series “Dutton Ranch”. Natalie talks about sliding into her character's well-worn boots, working on horseback, and the empowering feeling of being part of a Taylor Sheridan production. Plus, we bond over our shared love for authentic Canadian poutine, her very first celebrity crush, and why letting go of other people's expectations is the best advice she could give her younger self.

SHOW HIGHLIGHTS

00:00 | Natalie Alyn Lind joins Story & Craft

00:04:46 | Adjusting to the blistering Texas heat during night shoots

00:08:09 | The absolute necessity of authentic cheese curds in Canadian poutine

00:10:37 | Auditioning against her mom's last name to land her first role on “One Tree Hill”

00:13:33 | Hitting real-life milestones and having her first kiss while filming “The Goldbergs”

00:19:48 | Turning downtime into a creative spark to produce her love letter to comedy/horror films, “Halloween Store”

00:25:49 | Recording a full country album and dealing with prosthetics for “Tell Me a Story”

00:30:35 | The powerful female characters in the Taylor Sheridan universe and the real-life women who inspire them

00:37:33 | The grounding, gritty reality of attending real cowboy camp for “Dutton Ranch”

00:40:16 | Finding the sweet spot between authentic functional cowboy gear and character style

00:46:02 | The Seven Questions

STAY IN THE KNOW

• Website: https://www.storyandcraftpod.com

FOLLOW THE SHOW

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/storyandcraftpod
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/storyandcraftpod

CONNECT WITH MARC

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/airpreston
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/marcpreston

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Actor Rex Linn from “Cliffhanger” and NBC and Peacock's “Happy's Place” joins us on Story & Craft. Over his decades-long career, Rex has become a familiar face on television, appearing in major marquee shows like “CSI: Miami”, “Better Call Saul”, “Young Sheldon”, and “Big Sky”.

We cover his early days growing up in Texas and Oklahoma, and how classic Universal movie monsters inspired him to pursue acting. Rex details the pivotal decision to leave his career in banking at age 34 to move to Los Angeles, eventually landing his breakout role opposite John Lithgow and Sylvester Stallone in “Cliffhanger”. He also shares insights into the fast-paced, improvisational nature of shooting a sitcom compared to dramatic television.

Off the set, Rex talks about his lifelong passion for drumming, including the moment his fiancée, Reba McEntire, surprised him by having him play live on stage with her band. We also touch on the dynamics of working alongside Reba every day, our mutual appreciation for Whataburger, and the importance of simply being kind.

SHOW HIGHLIGHTS

00:00 | Rex Linn joins Story & Craft

00:06:52 | The unexpected classic movie monsters that inspired his acting career

00:10:56 | The Jack Nicholson performance that cemented his career path

00:13:33 | Leaving a career in Oklahoma banking to pursue acting at 34

00:15:42 | Landing a breakout role opposite John Lithgow and Sylvester Stallone

00:24:31 | Breaking a thumb on the congas to impress a high school crush

00:26:00 | The birthday surprise drum kit from Reba McEntire

00:30:54 | Playing the drums live on stage with Reba's touring band

00:37:47 | The advice John Lithgow shared about working on sitcoms

00:40:58 | The dynamic of rehearsing and acting alongside his fiancée

00:46:16 | The Seven Questions

STAY IN THE KNOW

• Website: https://www.storyandcraftpod.com

FOLLOW THE SHOW

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/storyandcraftpod
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/storyandcraftpod

CONNECT WITH MARC

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/airpreston
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/marcpreston

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Actor Sofia Rosinsky from Hulu's “Death and Other Details” and Peacock's “The Miniature Wife” joins us on Story & Craft.

Sofia shares the fascinating story of her unconventional path into the industry, revealing that an innocent trip to an acting camp unexpectedly put her in front of casting directors. Growing up in a deeply creative household, she was surrounded by cinema thanks to her independent filmmaker mother and musician father. She also opens up about her rigorous acting foundation, noting that she was raised on the Meisner technique directly passed down from her mother, who studied under the legendary Sanford Meisner.

Beyond her recent high-profile roles, Sofia discusses her passion for dark comedies and producing independent films with her sister Alexis. She details the physical transformation required to play Mac on Prime Video's “Paper Girls” and the nerve-wracking yet magical experience of working with childhood idol Mandy Patinkin. The conversation also touches on her ongoing education at Berklee College of Music and plans for the future.

SHOW HIGHLIGHTS

00:00 | Sofia Rosinsky joins Story & Craft

00:04:38 | Balancing an acting career with an online education at Berklee College of Music

00:07:17 | Growing up with a studio musician father who played on legendary film scores

00:14:30 | How a terrifying performance by Alec Guinness sparked her initial acting inspiration

00:16:18 | The innocent summer camp that accidentally launched her straight to casting directors

00:20:11 | The physical hair transformation for her role in Prime Video's “Paper Girls”

00:21:54 | The surreal experience of sharing the screen with the legendary Mandy Patinkin

00:24:49 | Learning the Meisner technique from her mother, who studied directly under Sanford Meisner

00:27:22 | Booking “The Miniature Wife” and working alongside Matthew Macfadyen and Elizabeth Banks

00:32:17 | Expanding her horizons by producing and writing an anthology feature with her sister

00:35:05 | The Seven Questions

STAY IN THE KNOW

• Website: https://www.storyandcraftpod.com

FOLLOW THE SHOW

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/storyandcraftpod
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/storyandcraftpod

CONNECT WITH MARC

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/airpreston
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/marcpreston

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Actor David Berry from Starz's “Outlander” joins us on Story & Craft.

David shares the bittersweet reality of saying goodbye to a character he has inhabited for eight years as the series concludes. He breaks down the unique logistical gymnastics required to commute from his home in Sydney to the moody highlands of Scotland, including the nature of 25-hour flights. The conversation touches on the “larrikin” spirit of Australian culture and why Aussies feel a natural compulsion to shorten every name and word they encounter.

We also get a glimpse into David’s life off-camera, from his former studies in politics to his very specific post-scene ritual involving a perfect burger. Whether discussing the “reverse colonialism” of an Australian actor playing a British officer or the challenge of finding healthy food in the land of fried Mars bars, David brings a thoughtful and witty perspective to the actor's life. He reflects on the importance of spontaneity and the advice he would give his younger, more anxious self about simply learning to relax.

SHOW HIGHLIGHTS

00:00 | David Berry joins Story & Craft

00:01:02 | The origin of Marc’s new Aussie nickname

00:03:16 | Exploring the cultural habit of Australian “shortenings”

00:04:28 | Defining the “larrikin” attitude toward authority

00:06:12 | The challenges of transitioning out of a long-running series

00:09:48 | The logistical hurdle of auditioning for global shows from Australia

00:11:32 | Navigating the 25-hour commute between Sydney and Scotland

00:12:13 | How the Scottish landscape becomes its own character on screen

00:14:10 | Comparing the healthy Sydney lifestyle to Scottish comfort food

00:15:00 | The reward of a perfect burger after a difficult scene

00:18:00 | The Seven Questions

STAY IN THE KNOW

• Website: https://www.storyandcraftpod.com

FOLLOW THE SHOW

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/storyandcraftpod
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/storyandcraftpod

CONNECT WITH MARC

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/airpreston
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/marcpreston

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Actor Danay Garcia from AMC's “Fear the Walking Dead” and NBC and Peacock's “M.I.A.” joins us on Story & Craft.

We talk about her journey arriving in Los Angeles from Havana, Cuba, and the reality of navigating the industry while tackling a profound language barrier. Danay shares memories from her early days, including the thrill of getting her first major break shooting Super Bowl commercials alongside Snoop Dogg and Guy Ritchie. She also opens up about surviving the apocalypse for seven seasons on AMC's hit series, and the incredible, set-blessing presence of Edward James Olmos on her newest project.

Plus, Danay gives us a glimpse into her passion for food and community, sharing how cooking traditional Cuban dishes live on Instagram kept her connected to her fans during the pandemic. We also explore the intense, one-hour-and-45-minute in-person audition that landed her the role in NBC / Peacock's crime thriller, “M.I.A.”, and why she always says “yes” to stepping into the unknown.

SHOW HIGHLIGHTS

00:00 - Danay Garcia joins Story & Craft

00:01:43 - Settling into Texas

00:09:25 - Why an apocalypse led by a female character made the prequel to The Walking Dead so enticing

00:11:01 - Having lunch at the exact spot where they filmed the “Titanic” infinity pool

00:13:08 - Arriving in Los Angeles from Havana and realizing the true challenge of the language barrier

00:18:04 - Breaking into the American industry shooting Super Bowl commercials with Guy Ritchie and Snoop Dogg

00:20:19 - Growing up in Cuba with a father who poured drinks at Ernest Hemingway's favorite bars

00:27:00 - Nurturing connection by teaching her fans how to cook traditional Cuban food live during the pandemic

00:43:07 - Enduring a grueling one-hour-and-45-minute in-person audition to land her role in “M.I.A.”

00:46:50 - Working alongside the iconic Edward James Olmos and feeling his presence bless the set

00:49:00 - The Seven Questions

STAY IN THE KNOW

• Website: https://www.storyandcraftpod.com

FOLLOW THE SHOW

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/storyandcraftpod
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/storyandcraftpod

CONNECT WITH MARC

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/airpreston
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/marcpreston

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Writer and director Thom Harp from “The Donor Party” and “Home Delivery” joins us on Story & Craft.

Thom brings a fantastic energy to the conversation, sharing how his background as a cinematographer in Seattle eventually shaped his approach to humane comedy. We talk about the importance of giving actors the space to just play and trust their instincts on set. It’s always fun getting to hear about the process behind creating those incredibly messy, yet hilariously relatable human moments that define his style.

We also get into some great stories about his unique writing methods and how an “explosive diaper” moment changed the trajectory of his creative choices. Thom reminds us that life is pretty ridiculous, and sometimes the best way to deal with the madness is just to point a camera at it and embrace the laughs.

SHOW HIGHLIGHTS

00:00 - Thom Harp joins Story & Craft

00:02:19 - Guitars, The Cars, and safely navigating a midlife crisis.

00:09:31 - How Monty Python's Flying Circus completely rewired his creative brain.

00:21:28 - Cultivating a safe, playful environment on set for actors.

00:23:48 - The strategic genius of casting dramatic actors in comedic roles.

00:30:10 - Thom’s unique “magnet” method for developing script ideas.

00:34:35 - Why the best comedy requires putting your hero in the absolute worst situation.

00:38:57 - Casting Joe Pantoliano against type to find the moral heart of the film.

00:46:24 - The “explosive diaper” moment that forever changed his view on comedy.

00:55:33 - The Seven Questions.

STAY IN THE KNOW

• Website: https://www.storyandcraftpod.com

FOLLOW THE SHOW

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/storyandcraftpod
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/storyandcraftpod

CONNECT WITH MARC

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/airpreston
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/marcpreston

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Actor Meaghan Rath from CBS's “Hawaii Five-0” and AMC's “The Audacity” joins us on Story & Craft.

Meaghan looks back on living on Oahu for “Hawaii Five-0,” from favorite beaches to island food. We talk about playing Anushka Bhattachera-Phister, a chief ethicist in a corrupt tech world, on “The Audacity,” and what the show taught her about privacy and data. She also shares her Montreal upbringing, her Jewish and Indian-Catholic heritage, and being discovered as a teen actor.

SHOW HIGHLIGHTS

00:00 Meaghan Rath joins Story & Craft

03:36 Hawaii Five-0 Memories

05:55 Beaches and Island Food

09:30 How She Got Cast

11:56 Canada Roots and Family

16:25 Finding Acting Early

19:59 Meeting Her Husband

23:43 The New Series “Audacity”

28:50 Tech Culture and Social Media

34:14 Privacy Wake Up Call

35:29 Haunted House Memories

37:48 Drama Comedy Balance

39:14 Dense Scripts And Accent

42:50 The Seven Questions

STAY IN THE KNOW

• Website: https://www.storyandcraftpod.com

FOLLOW THE SHOW

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/storyandcraftpod
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/storyandcraftpod

CONNECT WITH MARC

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/airpreston
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/marcpreston

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Actor Johnny Ray Gill from SundanceTV's “Rectify” and Prime Video's “Cross” joins us on Story & Craft.

Johnny talks about growing up in Portland's Black Northeast community, starting in spoken-word poetry inspired by the film “Slam,” and his path from USC film school to Temple and UC San Diego's theater program. We talk about booking “Harry's Law,” what artists owe audiences, his climate-focused script “Laying Pipe,” and how he was offered his role in season 2 of “Cross.”

SHOW HIGHLIGHTS

00:00 Johnny Ray Gill joins Story & Craft

02:24 From Portland to LA

03:23 Working Class Roots

04:48 Choosing the Arts

08:09 Spoken Word Origin Story

11:28 College Path and Drama School

15:10 Hip Hop and Early Influences

17:10 Art Versus Commerce

20:25 Screenwriting and Truth

22:03 Pitching Laying Pipe

29:45 How Cross Came Together

34:31 Persistence and Knowing Your Vocation

36:31 New Passions Nature and Animals

40:03 Plants Pets Travel

41:40 Indigenous Symbiosis

44:26 Cross Writing Process

45:17 Bobby Trey’s Capitalism

48:34 Shreveport Food Authenticity

51:06 The Seven Questions

STAY IN THE KNOW

• Website: https://www.storyandcraftpod.com

FOLLOW THE SHOW

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/storyandcraftpod
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/storyandcraftpod

CONNECT WITH MARC

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/airpreston
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/marcpreston

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Actor Rob Corddry from “Old School” and AMC's “The Audacity” joins us on Story & Craft.

Rob's work includes “The Daily Show,” “Children's Hospital,” “Ballers,” “Top Gear America,” “Old School,” “The Heartbreak Kid” and “Hot Tub Time Machine.” We talk about moving from Massachusetts to Los Angeles, acting with Ben and Jerry Stiller, the pace of “The Daily Show,” his early hopes of Shakespeare, and his new AMC show “The Audacity.”

SHOW HIGHLIGHTS

00:00 Rob Corddry joins Story & Craft

03:39 East Coast to LA Move

04:05 Seth MacFarlane The Winner

05:40 Ben Stiller Family Scene

09:51 Cedar Rapids and Dark Horses

11:45 Daily Show Era Origins

16:06 Daily Show Grind Today

18:47 Playing Ari Fleischer

20:41 Shakespeare Dreams New York

24:37 Parents Support and Naivete

28:39 Kids and Clown Makeup

31:26 Top Gear America Cars

34:04 First Car Gen X Nostalgia

35:33 Brat Pack Inspirations

36:30 Cusack and Chevy Stories

38:15 Why “Arthur” Hits Hard

40:08 Grounded Absurd Comedy

41:57 Choosing Roles and Auditions

43:29 Writing Mysteries and Spies

44:35 Lynch and Weird Worlds

45:53 Children's Hospital Logic

47:31 Indie Film Comeback Hopes

52:48 The Seven Questions

STAY IN THE KNOW

• Website: https://www.storyandcraftpod.com

FOLLOW THE SHOW

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/storyandcraftpod
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/storyandcraftpod

CONNECT WITH MARC

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/airpreston
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/marcpreston

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Actor D.B. Sweeney from “The Cutting Edge” and “Protector” joins us on Story & Craft.

D.B.'s work includes “The Cutting Edge,” “Eight Men Out” and “Memphis Belle,” for which he trained with retired SAS soldiers and flew in real B-17s. We talk about growing up on Long Island, playing baseball at Tulane, and getting his start from Francis Ford Coppola in “Gardens of Stone.” He also shares his voiceover work, his love of cooking, directing “Two Tickets to Paradise,” and his new film “Protector.”

SHOW HIGHLIGHTS

00:00 D.B. Sweeney joins Story & Craft

03:20 Memphis Belle Bootcamp

05:13 B17 Death Star Tactics

10:03 Voiceover Career Highlights

12:34 Origin Story Long Island

13:21 Tulane Baseball And New Orleans

15:39 Cooking Signature Dishes

19:54 Broadway Breakthrough

21:10 Coppola Casting Break

22:44 Baseball Roles and Heroes

26:15 The Cutting Edge

28:30 Movies Then and Now

31:33 Directing and Next Projects

33:52 The Seven Questions

STAY IN THE KNOW

• Website: https://www.storyandcraftpod.com

FOLLOW THE SHOW

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/storyandcraftpod
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/storyandcraftpod

CONNECT WITH MARC

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/airpreston
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/marcpreston

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.