Mena Massoud became known around the world as the star of Disney’s Aladdin — but the reality of what came next was very different from what most people imagined.

In this episode of Strip The Script, Mena sits down with Jazz Lintott for an honest conversation about what Hollywood success actually looks like: from secretly applying to drama school and waiting tables, to landing Aladdin, navigating the expectations that followed, and learning why one breakthrough doesn’t guarantee a career.

Mena also opens up about money, entrepreneurship and why actors need to think beyond the next role. He shares how his relationship with money changed, why he believes creatives should think like entrepreneurs, and what he has learned about building something sustainable in an unpredictable industry.

They also discuss rejection, identity, ambition, resilience, the years before the breakthrough, and what it takes to keep moving when the career you imagined doesn’t unfold the way you expected.

In this conversation:
• The road to Aladdin
• What happened after a billion-dollar movie
• Why Mena made more money on Reprisal than Aladdin
• Why actors should think like entrepreneurs
• Money and financial discipline as a creative
• Building a career beyond acting
• Rejection, expectation and resilience
• Finding your way back to the mindset you had before success

Strip The Script — LIVE UNSCRIPTED.

New conversations every week with actors, filmmakers and creators about the craft, psychology and life behind the work.

Subscribe and follow Strip The Script for more.

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CHAPTERS
00:00 Introduction: From Cairo to Hollywood
04:33 Growing Up Egyptian in Canada
09:33 Choosing Drama School Over Medicine
16:12 Waiting Tables and Building the Dream
21:16 Moving to LA: Mindset & Manifestation
23:24 Booking Jack Ryan and the Aladdin Audition
30:17 The Aladdin Pressure: All In or Nothing
32:40 When Success Doesn't Feel Like Success
34:00 What Aladdin Really Cost Him
40:05 Post-Aladdin Blues and Finding the Way Back
48:16 Think Like an Entrepreneur: Building Beyond Acting
52:46 The Self-Tape Era and Industry Competition
1:00:06 Playing Daniel: Faith, Preparation & Collaboration
1:06:27 Advice for Actors: Money, Perseverance & the Long Game
1:09:37 Savoring Every Moment on Set

Katherine McNamara has spent most of her life performing — from Broadway at just 14 to becoming Clary Fray in Shadowhunters, Mia Smoak in Arrow, and building a career across film, television and theatre.

In this episode of Strip The Script, Katherine sits down with actor and producer Jazz Lintott for an honest conversation about what it really takes to build a lasting career in an industry where talent alone is never enough.

Katherine shares the Broadway audition that changed her life, the story behind #WhoIsClary, what happened when she landed Shadowhunters, and why she believes an actor's job isn't simply to book the role.

They also explore rejection, resilience, preparation, relationships, the pressure that comes with success, and the mindset that has kept Katherine moving forward since she was a teenager.

Strip The Script goes beyond the credits and success stories to uncover the decisions, setbacks and turning points that shape creative careers.

LIVE UNSCRIPTED.

Hosted by Jazz Lintott.

Subscribe/follow Strip The Script for new conversations with actors, filmmakers and creatives every week.