Theodore Bouloukos Returns
Back To One
Theodore Bouloukos returns to the podcast after nearly 7 years (first time was ). The “secret weapon of independent cinema,” as The New Yorker’s Richard Brody called him, brings us up to date on his adventures in acting. He talks about why he never dwells on a project’s prospects after his work is done, explains the kind of characters that attract him, reminisces about a couple exceptional recent shoots (including the wonderful ode to the game of Baseball that is the film “Eephus”), makes a case for going “full on” for every role, and much more. “Eephus” is currently on...
info_outline
Joel Potrykus
Back To One
We rarely get to hear Joel Potrykus talk about himself as an actor. The independent filmmaker of such beloved low-budget treasures as “Ape,” “Buzzard,” and “Relaxer” says he has, in fact, never talked about it. In his latest, “Vulcanizadora,” he once again co-stars with the man he loves to point his camera at, Joshua Burge. The two reprise their roles of Derek and Marty exactly ten years after they birthed those characters in “Buzzard.” On this episode, Potrykus explains the decision to take on the role in both films, why he loves working with the “machine” that is...
info_outline
Brett Gelman
Back To One
You know him as Murray in “Stranger Things,” or Martin in “Fleabag,” or loved him in “Lemon” (the wonderful indie film he also co-wrote), or his countless guest star roles on Comedy Central, Adult Swim, “The Office,” “Curb” (the list goes on), but lately Brett Gelman has been venturing into more serious projects like “McVeigh” and “Lady in the Lake.” On this episode, he talks about the conscious choice to just “do great roles” that often takes him away from comedy. He talks about his relationship to the craft which started in acting school, explains how bombing...
info_outline
Adeel Akhtar
Back To One
Adeel Akhtar is a versatile British actor known for his powerful performances across film, television, and theatre. He gained widespread acclaim for his BAFTA-winning role in the BBC drama “Murdered by My Father,” and won another one, a few years later, for “Sherwood.” His other credits in front of the camera include “Four Lions,” “The Big Sick,” “Enola Holmes,” “Utopia,” and “Sweet Tooth.” On stage, Akhtar has appeared in productions at the National Theatre and the Royal Court. Currently he wows audiences as Lopakhin in a new production of Chekhov’s “The Cherry...
info_outline
Michael Angarano
Back To One
Michael Angarano has been acting since he was an infant and has a long resume of memorable work in both comedic and dramatic roles—“Almost Famous,” “Will and Grace,” “This is Us,” “Gentlemen Broncos,” “Oppenheimer,” to name a few. His latest is a wonderful comedy with a lot of heart that he stars in, co-wrote and directed called “Sacramento.” On this episode he talks about the long road of getting that film made, how he needed to adjust once he saw Michael Cera’s approach to the role, and the interesting realization that he may not need to act and direct and write...
info_outline
Jolene Purdy
Back To One
Jolene Purdy is always a standout. She gained recognition for her performance as Cherita Chen in the cult classic “Donnie Darko,” and later appeared in hit shows like “Orange Is the New Black,” “Under the Dome,” “Breaking Bad,” “WandaVision,” and “The White Lotus.” She now plays opposite Kevin Bacon in the new Amazon series “The Bondsman.” On this episode, she talks about how the collaborative nature of that production ignited her creativity and brought out the best in her. She tells us her secret to mastering the art of delivering exposition, why she loves to be...
info_outline
Hadi Tabbal
Back To One
The incredible Lebanese actor Hadi Tabbal just finished the monumental Broadway run of Sanaz Toossi’s Pulitzer Prize-winning play “English.” He originated the role of Omid, and performed in various iterations of this powerful and transformative play over the last few years. On this episode, he talks about the fascinatingly unique aspect of “English” that is unlike any other play he’s performed, and what he means when he says it is “alive” every night and “very delicate,” and he has to “take care” not to “derail” it. He explains the difference between “discovery”...
info_outline
Jonathan Majors
Back To One
Jonathan Majors is an actor. His latest film is "Magazine Dreams." He sat down with Peter Rinaldi to talk about the work. Back To One is the in-depth, no-nonsense, actors-on-acting podcast from . In each episode, host Peter Rinaldi invites one working actor to do a deep dive into their unique process, psychology, and approach to the craft. Follow Back To One on
info_outline
Ariella Mastroianni
Back To One
Ariella Mastroianni is an actor from New Jersey by way of Ontario, Canada. With director Ryan J. Sloan, she co-wrote and co-produced "Gazer," which she also stars in. The film, which the duo shot on weekends over the course of two years, brings the paranoid thriller genre into wildly original new territory. On this episode, Mastroianni tells the story of deciding to shoot on film, using their own money, with no formal support, no connections, just a deep desire to make the film they were both dying to see. She talks about the tools her acting teachers (like and Kyle Donnelly) provided that...
info_outline
Vincent D'Onofrio
Back To One
An actor’s actor of the first order, Vincent D’Ononfrio has been delivering “all in” performances, usually in supporting roles, for nearly four decades—“Full Metal Jacket,” “Men In Black,” “Household Saints,” “Steal This Movie!,” “The Cell,” “The Magnificent Seven,” to name just a few, not to mention 10 audience-loving seasons of “Law & Order: Criminal Intent.” He’s getting more accolades for his latest performance as Wilson Fisk in “Daredevil: Born Again.” On this episode he talks about the “emotional event” that he has to summon to...
info_outlineCaveh Zahedi is one of the most influential independent filmmakers of our time. Jay Duplass, Lena Dunham, Richard Linklater, Greta Gerwig, are all big fans of his 30+ years worth of ultra-autobiographical work (five features, “I am A Sex Addict” perhaps being the most popular). His magnum opus, “The Show About The Show,” started out as a “self-reflexive TV show about its own making” for BRIC TV and has continued despite lawsuits, loss of distribution, re-castings, and many more obstacles, thanks to Zahedi’s dogged determination to simply tell the story, mostly through re-enactments using the actual people in his orbit playing themselves, of what happened in his life. He gets a small, but passionate amount of support from his loyal fanbase who want him to see this now decade long journey come to an end in the final season, which is about to be released. Zahedi has done a lot of interviews about his filmmaking, but rarely any, like this one, that focuses on his work as an actor for other filmmakers and in front of his own camera, where he plays a version of himself. He talks about the tonal fine line he has to walk when addressing the camera, nudity (his and others’), actors who work well with his directorial approach (like Emmy Harrington and Jim Fletcher), the rigors of auditioning to play a pedophile rabbi, striving for “non-acting,” and much more.
Creative Nonfiction Film Weekend is bringing Zahedi's work (and the man himself) on a UK tour in March 2025. Check here for more info
Back To One is the in-depth, no-nonsense, actors-on-acting podcast from Filmmaker Magazine. In each episode, host Peter Rinaldi invites one working actor to do a deep dive into their unique process, psychology, and approach to the craft.
Follow Back To One on Instagram