In The Envelope: An Awards Podcast

As an actor, learning any new accent seems daunting—but throw in regional dialects, tonality, and the performance itself, and it starts to feel impossible. Luckily, we’re here to help. “I basically say, learn the notes so that you can play the music,” says dialect and acting coach Denise Woods. “And acting is playing the music. But you got to know the notes. It frees you.” On this episode of “In the Envelope: The Actor’s Podcast,” we sat down with Woods, as well as dialect and accent coaches Rebecca Gausnell, Bob Corff, and Paul Meier, for a lesson on learning any accent—from the physicality of your mouth to training your ear to hear the rhythms of your character’s hometown. --- Backstage has been the #1 resource for actors and talent-seekers for 60 years. In the Envelope, Backstage’s podcast, features intimate, in-depth conversations with today’s most noteworthy film, television, and theater actors and creators. This is your guide to every aspect of acting, from voiceover and commercial work to casting dire

Jenny Slate always believed she’d be an actor. “It really does feel like the same type of belief like, ‘One day I'll fall in love,'” she says. “And you can't imagine the person's face, you can't exactly know how you'll get there but you really know there's a possibility, an option for it.” In this episode of “In the Envelope: The Actor’s Podcast,” Slate walks us through the highs and lows of her entire journey to fulfill that possibility—from finding confidence in stand-up comedy to returning in 2022 to the role of “Marcel the Shell With Shoes On,” a tiny stop-motion character she first introduced to the world in 2010. --- Backstage has been the #1 resource for actors and talent-seekers for 60 years. In the Envelope, Backstage’s podcast, features intimate, in-depth conversations with today’s most noteworthy film, television, and theater actors and creators. This is your guide to every aspect of acting, from voiceover and commercial work to casting directors, agents, and more. Full of both know-how and inspir

Colman Domingo is that rare artist who moves seamlessly between theater, television, and film. But it only looks easy these days because he’s been a dedicated student of the acting trade for decades. “It all goes back to having respect for this craft,” he says. “And being a craftsman first. It's never been about fame. It's always been about respect.” In this episode of In the Envelope: The Actor’s Podcast, Domingo guides us through all the places his craft has taken him, from his early days on stage to scene-stealing performances in ""ZOLA,"" ""Fear the Walking Dead,"" ""Ma Rainey's Black Bottom,"" and the HBO hit “Euphoria.” Brought to you by HBO Max. --- Backstage has been the #1 resource for actors and talent-seekers for 60 years. In the Envelope, Backstage’s podcast, features intimate, in-depth conversations with today’s most noteworthy film, television, and theater actors and creators. This is your guide to every aspect of acting, from voiceover and commercial work to casting directors, agents, and mo

Christina Ricci has been the face of on-screen oddballs and outsiders for the past 30 years—but her fight to keep playing those characters has been an uphill struggle. "I think we're at the point...generally as an audience, where we can find characters interesting that we don't see ourselves in, at all," Ricci says. "You don't have to see yourself in somebody to be fascinated, interested, or root for someone. I'm really happy we're at that place, because I really spent years arguing that point." In this episode of "In the Envelope: The Actor's Podcast," Ricci takes us through the twists and turns of her career, all the way up to Showtime's dark drama, "Yellowjackets," for which she's earning Emmys buzz for the role of unhinged show tunes enthusiast, Misty. Brought to you by HBO Max. --- Backstage has been the #1 resource for actors and talent-seekers for 60 years. In the Envelope, Backstage’s podcast, features intimate, in-depth conversations with today’s most noteworthy film, television, and theater actor

Rupert Grint was unsure who he was as an actor and artist after the seven-film “Harry Potter” series came to an end. “I started realizing that somewhere along the line there was a huge sacrifice I'd made. I'd lost something,” he says. Then he remembered a piece of advice from fellow “Potter” alum, the late, great Alan Rickman: Go and do theater. “I think it's really important, when you've been from where I'd come from—this huge machine that started to define me—to feel the fear [of theater],” Grint says. “I felt very human again.” In this episode of “In the Envelope: The Actor’s Podcast,” Grint walks us through the twists and turns of his magical, unlikely career—from the marathon auditions that landed him his “Harry Potter” role, to the uncertainty of his post-franchise life, to the artistic resurgence that led him to M. Night Shyamalan’s eerie Apple TV+ drama, “Servant.” Check out the episode, and watch all episodes of M. Night Shyamalan’s drama series “Servant” on Apple TV+. --- Backstage has been the

Adam Scott is one of the funniest screen presences of the past decade. But the road to becoming the sitcom stand-out we know and love was anything but an overnight success. ""I had friends in school who I graduated with who, from the very start, said 'oh, no, I don't want to do this or that.' Kind of turning their nose up at certain things,” Scott says. “And I was always of the mind of, 'I'm going to do anything and everything. I just want to get in front of the camera or get on stage and do anything.' And I did, for a long time."" In this episode of “In the Envelope,” Scott walks us through the highs and lows of his entire career, from early roles in movies like “Hellraiser: Bloodline,” to comedic breakouts “Party Down,” “Step Brothers,” and “Parks & Recreations,” all the way up to his dynamic dual-sided turn in Apple TV+’s “Severance.” Brought to you by UCLA's Professional Programs at the School of Theater, Film & Television. --- Backstage has been the #1 resource for actors and talent-seekers for 60 year

Hugh Jackman and Sutton Foster are two of the biggest names in Broadway history, currently starring in one of the most beloved musicals ever, “The Music Man.” For the Tony nominated duo, keeping each performance fresh means ignoring their own icon status and focusing on the present. “Sometimes, it's easier to fall back on things you know work,” Jackman says. “It's a fine balance. At times you're like, 'ah, I don't know what's happening with this scene.' Then you find it, then you lose it. It's excruciatingly beautiful, and I love that about the process.” In this episode of “In the Envelope,” Jackman and Foster break down their secrets to Broadway success, from finding small character moments to building a community backstage. “That's the gift of doing a show for an extended period of time—you get this opportunity to grow with it,” says Foster. Brought to you by UCLA's Professional Programs at the School of Theater, Film & Television. --- Backstage has been the #1 resource for actors and talent-seekers f

John Cena already knows what you’re thinking—he’s heard it in every audition and meeting for the past 25 years. “You can’t deny a first impression,” he says. “That’s why it’s been very difficult for me to try and seek out new levels of performance. You walk into a room, even if you’re in a suit, at 230 pounds everybody’s like: ‘Nope.’ You can only fit so many lanes.” In this episode of ""In the Envelope,"" the pro wrestler turned movie star walks us through every step of navigating those narrow lanes on his way to blockbuster franchise success. From selling out arenas in the WWE to the on-screen failures that motivated him in the lead-up to joining the DC Universe and ""Fast & Furious"" franchise, Cena breaks down how he always tries to find—and subvert—the motivations of any persona he plays. ""“If the ‘why’ is simply, I need you to be big, that’s OK. That’s cut and dry,"" he says. ""But if you’re willing to peel off more, and we can get to the core of why [the character] is so physically fit, then you can

Sebastian Stan still remembers the piece of acting school advice that fueled him through his early career all the way up to where he is today. “Bring the day with you to work, or to the audition, or to the meeting,” he says in this episode of “In the Envelope.” “You're on the subway, you're running late, you're trying to get to the audition, and then someone bumps into you and you spill coffee, and you're pissed off…you might as well just own it. Then you're starting from an honest place.” One of the most versatile performers working today, Stan has made a career out of balancing blockbusters in the Marvel Cinematic Universe with ferocious smaller-scale character work. The actor followed up an appearance in the biggest box office success in history, “Avengers: Endgame,” with an admirable streak of electric—and occasionally stomach-churning—roles in dark dramas and thrillers like the cannibal potboiler “Fresh” and Hulu’s pitch-black true-story comedy “Pam & Tommy.” --- Backstage has been the #1 resource for

Joseph Gordon-Levitt really, really wants you to understand how little you need Hollywood to be an artist. “If you want to pursue a career, that’s great. Do, that too,” he says. “But don’t let that interfere with the real pursuit. The real pursuit is your creative pursuit, and it’s one that happens inside of yourself.” The Emmy-winning actor/creator digs deep into the artistic process in this episode of “In the Envelope,” which touches on everything from the joys of editing to the complex lessons you can learn from your IMDB page. A consistent creative force for three decades and counting, Gordon-Levitt got his start in Robert Redford’s “A River Runs Through It,” followed shortly afterward by six seasons of the sitcom “Third Rock from the Sun.” Since then, he’s appeared in blockbusters like “Inception” and “The Dark Knight Rises,” game-changing rom-coms like “500 Days of Summer,” and TV dramas like his latest project, Showtime’s “Super Pumped: The Battle for Uber.” --- Backstage has been the #1 resource for

"In the Envelope" returns to its awards season roots with a special episode devoted to the 94th Academy Awards. Host Vinnie Mancuso and Backstage Managing Editor Ben Lindsay break down their hopes, wishes, and predictions for this year's biggest categories. Can Jane Campion take home best director and best picture for "Power of the Dog?" Is "The Lost Daughter" the best film of 2021? Why was Nicolas Cage's performance in "Pig" not nominated? We dive into all these questions, as well as looking back at our favorite Oscar-nominated "In the Envelope" guests over the years. Listen in for anecdotes + acting advice from Maggie Gyllenhaal, Jessica Chastain, Rebecca Ferguson, and more. Brought to you by UCLA's Professional Programs at the School of Theater, Film & Television. --- Backstage has been the #1 resource for actors and talent-seekers for 60 years. In the Envelope, Backstage’s podcast, features intimate, in-depth conversations with today’s most noteworthy film, television, and theater actors and creators.

Troy Kotsur is a study in perseverance. The Arizona native spent years honing his craft on stage at the National Theatre of the Deaf and the Deaf West Theatre in Los Angeles—all the while wondering if Hollywood could ever fully embrace a deaf actor. “It's almost like a hair in my beard, just this one hair, and that represents the opportunities that I was given,” he says. But that drive—or “stubbornness,” as he himself puts it—has finally paid off on a historic level. For his role in writer/director Sian Heder’s “CODA,” Kotsur has been the one constant of this year’s awards season, snagging wins at the Gotham Awards, the SAG Awards, and Independent Spirit Awards on the road to the 94th Academy Awards, where he is nominated for best supporting actor. A win would mark the first for a deaf male actor, and just the second for a deaf actor ever behind the trailblazing footsteps of Kotsur’s “CODA” co-star, Marlee Matlin. In this “In the Envelope” episode, Kotsur walks Backstage through every stage of his winding j

Nicole Kidman has delivered decades of riveting work on stage and screen. The actor and producer takes Backstage behind the thoughts and emotions that have characterized her meteoric career, from losing herself in books as a child to understanding the sacrifices required of hardworking artists as an adult. Her advice to fellow creators is to stay in touch with “that young mind,” as she says. “Don’t let that older experience of life take that away. That would be the thing that I carry. And I have no idea why! I still get the goosebumps, I get the adrenaline, I get the nervousness, I get the elation, I get the waiting for the call.... That is still such a huge part of who I am.” An Emmy, BAFTA, Screen Actors Guild, and Academy Award winner, Nicole first became a Hollywood mainstay with “Dead Calm” and “Days of Thunder” before starring in modern classics like “Eyes Wide Shut,” “Moulin Rouge!” and “The Hours.” Among the projects of her production company, Blossom Films, are TV hits “Big Little Lies,” “The Undoin

One of Hollywood’s most prolific figures working today, Reese Witherspoon has created unforgettable female characters onscreen—and offscreen, with her award-winning media company Hello Sunshine. From Tracy Flick to Elle Woods to Madeline Martha Mackenzie, few actors have as many household names in their body of work as Reese does. How does she approach such roles? “It’s almost like being an anthropologist,” she tells Backstage. “You are studying contemporary behavior and how people interact and then applying it to character.” And her advice for fellow artists is evergreen: “You’re never gonna lose anything by trying. So dare greatly.” An Emmy, Screen Actors Guild, BAFTA, and Academy Award winner, Reese began appearing in commercials at a young age in Tennessee, taking odd jobs in film production before dropping out of school to pursue acting. She broke out in “The Man in the Moon,” “Cruel Intentions,” and “Election” before starring in the “Legally Blonde” films, “Walk the Line” as June Carter Cash, “Wild” as

How has Melanie Lynskey persevered in the entertainment biz and become one of its most compelling screen actors? Through a combination of hard work, passion for the craft, and learning—often the hard way—that originality trumps imitation. Rather than striving to deliver what the industry might want, she’s guided by a principle other working artists can live by: “There’s one me. As soon as I learned that lesson, things got a lot easier for me.” Melanie had an improbable career breakout, cast in her feature film debut as a teenager in Peter Jackson’s “Heavenly Creatures.” From working and studying in her native New Zealand, to eventually appearing to American audiences on “Two and a Half Men,” she’s steadily risen through Hollywood’s ranks, appearing in “Ever After,” “Coyote Ugly,” “Sweet Home Alabama,” “Hello I Must Be Going,” “Togetherness,” and “Mrs. America.” Now, she’s earned SAG ensemble award recognition for Netflix and Adam McKay’s Oscar-nominated “Don’t Look Up,” plus a Critics’ Choice Award nod for h

There’s a lot that goes into what Jared Leto calls “immersive” (rather than method) acting. The Academy Award winner is well-known for his full-bodied screen transformations, and here reveals his thinking behind them—even though each has involved a completely organic approach, borne out of an obsessive curiosity around characters. Jared’s top tip for working actors? Don’t ask for permission to take risks and embrace failure. “Everyone’s got their process,” he says. “People should explore and experiment—you’re artists. Be bold, be brave, break some shit. And never, ever apologize for it.” Born in Louisiana and a student of visual art and filmmaking in Washington D.C. and New York City, Jared moved to Los Angeles in 1992 with only a couple hundred dollars to his name. After breaking into Hollywood with “My So-Called Life” and starring in “Prefontaine,” “Requiem for a Dream,” “Panic Room,” “American Psycho,” and more, he took a years-long break from acting to focus on writing and producing music with his band,

Actor, writer, director, and voiceover artist Kayvan Novak became a combination of all those things through plenty of trial and error. And it was the errors and rejections that ultimately taught him about his artistic skills and tastes—but also his own personality, on and off camera. “It was through the endless nos, the brick walls, that forced me to change my approach and forced me to think out of the box,” he tells Backstage. “Thank God all those people said no to me, because it kind of made me who I am.” Kayvan is best known for his Critics’ Choice Award–nominated performance as vampire Nandor the Relentless on FX’s mockumentary “What We Do in the Shadows” from Jemaine Clement. A BAFTA TV Award winner for “Fonejacker,” the British prank call comedy he created and starred in, he’s also appeared in “Syriana,” “Four Lions,” last year’s “Cruella,” and “Toast of Tinseltown.” To read about the recently announced Screen Actors Guild Awards, head over to backstage.com: https://bit.ly/34EBUpr --- Backstage has bee

Award-winning actor and producer Alia Shawkat broke out in Hollywood as a teenager, which proved to be both blessing and curse. Like any struggling artist, she’s had to challenge the industry’s preconceptions as well as her own, folding each new endeavor into her evolving artistic philosophy. She has several rules pertaining to acting: One is to watch everything you appear in, but only twice. Another is to reassess what you want out of your craft and career every few years. “You have to keep falling in love with it,” Alia says. “There’s a timing and a luck to this. And then just perseverance.” The California–born Alia became a breakout child actor, on first “State of Grace” and then as Maeby Fünke on the long-running, SAG Award–nominated “Arrested Development.” She has appeared on “Drunk History,” “Transparent,” and “Broad City,” and starred in “Whip It,” “The To Do List,” “The Final Girl,” “Blaze,” “Duck Butter,” and “Animals.” Alia produces the TBS-to-HBO Max mystery series “Search Party,” starring as Dory

Before Michael Keaton became the chameleonic screen star he is today, he intuited that the life of a performer is full of uncertainty. So taking risks, as first a stand-up comedian and then an actor, became a key part of his artistic mission. “I told myself, you’re never gonna know if you can do this until you just try to do it,” he remembers. “I certainly had many moments of going: Oh, boy. This is a nervous time. I’m not feeling too secure right now. But desperation will kill you.” In his podcast interview, Michael reveals the thinking behind his characters—big and small, brashly comedic and quietly dramatic—and explains why actors must pursue the truth, both in their performances and in life. A Pennsylvania native, Michael has repeatedly reinvented himself in big-screen projects, from his breakout in “Night Shift” all the way to playing Bruce Wayne in Tim Burton’s “Batman,” a role he is reprising in the upcoming “The Flash” and “Batgirl” movies. His background in theater and as production assistant on “Mi

Nicolas Cage became one of the most prolific film performers of his generation thanks to a philosophy other actors can live by: “Work as much as you can,” he says. “Good or bad, fall on your face or stand up—but get so in tune with your instrument that you know it so well, that you know when it’s working or when it isn’t working.” The actor-director-producer reveals all in his podcast interview, from the ongoing mission to find “eclectic” roles, to the keys to great on-set collaboration and tricks of the trade stretching back over four decades. Born in Los Angeles in a family of artists and filmmakers (including aunt and uncle Talia Shire and Francis Ford Coppola), Nicolas realized on-camera performance was an art form upon seeing James Dean on the big screen. He starred in “Moonstruck,” “Raising Arizona,” “Vampire’s Kiss,” “Honeymoon in Vegas,” “The Rock,” “Face Off,” “National Treasure,” “Mandy,” and much more. Along with Oscar-nominated work in “Adaptation” and his leading actor Oscar win for “Leaving Las