Back To One – Details, episodes & analysis

To be a standout on a show featuring Jason Segel and Harrison Ford is quite a feat, but that's exactly what Luke Tennie did in his breakthrough role as Sean in the hit Apple TV+ series "Shrinking." On this episode, the seemingly effortlessly-talented young actor takes us back to his early days and details how football played a pivotal part in helping him with the disciplines required for acting. He explains his belief that there can be no real "play" without massive preparation; talks about coming to a place of understanding that auditioning is simply a "demonstration of my capabilities;" tells a hilarious story about his first job, working with Rob Reiner, which ends up being a lesson in letting go, plus much more. The second season of "Shrinking" is dropping this fall and Tennie also has a small part in the eagerly anticipated film "Nickel Boys" which is scheduled to be released on October 25th.

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. 

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He was in "The OA," "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel," and played Roy Cohn in "Fellow Travelers," but the stage is where Will Brill has found the most satisfaction and success recently, in "A Case For The Existence of God," "Uncle Vanya," and, just this year, as Reg in "Stereophonic" on Broadway, for which he received a Tony Award. On this episode he talks about building Reg by starting with his voice, why following playwright David Adjmi to a bar was a pivotal move, the importance of directorial affirmation, how his pre-show ritual has changed, and much more.

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

There are few actors more well respected than the preternaturally gifted Julianne Nicholson. Recent notable credits include "August: Osage County," "Dream Scenario," "Mare of Easttown" (which won her an Emmy award), and her latest, playwright Annie Baker's first film, "Janet Planet." In this episode, she talks in-depth about playing Janet in that remarkable film, her elusive preparation process, getting the environment to settle into her body, actually learning how to do acupuncture, why she lets her instinct lead the way, and much more.

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

John Early is an actor, comedian, writer, and wearer of many hats. His latest as a comedian and writer is the HBO special "Now More Than Ever." His latest as an actor is the independent film "Stress Positions." On this episode he talks about how these two projects came about, the differences between the John Early character and himself, the pleasure of working on the series "Search Party," why he relishes straight-up acting, the comedy breakthrough he made in his new special, and much more.

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

When you look at the illustrious career of Clive Owen, you see choices made based on the depth of the roles ("Closer," "Children of Men," "Hemingway and Gellhorn," "The Knick"), not on trajectory or star power. His two latest projects, "Monsieur Spade" and "A Murder At The End of The World," are quality television series where he's able to settle in and deliver the grounded, nuanced work we've come to expect from him. On this episode, he explains why he needs time to prepare a role, and the "marination" process that is required. He talks about the qualities found in his favorite co-stars, the "heaven" of Soderbergh's "concentrated" sets, how Bogart's voice helped him play Spade, why he calls himself a "logic monster," and much more.

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

Betsy Aidem has been in over 80 plays, off Broadway, on Broadway, and around the world. Recent titles of note: "All The Way," where she played Lady Bird Johnson, "Mama's Boy," where she played Lee Harvey Oswald's mother, Tom Stoppard's "Leopoldstadt," and "Prayer For The French Republic," for which she is nominated for her first Tony Award. On this gold-filled episode, she talks about her love of extensive research, why she doesn't think the people she plays are just one person, the "golden moment when your character is unsure," the importance of a director's patience and willingness to let her swerve off course, and why she believes the prize is always in the work, plus much much more!

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

Molly Gordon makes everything better. She was a stand-out among stand-outs in films like "Good Boys," "Booksmart," and "Shiva Baby." Then she showed her talents on the other side of the camera, co-writing/directing the hilarious indie hit "Theater Camp." Now she plays Claire on the beloved series "The Bear," which is about to drop its third season. On this episode she talks about why she loves improv, how her parents unintentionally formed her comedy sensibilities, getting "buzzed" from in-person auditions, "locking in" with Jeremy Allen White, why she's always aspiring to a child-like lack of self consciousness, and much more.

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

(Photo by Elias Tahan)

She was on "Game of Thrones" when she was a child, but Nell Tiger Free hit her stride in the M. Night Shyamalan series "Servant," and now her absolutely incredible performance in the hit horror film "The First Omen" has solidified her as one of the great young actors working today. On this episode, she discusses her 'total non-process' process, which means every aspect of her work takes place between "action" and "cut" and literally nowhere else. She talks about why she only reads the script once, finds all backstory that isn't on the page "cringe," doesn't like to rehearse at all, is at the complete service of the director, and strives for total emersion in the moment. It's a fascinating and inspiring approach that could easily be misconstrued as carless if it didn't yield indisputably astonishing results. "The First Omen" begins streaming on Hulu May 30th.

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

Since he was last on the podcast (Ep. 112), Tom Pelphrey has been nominated for an Emmy for his work on "Ozark," he's had juicy roles on "Outer Range" and David E. Kelly's "Love and Death," and now Kelly has given Pelphrey perhaps his most exciting role to date in the character of Raymond Peepgrass in Netflix's "A Man In Full." On this episode, Pelphrey takes us deep into his work on that limited series. He talks about why a good costumer designer is an actor's best friend, what made him feel free to go "full weird" with Regina King, the importance of being an advocate for your character, and much more.

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

(Photo by: Skylar Reeves)

Over the past year and a half, no actor in any medium has given me more inspiration through their work than Mia Vallet. As a company member and frequent performer at the exciting NYC "loft theaters" Adult Film and The Brooklyn Center for Theatre Research, she continues to show the thrilling possibilities for this craft of acting, culminating in her performance as Nina in "Sea Gull," Adult Film's new version of Chekov's masterpiece, opening on Friday May 10th in Manhattan. On this episode, she talks about her training at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts and early success in the business, the setback in her personal life that threw her off course but set the stage for true fulfillment in the work, why daring actors inspire her, the importance of trusting a director, why she loves rehearsal, loves Chekhov, doesn't shy away from the highly emotional material, is inspired by the remarkable resilience of actors, and much much more.

"Sea Gull" Info and Tickets 

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