The Actor’s Guide to the End of the World – Details, episodes & analysis

The premiere episode of The Actor’s Guide to the End of the World! E-Kan and Rían dive into what you need to know about how two voice-over actors had their voices stolen by an AI start-up and insightful comments by the Emmy-winning co-creator of Hacks on the current state of TV. They tackle deep topics, like "Do you want to be right or happy?" or why it's so easy to be cynical. You will hear how they got into acting in the first place which in E-Kan's case, was pure rebellion. Also lessons learned from recent table reads, why you should always accept a compliment whether you believe them or not, and why you don't speak louder than the lead. And how it feels to get cut from a show. 

New episodes every Monday! Follow us on social media @actorsguidepodcast and all episodes on YouTube and Substack as well! @ekansoong and @riansheehykelly on Instagram

We want to hear from you - actorsguidepodcast@gmail.com and more on YouTube and Substack  - https://substack.com/@actorsguidepodcast

Time stamps: 

(00:00) Intro

(01:51) Actors' Voices Stolen by AI

(05:01) Hacks' Co-creator Jen Statsky

(09:48) E-Kan and Rían Acting Origins stories

(15:30) Quality vs Quantity

(16:33) Cynics never win

(19:20) Table Read Stories

Welcome to the episode 5 of the Actor’s Guide to the end of the World! It’s award season, and the guys talk about the many free screenings and star Q&A’s offered to SAG members and what it was like to hear the biggest stars and creators share behind the scenes of projects like Gladiator 2, the Substance, and more. Also, Rian shares insights from a panel of the top casting directors in Ireland, including the unpredictability of casting and how to navigate it as an actor. They discuss the biggest myths about networking and actors’ biggest mistakes make. Then Rian tells a story of being blown away when he saw Anya Taylor Joy act, which gets them on a discussion of movie stars, what gives an actor that “movie star” quality, and why we are so captivated by them. 

New episodes every Monday! Follow us on social media @actorsguidepodcast and all episodes on YouTube and Substack as well! 

We want to hear from you - actorsguidepodcast@gmail.com and more on YouTube and Substack  - https://substack.com/@actorsguidepodcast

Screening Q&A's on E-Kan’s YouTube channel @ekansoong

Geeky Teas & Games in Burbank, 900 W. Alameda Ave, Burbank is a game store/cafe but also a kitten adoption shelter! Play with kittens!

Dates on Bread (Irish soda bread ideally) and it tastes like cake!

Time stamps:

(00:00) Intro

(01:41) Free screenings for actors

(03:00) Why don't actors take advantage of this? 

(04:50) Scary elevator story and interesting characters

(07:00) Why are we obsessed with movie stars? 

(10:25) Gladiator 2 and why Denzel Washington is the man

(13:15) Paul Mescal and his breakout performance

(13:50) Anya Taylor-Joy blew Rían away

(16:20) Lessons learned from the top casting directors in Ireland

(17:10) Actors and networking

(22:45) Acting is a craft

(25:26) More networking tips and don't be a dick 

(34:00) Hidden gems

Welcome to episode 4 of the Actor’s Guide to the End of the World! In this episode, the guys will discuss a new proposal by Governor Newsom boosting CA film TV tax credit to a whopping $750 million, almost double the amount previously. E-Kan also discusses what It was like to go to a SAG W&W meeting (Wages and Working Conditions for the first time) and how it changed his mind on how he looks at the industry. Also we will touch on what the presidential election means for Hollywood, diversity, and a look at what entertainment might look like in the future and share some revelations on dealing with adversity in a volatile industry. Rian and E-Kan share insights on the dangers of entitlement as an actor and then get into a discussion on the subversive nature of comedy.

New episodes every Monday! Follow us on social media @actorsguidepodcast and all episodes on YouTube and Substack as well! 

We want to hear from you - actorsguidepodcast@gmail.com and more on YouTube and Substack  - https://substack.com/@actorsguidepodcast

Holiday Hold-Up - https://www.imdb.com/title/tt29704583/

Academy Museum Film Program https://www.academymuseum.org/en/programs/section/films

Time stamps:

(00:00) Intro

(02:12) New CA Film Tax Credit proposal

(05:20) SAG W&W meetings

(13:50) More mergers during Trump and what that means for actors

(15:25) Trump vs the unions

(17:18) Will diversity and representation suffer?

(19:15) Conservative art doesn't work

(21:20) Competition and diversity in Hollywood

(23:35) Controlling what you can control

(26:00) Why art matters

(27:30) Hidden gems

Welcome! Episode 3 of The Actor’s Guide to the End of the World! We look into the collapse of 23 and Me and what that means for our DNA and data moving forward and things actors should think about with AI. We also talk about what actors need to know about SAG W&W union meetings for our upcoming Commercials Contract. Rían shares a crazy story about how he almost got scammed by an AI Tech marketing company. Also, the guys open up about recent pivotal life changing moments, including how E-Kan first got on YouTube and how that affected his life and career. They also discuss how fame has changed and been democratized with the internet.

New episodes every Monday! Follow us on social media @actorsguidepodcast and all episodes on YouTube and Substack as well! 

We want to hear from you - actorsguidepodcast@gmail.com and more on YouTube and Substack  - https://substack.com/@actorsguidepodcast

Hidden Gems: 

Cafe Vida - New American cuisine healthy - brunch/lunch/ bowls in Pacific Palisades

85th Anniversary of the Batman character exhibition at the WB Studio Tour

Time stamps:

(00:00) Intro

(01:27) 23 and Me Bankrupt

(03:10) What that means for Actors and AI

(03:45) Rían almost gets scammed

(08:11) SAG Union meetings

(12:40) The moment E-Kan’s life changed

(17:40) Actors don’t only do one thing

(19:10)  Why actors don’t like social media

(21:50) How fame has changed with the internet

(24:35) Rían’s AHA moment

(26:00) Hidden gems

Welcome! This is The Actor's Guide to the End of the World's second episode. Will Mayor Karen Bass’s plan to keep productions in Los Angeles work? Should we blame production companies for leaving the US? Or celebrities taking their corporations to other countries to avoid paying taxes? We dive into these questions and break down exactly how far California has fallen behind the rest of the country in film production. As Rían considers the prospect of moving back to Ireland as production ramps up overseas, you will hear them weigh opportunity vs cost of living and answer the big question - Is it still worth it to live in LA? And the guys break down the new California AI bills just passed by Governor Newsom and how they will affect actors, deceased performers, and future elections with a nifty powerpoint by E-Kan.

Follow and subscribe wherever you find your podcasts. And catch us on Instagram, TikTok, and all social media @actorsguidepodcast! @ekansoong and @riansheehykelly on Instagram.

We want to hear from you - actorsguidepodcast@gmail.com and more on YouTube and Substack  - https://substack.com/@actorsguidepodcast

Hidden Gems:

Kneecap (2024) w/ Michael Fassbender

Time Management for Mortals by Oliver Burkeman

Time stamps:

(00:00) Intro

(01:30) LA Mayor Karen Bass's plan for Hollywood

(04:53) California Tax Credits vs the World

(06:26) Governor Newsom passes AI Bills

(09:53) Is it worth it to live in LA anymore?

(12:12) Building a community in LA

(13:27) E-Kan loves LA

(16:24) RÍan weighs moving back to Ireland

(20:50) Hidden Gems of the Week

Welcome to Episode 15 of the Actor's Guide to the End of the World!

This past weekend, Rían celebrates his birthday going to see a soccer match as E-Kan anxiously awaits the Super Bowl (Go Birds). They talk about America’s obsession with football and E-Kan explains why the Philadelphia Eagles get a bad reputation and why he thinks football is the ultimate team sport.

Also, E-Kan and Rían dig into the controversial comments made by an Atlanta casting director about how she only watched actors’ self tapes for four seconds. This is a conversation that actors need to hear. Was it overblown? Is this common amongst casting directors? What can actors learn from this? And what is the job of the casting director and what does this say about our industry moving forward? They talk about it their experiences working for a casting office as a reader and how it will change how you approach auditions.  Be sure to listen to the next episode for our Part 2 on the Casting Director Self-tape conversation...  

And Emilia Pérez... where do we begin? They give their thoughts on Karla Sofia Gascon's Oscar campaign that came and went. They also break down the AI controversy in the Oscar competition this year with The Brutalist and Emilia Pérez, both Best Picture nominees that have admitted to using AI. Is this going to start a trend? Do actors care if performances are altered? Or are we being naive? They also discuss what is the need to perfect performances through AI and is it worth the backlash.  E-Kan shares insights from a VFX supervisor about how they use technology to alter films that blew his mind.

New episodes every Monday! All shows are on YouTube and Substack as well!  Let us know what you think. Email us at actorsguidepodcast@gmail.com. Follow us on all social media @actorsguidepodcast

https://deadline.com/2025/01/atlanta-casting-director-self-tapes-viewing-1236273084/

https://www.forbes.com/sites/timlammers/2025/01/21/emilia-prez-and-the-brutalist-ai-controversies-explained/

https://www.forbes.com/sites/conormurray/2025/02/05/emilia-prez-director-disavows-karla-sofa-gascns-tweets-and-slams-actress-for-playing-the-victim-all-the-films-controversies-explained/

Latinos on Emilia Pérez- https://www.indiewire.com/features/commentary/emilia-perez-latinos-racist-does-academy-care-1235090484/

AI at the SuperBowl

https://www.adweek.com/media/no-ai-super-bowl/

Hidden Gems - Emmet Kirwan’s "Accents" show on tour

https://www.civictheatre.ie/whats-on/accents/

Dog Man (2025)

Time stamps:

(00:00) Intro

(03:45) The Super Bowl and Philly Eagles' fan reputation

(07:09) Rían explains how sports differ in Ireland than the US

(09:44) Casting director 4 seconds controversy

(17:29) Do casting directors watch every self tape? 

(19:14) Lessons actors can learn from this 

(22:14) Atlanta growing pains

(23:59) What actors can learn from being a casting director

(26:59) Emilia Pérez and Karla Sofia Gascon disaster

(29:44) The Latino problem with Emilia Pérez

(33:15) AI Controversy in the Oscars

(35:19) Do actors care if performances are altered by AI?

(40:04) The things that are altered with technology

(41:59) Hidden Gems

Welcome to Episode 14 of the Actor's Guide to the End of the World! 

Good news- Rían got hit with one of the worst storms in Ireland’s history and lived to tell about it. Quentin Tarantino is sounding off at Sundance about the state of film and how watching theater compares to film right now. Is he right? What does it say about the future of film? Is it going extinct? E-Kan and Rían will dig into it from the actor's perspective and talk about their own experiences on stage (or lack thereof), and why they wish they acted on stage more. Also the value of working in theater vs film and tv as an actor. Is it true theater should be the foundation of most actors? 

Also, the guys talk about the Stay In LA petition that is growing momentum and what you need to do to help support the cause (link below), as well as a great editorial by actor PJ Byrne on the importance of keeping productions in LA. 

They go down memory lane and talk about their first jobs - Rían touring through Europe, E-Kan shooting a film while living on the beaches of Santa Barbara for a film - and why they would never do it again. Also what are the demands for the modern day actor right now? They discuss why it helps to have the mindset and dedication of a professional athlete and how that will change your career and help you deal with the grind. Also discussed - what are the biggest actor pet peeves and what we wish non-actors would understand about our profession. Why "everyone's a critic". And the power of saying "no."

They also bring up the famous actor who said the difference between theater and film is like the difference between making love and masturbation. They disagreed- what do you think? In the pod, E-Kan mistakenly attributed it to Meryl Streep, but it was Susan Sarandon. Listen to the end and you'll hear the Viktor Frankl quote that got them going down the rabbit hole. This is a good one, folks! 

New episodes every Monday! All shows are on YouTube and Substack as well!  Let us know what you think. Email us at actorsguidepodcast@gmail.com. Follow us on all social media @actorsguidepodcast

Stay In LA Petition - https://www.stayinla.org/

PJ Bryne editorial - https://variety.com/2025/biz/news/la-bigger-tax-incentive-program-rebuild-fires-1236282891/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oRknmmDcF20

Susan Sarandon interview- https://www.interviewmagazine.com/film/susan-sarandon

VIktor Frankl - A Man's Search for Meaning- https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4069.Man_s_Search_for_Meaning

Hidden Gems: About Time (2013)

Free Paddle Tennis (Venice, CA)

Theatr App (resold theater tickets)

Time stamps:

(00:00) Intro

(05:17) Stay In LA Petition to help recovery from the wildfires

(08:12) Tarantino on theater vs film

(11:32) What makes theater special

(14:02) Is theater out of touch? And the future of entertainment

(16:52) Rían toured around with a show around Europe

(17:17) E-Kan's first job living on the beach of Santa Barbara

(19:17) The demands of the modern actor now in 2025

(23:17) Why everyone's a critic when it comes to acting and people just don't understand

(30:17) Their first times on stage

(33:47) Why theater is the purist medium for actors

(35:37) Theater is making love, film is masturbation

(38:17) Live life like it's the second time around

(40:37) Hidden Gems

Welcome to a jam packed Episode 6 of the Actor’s Guide to the End of the World! E-Kan and Rían get into the controversy at the Camerimage Film Festival after its founder made offensive remarks regarding women cinematographers, prompting several top directors and filmmakers to boycott the festival. As award season continues, the guys tackle the questions - Can an actor watch too much TV? Is Social Media changing how we think? They also discuss the importance of being in acting class and how they stay fueled creatively during the holidays as well as share confessions of iconic shows and movies they haven’t seen and shows so good they can’t watch. Then Rian reveals what he watches at night to go to sleep, and E-Kan why he still has a DVD player. The guys also introduce their newest bit to deepen their appreciation for film that everyone can join in. For Hidden Gems, they get into their latest culinary obsessions.

New episodes every Monday! Follow us on social media @actorsguidepodcast and all episodes on YouTube and Substack as well! 

We want to hear from you - actorsguidepodcast@gmail.com and more on YouTube and Substack  - https://substack.com/@actorsguidepodcast

Hidden Gems: 

Baking Cheesecake in the Instapot - https://www.pressurecookrecipes.com/instant-pot-cheesecake-new-york/

Making bread with only yogurt and oats! 1 part yogurt, 1 and a half part oats, 2 teaspoons with baking powder, bake for an hour at 380 F/ 190 C - delicious bread! Sweeten with dried fruit or honey, and don't use Greek Yogurt!

Time stamps:

(00:00) Intro

(02:00) Camerimage Film Festival Drama

(07:20) Notable Women Cinematographers 

(09:15) The creative diet of an actor

(13:00 What we pay attention to is what we care about

(16:30) What do actors work on when not on set

(19:20) How much tv and film should an actor watch?

(21:00) TV shows so good E-Kan couldn't watch

(24:26) Greatest Movies Never Seen

(28:30) Hidden gems

Welcome to the Actor’s Guide to the End of the World Episode 13! … a little later than usual because of a big weekend for Philly (Go Birds).

While Rían braces for possibly the worst storm in Ireland’s history (he’s okay), he tells us about the first time he faced an American winter (he was not okay). Los Angeles gets ready for another wild week, and E-Kan gets a little more into the air quality of the fires and what we need to know about 9-11 and a previous study on California wildfires. Also, incarcerated firefighters are getting paid almost nothing to fight the fires and what Kim Kardashian has to say about it.

Not surprisingly TikTok is still around, and they also banned one of E-Kan’s videos. You can be the judge how fishy it was. We also learn a little history lesson courtesy of Oscar-nominated actors of “The Apprentice” Sebastian Stan and Jeremy Strong, and Donald Trump. Also, how the “The Apprentice” film shows how art and film can intersect with the society and politics. The guys share how difficult it is to stay engaged and not get overwhelmed by politics and 24/7 news cycle, and what do you do when it feels like there’s nothing you can do.

The Oscar nominations just got announced, and the guys will discuss the top storylines from the nominations, history being made with Emilia Perez and others, and notable Golden Globes moments. Also a nice reminder - if you steal a few scenes, you might end up getting burned alive by Leo Dicaprio. And E-Kan and Rían realize what award shows are really about and why they’re so captivating. 

New episodes every Monday!

Follow us wherever you find your podcasts, including Apple, Spotify, YouTube, Substack and on all social media at @actorsguidepodcast

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/sep/10/epa-head-wrong-911-air-safe-new-york-christine-todd-whitman

https://www.asbestos.com/featured-stories/9-11-lingering-health-effects/#:~:text=Since%20the%209/11%20attacks,illness%20with%20over%2029%2C000%20cases.

https://www.statnews.com/2025/01/10/wildfires-and-health-los-angeles/

https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2020/10/09/907099868/smokey-skies-are-the-new-normal-are-they-making-us-sick

https://ww2.arb.ca.gov/news/new-analysis-shows-spikes-metal-contaminants-including-lead-2018-camp-fire-wildfire-smoke

https://deadline.com/2025/01/kim-kardashian-la-wildfires-incarcerated-firefighters-wages-1236255068/

https://www.statnews.com/2024/06/07/smoke-exposure-california-wildfires-52000-early-deaths-study/

https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2020/10/09/907099868/smokey-skies-are-the-new-normal-are-they-making-us-sick

Time stamps:

(00:00) Intro

(04:00) Ireland’s worst storm in their history

(05:25) Rían’s first American winter

(07:20) California’s Air after the wildfires

(09:15) What we can learn from 9-11

(13:15) TikTok is back and how they banned E-Kan

(16:35) How all the apps are getting wacky

(19:00) How do you stay above the noise and when things get overwhelming

(23:00) Incarcerated firefighters are making almost nothing

(24:00) Oscar nominations and history is made

(30:45) Demi Moore’s Golden Globe speech and why awards shows are so captivating

The Actor's Guide to the End of the World is back from a week off, and what a week it was. This is a bonus double episode and a much needed sanity check-in for E-Kan and Rían (and maybe for you as well), which then turned into a therapy session.  We hope you’re all safe, and thank you to the first responders, firefighters, and incredible community in Los Angeles for all they have been doing in response to the wildfires. If you’ve been affected, we hope you have found resources, but if not, we’ve attached resources and links below. 

E-Kan and Rían share their first reactions to seeing and hearing the devastating wildfires in CA and what they want people to know about the biggest stories and misleading headlines coming out of California. Could this have been avoided? Will LA be changed forever? Was this is a Black Swan event? And thank God for Bill Burr. They also talk about the predatory schemes by insurance companies and landlords preying on those affected by the fires you should watch out for (links below) as well as trends that you might see more of when it comes to climate change. Rían will talk about how he sees Dublin being affected already. And about that air quality in Los Angeles...they will go through how you can prepare yourselves from the air as the city recovers from the fires. 

Also, is TikTok actually going to be banned forever? Spoiler alert - not yet. This was recorded before the ban and unban of TikTok, but does anyone really care at this point? Rían shares his particular struggle with social media, and they discuss why so many actors dislike social media- and why it might be more important than we think. They also talk about how difficult it is to not care what people think and how much can you really know about a person from their social media? We get deep, ya'll. 

Then it all takes a turn and they get onto dating apps. E-Kan shares why he doesn’t touch them, and they find the parallels between getting rejected as an actor and in dating. Stick to the end and you'll hear about the time E-Kan tried one…for five minutes. You'll hear Rían's mediocre maybe even bad advice on the best way to use dating apps. And we might answer the big question- Who's more cynical when it comes to dating, E-Kan or Rían? 

New episodes every Monday!

Follow us wherever you find your podcasts, including Apple, Spotify, YouTube, Substack and on all social media at @actorsguidepodcast

California Fire Resources -

https://actorsguidepodcast.substack.com/p/california-wildfires-resources-list?r=4mm2fh

Air Quality in Los Angeles FYI - https://coveacupuncture.substack.com/p/i-just-watched-a-25-hour-webinar

K95 are good, but N100 are best - https://www.amazon.com/3M-Particulate-Respirator-8233-N100/dp/B008MCV43K

Bill Burr on the Wildfires - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KAZE2aYUrHY

Compensation Claim for the Eaton and Hurst Fires-

McNicholas & McNicholas, LLP

Report Rent Hikes here - Dial 3-1-1 or https://oag.ca.gov/contact/consumer-complaint-against-business-or-company

1 year Moratorium on insurance cancellations- Richard Laura is giving consultations. Reach at 800-927-4357

Time stamps:

(00:00) Intro

(03:15) Reactions to the wildfire disaster

(07:10) Bill Burr on the wildfires

(08:50) Biggest stories and misinformation about the fires

(12:45) Black Swan events

(15:15) What we need to think about with climate change

(17:05) How Dublin is being affected by climate change

(19:30) How people are preying on the fire victims

(23:30) How LA residents can prepare themselves for the air quality

(27:00) TikTok Ban - will it go through?

(30:15) The value of social media and the internet

(34:30) Rían talks about his struggle with social media

(41:00) Why E-Kan isn't on the dating apps

(45:50) Is anything we see online true? 

(48:30) The parallel between getting rejected as an actor and in dating