Two actors, E-Kan Soong and Rían Sheehy Kelly talk acting and Hollywood in a way people understand. Dive into the most interesting headlines you need to know from the ever changing Hollywood industry as they share hilarious stories and insights from on set and off, and find joy along the ride. Frank, informative, and entertaining conversations for those in and out of the industry.
All the world’s a stage, and this stage is on fire... but you know E-Kan and Rian are going to have a laugh either way.
Watch and listen to new episodes every Monday wherever you find your podcasts!
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Follow E-Kan @ekansoong and Rían @riansheehykelly on Instagram
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David Ellison Threatens to Take Paramount out of California
Season 2 · Episode 15
Thursday, August 20, 2026 • Duration 35:42
Welcome to the Actors Guide to the End of the World Podcast, Episode 94! It's another wild week in Hollywood, people.
A Hollywood Reporter Op-Ed by Hollywood director Joseph Kahn has caused a stir, stating that the industry needs to "Bring back the Hollywood asshole"... E-Kan and Rían dig into this, and question if the reason for our industry's problems is because we need more people shouting in boardrooms. Another bold claim from the op-ed "If studios don't start making more movies about white guys in fighter jets, the box office won't cover the gardening bill"... Does Hollywood needs its monsters back?
That also brings us to an update on the Paramount-Skydance Warner Bros Discovery merger. The latest - David Ellison threatens to take Paramount out of California. So let's just say it's not going well. Is this merger even going to happen? Is that a good thing it won't? The guys also discuss why California has a responsibility to keep the industry here too.
And for a sliver of hope, none other than Seth Rogen, whose NY Times interview has shed a lot of insight on the current industry from someone who would know a thing or too. One stunning revelation - how making a movie like they did with Superbad would never happen today, and how gun shy and risk averse Hollywood really is. This is the real wisdom for filmmakers and storytellers alike.
(04:23) The shocking size of Paramount if merger happens
(05:05) Paramount also asks for a 1.1 billion dollar bond
(06:44) Is it possible to take Hollywood out of Hollywood?
(09:25) The responsibility on California to keep Hollywood
(12:12) Bring Back the Hollywood Asshole
(14:34) The tension between the creative and the executive
(15:34) The executive's job is to make money
(17:20) Nobody knows anything
(20:09) If you wanted to be a creative, why did you become an executive?
(22:57) Seth Rogen's NY Times Interview
(22:38) How Rogen creates his characters and drives his story
(24:47) How movies aren't made like they were before
(28:34) The daunting reality of being a crab on the sea floor
(31:11) Hidden Gems
"Feelings Are Stupid" — Thoughts vs. Feelings
Season 2 · Episode 14
Thursday, August 13, 2026 • Duration 43:12
Welcome to the Actor’s Guide to the End of the World Podcast, Episode 93! Warning - we talk about our feelings this episode. Or in E-Kan’s case, lack of… We’re going deep on this one.
We start with a famous study on kids who loved drawing. One group was given a reward for their efforts, the other didn't. Guess which group eventually stopped drawing? This episode starts there — and turns it into a hard question for anyone chasing a creative career: are you doing this because you love it, or because you're chasing the reward? What happens when external validation makes you forget why you wanted to do it in the first place?
Then E-Kan and Rían dig into what "effortless" acting actually looks like on-camera, and why the second something feels performed, audiences can tell — even if they don't know why. Also a genius note from terrific photographer Matt Kallish that helped Rían during his headshot session.
The guys talk about meditation after Rían shares his experience at a Transcendental Meditation workshop, which leads to E-Kan's confession- he thinks “feelings are stupid” and even drops a Marcus Aurelius quote : “The happiness of life depends on the quality of your thoughts.” The guys then go into a deep discussion, do people and creatives get wrapped up in our feelings too much and as E-Kan puts it, "do more harm than good"?
Stick to the end and you’ll hear why visualization doesn’t actually work…unless you do one key thing.
Odyssey Translator Trashes Nolan's Film — Was She Right? Plus: A Casting Director Roundtable You Need to Hear
Season 2 · Episode 13
Thursday, August 6, 2026 • Duration 54:53
Welcome to the Actor's Guide to the End of the World Podcast, Episode 92!
E-Kan and Rían have finally managed to get tickets to Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey, which just broke box office records — but the translator whose work reportedly inspired the film says she'd be "ashamed" to have written any part of the script. The big question is- was she right? And how can we debate films without getting mean?
We break down what worked (the practical effects are unreal — a 60-foot Cyclops puppet without CGI, a camera so massive it took two people to carry) and what didn't. Was it all spectacle and no soul?
Then: we listened a casting director panel featuring the top CDs in the industry and got real talk on the state of the industry and era of self tapes - where we are, and where we hope to be. Keep listening - you'll a bomb drop how actors are reportedly using AI to manipulate their audition slates. We don't know what they're hiding, but we have theories.
Movie stars, myth, and a little bit of Hollywood chaos. Press play.
50,000 AI Shows Were Produced in One Month — and the Industry Is Collapsing
Season 2 · Episode 12
Thursday, July 30, 2026 • Duration 30:36
Welcome to the Actor's Guide to the End of the World Podcast, Episode 91!
This is a must listen if you're an actor - the Vertical Micro-drama boom has taken a turn...
China just produced 50,000 completely AI-generated shows in a single month — more than all of 2025 combined — and it's already gutting an industry that is supposed to be Hollywood's next big thing. We break down the current status of an industry that's estimated to be 4 billion in the US by 2030, and whether the same demise is coming for American sets next.
Also, the World Cup last month left us with a lot of feelings, mostly E-Kan, the ignorant and new football fan. Rían, football player and fan, gives his perspective on what E-Kan calls a "classless" final, and how he didn't sleep the night of the World Cup final.
And of course, we tease The Odyssey, Christopher Nolan's monstrous hit that we can't wait to talk about, until Rían can finally get an IMAX ticket in Los Angeles. Stick around and you'll here which is the very best theater in Los Angeles to see it.
Keeping culture alive in a ever changing entertainment landscape, welcome to the party.
What'd He Do If Money Was No Object? Not What I Expected.
Season 2 · Episode 11
Thursday, July 23, 2026 • Duration 40:13
Welcome to the Actor's Guide to the End of the World Podcast, episode 90!
We're back after a small hiatus, and this one goes deeper than we expected.
Rían just did his first stage show in years — and we get into what actually changes when you go from screen to stage: no cuts, no second takes, and what it feels like when your scene partner drops their line. That story turns into something bigger — an honest conversation about the illusion of "planning" a career, why we changed our mind about a piece of advice we used to swear by, and what it means to actually be in service of the work instead of the other way around.
Then comes the big question: E-Kan and Rían answer what if money and time weren't an issue, what would you actually be doing with your life? The answer wasn't what either of us expected..
Funny, honest, and always full of surprises. Welcome back.
Did you know we're in Season 2 of the show? And we have new ways to support the podcast!
Young Playwrights Festival - https://www.theblank.com/ypf
Don't Quit Before the Miracle Happens - The Actor's Mindset Reset
Season 2 · Episode 10
Thursday, July 16, 2026 • Duration 42:59
Welcome to the Actor's Guide to the End of the Podcast, Episode 89! We will be getting back to brand new episode THIS WEEK - but until then, another throwback to our favorites.
Someone posted on Reddit: "13 years and it might be time to face reality." No breakout role. No big moment. Just years of almost. And the big question looms- am I wasting my time? What starts as one actor's crisis turned into a real, unfiltered conversation about doubt, delusional belief, and things get real.
Along the way: incredible Jim Carrey story that'll change how you think about writing your own future, an honest admission of "am I even good at this," and another great reminder how any small job or audition can turn into something much larger.
Then E-Kan's recent conversation with a Lyft driver inspires him and sparks an incredible lesson learned in one of our favorite bits from Episode 10 where we talk about the "super power" to balancing the side hustle with our creative passion that Silicon Valley figured out that most actors never do. But of course it's not as easy as it sounds. Also you'll hear why Rían used to hate the phrase "I'm living the life beyond my wildest dreams.." but not anymore.
If you've ever needed a reminder that the no's don't get the last word — this one's for you.
All full episode links below.
Did you know we're in Season 2 of the show? And we have new ways to support the podcast!
Welcome to the Actor's Guide to the End of the World Podcast, Episode 88!
This is another thematic episode- we all been there, it's just easier to quit than to keep pushing on. But this one is our favorite, most inspirational bits from actors and former guests from the other side - and why it's worth it.
We start with the five words Denzel Washington told a struggling Delroy Lindo — advice that stuck for 48 years and this year he was nominated for an Oscar. Then former guest Mel Rodriguez takes us through the power of "delusional belief" (his words), the wild, almost-too-crazy-to-be-true life changing story where everything changed for him, and the personal fitness transformation that came after.
We also get into what it really means to "own the room" in the digital age of acting— including some wisdom passed down through Jacob Elordi (yes our favorite Jacob), Robert Redford's blunt advice on the secret to having a long acting career, and why you don't want to emulate Michael Phelps if you want to learn to swim.
And we close on the power of damaging limiting beliefs, a gem from Colman Domingo - how Rían and E-Kan battled doubt, and how "5,000 Yellowstones and not enough of Asians on TV" turned into E-Kan "making my own."
If you need a reminder that the no's don't get the last word — this one's for you.
All full episode links below.
Did you know we're in Season 2 of the show? And we have new ways to support the podcast!
Ben Affleck Said AI Is Just a Tool. Then He Sold His AI Company to Netflix.
Season 2 · Episode 8
Wednesday, July 1, 2026 • Duration 27:55
Welcome to the Actor's Guide to the End of the World Podcast, Episode 87!
This is another change of pace - Rían is busy in rehearsals for getting on stage, and E-Kan is producing a series but have no fear, new recordings will be coming soon. Until then, this is a super mashup - unreleased segments and previous bits we feel are relevant to this week's topic - AI in Hollywood, but specifically with the many voices from celebrities and AI experts - who can we trust?
Guillermo del Toro and Tilda Swinton loudly proclaimed at Cannes, AI has no place in cinema, while Ethan Hawke says it's devoid of the very soul that is in art and creativity. Our recent guest Heather-Ashley Boyer, LA Sag-Aftra board member and AI Safety expert tells us about dangers Hollywood isn't even aware of yet. Then of course, we have the many celebrity voices, also with financial stake in the technology, the loudest of which is Ben Affleck, who just sold his AI company to Netflix for $600 million.
So where will you stand?
All full episode links below.
Did you know we're in Season 2 of the show? And we have new ways to support the podcast!
Hollywood's Obsession Pay Problem? This Indie Film Already Solved It
Season 2 · Episode 7
Tuesday, June 23, 2026 • Duration 22:07
Welcome to the Actor's Guide to the End of the World Podcast, Episode 86!
This is not a typical episode, but incredibly timely.
Last week, E-Kan and Rían dove into the viral story of the art director of "Obsession", a massive success that has taken over Hollywood. Sally Choi blows the whistle on low film crew rates and opens a very important conversation on the financial stability of the indie film industry. She made $300 a day, "Obsession" makes over $250 million. Is this fair? (Links to all the episodes below.)
So we wanted to bring back some previous segments that are more relevant to this conversation than ever. First, the Oscar-nominated Colman Domingo led "Sing Sing" that paid everyone, cast and crew the same and gave them shares of equity.
And "Obsession" is also about how YouTube filmmakers can gain acceptance and credibility outside the studio system. We discuss YouTube giant Markiplier who self-distributed his own feature "Iron Lung" in theaters to massive success.
On the studio scale, Matt Damon and Ben Affleck struck a Netflix deal for their feature "The Rip" and offered performance bonuses to the crew if they had success on the streamer. Will this be a sign of the times? E-Kan was skeptical, but you're going to have to hear it for yourself.
Did you know we're in Season 2 of the show? And we have new ways to support the podcast!
What Everyone's Missing About the Obsession Viral Post
Season 2 · Episode 6
Wednesday, June 17, 2026 • Duration 47:01
Welcome to the Actor's Guide to the End of the World Podcast, Episode 85!
E-Kan and Rían dive into the viral story of the art director of "Obsession", a massive success that has taken over Hollywood. Sally Choi blows the whistle on low film crew rates and it cut right to the heart of the dangers of independent film. Was her post misguided?
They break down the post, what it means to "flip" the production, the tricky line of speaking your truth while being an independent artist, and what this might mean for independent film models. And why "Sing Sing" is becoming more and more relevant.
E-Kan is a year older and wiser and found himself getting into fights online. Not sure if that's how it works but he's going to try. He shares feedback and comments about the recent SAG-AFTRA deal that only had 19 percent of members turnout to vote. E-Kan also got into a heated debate about a casting director's post on Fi-Core and the guys have an honest conversation about the dirty word and get into the nuances of why it's becoming more and more popular among our union members and what we should do about it.
Is the industry cracking? Everyone has an opinion. But who's showing up?
And they also discuss how a community college in Arizona had AI to read graduation names that failed miserably. Good times.
Did you know we're in Season 2 of the show? And we have new ways to support the podcast!
(09:17) Government pulls latest AI model for security risk
(09:34) Reese Witherspoon's take on AI is trash
(12:46) Ben Affleck says AI is a tool
(17:25) Ben Affleck sells his AI company to Netflix for $600M
(20:10) His AI company might gut the Hollywood workforce
(23:40) Who's going to protect Hollywood workers?
Affleck Damon Netflix Deal (Episode 64) -
Time Stamps:
(00:00) Intro
(01:18) "Sing Sing" reinvents the indie film model
(06:09) YouTuber Markiplier self-distributes massive film release
(17:09) Affleck and Damon get performance bonus for crew
(21:28) Update on Affleck Damon deal
Panera Bakery treat - Dubai Chocolate Pistachio Cookies
LINKS:
AI Graduation disaster- https://www.govtech.com/education/higher-ed/ai-name-reader-skips-hundreds-at-graduation-ceremony
Art Director Obsession viral post - https://www.instagram.com/p/DZLeFTmSEh2/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
Time Stamps:
(00:00) Intro
(01:24) Community College used AI at graduation
(04:17) Actor responses to poor SAG voting turnout
(06:40) Should actors go Fi-core?
(20:51) The “Obsession” Art Director controversy
(34:41) Is this a response to the Millenial Career Crisis?
(44:41) Hidden Gems
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