School is back in session and over here at Brian Breaks Character we are celebrating with a month entirely devoted to helping you get more auditions because this is the time of year when you need to be locked in on driving on the (school) bus to getting great auditions. To kick off this month, ask yourself this question - How do I know if my online casting profile is working? Your casting profile is hands down the most important tool to get you auditions and needs constant upkeep whether you hav...
Sep 07, 2022•16 min
Have you ever wanted to get reps in London or Europe? Or just another dang city where you DON’T currently live? This week’s episode of the Brian Breaks Character podcast is a MUST-LISTEN. Ditte Maria le-Fevre got her fair share of auditions in Denmark, but had a feeling there was more out there for her (sound familiar?). She was already doing all she could to get auditions on her home turf, so she courageously took the 4,100 mile leap and reached out to reps in the UK and she landed a FABULOUS m...
Aug 31, 2022•41 min
You know when you see something on Instagram and you simply HAVE TO forward it to a friend? Or 10 friends? Yup, me too. And that’s why I’m giddy to share this interview with the creator of my most-forwarded IG posts LaNisa Frederick. LaNisa Frederick & Danielle Pinnock are the creators of Hashtag Booked – the Instagram sketch series that set the internet ablaze. In 50-seconds or less, they capture a raw slice of the #actorslife with searing specificity and laugh-out-loud improvisation they...
Aug 24, 2022•49 min
Run, Don’t Walk To Get the Survival Guide that accompanies this very special 2-part episode: https://actorsurvivalguide.com This episode of Brian Breaks Character is part 2 of a special 2-part episode where I joined together this squad of super coaches - Amy McNabb, Jodie Bentley, Nzinga Moore, Shannon Bills, Tony Rossi and Wendy Braun to help create The 2022 Official Actor Survival Guide vol 2– and it was no surprise that our conversation turned toward mindset & self-care. The guide is FULL...
Aug 17, 2022•54 min
Run, Don’t Walk To Get the Survival Guide that accompanies this very special 2-part episode: https://www.actorsurvivalguide.com/ Does PUTTING DOWN your to-do list spark anxiety? ← if so, you’re not alone. After 2½ years hunkered down staring at Zoom screens, and doing at-alone self-tapes, you might feel like sitting in front of your computer is what it means to live a creative life. SPOILER ALERT: It’s not. I reached out to the crème de la crème of coaches for actors – the über-experts who whole...
Aug 10, 2022•1 hr 5 min
Run, Don’t Walk to get the download that accompanies this episode: www.brianbreakscharacter.com/74 I believe the world is a better place when we acknowledge the people who have helped us along the way, but too often gratitude ends up on the cutting room floor because we get lost in a flurry of “how do I say this,” “is it too late to send this?” and “does this make me sound needy?” So… you never click send. If you resonate with anything I just said, THANK GOODNESS YOU’RE HERE! Today’s episode is ...
May 25, 2022•1 hr 19 min
Today's guest is Jo Kelly - She is a 4x guest on Brian Breaks Character, so you know I trust her! Jo joins me to drop some incredible truth bombs about: The mistakes actors are making What gets in your way How to truly embody the freedom and instinct you want when you’re acting (sounds like a dream, right?) I encourage you to listen to this mind-blowing chat (no, literally, we talked about neural pathways!). Jo Kelly is a true gift! **Full disclosure, this interview was taken from an IG Live bec...
May 18, 2022•39 min
We at Team BKP are on a journey to create safe spaces for everyone in our community. Today’s show is part 2 in a series where, with the help of anti-oppression business strategist & inclusive leadership coach Nadi Fantastic, we take stock of how we’re doing. And at the center of this work is YOU; your feeling of safety in our spaces. The conversation across these 2 episodes is vulnerable, sticky, tough, and incredibly rewarding. As Nadi says, “This is slow work in urgent times.” Nope, we don...
May 11, 2022•31 min
Over here at Team BKP, we’ve been on an anti-racist and anti-bias journey since July of 2020. Inclusion and belonging are two of our company’s core values and we are committed to foster diversity in our programs and create a safe space for all. But doing this means we have had to educate ourselves. Our team is primarily white and cisgender so that means we inherently do not have the lived experiences of actors and creatives that we welcome into our spaces. So, we are on this journey to do better...
May 04, 2022•57 min
Have you ever wanted to get inside the mind of an agent? Well, my pretty, your wish has been granted: Today’s guest on the show is the supremely generous, Blair Taylor. Blair is a fabulous talent agent who has been working in the entertainment industry representing actors for over two decades. FULL DISCLOSURE: He’s also one of my best-est friends so you know I got him to spill the real tea! In this episode of Brian Breaks Character, Blair describes exactly what it’s like on the other side of the...
Apr 27, 2022•32 min
Today’s episode is meant to inspire you and remind you that your gifts and talents were given to you for a purpose. And today’s guest, Michael McElroy is a prime example of someone who truly uses their gifts and talents for a greater purpose. You’ve probably heard of Michael as he has been on Broadway for many many years. He is a Tony, Drama Desk and Grammy Award nominee. He has also accepted a Tony Award Honor for Excellence in the Theater on behalf of Broadway Inspirational Voices, which by th...
Apr 20, 2022•43 min
It seems like no matter how many times you take headshots (and I know you’ve done them more than you can count on one hand!) the same exact 3 questions come up: What 3-5 types do I need to cover? What should I wear? How can I make sure that my headshot pops? …Maybe you’ve also hemmed & hawed over what to wear for your self-tape auditions? Or maybe you wear the exact same thing every single time cuz it’s the ONE thing you know looks good on you? Welllll…. This episode has you covered. Televis...
Apr 13, 2022•59 min
If you don’t feel 100% connected to your why, today’s episode with Spiritual Practitioner Sonia Jackson is a must listen. So… Grab a mug of tea and get cozy as Sonia lights up your spirit with her Visions of Possibilities (also the name of her non-profit edutainment organization that produces projects that challenge audiences to live in unlimited possibility). Sonia is a spiritual practitioner, master storyteller, actress, and a true balm in Gilead! She’s the spoonful of sugar that helps the spi...
Apr 06, 2022•54 min
We are doing something a little different on this episode of Brian Breaks Character. Last summer, Lola Rufai of The Helping Actor invited me to her Breakthrough Actor Summit to talk about finding representation and specifically to share more about embodying the CEO when it comes to agent and manager meetings. Now, I don't know what kind of magic this woman weaved, but she got me to have a very different conversation around representation and it was just too juicy not to make into a podcast episo...
Mar 30, 2022•1 hr 3 min
Anyone else triggered by the word L A Z Y? WARNING: I am a megafan of Sam Valentine and in this reunion episode we get to the juicy stufffffffff! We’re coming up on a year and Sam was my very first-est guest! In today’s episode she shines a bright light on the journey of her legendary podcast One Broke Actress. Sam openly describes how she’s re-defined productivity in her own life and career (and her double-career as a podcast host & editor!). Lazy WAS a trigger word for Sam – so she took st...
Mar 23, 2022•1 hr
Yvette turned down 8 agents. She took the time to meet with all of them, but she just wasn’t feelin’ it… And this was going to be her FIRST rep since graduating from USC! How did she go from unrepresented recent grad to empowered decision-making queen? When I first met Yvette she was at a crossroads… To be fair, WE ALLLLL WERE! March 2020 forced a lot of actors to rethink their plan – plus Yvette had decided to seek refuge in her family’s home (which can bring its own layer of confusing failure-...
Mar 16, 2022•32 min
The titles of Amie McNee’s FOUR books will tell you all you need to know about why she’s today’s guest on the podcast: We Need Your Art Collection , For the Burnt Out Artist, For the Perfectionist, For the Procrastinator. ( Reads kinda like a blessing for the audience of Brian Breaks Character, amiright?) Amie joined me all the way from Sydney, Australia and just like her 89.5K followers on Instagram I instantly fell in love with her incredibly honest & authentic rallying cries for creative ...
Mar 09, 2022•43 min
When you audition for a pilot, there are TWO different casting offices that need to sign off on you before you are booked. There’s the project casting director – these are the names you’re familiar with like Michael Nicolo & Anya Colloff or Bonnie Finnegan & Steven Jacobs. And then there’s the studio/network casting directors – the folks at CBS or NBC who are responsible for… wait, what are they responsible for exactly? If you’re like me, you picture these folks in fancy, gated buildings...
Mar 02, 2022•40 min
TW // Eating Habits are discussed on this episode Today’s guest is the co-author of one of my favorite books, Ikigai: The Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life . This book is my jam because it's all about purpose. Francesc Miralles and Héctor García wrote the international bestseller Ikigai and Francesc joins me from Spain to explain what Ikigai actually means. It's a Japanese word with many translations. It literally means a life worth being lived, but he shares that it is your purpose in li...
Feb 23, 2022•42 min
If you have ever been challenged to rethink your branding, quit your day job, choose a different path or try something new - Drop everything and listen to this life-changing episode with Dallas Travers NOW. Dallas Travers is the bravest person I know (and not just because she’s my coach!). She knows failure. She knows fear. She knows foolish… she once put a photo of herself doing the splits on a flier to attract clients. (spoiler alert: it didn’t work) You might know Dallas as ‘The OG’ bizniz co...
Feb 16, 2022•49 min
Cellina Munro had been looking for representation for seven years. She trained and spent a lot of money on showcases. With the intent to move to Los Angeles, she reached out to managers in LA before the move and guess what? Cellina got 10 requests for meetings (in which she chose to take 4) and 4 IN THE ROOM OFFERS. Cellina found the bicoastal manager she deserves - one who is not worried at all about her current Chicago residence and is super supportive about her move to LA. And… You won’t want...
Feb 12, 2022•42 min
John Rosenfeld Studios is often the answer to: What acting studio should I go to in LA? CD’s and agents look for it on résumés. Actors on a series prep for auditions with their coaches. Actors who go there - BOOK. And all that street cred is definitely worth the hype, but it’s their mission that sets them apart: To cultivate the constitution of a happy, working actor. John’s holistic approach to what it means to be a professional actor is what skyrocketed his studio to success when it opened 12 ...
Feb 09, 2022•44 min
Run over to... https://actorsurvivalguide.com to get your very own FREE Copy of the Actor Survival Guide that accompanies this very special 2-part episode. Do you hate the phrase UNPRECEDENTED TIMES as much as I do? We are two years into this pandemic THE TIMES ARE PRECEDENTED, bro! That said, whether the times are unprecedented or precedented, one thing we can all agree on is: THESE TIMES have forever changed what it means to pursue an acting career. This episode of Brian Breaks Character is pa...
Feb 02, 2022•44 min
Run, Don’t Walk To Get the Survival Guide that accompanies this very special 2-part episode: https://actorsurvivalguide.com I can’t predict the weather, but after 2+ years of social distancing, I figure you *might* be a little unfocused and need some protection from the distraction downpour. These unprecedented times have forever changed what it means to pursue an acting career. On the one hand, COVID brought an explosion of self-tape auditions! But it also raised questions regarding what's safe...
Jan 26, 2022•50 min
Today’s podcast episode carries a message that I KNOW you’ll relate to from an actress, you’ll probably recognize. A lot of people think that actors with BIG Network TV credits have it easy. And don’t get me wrong, credits can help – but even Viola Davis and Olivia Colman worry about where they’re gonna get their next job. Sarah Utterback had an epic Recurring Role as Nurse Olivia on Grey’s Anatomy – 19 episodes in Shondaland… so you’d think she'd hit the tipping point. She was working & mak...
Jan 19, 2022•1 hr 1 min
Sharon was without an agent for many many years, but was booking shows in theatres throughout Los Angeles. As she continued to watch the beautiful work others were doing in the theatre and in Film/TV, she knew she needed to find reps to make this happen even more. She overcame being worried about her age, technology and experience (even though she has a long list of impressive credits) and got 17 meetings for representation. Of those 17 meetings… she got 17 OFFERS! She not only found an agent, b...
Jan 15, 2022•40 min
Today is my birthday…But I have a gift for you! As an artist, your divine purpose is to change the world through your creativity. And if you're called to be a part of the rise in social activism right now – I've got a story that will inspire you to further raise your hand (and your voice!). Jaia Thomas of Diverse Representation joins me on the podcast today and models how to connect the dots from creativity to activism – and how we are called to do this work (big and small). Jaia walked into Bla...
Jan 12, 2022•34 min
Today’s podcast episode is mindset revolution in 23 minutes. And Brian Breaks Character listener, it’s so easy, it might piss you off. I gathered together six actors to lead them through an exercise that cuts through limiting beliefs and sticky comparison thoughts to illuminate their deepest desires. Visualization is the act of using your imagination to create a mental picture or mental motion picture of something you want to do, be, have or experience. During the visualization experience, you g...
Jan 05, 2022•1 hr 4 min
Happy Almost New Year! I’ve done something a little wild for you - For this episode of Brian Breaks Character, I’ve pulled together my favorite quotes from all of the episodes this year. It's like a ticker tape of inspiration where we talk about getting more auditions, getting representation, creating content, being an activist in your creative pursuits, marketing yourself, making money, and storytelling. Get sooo inspired that you want to go a little deeper? Take a listen to one of our past epi...
Dec 29, 2021•28 min
I believe we are all put on this planet to fulfill our divine purpose while we are here. In this week's episode, I share the metaphysical meaning of Christmas because you’ve chosen a creative life OR MORE CORRECTLY, a creative life chose you. No matter how spiritual (or agnostic) you are, you’ll gain a better sense of your worthiness from this episode. Happy Holidays & Merry Christmas! Thank you for tuning in to this episode of Brian Breaks Character! If you loved this episode, please subscr...
Dec 22, 2021•11 min
