In The Envelope: An Awards Podcast

Ben Platt really loves live theater—and now, that passion for the stage is on full display in “Theater Camp,” the Christopher Guest-inspired mockumentary Platt co-wrote with longtime friends and collaborators Molly Gordon, Nick Lieberman, and Noah Galvin. Platt also co-stars alongside Gordon, who also co-directed with Lieberman. The film is a real labor of love, with its spotlight shining directly on the importance of spaces like theater camps for any young mind with an interest in the arts. For Platt, working with the movie’s extensive cast of kid actors was a lesson all its own. “It just reminds you why you're doing this in the first place, and what instilled a deep enough love of something that you were willing to be in a business that isn’t the easiest or most stable, or is certainly quite an anxiety-provoking lifestyle to choose,” Platt told us. “The purity of their excitement to be there, their raw talent and willingness to jump in—and also how deeply they looked up to all of us, and were listening

Jessica Williams found her dream job in the Apple TV+ dramedy “Shrinking”—and now she wants to ensure the next generation of performers has that same opportunity. “When I'm acting, and I'm doing a good scene, and I feel like I'm in my bag, quote unquote, it feels like flying,” Williams tells us. “I feel very comfortable when I'm acting on a really good job. I'm like, oh, I'm so lucky, this is why I do this. But there's so many barriers to get to that. I'm a very lucky anomaly, and I think a huge majority of actors have a lot of barriers to get there.” In this episode of In the Envelope: The Actor’s Podcast, Williams dives deep into her improv background, working alongside Harrison Ford, and the importance of mental health awareness for actors. --- 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 e

Natasha Lyonne has generative AI on the mind. “I would say almost at all times,” the star and executive producer of Rian Johnson’s “Poker Face” tells us. “I am agog that that is not the headline conversation on everyone's minds, considering it's so obviously about to change the world so radically for all of us, in all of our fields, so quickly.” In this episode of In the Envelope: The Actor’s Podcast, Lyonne explains how she’s “fighting the good fight” to keep the ideals of classic cinema alive in projects like “Poker Face.” --- 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 inspiration, In the Envelope airs weekly to cover everything from practical advice on navigating the

Bella Ramsey is quickly becoming a household name talent thanks to hits like “Game of Thrones” and “The Last of Us.” It was only recently, though, that they admitted they might just be able to make a career out of this. “I used to say to people when they asked what I did, I'd say, ‘Oh I do acting,’” Ramsey tells us. “That eventually shifted to me saying, ‘I'm an actor.’ It's such a tiny little change in language, but it really feels different.” On this episode of In the Envelope: The Actor’s Podcast, Ramsey takes us behind the scenes of ‘The Last of Us,’ shares their acting secrets, and gets candid about how they’re feeling headed into season 2 of the HBO apocalypse drama. --- 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 direc

Jodie Comer scored a Tony nomination for Suzie Miller’s ‘Prima Facie,’ the one-woman show in which she plays a barrister, Tessa, whose sense of self is upended by a sexual assault. It’s an astonishing, 100-minute whirlwind where Comer doesn’t leave the stage once. To watch her take audiences on that journey night after night, it’s easy to forget that Comer—best known for TV thriller “Killing Eve” and Ridley Scott’s “The Last Duel”—is also making her Broadway debut. “When I took on this role, I didn't know how I was going to do it, truth be told. And I think that was a huge draw,” Comer tells us about accepting the role when it debuted on the West End in 2022. “I was completely in awe. I thought, how will I ever execute this? I was really interested in that journey of: how do I get from where I am now, having no idea how I'm going to do it and struggling to imagine it, to performing this eight nights a week?” On this episode of In the Envelope: The Actor’s Podcast, Comer dives deep into how that journey too

Haley Lu Richardson, best known for playing Gen Z poster-child Portia in “The White Lotus” season 2, has been angling to dance in a musical for at least 12 years. “I've been putting this out into the universe since I was 16. That's my biggest dream, for sure,” Richardson tells us. (She’s currently “talking to people about it,” she adds. There are “ideas circulating.”) That desire isn’t just a throwback to Richardson’s days as a dancer before she transitioned to acting—it’s an extension of how she still approaches performing. “The thing I love about acting the most is the thing I love about dancing the most. It’s this thing that comes from your soul; it’s just such a vulnerable, abandoned thing,” she says. “The first time I really felt like I was acting was actually through dance. Now when I think about, what is my [acting] process? It is such an internal thing. It’s in my body, it’s listening to music.” On this episode of In the Envelope: The Actor’s Podcast, Richardson makes a few more discoveries about h

Charlie Day is the co-creator of TV’s longest-running live-action sitcom, “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia,” the voice of Luigi in the box office hit “The Super Mario Bros. Movie,” and writer-director of the star-studded new comedy “Fool’s Paradise.” And he wants any creatives looking to emulate that success know that the doubt never goes away—you just have to use it. "You're gonna be filled with self doubt. Because you're not a mathematician; there's no equation at the end of your work where you're going to say, ‘oh great, it equalled nine. I knew it,’” Day says. “You have to come up with your own equation, and say ‘purple plus blue plus John Malkovich plus Jon Brion equals nine for me. Now I feel satisfied.’ It's just a series of risks you have to take. But that's why you do it, right?” In this episode of In the Envelope: The Actor’s Podcast, Day takes us through his creative process both in front of and behind the camera. This episode is sponsored by Voice123, the first online marketplace for voice

The role of intimacy coordinator is a relatively new one in the entertainment industry; at its core, it's designed to make sex scenes on set and stage safer and more comfortable for the actors involved. While the professionals shaping this position come from different backgrounds and have adopted their own unique approaches, the origins of intimacy coordination lie in a desperate need that went unfulfilled for far too long. “I did a call out, I think it was on Facebook, and I just said, ‘please send me your experience with intimate scenes. I want the good, the bad, the ugly,’” says intimacy coordinator Lizzy Talbot (“Bridgerton”). “My inbox was just flooded, absolutely flooded. And I think all of them were negative. Every single person who had written in had a negative experience.” In this episode of In the Envelope: The Actor’s Podcast, we sat down with Talbot and fellow intimacy coordinators Alicia Rodis (“And Just Like That…”), Mia Schachter (“Blindspotting”), and Nisha Ahuja (“Never Have I Ever”) to di

How did Jessie Mei Li go from teaching assistant to West End alum and lead of Netflix’s “Shadow & Bone” in just a few short years? Besides a bundle of talent (always helps!), the young actor comes equipped with a laser focus on what they want. “When I feel like I'm on the right path, it's almost like you're not going to stop me from doing it,” Li tells us. “When I got the part in 'Shadow & Bone,' I was like, 'well yeah, that feels right to me.' I don't think it comes out of arrogance, I think I'm very good at feeling when something feels right. I'm not afraid, in that moment, to go for it.” In this episode of In the Envelope: The Actor’s Podcast, Li takes us behind the scenes of the Netflix fantasy series’ season 2 return and explains how co-star chemistry has made grueling production days smoother. --- 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

Stephanie Hsu is a newly minted Oscar nominee—one of 11 historic nods for “Everything Everywhere All at Once,” the madcap multiverse epic with a primarily AAPI cast. But for the NYU Tisch graduate, this recognition from the Academy is far more than a personal milestone. “Ever since I was coming up in New York, I was taught that anytime you have a voice, you have to use it for good,” she says. “That doesn't mean the art has to be wholesome. But you have to really know why the story is being told. Especially because I was often one of so few people who looked like me who got in through the door, I always felt like every opportunity was an opportunity to bring ten other people alongside me… I will continue, always, to carry the responsibility and the beautiful chance to bring other people into the fold. I'm very humbled that I get to be one of the people who does that.” On this episode of In the Envelope: The Actor’s Podcast, Hsu takes us through the journey that got her here—from experimental theater in New

Brendan Fraser was never really that far away—but when you’re as beloved as he was, any retreat at all feels like a loss. Luckily, the actor is back in a major way with Darren Aronofsky’s “The Whale,” a role that earned him his first Oscar nomination, and a renewed sense of self. “I know how wanting this profession can make people become… it can really change your brain chemistry to turn you into a different person that you maybe weren't anticipating,” Fraser says. “I wanted to make sure that I had a strong sense of identity. And that always came from feeling like I was comfortable in my own skin." In this episode of In the Envelope: The Actor’s Podcast, Fraser explains all the ways he’s changed as an actor—and as a person. --- 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

Anyone familiar with Paul Walter Hauser from lighthearted romps like “Cobra Kai” and “Cruella” might be surprised to learn his performance in the Apple TV+ true crime series “Black Bird'' is genuinely one of the most unnerving in recent history. But for Hauser, taking on the role of serial killer Larry Hall—which has earned him Golden Globes and Critics Choice wins to go with a SAG nomination—was simply a matter of leveling up. "I really liken my acting to like how Dave Grohl talks about music, like you can be classically trained or you can just suck and then get good,” he tells us. “I don't think I ever sucked sucked, but I definitely wasn't where I am now. I think it's trial and error and you just absorb and you do. I think what I lacked in craft and sort of performance intellect I had in recklessness and fearlessness.” On this episode of In the Envelope: The Actor’s Podcast, Hauser takes us behind the scenes of his chilling performance and what it taught him about acting—and himself. --- Backstage has

Ke Huy Quan found instant success as a child actor with “Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom” and “The Goonies”—and then he stepped away for decades, unsure if he’d ever return. Now? Quan is an Oscar nominee for the role of Waymond Wang in “Everything Everywhere All at Once,” just one of 11 nominations for the universe-hopping A24 action-comedy. "I've waited more than 30 years for this. Don't give up. That opportunity will come knock and you just have to be ready,” he says. “When it does, you have to pour your entire heart and soul into it. I hope people can hear my story and know if it can ever happen to me, it can happen to you. You just have to be patient." In this episode of In the Envelope: The Actor’s Podcast, Quan walks us through his entire inspiring journey back to acting, the doubts along the way, and what’s next for his improbable comeback. --- Backstage has been the #1 resource for actors and talent-seekers for 60 years. In the Envelope, Backstage’s podcast, features intimate, in-depth convers

Barry Keoghan woke up the morning after his first Golden Globes ceremony—where his latest project, “The Banshees of Inisherin,” took home three wins—to learn that “Banshees'' had also nabbed five Screen Actors Guild Awards nominations, including a supporting actor nod for himself. But even as a newly crowned awards season favorite, the native of Summerhill, Dublin always seeks to remember his roots. "I always want to hold on to some rawness. Hold on to that rawness,” he advises fellow actors. “That's what the truest form is; the purest form. Hold on to whatever that is, that untrained thing that you're doing." In this episode of In the Envelope: The Actor’s Podcast, Keoghan gets candid about his unlikely road to Hollywood, his roles in films like “The Killing of a Sacred Deer,” “Eternals,” and “The Batman,” as well as the surprising story behind his emotional scene in “The Banshees of Inisherin.” --- Backstage has been the #1 resource for actors and talent-seekers for 60 years. In the Envelope, Backstage’s

Olivia Cooke just had the biggest year of her career, thanks to HBO’s hit “Game of Thrones” spinoff, “House of the Dragon.” Part of creating her standout performance as Alicent Hightower was accepting not every part of her process would line up exactly with the massive amount of fan expectations surrounding the show. “Whatever layers I try to give the character in order to make a more nuanced performance… ultimately it’s not going to please everyone,” she says. “But that’s just what I have to do in order to give a decent, honest performance. I have to imbue it with just things that justify the characters, actions and emotions. And those might not necessarily be in the original text, or even in the scripts.” In this episode of In the Envelope: The Actor’s Podcast, Cooke brings us behind the scenes of “House of the Dragon,” explains the layers she added to Alicent, and shares her mindset as she gears up for season 2. --- Backstage has been the #1 resource for actors and talent-seekers for 60 years. In the En

Austin Butler is building Oscars buzz for his lead performance in “Elvis”—the peak of an inspiring journey that started with background and one-line roles in children’s TV. "I look back on Nickelodeon shows or Disney things that I did, and... even though my skill wasn't there, I still had a mentality of wanting to give the energy of if I was gonna go make ‘Raging Bull,’ '' he says. “I just kept that sort of fierce dedication towards trying to find more truth." In this episode of In the Envelope: The Actor’s Podcast, Butler dives deep into that same fierce dedication he brought to “Elvis,” how he’s preparing for “Dune: Part Two,” and what he’s learned from Denzel Washington, Quentin Tarantino, and Baz Luhrmann. --- 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 voiceov

Eddie Redmayne is an Oscar, Tony, SAG, and Olivier Award winner because he puts in the work. Whether it’s a “Cabaret” revival, the massive “Fantastic Beasts” franchise, or quiet true crime character studies like “The Good Nurse,” the actor always finds his character in the preparation. “The more you can go and just gain insight into what [the role] is, the more ideas you can come with on the day,” he says. “Whether it’s props or costume, I try to get ahead of all that. So there’s always something surprising on the day. You only have such a limited period on camera to find ideas, so it’s good to have some sort of runway.” On this episode on In the Envelope: The Actor’s Podcast, Redmayne explains what he learned from the major roles in his career, including blockbusters like “Jupiter Ascending” and his subtler turns in “The Theory of Everything” and “The Danish Girl.” --- Backstage has been the #1 resource for actors and talent-seekers for 60 years. In the Envelope, Backstage’s podcast, features intimate, i

Janelle Monáe has a simple explanation for how she became an eight-time Grammy nominated musician, activist, sci-fi writer, and an actor in buzzy awards films and the highly-anticipated “Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery.” “I have clones,” Monáe says. “All of my clones go out, and they are representatives for the many things that I put my heart and my spirit into. Sometimes things don't go as planned, but that is life, and so I welcome all the highs and the lows and the peaks and the valleys.” She’s kidding. Or is she? In this episode of In the Envelope: The Actor’s Podcast, we unlock the mystery of Monáe’s multifaceted output, from turns in Oscar players like “Moonlight” and “Hidden Figures” to her enigmatic role in “Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery.” --- 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 g

Aubrey Plaza has played a Marvel mutant, a social media-obsessed cyber stalker, an underground credit card scammer, and Aaron Burr. Understandably, she’s a bit tired of all these characters getting painted with the same brush. “Soon I'm going to get into the world of prosthetics… where I change my nose and my hair so people can just completely forget that it's me,” she says. “I'm always surprised that when I do something new, there's always that one person who says, 'there she goes, doing the Aubrey Plaza thing again.' I only have my own instrument to work with. Anyway, I sound bitter, but I'm not. But I am always surprised that people use 'deadpan' to describe some things that I've done. It just feels a little reductive. But that's my journey.” On this episode of In the Envelope: The Actor’s Podcast, Plaza takes us even deeper into that journey, including her creative process for ‘Emily the Criminal’ and ‘The White Lotus,’ as well as what to expect from Francis Ford Coppolla’s ‘Megalopolis’ and the MCU’

Jonathan Majors is a Netflix Western hero; the Big Bad of the Marvel Cinematic Universe; the most formidable opponent to sit across from Michael B. Jordan in the “Creed” series. He is, in other words, extremely cool. But one of the secrets to his success, he says, is how deeply uncool he can be about his craft. “It’s okay to care. That’s one of the things that really gets me about actors; about us,” he says. “Sometimes there’s this devil may care attitude. ‘I’ll get to it when I get to it.’ The truth of the matter is, you care more about this thing than anything else in the world and it scares you to death. You can act cool about it. I don’t act cool about it at all. It is what I love the most.” In this episode of In the Envelope: The Actor’s Podcast, Majors dives deep into the process that led him to Kang the Conqueror, “Creed III,” and beyond. --- Backstage has been the #1 resource for actors and talent-seekers for 60 years. In the Envelope, Backstage’s podcast, features intimate, in-depth conversation