In the Envelope: The Actor’s Podcast

Raised in New York City and its theaters, Lilli Cooper became a Broadway star at age 16 in the original cast of “Spring Awakening.” She’s worked on and off Broadway, played Elphaba in “Wicked” and Sandy Cheeks in last season’s “SpongeBob SquarePants,” and is now nominated for her first Tony Award in David Yazbek and Robert Horn’s musical adaptation of “Tootsie” (as working actor Julie, the role that won Jessica Lange an Oscar). Lilli joins the podcast for a frank conversation about the literal blood, sweat, and tears that theater requires. -- For over 50 years, Backstage has been the most trusted place for actors to find jobs and career advice, and for casting professionals to find the right performers for their projects. “In the Envelope: An Awards Podcast” features interviews with some of the most exciting actors and storytellers working today. Check out more here: https://bit.ly/2OMryWQ SUBSCRIBE and listen to In the Envelope on: - iTunes: https://apple.co/2rs0llz - Google Play: https://bit.ly/2DHkPwt - Spotify: https://spoti.fi/2QNmu6C - Stitcher: https://bit.ly/2DJv6bD - Overcast: https://bit.ly/2OJvWGk - SoundCloud: https://bit.ly/2jUpnnw Follow Backstage and In the Envelope on social media: - https://www.facebook.com/backstage - https://www.twitter.com/backstage - https://www.twitter.com/intheenvelope - https://www.instagram.com/backstagecast Special thanks to... - Host: Jack Smart - Producer: Jamie Muffett - Social Media: Francis Ramos and Lauren Routt - Design: Mark Stinson and Caitlin Watkins - Additional Support: Kasey Howe and Samantha Sherlock

The incandescent Celia Keenan-Bolger is one of New York’s most respected actors and community activists. Originally from Detroit, she’s been nominated for four Tony Awards: “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee,” “Peter and the Starcatcher,” “The Glass Menagerie,” and now Aaron Sorkin’s acclaimed adaptation of the Harper Lee classic, “To Kill a Mockingbird,” in which she plays Scout Finch. Celia joins Backstage to talk about epiphanies onstage, how not to “compare and despair,” and the state of Broadway—and America—today. -- For over 50 years, Backstage has been the most trusted place for actors to find jobs and career advice, and for casting professionals to find the right performers for their projects. “In the Envelope: An Awards Podcast” features interviews with some of the most exciting actors and storytellers working today. Check out more here: https://bit.ly/2OMryWQ SUBSCRIBE and listen to In the Envelope on: - iTunes: https://apple.co/2rs0llz - Google Play: https://bit.ly/2DHkPwt - Spotify: https://spoti.fi/2QNmu6C - Stitcher: https://bit.ly/2DJv6bD - Overcast: https://bit.ly/2OJvWGk - SoundCloud: https://bit.ly/2jUpnnw Follow Backstage and In the Envelope on social media: - https://www.facebook.com/backstage - https://www.twitter.com/backstage - https://www.twitter.com/intheenvelope - https://www.instagram.com/backstagecast Special thanks to... - Host: Jack Smart - Producer: Jamie Muffett - Social Media: Francis Ramos and Lauren Routt - Design: Mark Stinson and Caitlin Watkins - Additional Support: Kasey Howe and Samantha Sherlock

Nikolaj Coster-Waldau is best known as Jaime Lannister the Kingslayer on the fantasy hit “Game of Thrones” from David Benioff, D. B. Weiss, and author George R. R. Martin. His performance on the award-winning HBO series, now launching its buzzy final season, has earned him SAG and Emmy nominations. Nikolaj also advocates for gender equality and climate change awareness as an ambassador for the United Nations Development Programme, and has starred in movies, TV series, and stage productions in and outside his native Denmark. He has plenty of insights on how to navigate theater training, auditions and meetings, and a career that’s full of rejection. -- For over 50 years, Backstage has been the most trusted place for actors to find jobs and career advice, and for casting professionals to find the right performers for their projects. “In the Envelope: An Awards Podcast” features interviews with some of the most exciting actors and storytellers working today. Check out more here: bit.ly/2OMryWQ Listen and subscribe to “In the Envelope” on: - iTunes: apple.co/2rs0llz - Google Play: bit.ly/2DHkPwt - Spotify: spoti.fi/2QNmu6C - Stitcher: bit.ly/2DJv6bD - Overcast: bit.ly/2OJvWGk - SoundCloud: bit.ly/2jUpnnw Follow Backstage and “In the Envelope” on social media: - www.facebook.com/backstage - www.twitter.com/backstage - www.twitter.com/intheenvelope - www.instagram.com/backstagecast Special thanks to... - Host: Jack Smart - Producer: Jamie Muffett - Editor-in-Chief: Rawaan Alkhatib - Social Media Manager: Francis Ramos - Design: Mark Stinson and Caitlin Watkins - Additional Support: Lauren Routt, Samantha Sherlock, and Kasey Howe

Timothy Simons is nothing like his character on “Veep”—well, except for the generous use of profanity. Growing up a class clown in rural Maine, Tim worked in theater and commercials before cracking up TV audiences as Jonah Ryan, one of the lovably horrible politicians on HBO’s Emmy-winning comedy created by Armando Iannucci and starring Julia Louis-Dreyfus. The valuable career advice he shares in this interview includes everything from red carpet posing to how to cope with a devastating, lifelong addiction to acting. -- For over 50 years, Backstage has been the most trusted place for actors to find jobs and career advice, and for casting professionals to find the right performers for their projects. “In the Envelope: An Awards Podcast” features interviews with some of the most exciting actors and storytellers working today. Check out more here: https://bit.ly/2OMryWQ Listen and subscribe to “In the Envelope” on: - iTunes: https://apple.co/2rs0llz - Google Play: https://bit.ly/2DHkPwt - Spotify: https://spoti.fi/2QNmu6C - Stitcher: https://bit.ly/2DJv6bD - Overcast: https://bit.ly/2OJvWGk - SoundCloud: https://bit.ly/2jUpnnw Follow Backstage and “In the Envelope” on social media: - https://www.facebook.com/backstage - https://www.twitter.com/backstage - https://www.twitter.com/intheenvelope - https://www.instagram.com/backstagecast Special thanks to... - Host: Jack Smart - Producer: Jamie Muffett - Editor-in-Chief: Rawaan Alkhatib - Social Media Manager: Francis Ramos - Design: Mark Stinson and Caitlin Watkins - Additional Support: Lauren Routt, Samantha Sherlock, and Kasey Howe

André Holland has turned in quietly powerful and honest performances in “42,” “Selma,” his leading role on the Stephen King-inspired Hulu series “Castle Rock,” and more. From his early days of studying theater and using Backstage, to his breakout in Steven Soderbergh’s “The Knick” and Barry Jenkins’ Oscar-winning “Moonlight,” the Alabama native has excelled at following his gut to stellar projects and collaborators. He now leads the new Netflix film “High Flying Bird,” a sports drama from screenwriter Tarell Alvin McCraney filmed entirely on an iPhone by Soderbergh, with a story suggested by André himself. For over 50 years, Backstage has been the most trusted place for actors to find jobs and career advice, and for casting professionals to find the right performers for their projects. “In the Envelope: An Awards Podcast” features interviews with some of the most exciting actors and storytellers working today. Check out more here: https://bit.ly/2OMryWQ SUBSCRIBE and listen to In the Envelope on: - iTunes: https://apple.co/2rs0llz - Google Play: https://bit.ly/2DHkPwt - Spotify: https://spoti.fi/2QNmu6C - Stitcher: https://bit.ly/2DJv6bD - Overcast: https://bit.ly/2OJvWGk - SoundCloud: https://bit.ly/2jUpnnw Follow Backstage and In the Envelope on social media: - https://www.facebook.com/backstage - https://www.twitter.com/backstage - https://www.twitter.com/intheenvelope - https://www.instagram.com/backstagecast Special thanks to... - Host: Jack Smart - Producer: Jamie Muffett - Editor-in-Chief: Rawaan Alkhatib - Social Media: Francis Ramos and Lauren Routt - Design: Mark Stinson and Caitlin Watkins - Additional Support: Kasey Howe and Samantha Sherlock

Regina Hall has proven she’s one of today’s shrewdest and funniest on-screen performers, from her early days pounding the pavement using Backstage, to her work in films like “Love & Basketball,” the “Scary Movie” franchise, and the biggest comedy of last year, “Girls Trip.” She’s now starring in the hilarious new Showtime series “Black Monday,” created by Jordan Cahan and David Caspe, and is proving to be a master at quietly breaking audiences’ hearts, as she does in Andrew Bujalski’s Magnolia Pictures indie “Support the Girls,” a performance that’s earned her a Film Independent Spirit Award nomination and NYFCC Award for leading actress. For over 50 years, Backstage has been the most trusted place for actors to find jobs and career advice, and for casting professionals to find the right performers for their projects. “In the Envelope: An Awards Podcast” features interviews with some of the most exciting actors and storytellers working today. Check out more here: https://bit.ly/2OMryWQ SUBSCRIBE and listen to ""In the Envelope"" on: - iTunes: https://apple.co/2rs0llz - Google Play: https://bit.ly/2DHkPwt - Spotify: https://spoti.fi/2QNmu6C - Stitcher: https://bit.ly/2DJv6bD - Overcast: https://bit.ly/2OJvWGk - SoundCloud: https://bit.ly/2jUpnnw Follow Backstage and ""In the Envelope"" on social media: - https://www.facebook.com/backstage - https://www.twitter.com/backstage - https://www.twitter.com/intheenvelope - https://www.instagram.com/backstagecast Special thanks to... - Host: Jack Smart - Producer: Jamie Muffett - Editor-in-Chief: Rawaan Alkhatib - Social Media: Francis Ramos and Lauren Routt - Design: Mark Stinson and Caitlin Watkins - Additional Support: Kasey Howe

At only age 15, Elsie Fisher has pearls of wisdom aplenty in this interview, recorded amid a whirlwind of a breakthrough year. As socially awkward middle schooler Kayla Day in writer-director Bo Burnham’s feature debut “Eighth Grade” from A24, she’s been nominated for over a dozen awards, including a Golden Globe, and won the Gotham Independent Film Award for Breakthrough Actor. Elsie has plenty of advice for kid actors and their parents navigating Hollywood, and speaks candidly about her anxiety and self-awareness. “If you wake up every morning and you wanna act, you’re an actor,” says the young star. For over 50 years, Backstage has been the most trusted place for actors to find jobs and career advice, and for casting professionals to find the right performers for their projects. “In the Envelope: An Awards Podcast” features interviews with some of the most exciting actors and storytellers working today. Check out more here: https://bit.ly/2OMryWQ Follow Backstage and "In the Envelope" on social media: - https://www.facebook.com/backstage - https://www.twitter.com/backstage - https://www.twitter.com/intheenvelope - https://www.instagram.com/backstagecast

Award-winning actor, producer, director, and activist Natalie Portman is one of Hollywood’s brightest talents. She burst onto the scene as a pre-teen in “Léon: The Professional” and “Mars Attacks!” and has been fighting for the projects and causes she believes in ever since. You may know her from the “Star Wars” prequels, “Anywhere But Here,” “Garden State,” “Closer,” “V for Vendetta,” her Oscar-winning “Black Swan,” “A Tale of Love and Darkness,” and “Jackie,” or for her advocacy work with the #TimesUp movement and more. This year proved to be another fascinating chapter in the Natalie Portman filmography, leading Alex Garland’s Paramount Pictures sci-fi thriller “Annihilation” and playing a damaged pop star in Brady Corbet’s NEON drama “Vox Lux.” Her advice for a career in the arts? Figure out what you’re obsessed with and go after it! For over 50 years, Backstage has been the most trusted place for actors to find jobs and career advice, and for casting professionals to find the right performers for their projects. “In the Envelope: An Awards Podcast” features intimate, inspirational interviews with some of the most exciting actors and awards contenders working today. Check out more here: bit.ly/2OMryWQ In the Envelope Twitter: twitter.com/InTheEnvelope Backstage Twitter: twitter.com/backstage Facebook: facebook.com/backstage Instagram: instagram.com/backstagecast YouTube: youtube.com/user/backstagecasting

Amandla Stenberg plays Starr Carter in 20th Century Fox’s “The Hate U Give,” the big-screen adaptation of Angie Thomas’ young adult novel inspired by the Black Lives Matter movement. Amandla got her start in the biz early, playing Rue in “The Hunger Games” and working as a model, musician, and even comic book co-writer. Also, at only 20 years old, she’s the voice of an activist generation, using her platform to advocate for women, African Americans, the LGBTQ community, and other minorities. We’re so thrilled to welcome her at this early stage of her world domination. For over 50 years, Backstage has been the most trusted place for actors to find jobs and career advice, and for casting professionals to find the right performers for their projects. “In the Envelope: An Awards Podcast” features intimate, inspirational interviews with some of the most exciting actors and awards contenders working today. Check out more here: https://bit.ly/2OMryWQ In the Envelope Twitter: twitter.com/InTheEnvelope Backstage Twitter: twitter.com/backstage Facebook: facebook.com/backstage Instagram: instagram.com/backstagecast YouTube: youtube.com/user/backstagecasting

Nick Kroll appears in some of Hollywood’s funniest recent projects—films like “A Good Old Fashioned Orgy,” “Adult Beginners,” “The House,” TV shows including “Cavemen,” “Parks and Recreation,” and “The League”—and for creating “The Kroll Show,” starring on Broadway alongside John Mulaney in their web series–inspired “Oh, Hello,” and now, the Netflix animated puberty comedy “Big Mouth,” co-created with Andrew Goldberg, Mark Levin, and Jennifer Flackett. Nick provides us a behind-the-scenes glimpse of writing and starring in the hit series, and preaches the gospel of creating your own work. For over 50 years, Backstage has been the most trusted place for actors to find jobs and career advice, and for casting professionals to find the right performers for their projects. “In the Envelope: An Awards Podcast” features intimate, inspirational interviews with some of the most exciting actors and awards contenders working today. Check out more here: https://bit.ly/2OMryWQ In the Envelope Twitter: twitter.com/InTheEnvelope Backstage Twitter: twitter.com/backstage Facebook: facebook.com/backstage Instagram: instagram.com/backstagecast YouTube: youtube.com/user/backstagecasting

John Krasinski is best known for his Jim Halpert on the award-winning “The Office,” but as this in-depth interview suggests, he’s as much a writer-director-producer as a comedic star. Inspired by his arts education at Brown University and the National Theater Institute, he’s starred in “Leatherheads,” “Away We Go,” “13 Hours,” collaborated on “Promised Land” and “Manchester by the Sea,” and helmed “Brief Interviews with Hideous Men,” “The Hollars,” and now, the Paramount Pictures horror hit “A Quiet Place,” co-starring his wife, Emily Blunt. John also currently produces and leads the Amazon thriller series “Jack Ryan,” which means he is having quite the year. Brought to you by Universal Pictures. For over 50 years, Backstage has been the most trusted place for actors to find jobs and career advice, and for casting professionals to find the right performers for their projects. “In the Envelope: An Awards Podcast” features intimate, inspirational interviews with some of the most exciting actors and awards contenders working today. Check out more here: https://bit.ly/2OMryWQ In the Envelope Twitter: twitter.com/InTheEnvelope Backstage Twitter: twitter.com/backstage Facebook: facebook.com/backstage Instagram: instagram.com/backstagecast YouTube: youtube.com/user/backstagecasting

Triple threat MJ Rodriguez, born and raised in New Jersey where she got her big break in an Off-Broadway production of “Rent,” got an even bigger break last year when she was cast as Blanca, mother of the House of Evangelista, in FX’s drama “Pose” from Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk, and Steven Canals. She leads the largest cast of transgender actors in the history of scripted TV, recreating the world of queer culture in 1980s New York City. MJ joins the podcast with advice on practicing patience and blazing trails in the biz. For over 50 years, Backstage has been the most trusted place for actors to find jobs and career advice, and for casting professionals to find the right performers for their projects. “In the Envelope: An Awards Podcast” features intimate, inspirational interviews with some of the most exciting actors and awards contenders working today. Check out more here: https://bit.ly/2OMryWQ In the Envelope Twitter: twitter.com/InTheEnvelope Backstage Twitter: twitter.com/backstage Facebook: facebook.com/backstage Instagram: instagram.com/backstagecast YouTube: youtube.com/user/backstagecasting

You may know Zoe Kazan from the feature film she wrote and starred in, “Ruby Sparks,” or for her performances on and Off-Broadway, in last year’s “The Big Sick,” and on the miniseries “Olive Kitteridge,” which earned her a Primetime Emmy nomination. This year she’s both the writer and producer behind IFC Film’s “Wildlife,” directed by her partner Paul Dano, and one of the stars of the Coen brothers’ Netflix western, “The Ballad of Buster Scruggs.” And she’s got never-before-heard advice from both sides of the audition room table. For over 50 years, Backstage has been the most trusted place for actors to find jobs and career advice, and for casting professionals to find the right performers for their projects. “In the Envelope: An Awards Podcast” features intimate, inspirational interviews with some of the most exciting actors and awards contenders working today. Check out more here: https://bit.ly/2OMryWQ In the Envelope Twitter: twitter.com/InTheEnvelope Backstage Twitter: twitter.com/backstage Facebook: facebook.com/backstage Instagram: instagram.com/backstagecast YouTube: youtube.com/user/backstagecasting

In 2018 Lucas Hedges stars in three buzzy films—“Boy Erased,” Joel Edgerton’s retelling of Garrard Conley’s gay conversion therapy memoir; “Mid90s,” Jonah Hill’s skateboarding indie; and “Ben Is Back,” an addiction drama written and directed by his father Peter Hedges—plus on Broadway in “The Waverly Gallery” by Kenneth Lonergan, who penned his Oscar-nominated “Manchester by the Sea” role. Earning an ensemble SAG Award ensemble for “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri,” and the distinction of counting Frances McDormand, Nicole Kidman, Russell Crowe, and Julia Roberts among his on-screen parents, the 21-year-old actor joins us to reflect on his whirlwind of a career breakthrough. For over 50 years, Backstage has been the most trusted place for actors to find jobs and career advice, and for casting professionals to find the right performers for their projects. “In the Envelope: An Awards Podcast” features intimate, inspirational interviews with some of the most exciting actors and awards contenders working today. Check out more here: bit.ly/2OMryWQ In the Envelope Twitter: twitter.com/InTheEnvelope Backstage Twitter: twitter.com/backstage Facebook: facebook.com/backstage Instagram: instagram.com/backstagecast

Actor and activist Maggie Gyllenhaal has turned in striking and thought-provoking work in her every film role, from “Donnie Darko” and “Secretary” to “Sherrybaby” and “The Dark Knight.” She earned a Primetime Emmy nomination and won a Golden Globe for the miniseries “The Honourable Woman,” and has an Oscar nod for her supporting role in “Crazy Heart.” This year she’s both producer and star of HBO’s “The Deuce” and the new Netflix film “The Kindergarten Teacher,” excellent examples of Maggie’s fascinating “tightrope walk” of an artistic process. For over 50 years, Backstage has been the most trusted place for actors to find jobs and career advice, and for casting professionals to find the right performers for their projects. “In the Envelope: An Awards Podcast” features intimate, inspirational interviews with some of the most exciting actors and awards contenders working today. Check out more here: https://bit.ly/2OMryWQ In the Envelope Twitter: twitter.com/InTheEnvelope Backstage Twitter: twitter.com/backstage Facebook: facebook.com/backstage Instagram: instagram.com/backstagecast YouTube: youtube.com/user/backstagecasting

First a viral hit in a college “Harry Potter” parody musical, then a breakout triple threat on “Glee” and Broadway, and now Emmy-nominated for playing an assassin, Darren Criss is one of today’s most charismatic and versatile storytellers. Playing the lead role of 1990s spree killer Andrew Cunanan in “The Assassination of Gianni Versace,” the second season of Ryan Murphy’s anthologized FX hit “American Crime Story,” Darren dug deep into the darkest parts of his own psyche—and managed to find, as he always does, a common humanity. For over 50 years, Backstage has been the most trusted place for actors to find jobs and career advice, and for casting professionals to find the right performers for their projects. “In the Envelope: An Awards Podcast” features intimate, inspirational interviews with some of the most exciting actors and awards contenders working today. Check out more here: https://bit.ly/2OMryWQ In the Envelope Twitter: twitter.com/InTheEnvelope Backstage Twitter: twitter.com/backstage Facebook: facebook.com/backstage Instagram: instagram.com/backstagecast YouTube: youtube.com/user/backstagecasting

Ron Cephas Jones is proof that success in the entertainment biz, with patience, perseverance, and passion, can be achieved at age 60. After years of studying acting and jazz, scraping by with odd jobs in New York and Los Angeles, and balancing both fatherhood and downtown theater artistry, Ron is now Emmy-nominated a second time for NBC’s Dan Fogelman drama “This Is Us,” where he is beloved by fans as the poetic William Hill. The acting guru is looking back on an impressive career on both stage and screen—and is also clearly just getting started. For over 50 years, Backstage has been the most trusted place for actors to find jobs and career advice, and for casting professionals to find the right performers for their projects. “In the Envelope: An Awards Podcast” features intimate, inspirational interviews with some of the most exciting actors and awards contenders working today. Check out more here: https://bit.ly/2OMryWQ In the Envelope Twitter: twitter.com/InTheEnvelope Backstage Twitter: twitter.com/backstage Facebook: facebook.com/backstage Instagram: instagram.com/backstagecast YouTube: youtube.com/user/backstagecasting

Raised by actors and inspired by theater of the absurd at Fordham University in New York, Betty Gilpin is a performer full of surprises on both stage and screen. Her self-professed “gravitas Barbie clown” instincts are on full display in Debbie Eagan aka Liberty Belle, her character on Netflix’s 1980s female wrestling hit “GLOW,” a role that has earned Betty her first Emmy nomination for supporting actress in a comedy. For advice on how to manage expectations when a dream role is within reach, don’t miss this interview. For over 50 years, Backstage has been the most trusted place for actors to find jobs and career advice, and for casting professionals to find the right performers for their projects. “In the Envelope: An Awards Podcast” features intimate, inspirational interviews with some of the most exciting actors and awards contenders working today. Check out more here: https://bit.ly/2OMryWQ In the Envelope Twitter: twitter.com/InTheEnvelope Backstage Twitter: twitter.com/backstage Facebook: facebook.com/backstage Instagram: instagram.com/backstagecast YouTube: youtube.com/user/backstagecasting

Tracee Ellis Ross is a vocal advocate for equality and representation in Hollywood, a three-time Primetime Emmy Award nominee for leading actress in a comedy series, and a role model who positively radiates inspiration. All combined, she makes an ideal guest on a podcast featuring awards contenders giving both life and career advice. She joins us to talk about Kenya Barris’ ABC family sitcom “Black-ish,” the importance of sending thank you notes, and the best advice she could give: work toward finding your own, truest self. For over 50 years, Backstage has been the most trusted place for actors to find jobs and career advice, and for casting professionals to find the right performers for their projects. “In the Envelope: An Awards Podcast” features intimate, inspirational interviews with some of the most exciting actors and awards contenders working today. Check out more here: https://bit.ly/2OMryWQ In the Envelope Twitter: twitter.com/InTheEnvelope Backstage Twitter: twitter.com/backstage Facebook: facebook.com/backstage Instagram: instagram.com/backstagecast YouTube: youtube.com/user/backstagecasting

Chances are you know the final guest of this season of the podcast as the hilarious Jack McFarland on NBC’s hit sitcom “Will & Grace.” The beloved character not only earned Sean Hayes an Emmy and four SAG Awards, it put an out gay man on network TV, making inroads for LGBT media representation. After almost a decade off the air, “Will & Grace” has returned as funny and outrageous as ever, and Sean must rely on instincts homed in his native Chicago as a music director and comedian, during his Tony-nominated “Promises, Promises” run, and in countless other roles. Sean also develops entertainment as part of his company Hazy Mills Productions, meaning he has plenty of advice from both sides of the audition table. For over 50 years, Backstage has been the most trusted place for actors to find jobs and career advice, and for casting professionals to find the right performers for their projects. “In the Envelope: An Awards Podcast” features intimate, inspirational interviews with some of the most exciting actors and awards contenders working today. Check out more here: https://bit.ly/2OMryWQ In the Envelope Twitter: twitter.com/InTheEnvelope Backstage Twitter: twitter.com/backstage Facebook: facebook.com/backstage Instagram: instagram.com/backstagecast YouTube: youtube.com/user/backstagecasting

Niecy Nash loves Backstage, and the feeling is mutual. With her background in theater and her years of pounding the pavement to carve a place for herself in Hollywood, the multi-hyphenate talent has all the audition advice an aspiring actor could ever need. Known for her hilarity on “Reno 911!” and “Scream Queens,” her Emmy-winning hosting gig on “Clean House,” and her quietly dramatic, Emmy-nominated tour de force on “Getting On,” Niecy now plays the leading role of Desna Simms in TNT’s fabulous crime dramedy “Claws,” which recently began its second season. For over 50 years, Backstage has been the most trusted place for actors to find jobs and career advice, and for casting professionals to find the right performers for their projects. “In the Envelope: An Awards Podcast” features intimate, inspirational interviews with some of the most exciting actors and awards contenders working today. Check out more here: https://bit.ly/2OMryWQ In the Envelope Twitter: twitter.com/InTheEnvelope Backstage Twitter: twitter.com/backstage Facebook: facebook.com/backstage Instagram: instagram.com/backstagecast YouTube: youtube.com/user/backstagecasting

You can’t pigeonhole Cristin Milioti as a performer—she’s made sure of it. Proving she can do everything from earning a Tony nomination for Broadway’s “Once” to taking on the title role in “How I Met Your Mother,” the actor-writer-musician has plenty of advice for artists trying to reconcile passion with what the industry requires. Now, after memorable turns in “Wolf of Wall Street,” “30 Rock,” “A to Z,” and more, Cristin leads a buzzy episode of Netflix’s “Black Mirror,” Charlie Brooker’s sci-fi-horror anthology series, in the dream-come-true role of a kickass female hero. For over 50 years, Backstage has been the most trusted place for actors to find jobs and career advice, and for casting professionals to find the right performers for their projects. “In the Envelope: An Awards Podcast” features intimate, inspirational interviews with some of the most exciting actors and awards contenders working today. Check out more here: https://bit.ly/2OMryWQ In the Envelope Twitter: twitter.com/InTheEnvelope Backstage Twitter: twitter.com/backstage Facebook: facebook.com/backstage Instagram: instagram.com/backstagecast YouTube: youtube.com/user/backstagecasting

Star of “Carlos,” “Zero Dark Thirty,” “Hands of Stone,” and more, Emmy and Golden Globe nominee Edgar Ramirez has worked as an activist and political journalist, both in his native Venezuela and abroad. This season on the small screen he starred in “The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story,” Ryan Murphy’s latest FX miniseries exploring the 1997 murder of the titular fashion mogul, a role to which Edgar brought his intellectual curiosity and nuance. His advice on transforming into a character? Do your homework. For over 50 years, Backstage has been the most trusted place for actors to find jobs and career advice, and for casting professionals to find the right performers for their projects. “In the Envelope: An Awards Podcast” features intimate, inspirational interviews with some of the most exciting actors and awards contenders working today. Check out more here: https://bit.ly/2OMryWQ In the Envelope Twitter: twitter.com/InTheEnvelope Backstage Twitter: twitter.com/backstage Facebook: facebook.com/backstage Instagram: instagram.com/backstagecast YouTube: youtube.com/user/backstagecasting

Thanks to her analytical approach to acting, Hayley Atwell inhabits characters brilliantly on both stage and screen. Training as a performer in her native London before breaking into Hollywood as Peggy Carter in Marvel’s “Captain America: The First Avenger,” she’s worked with some of the best, in “Brideshead Revisited,” “The Duchess,” “Black Mirror,” “Conviction,” and more. She now stars as Margaret Schlegel in Kenneth Lonergan and Hettie Macdonald’s miniseries adaptation of “Howards End” on Starz, making E.M. Foster’s tale of class conflict in early 20th century England resonate in the 21st century. Brought to you by Starz’s “Howards End.” For over 50 years, Backstage has been the most trusted place for actors to find jobs and career advice, and for casting professionals to find the right performers for their projects. “In the Envelope: An Awards Podcast” features intimate, inspirational interviews with some of the most exciting actors and awards contenders working today. Check out more here: https://bit.ly/2OMryWQ In the Envelope Twitter: twitter.com/InTheEnvelope Backstage Twitter: twitter.com/backstage Facebook: facebook.com/backstage Instagram: instagram.com/backstagecast YouTube: youtube.com/user/backstagecasting

Evan Rachel Wood began working in theater before becoming a child star on screen, with a Golden Globe-nominated breakout in “Thirteen.” Starring in films ranging from “Across the Universe” to “The Wrestler,” and TV series including “Mildred Pierce,” Evan has now taken the lead in Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy’s hit sci-fi-western-thriller “Westworld” on HBO. Her multilayered performance as the awakened android Dolores Abernathy, which in Season 1 earned her recognition from the Golden Globes, SAG Awards, and Emmy Awards, comes from embracing the unknown amid the show’s signature twists and turns. For over 50 years, Backstage has been the most trusted place for actors to find jobs and career advice, and for casting professionals to find the right performers for their projects. “In the Envelope: An Awards Podcast” features intimate, inspirational interviews with some of the most exciting actors and awards contenders working today. Check out more here: https://bit.ly/2OMryWQ In the Envelope Twitter: twitter.com/InTheEnvelope Backstage Twitter: twitter.com/backstage Facebook: facebook.com/backstage Instagram: instagram.com/backstagecast YouTube: youtube.com/user/backstagecasting

At only age 13, Noah Schnapp has already voiced Charlie Brown in “The Peanuts Movie,” worked with Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg on “Bridge of Spies,” and, of course, starred in one of today’s biggest pop culture phenomenons: Netflix’s “Stranger Things.” Season 2 of the Duffer brothers’ supernatural ’80s thriller featured Noah’s haunted Will Byers front and center, launching the SAG Award-winning actor into the spotlight—all while juggling self-taped auditions and homework. For over 50 years, Backstage has been the most trusted place for actors to find jobs and career advice, and for casting professionals to find the right performers for their projects. “In the Envelope: An Awards Podcast” features intimate, inspirational interviews with some of the most exciting actors and awards contenders working today. Check out more here: https://bit.ly/2OMryWQ In the Envelope Twitter: twitter.com/InTheEnvelope Backstage Twitter: twitter.com/backstage Facebook: facebook.com/backstage Instagram: instagram.com/backstagecast YouTube: youtube.com/user/backstagecasting

Although well-known in the Broadway community for years of stage work—recently as Aaron Burr in “Hamilton” and for his Tony-nominated performances in “The Color Purple” and “Shuffle Along”—Brandon Victor Dixon became a breakout star in front of a much larger audience this Easter as Judas in Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice’s “Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert” on NBC. Brandon also created WalkRunFly Productions, making him a Tony-winning producer, as well as an ideal interviewee on this podcast. For over 50 years, Backstage has been the most trusted place for actors to find jobs and career advice, and for casting professionals to find the right performers for their projects. “In the Envelope: An Awards Podcast” features intimate, inspirational interviews with some of the most exciting actors and awards contenders working today. Check out more here: https://bit.ly/2OMryWQ In the Envelope Twitter: twitter.com/InTheEnvelope Backstage Twitter: twitter.com/backstage Facebook: facebook.com/backstage Instagram: instagram.com/backstagecast YouTube: youtube.com/user/backstagecasting

Pamela Adlon is an actor, producer, director, and screenwriter, and on her autobiographically inspired FX series “Better Things,” she does all that things and more, last year picking up the Emmy nomination for leading actress in a comedy. Known also for her work in “Californication,” Pamela is a six-time Emmy nominee and one-time winner for voiceover performance on the animated hit “King of the Hill.” And whether it’s on camera or in the recording studio, she’s as brilliant as she is hilarious. For over 50 years, Backstage has been the most trusted place for actors to find jobs and career advice, and for casting professionals to find the right performers for their projects. “In the Envelope: An Awards Podcast” features intimate, inspirational interviews with some of the most exciting actors and awards contenders working today. Check out more here: https://bit.ly/2OMryWQ In the Envelope Twitter: twitter.com/InTheEnvelope Backstage Twitter: twitter.com/backstage Facebook: facebook.com/backstage Instagram: instagram.com/backstagecast YouTube: youtube.com/user/backstagecasting

One of the most beloved presences on and off the small screen for almost 50 years, Henry Winkler is a director, producer, and bestselling author as much as he is a performer. After achieving ubiquity thanks to “Happy Days,” where he for years he played “The Fonz,” the coolest guy on TV, Winkler had to reinvent himself, working hard to identify exactly what he wanted in Hollywood. He’s collaborated with the likes of Adam Sandler, Mitch Horowitz, and now, on HBO’s dark comedy “Barry,” with co-creators Alec Berg and Bill Hader. He stars opposite Hader as Gene Cousineau, a revered and borderline-fraudulent acting teacher—the perfect role for a comedic genius with decades of insight into this industry. For over 50 years, Backstage has been the most trusted place for actors to find jobs and career advice, and for casting professionals to find the right performers for their projects. “In the Envelope: An Awards Podcast” features intimate, inspirational interviews with some of the most exciting actors and awards contenders working today. Check out more here: https://bit.ly/2OMryWQ In the Envelope Twitter: twitter.com/InTheEnvelope Backstage Twitter: twitter.com/backstage Facebook: facebook.com/backstage Instagram: instagram.com/backstagecast YouTube: youtube.com/user/backstagecasting

Gina Rodriguez is an actor, producer, and director, best known for her astonishing work as the titular role in The CW’s “Jane the Virgin.” Jennie Snyder Urman’s telenovela-inspired romantic roller coaster, one of today’s only series featuring a Latina lead, won Rodriguez a Golden Globe Award for best actress in a TV comedy. She’s also known for her film work in “Filly Brown” and “Annihilation,” her activism and philanthropy, and her aptly named company, I Can and I Will Productions. For over 50 years, Backstage has been the most trusted place for actors to find jobs and career advice, and for casting professionals to find the right performers for their projects. “In the Envelope: An Awards Podcast” features intimate, inspirational interviews with some of the most exciting actors and awards contenders working today. Check out more here: https://bit.ly/2OMryWQ In the Envelope Twitter: twitter.com/InTheEnvelope Backstage Twitter: twitter.com/backstage Facebook: facebook.com/backstage Instagram: instagram.com/backstagecast YouTube: youtube.com/user/backstagecasting

DeWanda Wise plays the singular Nola Darling in the Netflix hit “She’s Gotta Have It,” adapted for episodic TV by the one and only Spike Lee, whose 1986 film about this sexually woke Brooklynite artist put him on the map as a filmmaker. But Wise, whose approach to art combines studiousness with something more spiritual, wasn’t intimidated during her audition for the part; as she proved to Lee, she can more than roll with the punches. For over 50 years, Backstage has been the most trusted place for actors to find jobs and career advice, and for casting professionals to find the right performers for their projects. “In the Envelope: An Awards Podcast” features intimate, inspirational interviews with some of the most exciting actors and awards contenders working today. Check out more here: https://bit.ly/2OMryWQ In the Envelope Twitter: twitter.com/InTheEnvelope Backstage Twitter: twitter.com/backstage Facebook: facebook.com/backstage Instagram: instagram.com/backstagecast YouTube: youtube.com/user/backstagecasting

Kicking off our season of Emmy Award contenders are the leads of network TV’s biggest drama: Mandy Moore and Milo Ventimiglia! When they first auditioned for Dan Fogelman’s “This Is Us,” neither could have predicted that the series would have millions reaching for their tissue boxes weekly. Two heart-tugging seasons in as Rebecca and Jack Pearson, Moore and Ventimiglia have worked to establish a real family—both onscreen and off. The SAG Award-winning actors each joined Backstage to chat about how to create a respectful environment on set, ground emotions fully in the moment, and navigate the biz. For over 50 years, Backstage has been the most trusted place for actors to find jobs and career advice, and for casting professionals to find the right performers for their projects. “In the Envelope: An Awards Podcast” features intimate, inspirational interviews with some of the most exciting actors and awards contenders working today. Check out more here: https://bit.ly/2OMryWQ In the Envelope Twitter: twitter.com/InTheEnvelope Backstage Twitter: twitter.com/backstage Facebook: facebook.com/backstage Instagram: instagram.com/backstagecast YouTube: youtube.com/user/backstagecasting

Denise Gough is one of the most exciting up-and-comers working on London and New York stages today. After a sensational breakout performance in Duncan MacMillan’s “People, Places & Things,” the Irish actress booked the role of Harper in the National Theatre’s timely revival of Tony Kushner’s “Angels in America” directed by Marianne Elliott. She earned Laurence Olivier Awards for both shows—now with a Tony nomination for the record-breaking Broadway transfer of “Angels,” will she follow that up with another big win...? For over 50 years, Backstage has been the most trusted place for actors to find jobs and career advice, and for casting professionals to find the right performers for their projects. “In the Envelope: An Awards Podcast” features intimate, inspirational interviews with some of the most exciting actors and awards contenders working today. Check out more here: https://bit.ly/2OMryWQ In the Envelope Twitter: twitter.com/InTheEnvelope Backstage Twitter: twitter.com/backstage Facebook: facebook.com/backstage Instagram: instagram.com/backstagecast YouTube: youtube.com/user/backstagecasting

Star of the Tony-nominated Broadway revival of “Once on This Island” and emerging LGBTQ pop icon Alex Newell joins Backstage to discuss music and acting, longevity and survival, and gratitude and humility. Newell got his start with a video audition for “The Glee Project,” winding up with both a recording contract and a recurring role on Ryan Murphy’s “Glee” as one of the first trans characters on network TV. Despite being ridiculously young for such success and such talent, Newell is also, as this fabulous interview suggests, wise beyond his years. For over 50 years, Backstage has been the most trusted place for actors to find jobs and career advice, and for casting professionals to find the right performers for their projects. “In the Envelope: An Awards Podcast” features intimate, inspirational interviews with some of the most exciting actors and awards contenders working today. Check out more here: https://bit.ly/2OMryWQ In the Envelope Twitter: twitter.com/InTheEnvelope Backstage Twitter: twitter.com/backstage Facebook: facebook.com/backstage Instagram: instagram.com/backstagecast YouTube: youtube.com/user/backstagecasting

Tony Awards season is upon us! Theater’s highest honors will be handed out June 10, so Backstage has invited onto the podcast some of this Broadway season’s most exciting performers. Up first is Lindsay Mendez, Tony-nominated for her irresistible Carrie Pipperidge in the current revival of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s “Carousel” directed by Jack O’Brien. Along with her versatility as an actor and sensational singing voice, Mendez co-owns and runs Actor Therapy, a musical theater master-class series in New York—making her a fountain of actorly wisdom.

Few actors’ résumés offer as much variety as Willem Dafoe, an on-screen presence who seems unclassifiable—it’s simply not enough to dub him “chameleonic” or “versatile.” Just look at his three Academy Award nominations, a triptych of deeply felt acting: 1986’s “Platoon,” 2000’s “Shadow of a Vampire,” and now this year’s “The Florida Project” from A24. Written and directed by Sean Baker, the critical darling stars Dafoe as the manager of a rundown motel in Florida, just out of reach of Walt Disney World. On this final leg of the 2018 Oscars race, we are thrilled to welcome a true cinematic legend to the podcast. For over 50 years, Backstage has been the most trusted place for actors to find jobs and career advice, and for casting professionals to find the right performers for their projects. “In the Envelope: An Awards Podcast” features intimate, inspirational interviews with some of the most exciting actors and awards contenders working today. Check out more here: https://bit.ly/2OMryWQ In the Envelope Twitter: twitter.com/InTheEnvelope Backstage Twitter: twitter.com/backstage Facebook: facebook.com/backstage Instagram: instagram.com/backstagecast YouTube: youtube.com/user/backstagecasting

Betty Gabriel is the brilliant star of Universal Pictures’ “Get Out,” the comedy-horror-satire hit from the now Academy Award-nominee Jordan Peele. As the mysterious maid Georgina, she blew audiences away with one particularly disturbing scene involving her repeating the word “no”—and established for the former delivery worker her big break as an actor. The game-changing “Get Out” has won its fair share of accolades throughout this film awards season, and is up for four Oscars, including Best Picture. For over 50 years, Backstage has been the most trusted place for actors to find jobs and career advice, and for casting professionals to find the right performers for their projects. “In the Envelope: An Awards Podcast” features intimate, inspirational interviews with some of the most exciting actors and awards contenders working today. Check out more here: https://bit.ly/2OMryWQ In the Envelope Twitter: twitter.com/InTheEnvelope Backstage Twitter: twitter.com/backstage Facebook: facebook.com/backstage Instagram: instagram.com/backstagecast YouTube: youtube.com/user/backstagecasting

Although you are likely aware of Gary Oldman, you may not appreciate his astonishing range. His habit of disappearing completely into onscreen roles is evident in everything from the “Harry Potter” and “Dark Knight” film franchises, to his Oscar-nominated performance in “Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy,” to villainous turns in “Léon: The Professional,” “The Fifth Element,” and “Bram Stoker’s Dracula.” Now he’s winning awards for bringing to life Prime Minister Winston Churchill in Focus Features’ “Darkest Hour,” Joe Wright’s WWII thriller. Listen in for his advice on process, accent work, and recovering from rejection. For over 50 years, Backstage has been the most trusted place for actors to find jobs and career advice, and for casting professionals to find the right performers for their projects. “In the Envelope: An Awards Podcast” features intimate, inspirational interviews with some of the most exciting actors and awards contenders working today. Check out more here: https://bit.ly/2OMryWQ In the Envelope Twitter: twitter.com/InTheEnvelope Backstage Twitter: twitter.com/backstage Facebook: facebook.com/backstage Instagram: instagram.com/backstagecast YouTube: youtube.com/user/backstagecasting

Before last summer, Kumail Nanjiani was best known as the hilarious Dinesh on HBO’s “Silicon Valley.” But then his autobiographical comedy feature, Amazon’s “The Big Sick,” became a commercial and critical smash. Co-written alongside his wife Emily Gordon and retelling the story of her medically induced coma amid their early courtship, “The Big Sick” stars Kumail as an earlier version of himself—a struggling comedian from an overbearing Pakistani family—and somehow blends elements of cultural and generational conflict, hospital drama, and romantic comedy. Kumail joins Backstage to discuss his writing process and the role entertainment plays in today’s political climate. For over 50 years, Backstage has been the most trusted place for actors to find jobs and career advice, and for casting professionals to find the right performers for their projects. “In the Envelope: An Awards Podcast” features intimate, inspirational interviews with some of the most exciting actors and awards contenders working today. Check out more here: https://bit.ly/2OMryWQ In the Envelope Twitter: twitter.com/InTheEnvelope Backstage Twitter: twitter.com/backstage Facebook: facebook.com/backstage Instagram: instagram.com/backstagecast YouTube: youtube.com/user/backstagecasting

In addition to being one of the industry’s most powerful and prolific actors, Patrick Stewart has a voice of pure gold. Listen to the Olivier-, Emmy-, Golden Globe-, and SAG Award-nominated knight, best known for “Star Trek: The Next Generation” and the “X-Men” film franchise—including last year’s 20th Century Fox awards contender “Logan”—chat about audition advice, giving characters life, and the similarities between the Royal Shakespeare Company and science fiction. We are honored to welcome the one and only Sir Patrick Stewart. For over 50 years, Backstage has been the most trusted place for actors to find jobs and career advice, and for casting professionals to find the right performers for their projects. “In the Envelope: An Awards Podcast” features intimate, inspirational interviews with some of the most exciting actors and awards contenders working today. Check out more here: https://bit.ly/2OMryWQ In the Envelope Twitter: twitter.com/InTheEnvelope Backstage Twitter: twitter.com/backstage Facebook: facebook.com/backstage Instagram: instagram.com/backstagecast YouTube: youtube.com/user/backstagecasting

All of Tatiana Maslany’s creativity comes from leaning into the unlikeliest or most challenging of circumstances and simply responding, “Yes.” The 2016 Emmy winner for BBC America’s sci-fi thriller “Orphan Black,” in which she portrays around a dozen different clones, often acting and reacting opposite herself, rises to every challenge by turning fear and uncertainty into inspiration. After this summer’s series finale, Tatiana is in high demand; she stars opposite Jake Gyllenhaal in the Lionsgate and Roadside Attractions feature “Stronger,” David Gordon Green’s Boston Marathon bombing biopic. Listen to the actor’s thoughts on nerdiness, taking classes, and roller skating to auditions. For over 50 years, Backstage has been the most trusted place for actors to find jobs and career advice, and for casting professionals to find the right performers for their projects. “In the Envelope: An Awards Podcast” features intimate, inspirational interviews with some of the most exciting actors and awards contenders working today. Check out more here: https://bit.ly/2OMryWQ In the Envelope Twitter: twitter.com/InTheEnvelope Backstage Twitter: twitter.com/backstage Facebook: facebook.com/backstage Instagram: instagram.com/backstagecast YouTube: youtube.com/user/backstagecasting

Whether you know James Franco from his comedic collaborations with Seth Rogen and Judd Apatow, his Oscar-nominated work in “127 Hours,” or even his poems and paintings, chances are your impression is only a piece of the overall puzzle of his artistry. The multi-hyphenate has zipped from Broadway to the director’s chair to the classroom, and it wasn’t until recently he slowed down to focus on a select few current projects: HBO’s 1970s New York drama “The Deuce,” and A24’s “The Disaster Artist,” directed by and starring James as eccentric auteur Tommy Wiseau of “The Room,” one of the most notoriously bad films in Hollywood history. In the midst a promising awards season, James gives us a glimpse at his artistic process and his mind-blowing work ethic. Brought to you by A24’s “The Disaster Artist,” in theaters December 8. For over 50 years, Backstage has been the most trusted place for actors to find jobs and career advice, and for casting professionals to find the right performers for their projects. “In the Envelope: An Awards Podcast” features intimate, inspirational interviews with some of the most exciting actors and awards contenders working today. Check out more here: https://bit.ly/2OMryWQ In the Envelope Twitter: twitter.com/InTheEnvelope Backstage Twitter: twitter.com/backstage Facebook: facebook.com/backstage Instagram: instagram.com/backstagecast YouTube: youtube.com/user/backstagecasting

For some, the acting profession is a calling that can’t be avoided. Keala Settle, beloved Broadway star of “Waitress,” “Les Misérables,” and her Tony Award-nominated “Hands on a Hardbody,” is one such performer; ever since a fortuitous road trip to a “Hairspray” tour’s open call, her stunning voice and magnetic presence have illuminated a series of intricately soulful stage roles. Now with a big-screen breakthrough as the Bearded Lady in 20th Century Fox’s upcoming “The Greatest Showman,” a movie musical starring Hugh Jackman as P. T. Barnum, Keala is about to win over film audiences as well. For over 50 years, Backstage has been the most trusted place for actors to find jobs and career advice, and for casting professionals to find the right performers for their projects. “In the Envelope: An Awards Podcast” features intimate, inspirational interviews with some of the most exciting actors and awards contenders working today. Check out more here: https://bit.ly/2OMryWQ In the Envelope Twitter: twitter.com/InTheEnvelope Backstage Twitter: twitter.com/backstage Facebook: facebook.com/backstage Instagram: instagram.com/backstagecast YouTube: youtube.com/user/backstagecasting

There’s a reason Allison Janney has more acting statuettes than she knows what to do with. The seven-time Emmy winner—for “The West Wing,” “Masters of Sex,” and CBS’ current hit comedy “Mom”—possesses a natural intelligence, curiosity, and wicked sense of humor that have lent themselves to a staggering variety of stage and screen roles. Her astonishing career now includes an Oscar-contending performance in Neon’s “I, Tonya,” the Craig Gillespie- and Steven Rogers-helmed biopic in which she plays Olympic figure skater Tonya Harding’s eccentric mother LaVona. For over 50 years, Backstage has been the most trusted place for actors to find jobs and career advice, and for casting professionals to find the right performers for their projects. “In the Envelope: An Awards Podcast” features intimate, inspirational interviews with some of the most exciting actors and awards contenders working today. Check out more here: https://bit.ly/2OMryWQ In the Envelope Twitter: twitter.com/InTheEnvelope Backstage Twitter: twitter.com/backstage Facebook: facebook.com/backstage Instagram: instagram.com/backstagecast YouTube: youtube.com/user/backstagecasting

This week we get to be in the room where it happens. Leslie Odom Jr. helped launch the Broadway production of “Hamilton,” Lin-Manuel Miranda’s record-breaking musical sensation, winning last year’s Tony Award for Leading Actor in the process. A triple threat with roots that can be traced back to an open call for “Rent” listed in Backstage, Leslie is now a bona fide movie star, appearing in the buzzy big-screen adaptation of Agatha Christie’s “Murder on the Orient Express” from Kenneth Branagh. For over 50 years, Backstage has been the most trusted place for actors to find jobs and career advice, and for casting professionals to find the right performers for their projects. “In the Envelope: An Awards Podcast” features intimate, inspirational interviews with some of the most exciting actors and awards contenders working today. Check out more here: https://bit.ly/2OMryWQ In the Envelope Twitter: twitter.com/InTheEnvelope Backstage Twitter: twitter.com/backstage Facebook: facebook.com/backstage Instagram: instagram.com/backstagecast YouTube: youtube.com/user/backstagecasting

Ready for more interviews from the frontlines of Hollywood’s acting races? We kick off Season 2—and an exciting film awards season—with an in-depth chat with Academy Award nominee and Primetime Emmy winner Richard Jenkins. Steadily working his way into audiences’ hearts with decades of fascinating, empathetic performances, the stage and screen legend now utilizes his organic approach to acting in Fox Searchlight Pictures’ “The Shape of Water,” the new sci-fi period piece from Guillermo del Toro. For over 50 years, Backstage has been the most trusted place for actors to find jobs and career advice, and for casting professionals to find the right performers for their projects. “In the Envelope: An Awards Podcast” features intimate, inspirational interviews with some of the most exciting actors and awards contenders working today. Check out more here: https://bit.ly/2OMryWQ In the Envelope Twitter: twitter.com/InTheEnvelope Backstage Twitter: twitter.com/backstage Facebook: facebook.com/backstage Instagram: instagram.com/backstagecast YouTube: youtube.com/user/backstagecasting

On this season finale episode, we are joined by TV comedy royalty. Julia Louis-Dreyfus has just about every conceivable award for her astounding work, including seven acting Emmys for “Seinfeld,” “The New Adventures of Old Christine,” and of course the hit HBO political comedy “Veep,” in which she stars as the hapless, foul-mouthed Selina Meyer. Anthony Anderson, nominated for this third consecutive Emmy as patriarch Dre Johnson in ABC’s family sitcom “Black-ish,” grew into the comedy legend he is today thanks to his working actor mother and a philosophy of single-minded determination. Jack and Jamie (and a surprise special guest!) bid farewell to the 2017 Emmy season. For over 50 years, Backstage has been the most trusted place for actors to find jobs and career advice, and for casting professionals to find the right performers for their projects. “In the Envelope: An Awards Podcast” features intimate, inspirational interviews with some of the most exciting actors and awards contenders working today. Check out more here: https://bit.ly/2OMryWQ In the Envelope Twitter: twitter.com/InTheEnvelope Backstage Twitter: twitter.com/backstage Facebook: facebook.com/backstage Instagram: instagram.com/backstagecast YouTube: youtube.com/user/backstagecasting

Up-and-coming actor Brian Tyree Henry is perhaps best known for playing an up-and-coming rapper on Donald Glover’s award-winning FX comedy “Atlanta.” His first Emmy nomination is for his guest role as a Memphis crooner on Dan Fogelman’s NBC hit family drama “This Is Us.” The rising star chats about how to maintain a sense of self, handle loss, and find the joy. Bonus: Emmys trivia! For over 50 years, Backstage has been the most trusted place for actors to find jobs and career advice, and for casting professionals to find the right performers for their projects. “In the Envelope: An Awards Podcast” features intimate, inspirational interviews with some of the most exciting actors and awards contenders working today. Check out more here: https://bit.ly/2OMryWQ In the Envelope Twitter: twitter.com/InTheEnvelope Backstage Twitter: twitter.com/backstage Facebook: facebook.com/backstage Instagram: instagram.com/backstagecast YouTube: youtube.com/user/backstagecasting

Backstage’s favorite Emmy-winning acting guru, Regina King is one of the greatest on-camera performers working today. She traces her trajectory from child star to actor-director with serious chops, and reveals the intricacies of the techniques that led to her three consecutive Emmy nominations (and two wins) for John Ridley’s ABC anthology drama “American Crime.” For over 50 years, Backstage has been the most trusted place for actors to find jobs and career advice, and for casting professionals to find the right performers for their projects. “In the Envelope: An Awards Podcast” features intimate, inspirational interviews with some of the most exciting actors and awards contenders working today. Check out more here: https://bit.ly/2OMryWQ In the Envelope Twitter: twitter.com/InTheEnvelope Backstage Twitter: twitter.com/backstage Facebook: facebook.com/backstage Instagram: instagram.com/backstagecast YouTube: youtube.com/user/backstagecasting

In this extra-special, extra-long episode, we are joined by two Emmy-nominated stars from Jill Soloway’s groundbreaking Amazon dramedy “Transparent.” Judith Light, a Tony- and Daytime Emmy-winning legend who keeps breaking our hearts as Shelly Pfefferman, draws inspiration from the LGBTQ community and advises actors to seize the opportunity to serve. Kathryn Hahn, a longtime scene-stealer whose shattering performance as Rabbi Raquel Fein differs from her work on Soloway’s other Amazon series, “I Love Dick,” gives a hilarious interview covering everything from the nuances of religion to survival jobs. For over 50 years, Backstage has been the most trusted place for actors to find jobs and career advice, and for casting professionals to find the right performers for their projects. “In the Envelope: An Awards Podcast” features intimate, inspirational interviews with some of the most exciting actors and awards contenders working today. Check out more here: https://bit.ly/2OMryWQ In the Envelope Twitter: twitter.com/InTheEnvelope Backstage Twitter: twitter.com/backstage Facebook: facebook.com/backstage Instagram: instagram.com/backstagecast YouTube: youtube.com/user/backstagecasting