Welcome to the SKS Acting Podcast, Where Working Actors Talk. This week Colleen Foy chats with one of my favorite people of all time and a former SKS teacher Josh Brener. Josh is one of the most talented actors I have ever had the pleasure of knowing and with over 70 IMDB credits, he is a wealth of knowledge in the entertainment industry. We hear how he prepped for some of the biggest auditions of his career,  the importance of trusting you’re enough as an actor, his thoughts on self tapes vs in person auditions… and how he handles the inevitable disappointments that every actor faces.

WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT TO HEAR:

2:31 Josh’s origin story. Why he got into acting and why he decided to move to LA.

4:32 How Josh got his first acting agent and his SAG card and booking his first series regular on GLORY DAYS.

7:55 His audition process for THE INTERNSHIP – how he prepped for his chemistry read with Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson, while also being in consideration for WE’RE THE MILLERS and prepping to chemistry read with Jason Sudeikis.

15:43 When and how to use improv and “scripted’ ad libs in auditions.

18:06 The importance of preparation and rehearsing under duress. “Play how you practice and practice how you play” – How the SKS style of teaching got him ready for these high stake situations.

21:20 The mental game of auditioning and how that differs from “acting”.

24:02 Finding the note behind a note when a casting director or director tell you to “be” the essence of another famous actor. Finding your version of that and bringing yourself to it. “Lead with yourself”.

31:54 Trusting you are enough as an actor and you don’t have to “do” so much. “You’re thinking you’re alive, you’re present. And I think that’s just the trust thing, right? Like, I don’t have to, I don’t have to turn it on here. Because this is enough.”

38:24 How does Josh handle the inevitable disappointments that come with being an auditioning actor.

Q&A FROM THE AUDIENCE

44:21 What is your dream role, that may not be something you would typically be cast as.

46:21 How do things change once you’ve been a series regular. Do you get treated differently when you audition. Are things different having one of the top 3 agencies?

50:31 Auditioning in the room vs. self taped auditions.

58:07 What do you do in between jobs, especially now during the WGA and SAG strikes, to stay inspired and feel creative.

1:02:42 Did you feel like the further you went into voiceover that you were seen being pulled out of live action more than Did you feel like it actually opened more doors for you?

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