Back To One

William Jackson Harper is probably best known for the work he did over four seasons on the NBC comedy "The Good Place," and the Ari Aster film "Midsommar," but his true happy place is on the stage (he's a Tony nominee for the recent production of "Uncle Vanya" with Steve Carell). On this episode he explains the allure of the theater, which has something to do with being "the witch" and not "the caldron." He talks about why he doesn't do well with micro-managing but loves dialogue, two-shots, making strong choices, and directors who "leave room for the holy spirit." Plus much, much more! Currently, you can catch him in the series "American Hostage" starring Jon Hamm on MGM+, and soon you can see him in Tim Blake Nelson's film "The Life and Deaths of Wilson Shedd," which just premiered at TIFF.
Back To One is the in-depth, no-nonsense, actors-on-acting podcast. In each episode, host Peter Rinaldi invites one working actor to do a deep dive into their unique process, psychology, and approach to the craft. 
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June Schreiner is the star of "Dark Hollow," a folk horror film about a young mother who, in order to protect her home and save her family, must hunt down a nightmarish monster that has emerged from an Appalachian coal mine.  On this episode, Schreiner explains why she fell in love with Daniel Byers' script and related so much to this character. She talks about her formative years at Area Stage, explains why she sometimes starts her process by identifying elements that she has resistance towards, makes a solid case for earnestly learning about the other jobs on a film set, describes the joy of finding her creative spark again through community, and much much more.
"Dark Hollow" is available On Demand September 4th. Click here to pre-order
Look out for select screenings in LA, with more cities to come. 
Back To One is the in-depth, no-nonsense, actors-on-acting podcast. In each episode, host Peter Rinaldi invites one working actor to do a deep dive into their unique process, psychology, and approach to the craft. 
Subscribe to Back To One on Substack
Follow Back To One on Instagram

Oliver Cooper has one of the greatest stories about breaking into Hollywood, landing his first role in "Project X." I'm grateful he takes his time telling it on this episode. It's a story about hilarious naiveté, unwavering belief in himself, and an unlikely friendship with a person unfairly pushed to the margins of the business who fueled him with the support he needed. That story is so formative that he still wants to tell stories about people who were counted out, but who keep the dream alive. His latest collaboration with filmmaker Joe Burke, "Burt," is about that and so much more. Cooper stars opposite real-life roommates Burt Berger and Steven Levy. He talks about working with these two incredible personalities who were basically playing themselves, and the acting challenge he had in serving them, letting them shine properly, while not standing out himself as the "actor." He succeeds wonderfully, and you can (and should) check out "Burt" on your favorite streaming service. It was made for $7000 in a few days with an extremely small crew and will make you laugh, cry, and capture your heart so deeply that you'll wonder why most movies have to waste so much money for so little impact.
Back To One is the in-depth, no-nonsense, actors-on-acting podcast. In each episode, host Peter Rinaldi invites one working actor to do a deep dive into their unique process, psychology, and approach to the craft. 
Subscribe to Back To One on Substack
Follow Back To One on Instagram

Tom Brittney first rose to global prominence with his multi-season turn on the celebrated British series "Grantchester," where he built a devoted international following through a performance defined by emotional depth and restraint. With his new series "The Westies," he hops "the pond" and ventures into darker and more volatile territory while delivering layered, character-first work surrounded by stellar co-stars like J.K. Simmons and Titus Welliver. On this episode, he explains why the lack of belief in his abilities that he felt from his teachers in drama school resulted in his own lack of faith it what they were teaching, how seven seasons playing the same character made him a better actor, why he will never get used to the instability of this profession, and much more.
Back To One is the in-depth, no-nonsense, actors-on-acting podcast. In each episode, host Peter Rinaldi invites one working actor to do a deep dive into their unique process, psychology, and approach to the craft. 
Subscribe to Back To One on Substack
Follow Back To One on Instagram

Ken Marino is very funny. All the time. Maybe even "too funny." Starting with the legendary comedy group "The State," more than three decades ago, Marino has been the go-to comedy gold in countless television shows, stealing so many scenes in movies, always bringing the funny. The films he's co-written with David Wain are some of his highlights — "The Ten," "Role Models," "Wanderlust," and now "Gail Daughtry and the Celebrity Sex Pass" (which comes out July 10th). On this episode, Marino ponders the origins of his brand of comedy (or if he even has one), explains why he doesn't like humor that punches down, makes a case for why he thinks he has "a good grasp on 'asshole,'" talks about what has brought him to a place where he makes bold choices right off the bat, lays out how it all comes down to "specifics," and much much more.
Back To One is the in-depth, no-nonsense, actors-on-acting podcast. In each episode, host Peter Rinaldi invites one working actor to do a deep dive into their unique process, psychology, and approach to the craft. 
Subscribe to Back To One on Substack
Follow Back To One on Instagram