Shows
Off Duty ActorsActor Mirko Grillini - On Embracing Your Accent, The Study of Acting and Forging Your Own PathIt was a beautiful reunion, interviewing my mafia boss father from my second-ever short film, actor Mirko Grillini, more than a decade after we wrapped. It’s a reminder of how important the relationships you form early in your career can be!You might recognise Mirko from The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, Wanted (Netflix), Underbelly Files: Infiltration, or the recently AACTA Award–nominated Not Russian Anywhere. His journey began in Bologna, Italy, where he worked as a model before moving to London to work in an Italian restaurant, casually meeting the likes of P...
2026-02-2647 min
Off Duty ActorsThis month on Yapper Board: The New Hollywood: How Margot Robbie, Personal Branding & Film Marketing Are Reshaping Hollywood | The Rise of Actor-Led Empires | Wuthering Heights Redefining SuccessEmerald Fennell's "Wuthering Heights" first thoughts, Lucky Chap and Margot Robbie are redefining the cinema experience, SEND HELP! (but don't!) Personal Branding & What TV We're Watching Right Now! Welcome to February’s Yapper Board Session with your hosts Actor Rachel Di Renzo and Creative Producer Brooke Lagana.In this episode of Yapper Board, Rachel and Brooke dive into the evolving landscape of film and television, exploring how cinema is transforming into a fully immersive cultural experience.From Margot Robbie’s influence on modern film marketing (hello premiere dresses made out of hair) to the r...
2026-02-2048 min
Off Duty ActorsDarren Raymond : Exploring The Power of Shakespeare Through Intermission Youth Theatre in LondonWelcome to Off Duty Actors! I had the absolute pleasure of interviewing The Co-Founder and Artistic Director of Intermission Youth Theatre, Darren Raymond. Darren was announced as a recipient of the 2025 Sam Wanamaker Award, presented by Shakespeare’s Globe in London. This prestigious award recognises individuals who have made pioneering contributions to Shakespearean Theatre, bringing understanding and enjoyment through Shakespeare’s works. It’s cited that Darren was awarded for nearly 20 years of life-changing work, specifically through Intermission Youth, which is an organisation dedicated giving young people the tools and opportunity to make positive choices, to become the be...
2026-02-1246 min
Off Duty ActorsActor Poppy Gilbert : On-Set Endurance & The Nuance of ‘When You Stop People Pleasing, People Stop Being Pleased’Welcome to an infectious episode of Off Duty Actors featuring actor Poppy Gilbert! You may know this dazzling redhead from My Oxford Year (Netflix), The Catch (Prime), My Week with Macy alongside Joanna Lumley. Last year she returned to The Globe Theatre to portray Desdemona in OTHELLO and you’ll see her in The Other Bennet Sister (Coming March 2026), where she plays the iconic Lizzie Bennet. Poppy’s career is absolutely one to watch, as is the musical production she’s currently starring in, Fly By, written and directed by Theo James, which makes its world premiere at Southwark Playho...
2026-02-0546 min
Off Duty ActorsLainy Boyle : London based Actor and Casting Studio Owner On Releasing Expectations and Owning Your Audition ExperienceWelcome to Off Duty Actors! If you’re an actor living in London, you’re gonna wanna listen to this episode featuring the lovely Lainy Boyle. You might recognise her from shows such as The Good Ship Murder, 3 Body Problem, Maternal, Casualty and the upcoming mini series Jack the Ripper: Written in Blood. But if you’re an actor, you’d know her friendly face soothing your nerves in a casting at Observatory Studios. Lainy and her husband Nigel took over running the infamous Observatory Studios, in London’s Soho in 2023, a casting studio that books spaces for casting directors...
2026-01-2946 min
Off Duty ActorsYapper Board: Golden Globes Nominees & Winners Review, Oscars Predictions, Why Hamnet Ruined Us! Frankenstein & Wuthering Heights, Film Industry Trends and How Heated Rivalry is Moving The NeedleYour favourite Creative Producer + Actor duo are back to yap. This week on Off Duty Actors: Yapper Board Sessions, we’re diving headfirst into Frankenstein, dipping our toes into Wuthering Heights (we’re in our Jacob Elordi Era) Marty Supreme, Heated Rivalry, The Housemaid, awards season chaos, and the full-blown trauma-bonding cinematic experience that is Hamnet. Welcome back, happy 2026. How are we holding up? More importantly… how are we holding up after Hamnet? Did you bring tissues, or did you convince yourself you’d be fine? (Adorable. Incorrect.)In this episode, we unpack the cinema experience of Frankens...
2026-01-2344 min
Quakers TodayQuakers and Jiwasa: Moving from I to WeIn this episode, special co-host Diana Yáñez and Sweet Miche explore the concept of belonging, not just to each other, but to all of existence. From the linguistic wisdom of the Aymara people to the radical call of liberation theology and the hard work of healing Quaker involvement in Indian Boarding Schools, we're asking what might happen to our faith if we start living from the "We" instead of the "I"?
Jiwasa: The Communal We with Rubén Hilari Quispe
Rubén, an Aymara Quaker and linguist, introduces us to jiwasa – a concept of "we-ness...
2026-01-2022 minQuakers TodayQuakers and Jiwasa: Moving from I to WeIn this episode, special co-host Diana Yáñez and Sweet Miche explore the concept of belonging, not just to each other, but to all of existence. From the linguistic wisdom of the Aymara people to the radical call of liberation theology and the hard work of healing Quaker involvement in Indian Boarding Schools, we're asking what might happen to our faith if we start living from the "We" instead of the "I"?
Jiwasa: The Communal We with Rubén Hilari Quispe
Rubén, an Aymara Quaker and linguist, introduces us to jiwasa – a concept of "we-ness...
2026-01-2022 min
Reel PoetsReel Poets The Refrain Part 1: DPS and Talking ShopPart 1 of 2 for Reel Poets, The Refrain, where we revisit Dead Poets Society, but mostly talk shop and name drop a few poems and poets.Comment below with your poetic and cinematic influences.Here's a few more from Scottt: A list of some poetic influences, contemporaries and hopeful future guests without looking any up spelling, in no particular orderMasta Ace, Eminem, Aesop Rock, Gary Glazner, Shihan the Poet, Maya Del Valle, Rives, Watsky, Flowmentalz, Gemini, Mikumari Caiyhe, Big Mike, Broken English, Justin Woo, St. Patrick, DMD, Toney Jackson, Bob Holman, Taylor Mali...
2026-01-0156 min
Off Duty ActorsYapper Board: Christmas Movies, I Love LA, Bugonia & Unhinged Female Leads | Have Christmas Films Lost Their Magic & What Does Netflix buying Warner Brothers Mean For Hollywood & The Film IndustryIn this episode of Yapper Board, actor and ODA host Rachel Di Renzo and creative producer Brooke Lagana discuss the success and standout artistry of Bugonia, the idea of female leads being “unlikable,” The Beast in Me (and the heavy breathing we all noticed), and (how could we not) the Netflix acquisition of Warner Brothers, which we distilled into two succinct paragraphs so we can accurately understand what this means for the film industry. I Love LA joins the conversation, along with our thoughts on how we’re all just hoping and waiting for the next Girls. We also chat a...
2025-12-1945 min
Off Duty ActorsBite Sized Bits: Kate Winter on her Short Film 'Ortolan'Welcome to Bite Sized Bits! The segments of the Off Duty Actors Episodes that deserved their own ‘bit’ even though they didn’t make the original cut. This section is from Kate Winter’s Episode, which I highly recommend listening to if you haven’t already. We go in-depth on Kate’s short film ‘Ortolan’, about the inspiration, the on-set experience, not working with dickheads, the festival run and the process of developing this proof of concept short film into a feature. You can watch the exceptional short film below, but for now, please enjoy this Bite Size Bit with Ka...
2025-12-1624 min
Off Duty ActorsActor, Writer & Voice Over Artist Kate Winter : On Resilience and Listening to that Inner Voice that says 'Keep Going'Welcome to Off Duty Actors. This episode is brought to you by two very excitable yet relaxed actors on a girls trip by the beach for the weekend, infused with the promise of oysters and afternoon naps. I had the absolute pleasure of interviewing actor, writer and voice over artist Kate Winter on the ODA podcast and it was a bloody treat. You might know Kate from when she ran her theatre company Verbatim Theatre in London, or from shows such as The Witcher or That’s What She Said and you’ve definitely heard her beautiful voic...
2025-12-1148 min
Off Duty ActorsBite Sized Bits : Alice Brittain on Your Audition Room EnergyOff Duty Actors presents the bits of conversation that were left on the cutting room floor, but are so so worth hearing.Please enjoy this Bite Sized Bits episode with Actress and Casting Assistant Alice Brittain.I recommend listening to Alice’s whole episode, but here’s a little bit that didn’t make the final ep! Alice has worked for multiple Casting Directors in London as a Casting Assistant, Camera Operator or Reader and has seen what works in the room and what doesn’t. She gave us some nuggets of wisdom when it comes to...
2025-12-1011 min
Off Duty ActorsActress & Casting Assistant Alice Brittain - Matching Audition Room Energy & Why the term ‘Making it’ is a Bit BoringWelcome to Off Duty Actors and honestly, I have no doubt you'll love this episode as much as I loved recording it. I’m not sure if you can tell, but I had to edit out many many of my cackles of laughter throughout this interview with the self proclaimed ‘Type Cast as Brit Welcoming American to the UK’ Actress and Casting Assistant Alice Brittain. Alice’s many on-screen credits include Black Mirror (Netflix), Ted Lasso (Apple TV), Slow Horses (Apple TV) and feature films Project Hail Mary (Amazon MGM Studios) and The People We Hate at the Wedding (Amazon Studios). ...
2025-12-0448 min
Off Duty ActorsBite Sized Bits : Alex Hanno on Screenwriting & NetworkingPlease enjoy this Bite Sized Bits episode with Director, Writer and Producer Alex Hanno. I recommend listening to Alex's whole episode, but here's a little bit that didn't make the final ep! Alex gives us a little advice and insight into screenwriting, the process and preparation along with some helpful advice on the best mindset for networking. Follow us on Instagram & TikTok, this episode is available on Spotify, iTunes and Substack. Hosted by Rachel Di Renzo, music is One Woman Band by Grace Mesa and sourced from Premium Beat.Like...
2025-12-0211 min
Off Duty ActorsAlex Hanno (Director, Writer, Producer) : On finding SUSTAINABILITY in the film industryThis week I had the absolute pleasure of interviewing Director, Writer and Producer Alex Hanno. Based in Los Angeles, Alex co-owns the production company The Chameleon Effect and has worked as a director, screenwriter and producer on films such as Elephant, A Social Contract, Detox and the up-coming feature film where we met, Bravado. It’s a special privilege to be cast in a film where you immediately feel safe and inspired, which is the environment that Alex and his team created on that set. We chat about responsibilities as a Director, asking yourself ‘will this film stan...
2025-11-2748 min
Off Duty ActorsOff Duty Actors: Yapper Board Series | Second Screen Viewing Is Killing Creativity, Kim Kardashian CAN Act & Has Sydney Sweeney Cancelled Herself?Join ODA host and actor Rachel Di Renzo and Creative Producer Brooke Lagana for monthly episodes of YAPPER BOARD. This series will be focused on intellectual discussions and hot takes on current film, television and pop culture. In this episodes Yapper Board, Brooke and Rachel discuss the phenomenon that is ‘second screen viewing’ and how we can see the shift in TV shows and streamer films through the expositional dialogue. We discuss THAT American Eagle campaign and the complexities of speaking out when you’re a public figure and how what you don’t say ends up saying i...
2025-11-2149 min
Off Duty ActorsCreative Producer Brooke Lagana: It's not about "Making It" ... You ARE making it.Welcome to this weeks episode of Off Duty Actors where I got to spend hours talking to my best friend, my wifey, my confidant, my second pair of eyes, the woman I’d call if I needed to bury a body: creative producer Brooke Lagana.Brooke’s work spans across documentary, short film, music video and above-the-line conceptual TVC and content for reputable global brands. She’s an avid supporter of women in business; mentoring young talent in the industry, is hugely passionate about industry welfare and representing diverse talent both on and off screen.Brooke...
2025-11-2143 min
Off Duty ActorsActor Alfie Gledhill: On finding your "why?"Welcome to Episode Eight of the Off Duty Actors Podcast! I recommend this podcast for any actor that needs a calming presence to help you figure out your "why?" and inspire you to “fail courageously”. Because that’s what this chat is. A calming in-depth discussion with the wonderful actor Alfie Gledhill. You might know Alfie from his time as a presenter on ABC’s Studio 3, from one of his many theatre credits with Sydney Theatre Company, Bell Shakespeare etc. or musical productions, like Moulin Rouge or Godspell, or films such as The Gods Of Wheat St...
2025-11-1345 min
Off Duty ActorsActor Mia Morrissey : The Concept of Shame and Having Self WorthWelcome to Episode Seven of the Off Duty Actors Podcast! I somehow managed to convince actress Mia Morrissey to come on the podcast. You’d know Mia from shows such as Deadloch (Prime), In Your Dreams (Prime), Totally and Completely fine (Stan) and the feature film Together. Mia’s work feels deeply personal, we discuss how one of the driving forces in the work she creates is the concept of shame, how her acting career is her way of reaching out and trying to make people less alone. We talk about body image, casting choices, being a ‘pick me actor’...
2025-11-0653 min
Off Duty ActorsActor Christina Sankari : On Competition in the Industry and Being a CreativeWelcome to Episode Six of the Off Duty Actors podcast with Actress Christina Sankari! Christina is a true creative, exploring all areas of her craft and finding ways throughout her life to pursue creativity in any manor of ways. Christina’s face would be familiar in any Aussie household for the many commercials and tv shows she’s starred in, including but not limited to, Operation Buffalo (Netflix), Locked in (Flickerfest Premiere) and starring as co-lead in my show Flawsome: Sex, Drugs and Recipes. We talk about her journey as a creative kid coming from Greece to Australia, her come...
2025-10-3048 min
Off Duty ActorsDirector Claudia Dzienny : Indie Filmmaking and Avoiding the LA dragWelcome to Episode FIVE with Director, Actor, Writer and Producer Claudia Dzienny (previously Claudia Pickering). Claudia is the ultimate indie filmmaker, her problem solving and can-do attitude are second to none. She burst onto the Australian scene with her indie feature film Frisky and then went on to do shows such as Google’s Resting Pitch Face, Wanderbust, Cheetah Airways, Wentworth, Flawsome: Sex, Drugs & Recipes (our show) and her most recent film Zombucha! Just premiered at MIFF. We talk about the making of Frisky, we go down memory lane on all the ups and downs of making Fla...
2025-10-2353 min
Off Duty ActorsDirector Benjamin Ryan : Overcoming Self-Confidence and Trusting Your ActorsWelcome to Episode Four with Director Benjamin Ryan! Benjamin is an all-rounder, having made it his mission to work in all crew departments so that he can do his job as a Director with skill and ease. He’s worked in commercial land whilst also creating his own work, directing shorts like his most recent film, 'No Feedback', which premiered at Cinefest OZ and garnered a Best Short Film Finalist Nomination. We chat about film school, self confidence, gorilla filmmaking, trusting your actors and the relevance of opinions. Benjamin’s experience as a Director and as a...
2025-10-1644 min
Off Duty ActorsActor Duncan Fellows : On being a jobbing actor and giving yourself permission to shineWelcome to Episode Three of ODA with actor Duncan Fellows! Talking to Duncan is talking to a jobbing actor who has a wealth of experience and understanding of the in’s and outs of the tv and film industry. Duncan’s resume ranges from a travelling kids theatre show, BBC's CBeebies, Home and Away, All Saints, The Letdown, Deadlock, We interrupt this broadcast, the list goes on. We chat about contracts, nudity clauses, intimacy co-ordinators, special effects make up, last minute character changes on a HUGE Hollywood production and how ridiculously beautiful David Corinswet really is up close. It...
2025-10-0949 min
Off Duty ActorsActor Ryan Bown : Embracing and Bringing 'You' to the IndustryWelcome to Episode One of the ODA podcast! Today I'm chatting with actor Ryan Bown a.k.a Sonny from Home and Away about his 'break' into the industry, the London hustle and what it's like being back in Australia to star as Summer Bay's 'Sonny'. Who needs a back-up plan when you have charisma and talent coming out your eyeballs? Enjoy this banter-worthy chat with Ryan-Freakin-Bown! Follow us on Instagram & TikTok, this episode is available on Spotify, iTunes and Substack. Hosted by Rachel Di Renzo, music is One Woman Band by Grace Mesa...
2025-10-0247 min
Off Duty ActorsActor, Writer, Producer and Director Francisca Braithwaite : Finding your grit and grind in the film industry!Welcome to Episode two of the pod! We are chatting with the absolute force that is award winning actor, screenwriter, director and producer Francisca Braithwaite. We get deep and fiery in this episode (a Chilean and an Italian what do you expect?) as we talk about Francisca's newest AACTA short film contender 'Safe Haven' and how it's seemingly being shunned by festivals. We chat about why Fran became an actor, what her purpose is in this industry, the moment she won the 2024 AACTA short film award and what's next for this Screen NSW Emerging Producer? ...
2025-10-0248 min
Off Duty ActorsWelcome to Off Duty ActorsWho the f**k is Rachel Di Renzo? Welcome to the intro episode to ODA pod, I’ll tell you a little bit about myself and a little bit about why I wanted to create this podcast. Here are some links mentioned in this podcast, some ‘show notes’ if you will: The show I created, wrote, produced and acted in: Flawsome: Sex, Drugs & Recipes streaming link The incredible organisation bringing acting and screen/play writing to people who otherwise wouldn’t have the opportunity: Intermission Youth: Thank you for listening! I hope...
2025-10-0212 min
TV Italian StyleI: Io, Agata e tu... Introducing Raffaella CarràSend us a textOn 5 July 2021, Raffaella Carrà passed away at the age of 78 after an unspecified illness. The story was front page news, given Raffaella's status in contemporary Italy. RAI explained ‘È morta all’età di 78 anni Raffaella Carrà, definita la Regina della tv italiana. Showgirl, cantante, ballerina, attrice, conduttrice televisiva, radiofonica e autrice televisiva. [...] Durante la sua lunga carriera, Raffaella Carrà è diventata un’icona della musica e della televisione italiana’ (RaiNews 2021). According to Il Corriere della sera, ‘Raffaella era una donna forte, libera, controcorrente. Una donna che della libertà e dell’allegria aveva fatto la sua bandiera’ (Volpe 20...
2024-05-0645 min
Het MediaforumRenzo Veenstra: “Ik hoop dat hij geen last krijgt van het karakter bedervende medium”Aan tafel zitten Renzo Veenstra, Tom Kleijn en Jennes de Mol.
Het mediamoment van Kleijn gaat over een interview van Ghislaine Maxwell vanuit de cel. Ze vertelt in dit interview over haar dagelijkse routine. Kleijn vindt het bijzonder om een glimps te zien van hoe iemand daar zit, terwijl we het normaal na de veroordeling laten liggen. Moeten we haar wel een podium geven?
Veenstra zijn mediamoment gaat over Arjan Lubach. Veenstra vroeg zich af, omdat er maarliefst 14 advertenties met felicitaties in Broadcast magazine stonden, of hij zichzelf kan blijven in het ‘karakter bede...
2023-01-2423 min
But Make It HallmarkHaul Out the Big Guns, It’s Thanksgiving WeekChinggay and Patty divvy up the Merry Thanksgiving movies into three categories—mediocre non-performers, basic Hallmark fare, and all-new classics everyone’s sure to rewatch for years to come. BMIH kings Tyler Hynes and Victor Webster take the cake this week, while HCU queens Lacey Chabert and Rachel Boston show everyone how it’s done. There’s a little something for everyone this week and that’s enough reason to go through eight movies in one go. Special mention to Hallmark’s next gen up and comers Jaicy Elliot and Hunter King.Catch us every week until December for...
2022-12-0451 min
Leading with Empathy & Allyship PodcastWhat Allyship Looks & Feels LikeIn Episode 57, Melinda Briana Epler is joined by four inspiring DEI experts: Ritu Bhasin, Wayne Sutton, Rachel Williams, and Tiffany Yu. They explore what allyship means to each of them, specific examples of how allies have impacted them, and how they think about being allies for others. This conversation was originally recorded during the launch event for How to Be an Ally, Melinda’s book.
About the Panelists
Ritu Bhasin, LL.B. MBA, President of bhasin consulting inc., is an award-winning speaker, author, and expert in diversity and inclusion, women’s advancement, and authentic leadership. Her Amazon bestselling book, The Auth...
2021-10-1234 min
ArteFatti, il vero e il falso dell'ArteArtefatti Ep#12 - Arte e architetturaL’architettura moderna è nata nella Vienna cosmopolita di fine ’800 per rispondere al bisogno di ambienti che rispettassero i nuovi standard sanitari richiesti dai medici: spazi ampi, più luce e migliore areazione. Oggi, mentre ci lasciamo lentamente alle spalle una lunga pandemia, il legame tra architettura, salute e stile di vita è tornato a essere un tema cruciale. Costantino e Francesco ci raccontano una storia laterale dell’architettura contemporanea, parlando di anarchitetti batterici come Gordon Matta-Clark e archistar mancati come gli italiani di Archizoom, dell’architettura senza architetti di Yona Friedman e dell’architettura per i poveri promossa da Hassan Fathy e Laurie Baker...
2021-06-1349 min
Leading with Empathy & Allyship PodcastWhat Allies Can Do During Black History MonthJoin Empovia (formerly Change Catalyst) Founder & CEO Melinda Briana Epler with a conversation on ‘What Allies Can Do During Black History Month’ with Rachel Williams, Head of Equity, Inclusion & Diversity at X- the moonshot factory, Lionel Lee, Head of Diversity Engagement at Zillow Group and Almaz Negash, Founder & Executive Director at the African Diaspora Network.
In this episode, we talk about:
- How Black History month goes far beyond a month of celebration.
- How Black history should be part of American history program in school.
- The importance of reflection on policies and KPI within communities and workplaces.
This epis...
2021-02-0943 min
Love String: Love Stories That Tie Us All TogetherEpisode 7: Renzo & JosuneIn this episode, you'll meet Renzo. Renzo tells us about his incredible love story with his wife, Josune (Josie), and what happened when their life was flipped upside down after a cancer diagnosis.
2020-08-0427 min
Saturday ReviewThe World's End; A Season in the Congo; Burton and Taylor reimagined on BBC4Simon Pegg and Rosamund Pike star in the film The World's End, the last of the so-called Cornetto Trilogy following Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz, directed by Edgar Wright. Can Gary King make it through the pub crawl he failed to finish as a teenager in his home town of Newton Haven?Joe Wright directs Chiwetel Ejiofor in A Season in the Congo at the Young Vic, a powerful political play by Aime Cesaire charting the rise and fall of Patrice Lumumba in the early days of Congolese independence.Rachel Joyce's novel Perfect...
2013-07-2041 min