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The brilliant J. Smith-Cameron blew us away in “Margaret” (written and directed by her husband, Kenneth Lonergan) and in the acclaimed series “Rectify.” Currently she’s starring in the new play “Peace For Mary Frances” (with Lois Smith), and the praiseworthy film “Nancy” (written and directed by Christina Choe and co-staring Andrea Riseborough and Steve Buscemi), which opens Friday June 8th. We talk extensively about her work in the latest two pieces and how her desire for rehearsal is sometimes satisfied in a roundabout way on a TV shoot. She also shares what she does right before she steps on the stage and how she feeds her “inner actor” when she’s not working.

Sami Gayle has played Nicky Reagan on the hit CBS drama “Blue Bloods” for eight seasons, performed on Broadway a few times, acted opposite Adrien Brody in her first film, and she’s only 22. She now stars in “Candy Jar,” a fun and smart new Netflix film set in the world of high school debate, which was written by her brother Chad. We talk about the unique way the work deepens when you have played a character over a period of time, and why “quality over quantity” is the approach she’s taking with her career.

I finished Lee Grant's incredible autobiography "I Said Yes To Everything" right before sitting down with her and that was a huge mistake, only because it was frustrating to have such a limited time with the legendary actress after reading her extraordinary story. Consider this episode a tiny drop in the ocean of this astounding life. She was nominated for an Oscar for her first screen role in William Wyler's "Detective Story" and then was blacklisted by HUAC for 12 long, painful years. She rebuilt her career with roles in "Peyton Place," "In The Heat Of The Night," and "Shampoo" (which earned her an Academy Award), then had a second career as a successful director (she was the first woman to win a DGA award). She talks about Lee Strasberg vs. Sanford Meisner, mentions an amazing bit of direction from Mike Nichols, and paints a vivid picture of the incident that ended her stage career. If this episode sends you running out to buy her book, I would be very happy.

At the moment, Harry Lennix is perhaps best known for his portrayal of FBI agent Harold Cooper on NBC’s “The Blacklist.” The breadth and depth of his work on the stage and screen go well beyond that hit show, however, with film roles spanning from Robert Townsend’s “The Five Heartbeats” and Julie Taymor’s “Titus,” to General Swanwick in both “Man of Steel” and “Batman vs. Superman,” and on Broadway in August Wilson’s final play “Radio Golf," and “Cymbeline” at The Royal Shakespeare Company. In 2014 Lennix created Exponent Media Group and began producing his own content such as “H4,” a fresh interpretation of Shakespeare’s “Henry IV” featuring an all black cast filmed onstage and in the streets of South Central LA, and the ambitious “Revival!,” an epic musical re-imagining of the Gospel of John. In this episode, Harry generously shares his vast knowledge of the classic foundations of the acting craft while skillfully placing a few perfect sports metaphors, but if you’re here just to listen to his beautiful voice, I understand.

In this hour, Sheila Vand gifts us with a glimpse into the inner life of an incredibly talented young actor on the verge of harnessing her art and reaching new heights. She first captured our attention in Ana Lily Amirpour’s noir vampire western A GIRL WALKS HOME ALONE AT NIGHT, and in the small but pivotal role of Sahar, the Iranian housekeeper, inARGO. Co-starring stints on NBC’s STATE OF AFFAIRS and FOX’s 24 LEGACY followed, and by the end of this episode she’ll make you anxious to see two of her upcoming projects, Jeremiah Zagar’s festival hit WE THE ANIMALSand the TV adaption of SNOWPIERCER. She’ll also make you optimistic for the future of the entertainment business, so long as she is in it.

Joshua Leonard first came onto the scene with the lo-fi sensation The Blair Witch Project, then went on to receive rave reviews for his performance in Lynn Shelton's Independent Spirit Award-winning Humpday. His narrative feature debut as director, The Lie, premiered at Sundance in 2011 and he just wrapped production on his sophomore feature Behold My Heart which stars Marisa Tomei. Currently he co-stars in Steven Soderbergh's thriller Unsane, which was famously shot on an iPhone. Leonard talks about how freeing that was and how he’s dismayed, now that he’s a dad, at all the bad guy parts he’s being offered.

Emily Mortimer is perhaps best known for her role as MacKenzie McHale in Aaron Sorkin’s beloved HBO series “The Newsroom.” Some of her other memorable performances are in Woody Allen’s “March Point,” Martin Scorsese’s “Shutter Island” and “Hugo” and as Phoebe, Jack Donaghy’s love interest, on the NBC series “30 Rock.”

In this hour she talks extensively about one particular, powerful scene in her breakout film, Nicole Holofcener’s “Lovely & Amazing” (which earned her an Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Actress), and about what it was like to play a character named “Emily Mortimer” in her HBO series “Doll & Em.” Plus, of course, we talk SORKIN.

And before you run to see Ms. Mortimer in the eagerly anticipated “Mary Popins Returns” at the end of the year, be sure to catch her in the charming Isabelle Coixet film “The Bookshop,” opposite Bill Nighy and Patricia Clarkson, this Summer.

We could not have a more perfect guest for the first episode of a podcast about “the work” of acting if we build one. The TV guest star extraordinaire, the go-to indie comedy player of our time, the actor's actor--Kevin Corrigan seems to be in everything. From nearly 30 years of experience in front of the camera in indies likeBuffalo 66andResults,studio films likeGoodfellasandThe Departedand television shows such as Grounded for Life, Community, and The Get Down, he has developed a poignant and often hilarious wisdom about this craft he loves. And in this hour he generously shares it with us.

Presented by Filmmaker Magazine, a publication of IFP, the Independent Filmmaker Project

Producer and Host: Peter Rinaldi

Executive Producer: Scott Macaulay