First Refusal Podcast

In addition to having a long-standing presence on QVC, actress and model Staci Dickerson has amassed many credits on the runway and in print, commercials, television, and film. In our conversation she dishes on working on Song Sung Blue with Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson, as well as Law & Order, and her origins of getting started as a model with no experience. We also touch on the blessing and curse of typecasting, healthy agency relationships, having large roles in independent films, the reality of working at QVC, how to get your butterflies to fly in formation, and much more.www.stacidickerson.comhttps://www.instagram.com/stacidickerson/https://www.youtube.com/@stacid717/videoshttps://www.instagram.com/pmontejr/https://www.instagram.com/first_refusal_podcast/paulmontejr.com

Filmmaker Christian Jude Grillo’s latest project is the sci-fi/horror feature Intruder — a movie in which the First Refusal Podcast host Paul Monte is happy to be in. In this conversation that independent filmmakers and cinephiles will enjoy, we cover many aspects of moviemaking: budget, rehearsals, distribution, gear, and in Intruder’s case, lots, and lots, and lots of blood. Christian touches on his inspirations of owning a recording studio, French cinema, and The Toxic Avenger, his “odd approach” to writing, and how to turn fan conventions into grass-roots research for your project. He also tells a remarkable story of how he asked Doug Bradley (Hellraiser) and Ernie Hudson (Ghostbusters) to appear in his movie Deer Crossing while attending a Monster Mania convention.Intruder is available October 24 2025 through transactional video-on-demand and advertising video-on-demand (Xfinity, Verizon Fios, Spectrum, COX, Fandango, Tubi, Plex and more).Facebook & IG: @intruder_filmshttps://www.instagram.com/intruder_films/https://www.instagram.com/christian_jude_grillo/https://www.youtube.com/@ChristianJudeGrillohttps://www.youtube.com/@MrPotenthttps://www.instagram.com/pmontejr/https://www.instagram.com/first_refusal_podcast/paulmontejr.com

Baltimore-based actress, model and host Amy Gamper does what it takes to elevate her image. After a rainout in the northeast canceled a photoshoot, she decided to go to Florida, hop in a sprinter van with a photographer and makeup artist, and in one day capture multiple looks in multiple locations in a lifestyle shoot that refreshed and expanded her branding. It’s an example of the lengths one can go to market themselves. We touch on many of Amy’s experiences in commercials, movies, and her moderating and hosting financial analysts for Stansberry Research. We discuss favorite gigs, Los Angeles headshots, adventures in working with kids and animals, how Covid caused increased competition, how to take control in the audition room, self-tape setups, the Lifetime Movie Network experience, the temperature of the Baltimore market, local hire economics, why Skittles at craft services are a no-no, and much more.https://www.instagram.com/amy_gamper/https://www.instagram.com/pmontejr/https://www.instagram.com/first_refusal_podcast/paulmontejr.com

Actor and model Albert Davis found his funny bone during the pandemic, and has been killing on stages as a stand-up comedian ever since. He has embraced the style of building tension with his audience, only to twist and release a premise with humor. In this informative and occasionally raunchy conversation, we discuss first gigs, working with your real family, the high of getting laughs and the horror of bombing, the parallels of comedy with golf and jujitsu, the anatomy of writing and performing jokes, comedy conduciveness, the reality of open mics, the gift of ADHD, earning the pass to be 💩, the benefits of “dream juice,” and much more. https://www.instagram.com/albertdaviscomedy/https://www.instagram.com/pmontejr/https://www.instagram.com/first_refusal_podcast/paulmontejr.com

Widely regarded as Florida’s premier casting director, and host of the Casting Confidential Podcast, Rose Rosen is known for going above and beyond to find the right talent for the job. She regales with adventures that may or may not include hanging in bars after hours, as well as her insightful reasons for why she doesn’t miss being in the room for traditional casting. We discuss the relentless pace of industry change, the importance of special skills, working as a local hire when you’re not local, the state of the industry in Florida, the global competition of incentives, the chasm between influencers and actors, why less is more, and of course, AI. Paul reveals one of his worst commercial shoot experiences, Rose reminisces on working with Tim Burton and Johnny Depp on Edward Scissorhands, and much more. https://www.instagram.com/castingconfidential/https://www.castingconfidential.com/https://castingbyroserosen.com/https://www.instagram.com/pmontejr/https://www.instagram.com/first_refusal_podcast/paulmontejr.com

Jason Loftus is an award-winning casting director and partner of Heery-Loftus Casting, one of the top casting companies on the east coast. In this wide-ranging conversation, he offers insights that actors need to hear. From self-tape dynamics to globe-trotting local hires, and the ominous rise of AI, Jason provides no-nonsense and eye-opening guidance on the state of the industry. We talk about whether he misses being an actor, how directors get annoyed by slates, his appreciation for actor Walton Goggins and embracing uniqueness, being personable, whether look outshines talent, how casting decisions are made, stacking auditions, how he navigates actors with multiple agents, industry outsourcing, and his wildest audition story. Paul tells how Jason cast him in a Mountain Dew commercial, how two phone calls from Jason’s office changed his life, and much more.https://www.instagram.com/heery_loftuscasting/https://www.facebook.com/heeryloftuscasting/https://www.instagram.com/pmontejr/https://www.instagram.com/first_refusal_podcast/paulmontejr.com

Aaron Marcus is an exemplification of success for regional actors. He’s acted over 40 years, appearing in around 1,300 projects, most recently with Tom Hanks in the movie A Man Called Otto. What’s more impressive than the length of Aaron’s resume is the wealth of knowledge he offers fellow actors as the founder of The Actor Career Center (howtoactandmodel.com). We talk about how he sustained his career regionally and by not moving to New York, why he doesn’t believe in competition, traveling to be a local hire, self-tape essentials, and how it took 15 auditions for Aaron to book Netflix’s House of Cards. He takes us into how he fell from a train platform in A Man Called Otto, explains how to start in the industry from scratch, how it’s just business and not personal, and much more. Enjoy and learn from this conversation with a true acting and modeling veteran.The Actor Career Center: howtoactandmodel.comAaron’s Book: https://howtoactandmodel.com/product/how-to-become-a-successful-model-and-actor/Aaron’s Mentoring Program: howtoactandmodel.com/mentoringprogramAaron’s Acting & Modeling Quick Tips: youtube.com/c/AaronMarcusActingAndModelingQuickTipshttps://www.facebook.com/HowToModel/https://x.com/aaronrmarcushttps://www.instagram.com/aaronrmarcus/IMDB: http://www.imdb.me/aaronmarcushttps://www.instagram.com/pmontejr/https://www.instagram.com/first_refusal_podcast/paulmontejr.com

Actor and model Kevin Towell knows his lane — it’s comedy, preferably full of energy and antics. He also knows it’s okay to start out not knowing what you’re doing, but to just put yourself out there. Kevin talks about his early days in showbiz, and how he turned his experiences working with children and mugging for his friend’s camera into acting and modeling gigs, including a role on a popular PBS kids show. We discuss how he was able to perform without acting, the ethics of ads, the classroom of background work, embracing the role of comedic relief, his connection to the new Superman, snazzy suits, timelines, the process of mental health, and much more.https://www.instagram.com/kevin_towell_/https://www.instagram.com/pmontejr/paulmontejr.com

Allyson Malandra is an all-encompassing creative. As an actor, teacher, and business-owner, she combines performing, voice coaching, and running a social media management company into creative and professional fulfillment. Ally takes us into the tapestry of her life. She talks about her training days that took her from England to Iowa, her notable theater and film roles, including Dry Land at the Contemporary American Theater Festival, being the star of a show (or commercial), and starting a marketing company. As a teacher of Fitzmaurice Voicework, she goes in-depth on the holistic nature of our voice and how to serves as a barometer for our bodies and being. We also touch on motherhood and creativity, working with Lance Henriksen, ChatGPT’s ominous forecast for screen actor viability, and more. http://www.allysonjeanmalandra.com/https://www.fitzmauriceinstitute.org/teacher-gallery15/malandra-allysonhttps://www.instagram.com/allyjean3/https://www.instagram.com/pmontejr/paulmontejr.com

In this episode We're not talking with an entertainment industry professional, but our conversation is vital for actors, creatives, and frankly, anyone. Manifestation coach and podcast host Jennifer Coffey is here to explain the Law of Attraction and how examining our mindset can transform our careers and lives. She draws on her own remarkable story of manifesting a QVC Program Host position despite virtually no experience, and introduces us to a wealth of of manifestation topics: self-awareness, free will, money thermostats, best- and worst-case scenarios, deadlines, gratitude, surrender, and acting “as if.” We touch on the concept of co-creation, how success and betrayal can be synonymous, what fear really is, and allowing things to be easy. Enjoy this primer on mindfulness and creation that will benefit you in any walk of life.Jen’s Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@JenniferCoffeyStylehttps://www.instagram.com/jennifercoffey/https://www.instagram.com/pmontejr/paulmontejr.com

Actor, spokesperson, entrepreneur, producer and documentarian Rich Henkels is an example of how it’s never too late to begin an acting career. At 55, he began his “third act” after careers in broadcasting and business. His silver fox look has landed him dozens of commercials, industrials, and spokes jobs, along with co-starring on Blue Bloods, FBI, and Law & Order. As a producer, Rich talks about the inspiration behind and making of the award-winning series Workforce, his documentary Camino de Santiago - The Pilgrims Speak, and establishing the performers forum Actors Think Tank which attracted an A-List guest. In addition to the business aspects of acting, we talk about family, relationships, the art of playing dead, how Rich manifested a scene with actress Bridget Moynahan, his connection to The Real Housewives of New York, and much more.https://www.richhenkels.actor/https://www.instagram.com/richhenkels/https://www.instagram.com/pmontejr/paulmontejr.com

After making his mark in dance and music, Matt Chua has his sights set on acting. After crashing his first audition with the help a friend, Matt went on to book commercials for Pepsi and Wawa, and landed his first dramatic role for the History channel docuseries The Food That Built America. He tells us about this latest passion, the filipino martial art Balintawak, what superhero he wants to portray, and his adventures in cosplay. We discuss the myth of acting competition, Paul’s experience working with Chris Evans on his feature directorial debut, and much more.https://www.instagram.com/chuamerica/https://linktr.ee/chuamericahttps://www.instagram.com/pmontejr/paulmontejr.com

Rachel Nielsen is an actress who’s found her performing tribe, having appeared in several feature films for writer-director Dan Lantz, including a starring turn in the action-fantasy feature Alpha Rift with Lance Henriksen. Rachel takes us into the experience of working on these independent features. We also talk about special skills, kindness, relaxation, artistic connection, fake eating, the challenges of industrial films, Dungeons & Dragons, pageants and being Miss New Jersey, the set dynamics of the HBO series Mare of Easttown and working with Kate Winslet, celebrity encounters behind the Chinese Theater in Los Angeles, meeting Kevin Bacon, mental health, and more.rachelnielsenactor.compaulmontejr.com

Actress, model and “momager” Amy Garber is a shining example of a performer who succeeds in balancing show business with the demands of a young family. We get into how she gravitated to acting, her early break on the Chapelle Show while she was still in nursing school, how it took ten years for her hobby of show biz to become her profession, and the awkwardness of being featured on WikiFeet. Amy talks of breaking “golden handcuffs” into career expansion, the hurdles of getting your work to see the light of day, coaching and training, the positives and negatives of self tapes, and managing her children in the business. She dishes on QVC, her bud and celebrity hairstylist Chaz Dean, romance novel photoshoots, and much more. https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1634970/https://www.instagram.com/amygarber38/https://www.instagram.com/pmontejr/paulmontejr.com

Actor and model Nic Detorie has been dubbed a man of many faces and a chameleon. Rightfully so. His extensive commercial and print portfolio features a diversity of characters few performers can match. He also knows how to treat entertainment as a business. We go into Nic’s extensive national representation, how to cultivate casting relationships, when it’s wise to take a gig for the connection rather than the paycheck, self-tape takes, the particulars of commercial auditioning, the Hallmark movie set experience, ventriloquism, the importance of staying in the marathon, and more. nicdetorie.comhttps://www.youtube.com/@nicdet5195https://www.instagram.com/nicdetorie_actormodel/https://www.instagram.com/pmontejr/paulmontejr.com

Phil Nobile, Jr., Editor-In-Chief of Fangoria, joins me for all things horror. We cover a lot of ground: How Phil took the helm of the magazine, the renaissance of the horror genre, newsstand covers and subscriber covers, content curation, producers and contractual credits, the pitch and production of Horror Noire: A History of Black Horror, the Cursed Films series, and how we are wired to make narratives out of chaos, do productions use real skeletons, what makes a horror film truly terrifying, Terrifier 3 versus Joker 2, Phil’s persistence to see Ian Fleming’s house at Goldeneye in Jamaica, how he would conceive a James Bond story, skydiving, and more. Enjoy this deep dive with an authority of horror: Phil Nobile Jr. https://www.instagram.com/philnobilejr/ fangoria.com https://www.instagram.com/pmontejr/ paulmontejr.com

We're grateful to have actor Brian Anthony Wilson, stalwart of the Philadelphia acting scene and beyond, on the show. He talks about his big breaks — The Postman with Kevin Costner, and the acclaimed HBO series The Wire where he portrayed detective Vernon Holley. We hear about how sometimes you ride in a limo, and sometimes you sleep on a floor, the challenges of working as a local hire, and the lengths one can go to make it to the gig with no notice. Brian touches on the instinctual nature of finding the character, the ancestral channellings of August Wilson, playing against type, career sustainability, and much more. We hope you enjoy the insight and perspective of this true performing veteran, Brian Anthony Wilson. https://www.facebook.com/brian.a.wilson.1217 paulmontejr.com instagram.com/pmontejr/

We’re proud to present our most informative episode yet. Acting coach Bryan Fox is here with non-stop wisdom on the craft and the business of show. He counsels everyone from green teen performers to seasoned veterans killing it at the box office. He traces his journey through classes, gigs, and production work in New York and L.A., providing insight into showbiz dynamics, knowing your energy, servicing the material, and more. In addition to taking us into the room for the network callback, Bryan talks about indifference, transitioning from the stage to the screen, and prepping actress Lauren LaVera for Terrifier 3. We also touch on how regional actors can vie for national projects, being ready for opportunities, and Bryan’s documentary about special needs children and baseball. actorslabphilly.com paulmontejr.com https://www.instagram.com/pmontejr/

Actor Bruce Clifford is here to give us a read on the entertainment industry climate in Los Angeles, how varying perspectives can augment or shrink the prospects of acting work, and why it’s important to not wait, but to create. We dive into artificial intelligence, and how text prompt video rendering is getting scary good, as well as Bruce’s run on a military series that helps veterans. We also touch on why you shouldn’t get a real person to do an actors job, Bruce’s trippy experience of meeting Scrubs actor Zach Braff, and what it means to create unconditionally. Paul talks about the coolest commercial gig he’s ever had, and more. https://www.instagram.com/bruceclifford_/ https://www.instagram.com/pmontejr/ paulmontejr.com

All actors start out “green,” or having little experience, but this hasn’t stopped actress Rachel Aspen from rapidly making her mark. Springboarding from the stage at Rutgers University, Rachel dishes on her projects in independent film, livestream hosting, vertical short form, and her break on the #1 Netflix series Tires. In addition to touching on the challenges of self tapes and self doubt, Rachel reveals the one dish that turned her into a literal food critic. instagram.com/rachelaspen/ instagram.com/rayrayrates/ rachel-aspen.com instagram.com/pmontejr/ youtube.com/@pmontejr paulmontejr.com