That One Audition with Alyshia Ochse

Christopher Thornton — actor, writer, teacher, and one of the most quietly extraordinary storytellers working in Hollywood today. His journey is not a straight line. It is a rock climbing accident that fractured two vertebrae and left him in a wheelchair — and an agency that dropped him in a signed card from his hospital bed. It is a then-unknown Mark Ruffalo tricking him into performing Waiting for Godot five months later — and the Drama-Logue Award that changed everything. It is understudying the lead at the Mark Taper Forum with zero rehearsals and going on for a matinee AND an evening performance the same day. It is writing Sympathy for Delicious in 1997 and not shooting it until 2009. It is a Magnum P.I. surfboard scene he absolutely claimed he could handle. And it is thirty years of showing up — to the stage, to the room, to the tape, to the work — until Vice Principals, Magnum P.I., Lincoln Lawyer, and now The Pitt and Netflix's All the Sinners Bleed made the industry take notice. These are the unforgettable stories that landed Christopher Thornton right here. Credits: The Pitt Magnum P.I. Vice Principals Lincoln Lawyer All the Sinners Bleed Sympathy for Delicious Waiting for Godot Alias Will & Grace Guest Links: IMDB: Christopher Thornton, actor, writer THAT ONE AUDITION'S LINKS: For exclusive content surrounding this and all podcast episodes, sign up for our amazing newsletter at AlyshiaOchse.com. And don't forget to snap and post a photo while listening to the show and tag me: @alyshiaochse & @thatoneaudition THE BRIDGE FOR ACTORS: Become a WORKING ACTOR (50% off special) THE PRACTICE TRACK: Membership to Practice Weekly CONSULTING: Get 1-on-1 advice for your acting career from Alyshia Ochse COACHING: Get personalized coaching from Alyshia on your next audition or role INSTAGRAM: @alyshiaochse INSTAGRAM: @thatoneaudition WEBSITE: AlyshiaOchse.com APPLE PODCASTS: Subscribe to That One Audition on Apple Podcasts SPOTIFY: Subscribe to That One Audition on Spotify STITCHER: Subscribe to That One Audition on Stitcher EPISODE CREDITS: HOST/PRODUCER: Alyshia Ochse WRITER: Maddie McCormick WEBSITE & GRAPHICS: Chase Jennings SOCIAL: Alara Cerikcioglu

Cara Jade Myers asked Martin Scorsese how he wanted her to play Anna in Killers of the Flower Moon. He said — "You're the actor. Figure it out." And that single sentence gave her permission to know exactly what to do. This week we unpack why the permission you've been waiting for has always been yours to give yourself — and why Cara's decision to stop waiting for the industry and start writing, producing, and creating her own opportunities is the most important career move any actor can make right now. Stop waiting. Start creating. Figure it out. Subscribe now for insightful discussions, empowering interviews, and practical advice to enhance your career longevity and satisfaction. Connect with That One Audition: THE BRIDGE FOR ACTORS: Become a WORKING ACTOR - 50% OFF THE PRACTICE TRACK: Membership to Practice Weekly CONSULTING: Get 1-on-1 advice for your acting career from Alyshia Ochse COACHING: Get personalized coaching from Alyshia on your next audition or role INSTAGRAM: @alyshiaochse INSTAGRAM: @thatoneaudition WEBSITE: AlyshiaOchse.com APPLE PODCASTS: Subscribe to That One Audition on Apple Podcasts SPOTIFY: Subscribe to That One Audition on Spotify STITCHER: Subscribe to That One Audition on Stitcher Subscribe today and be part of a community that celebrates resilience and passion in the world of acting! #ActorsResilience #RecoveryMindset #ThatOneAudition #PodcastJourney CREDITS: Host/Producer: Alyshia Ochse WRITER: Alyshia Ochse WEBSITE & GRAPHICS: Chase Jennings SOCIAL: Alara Cerikcioglu

Today we are sitting down with Cara Jade Myers — the Native American actress who spent ten years grinding through background work, PA gigs, and craft services before booking one of the most coveted roles in recent Hollywood history: Anna in Martin Scorsese's Killers of the Flower Moon. Cara takes us through the entire extraordinary journey — from auditioning for casting director Rene Haynes for years before getting noticed, to a nine-month process that ended in a Zoom call with Scorsese where she could only see his iconic eyebrows on screen. She shares what it was like working alongside Leonardo DiCaprio and Robert De Niro, the improvised flask moment that Scorsese immediately greenlit, and why the film's premiere on Hollywood Boulevard — during the strike — became one of the most bittersweet moments of her career. Plus — why writing, producing, and building her own creative projects out of sheer frustration has become the most powerful move she's ever made. These are the unforgettable stories that landed Cara Jade Myers right here. Credits: Killers of the Flower Moon This Is Us Icefall Day of Reckoning How We Stand Guest Links: IMDB: Cara Jade Myers, actress THAT ONE AUDITION'S LINKS: For exclusive content surrounding this and all podcast episodes, sign up for our amazing newsletter at AlyshiaOchse.com. And don't forget to snap and post a photo while listening to the show and tag me: @alyshiaochse & @thatoneaudition SLAYTEMBER CLASS: Starting September 24th THE BRIDGE FOR ACTORS: Become a WORKING ACTOR (50% off special) THE PRACTICE TRACK: Membership to Practice Weekly CONSULTING: Get 1-on-1 advice for your acting career from Alyshia Ochse COACHING: Get personalized coaching from Alyshia on your next audition or role INSTAGRAM: @alyshiaochse INSTAGRAM: @thatoneaudition WEBSITE: AlyshiaOchse.com APPLE PODCASTS: Subscribe to That One Audition on Apple Podcasts SPOTIFY: Subscribe to That One Audition on Spotify STITCHER: Subscribe to That One Audition on Stitcher EPISODE CREDITS: HOST/PRODUCER: Alyshia Ochse WRITER: Maddie McCormick WEBSITE & GRAPHICS: Chase Jennings SOCIAL: Alara Cerikcioglu

Okay. A LAMDA trained British actor who is also a fully practicing member of The Magic Circle walked into this week's episode and completely changed how I think about self tapes. Brendan Patricks — Downton Abbey, Rivals, Gentleman Jack — figured out that the same techniques magicians use to control where an audience looks apply directly to your tape. This week we break down the Miles Davis philosophy of treating every single take like a live performance — not a rehearsal for one — and the magic misdirection principles that put you in full control of where the casting director's eye goes from the first frame to the last. Subscribe now for insightful discussions, empowering interviews, and practical advice to enhance your career longevity and satisfaction. Connect with That One Audition: THE BRIDGE FOR ACTORS: Become a WORKING ACTOR - 50% OFF THE PRACTICE TRACK: Membership to Practice Weekly CONSULTING: Get 1-on-1 advice for your acting career from Alyshia Ochse COACHING: Get personalized coaching from Alyshia on your next audition or role INSTAGRAM: @alyshiaochse INSTAGRAM: @thatoneaudition WEBSITE: AlyshiaOchse.com APPLE PODCASTS: Subscribe to That One Audition on Apple Podcasts SPOTIFY: Subscribe to That One Audition on Spotify STITCHER: Subscribe to That One Audition on Stitcher Subscribe today and be part of a community that celebrates resilience and passion in the world of acting! #ActorsResilience #RecoveryMindset #ThatOneAudition #PodcastJourney CREDITS: HOST/PRODUCER: Alyshia Ochse WRITER: Alyshia Ochse WEBSITE & GRAPHICS: Chase Jennings SOCIAL: Alara Cerikcioglu

Today, we're joined by Brendan Patricks, the British actor and close-up magician whose 20-plus-year career has taken him from the West End to acclaimed series like Downton Abbey, Rivals, and Gentleman Jack. Brendan shares how picking up his first deck of cards at 21, after his father gave him a tiny book of tricks, sparked a lifelong obsession with magic and ultimately transformed the way he approaches acting. In this episode, Brendan takes us behind the scenes of playing Evelyn Napier on Downton Abbey, including the nerve-wracking audition where he bluffed about knowing how to ride a horse. He also shares clever self-tape techniques he picked up while performing virtual magic shows over Zoom, stories from set with Toni Collette and Patrick Dempsey, and reveals how mastering sleight of hand, misdirection, and improvisation has shaped his work as an actor. Tune in for a fascinating conversation about the surprising overlap between acting and illusion, and why sometimes the secret to a great performance is knowing exactly where you don't want the audience to look. These are the unforgettable stories that landed Brendan Patricks right here. Credits: Rivals Downton Abbey Gentleman Jack Outlander Doctor Who Bad Education Grace The Ghost Writer Traitors Resurrection Breeders Skins Guest Links: IMDB: Brendan Patricks, actor, magician WEBSITE: BrendanPatricks.com THAT ONE AUDITION'S LINKS: For exclusive content surrounding this and all podcast episodes, sign up for our amazing newsletter at AlyshiaOchse.com. And don't forget to snap and post a photo while listening to the show and tag me: @alyshiaochse & @thatoneaudition SLAYTEMBER CLASS: Starting September 24th THE BRIDGE FOR ACTORS: Become a WORKING ACTOR (50% off special) THE PRACTICE TRACK: Membership to Practice Weekly CONSULTING: Get 1-on-1 advice for your acting career from Alyshia Ochse COACHING: Get personalized coaching from Alyshia on your next audition or role INSTAGRAM: @alyshiaochse INSTAGRAM: @thatoneaudition WEBSITE: AlyshiaOchse.com APPLE PODCASTS: Subscribe to That One Audition on Apple Podcasts SPOTIFY: Subscribe to That One Audition on Spotify STITCHER: Subscribe to That One Audition on Stitcher EPISODE CREDITS: HOST/PRODUCER: Alyshia Ochse WRITER: Maddie McCormick WEBSITE & GRAPHICS: Chase Jennings SOCIAL: Alara Cerikcioglu