“Some of the best work I’ll ever do will never be seen by people.”

Risa Dorken is best known to the world for playing Nurse Amy Driscoll on General Hospital, TV’s longest running soap opera that just celebrated its 60th anniversary.

But I know her first and foremost as the very talented actress I went to middle school and high school with. It was clear then that she was gifted and even more dedicated than the rest of us, and it’s been so fun to watch her career unfold.

I wanted to learn from Risa what it’s actually like to work in Hollywood, an industry known for being highly competitive and full of so many ups and downs. She was so honest, open, and vulnerable, and as you’ll hear her say, she doesn’t feel like she’s yet reached the pinnacle of her career. She was also incredibly open about her journey with bipolar. For 90’s kids, I also ask her what it’s like working with Zenon: Girl of the 21st Century.

Inspired by Risa, I share my own journey with mental health in the Coda.

Connect with Risa

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/risadorken/


• Twitter: https://twitter.com/RisaDorken

Connect with the show

• Twitter: https://twitter.com/ConnectRequest


• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/connectionrequest/


• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@connectionrequest


• TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@connectionrequest


• Email: connect@shrugcontent.com

Connect with Joel

• Twitter: https://twitter.com/joelleeman


• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jleeman/


• Instagram: https://instagram.com/joelleeman

About Connection Request

Connection Request is a podcast about career journeys, produced by Shrug Content. Hosted by Joel Leeman, a producer and strategist who has spent the past 10 years making media for the Internet, the show profiles a variety of fascinating people, digging into how they spend their waking hours, what they’ve learned along the way, how they make decisions, and why they do what they do. In Season 1 we hear from a drummer turned coffee entrepreneur, a journalist who popularized the term “doomscrolling,” an executive who’s plotting her next chapter, and much more.

Listen wherever you get your podcasts: https://www.shrugcontent.com/connection-request