In the premiere episode of Mentor Buffet, host Alexi Pappas talks to Rainn Wilson about his acting journey and how his mentors—three acting professors he met in school at NYU—taught him lessons that have stuck with him his entire career. Rainn shares about how Zelda Fichandler, the grande dame of American theater, shaped his definition of an actor, how Paul Walker taught him to assume he’s brilliant to build longstanding confidence, and how Ron Van Lieu helped him get out of his own way. Rainn and Alexi also discuss the importance of resilience, the value of being of service to others, and how to stay on your own team.

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