Questions Every Actor Needs to Ask with 'Cape Fea'r & 'The Wire' Star Jamie Hector

Questions Every Actor Needs to Ask with 'Cape Fea'r & 'The Wire' Star Jamie Hector

Submit a question! [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2297780/fan_mail/new] The best way for an actor to build an authentic character boils down to asking the right questions. Jamie Hector, who’s been seen on television hits like The Wire and Cape Fear, reveals how leading with curiosity and empathy paved his way to working alongside greats like Spike Lee, Steven Spielberg and Martin Scorsese. In conversation with host Robert Peterpaul, Jamie explores the art of getting to the truth of every role. In this interview for actors, you'll learn: * The serendipitous training that prepared Jamie for his breakout role * Why asking specific questions is the foundation of every great performance * What he first does when he reads the script for a show like Cape Fear * Lessons from working with titans like Spike Lee, Amy Adams, Javier Bardem and Steven Spielberg * Why slowing down during your script analysis and scene work breeds more nuanced, truthful characters * Practical tips for actors at every stage: from audition prep and self-tapes to understanding the business side of acting JAMIE HECTOR is a two-time Emmy Award-winning executive producer and actor whose career spans more than two decades. Known for his commanding presence, emotional depth, and authenticity, he has built a remarkable body of work. Most recently, Hector stars in the acclaimed Apple TV+ series Cape Fear and serves as executive producer of the two-time Emmy Award-winning sports documentary series The Story of My Number on the YES Network. A graduate of New York’s Lee Strasberg Theatre & Film Institute, Hector gained recognition as Marlo Stanfield on HBO’s The Wire. He further cemented his TV star status with his portrayal of Detective Jerry Edgar in Bosch and Bosch: Legacy, while also developing his skills as a director and producer. Additional television credits include We Own This City, Queen of the South, Wu-Tang: An American Saga, The Strain, and Heroes. Film credits include Vacation Friends 2, All Eyez on Me, Night Catches Us, and Max Payne. In 2026, Hector expanded his creative voice with Enough, a YA short film series he directed, centered on a Brooklyn performing arts student navigating identity and vulnerability in the age of social media. Beyond the screen, Hector is the founder of Moving Mountains Inc., a nonprofit providing free arts education to inner-city youth, and the author of five Scholastic children’s books—reflecting his lifelong commitment to mentorship, education, and storytelling. This is - How We Role. Discover fresh casting calls at castingnetworks.com [http://castingnetworks.com/]. Follow Host, Actor and Producer Robert Peterpaul (Amazon's Sitting in Bars with Cake, The Art of Kindness [https://bpn.fm/TheArtOfKindness] podcast) on Instagram @robpeterpaul [https://www.instagram.com/robpeterpaul/] and learn more at robertpeterpaul.com [https://www.robertpeterpaul.com/]. Follow Casting Networks on social media for casting news, interviews and more: Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/castingnetworks/] Threads [https://www.threads.net/@castingnetworks] https://twitter.com/castingnetworks/Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/CastingNetworks/] LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/casting-networks-llc/] YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9l5vNFU_va0dNiP6yxISag]

How To Find Your Actor Brand (Without the Cringe): ReelArc's Steven C. Schmidt

Submit a question! [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2297780/fan_mail/new] How do I find my actor brand? Does hearing actor brand make you cringe? What if it could make you feel empowered in your career instead?  Yes, "actor brand” can sound like a dirty phrase, but the truth is: we work in an industry built on perception and opinions, and your career benefits when you can get ahead of those. Director and Co-Founder of Reelarc Steven C. Schmidt joins Robert Peterpaul on the mic in this empowering episode to unpack actor branding as something far more human than a marketing trick. We talk about how the industry runs on bets, why a thumbnail can decide what gets watched, and how your job is to make it easier for casting, reps, and creatives to understand the value you bring. In this interview for actors, you'll learn: • How the truth about an actor's brand is deeper than you might think, and what it actually means • Why “predictable traits under pressure” will keep you booking again and again • The North Star of choosing authenticity above all else • The three pillars of actor branding to take your career to the next level • Tactical tips on headshots, resumes, reels, websites and more • Why you may not need to be on social media, after all • How an actor brand is really just for you in the end STEVEN C. SCHMIDT is a director, DP and co-founder of Reelarc, the leading demo reel production company in the country. After entering the industry as a performer, Steve found he was better suited to help other actors discover their unique appeal and thrive. To put this passion into action, he co-founded Reelarc in 2014 alongside Guy Chackes (a guest from last season who broke down how to create your best demo reel [https://www.castingnetworks.com/news/how-to-create-an-acting-reel-that-hooks-casting-with-reelarcs-guy-chachkes-how-we-role/]), he’s spent his 10,000 hours working with actors both on their branding and giving head-turning performances on set.  This is - How We Role. Discover fresh casting calls at castingnetworks.com [http://castingnetworks.com/]. Follow Host, Actor and Producer Robert Peterpaul (Amazon's Sitting in Bars with Cake, The Art of Kindness [https://bpn.fm/TheArtOfKindness] podcast) on Instagram @robpeterpaul [https://www.instagram.com/robpeterpaul/] and learn more at robertpeterpaul.com [https://www.robertpeterpaul.com/]. Follow Casting Networks on social media for casting news, interviews and more: Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/castingnetworks/] Threads [https://www.threads.net/@castingnetworks] https://twitter.com/castingnetworks/Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/CastingNetworks/] LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/casting-networks-llc/] YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9l5vNFU_va0dNiP6yxISag]

How Actors Can Play the Long Game with Netflix Casting Director Julie Tucker

Submit a question! [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2297780/fan_mail/new] Emmy-Winning Casting Director Julie Tucker (Netflix's The Beast in Me) shares honest insights on how the entertainment industry is shifting and what golden acting advice remains true no matter what. The CD and teacher joins How We Role: a Podcast for Actors host Robert Peterpaul to chat self-tapes, survival jobs, and what actors can control right now in their career. In this interview for actors, you'll learn: • Why virtual auditions still dominate and what returning to offices looks like • Kindness as respect that creates safety and courage in auditions • A healthy actor mindset for beginners and why it can be a golden period • Survival jobs that feed your craft and build character (literally) • What makes an audition feel undeniable versus merely “good” • The differences in casting a limited series versus network TV • Why you should stop after three self-tape takes  • How casting is championing you behind the scenes • Why a mistake in the audition can actually help you book, plus more JULIE TUCKER, C.S.A., is a two time Emmy-winning and five-time Artois Award-winning Casting Director with a career spanning two decades. The East Coast-based creative has worked on everything from the Oscar-nominated short film Red White & Blue starring Brittany Snow to the Queen Latifah led hit CBS series The Equalizer. Some other notable credits include: The Americans, The Affair, Nurse Jackie, Damages, Six Feet Under and Homeland. Today's chat revolves around her more recent hit: the Netflix juggernaut The Beast in Me starring Claire Danes and Matthew Rhys.  This is - How We Role. Discover fresh casting calls at castingnetworks.com [http://castingnetworks.com/]. Follow Host, Actor and Producer Robert Peterpaul (Amazon's Sitting in Bars with Cake, The Art of Kindness [https://bpn.fm/TheArtOfKindness] podcast) on Instagram @robpeterpaul [https://www.instagram.com/robpeterpaul/] and learn more at robertpeterpaul.com [https://www.robertpeterpaul.com/]. Follow Casting Networks on social media for casting news, interviews and more: Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/castingnetworks/] Threads [https://www.threads.net/@castingnetworks] https://twitter.com/castingnetworks/Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/CastingNetworks/] LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/casting-networks-llc/] YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9l5vNFU_va0dNiP6yxISag]

What Great Actors Do Before Even Saying a Word: CD Tiffany Little Canfield (The Tesley Office)

Submit a question! [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2297780/fan_mail/new] Casting Director Tiffany Little Canfield of the prestigious Telsey Office has helped cast everything from the Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo-led WICKED films to Ryan Murphy’s chilling Netflix anthology MONSTER. She joins host and actor Robert Peterpaul to unpack what casting directors actually respond to— and why the best auditions stop trying to be “right” and start telling the story. In this interview for actors, you’ll learn: • Common trends she sees in stars from Ariana Grande to Anne Hathaway  • Why breakdowns and slates aren't necessarily for actors and should be taken with a grain of salt • How you can make strong choices (and what that means) from the first frame • Why technical self-tape perfection isn't what Casting is really looking for • Unpacking the psychology of "small roles" • Whether social media plays a part in the casting process • What great creative partnerships look like TIFFANY LITTLE CANFIELD, CSA, is a casting director for theater, film, opera, television and commercials at one of the nation’s busiest casting offices, The Telsey Office.  Her team's recent film projects include “Wicked: For Good,” “Wicked, Part One,” “The Idea of You” and the upcoming “Verity,” starring Anne Hathaway, Dakota Johnson and Josh Hartnett.  Some of Little Canfield’s recent television projects include “Paradise,” “Monster: The Eric and Lyle Menendez Story” and “Monster: Ed Gein,” “Only Murders in the Building” and “The Beauty.” She has been honored with many Emmy nominations for her television work.  Little Canfield was honored with the Casting Society of America’s Media Access Award for promoting awareness, accessibility and accurate depictions of people with disabilities.  She and Bernard Telsey, founder of The Telsey Office, also won the Robert Altman Spirit Award for their work on the film “Margin Call.”  An opera lover, she cast Baz Luhrmann’s production of Puccini’s “La Boheme” (Broadway and Los Angeles companies) and “Anna Nicole the Opera” at the Brooklyn Academy of Music.  Little Canfield is a proud alumna of the University of North Carolina School of the Arts’ Drama program. This is - How We Role. Discover fresh casting calls at castingnetworks.com [http://castingnetworks.com/]. Follow Host, Actor and Producer Robert Peterpaul (Amazon's Sitting in Bars with Cake, The Art of Kindness [https://bpn.fm/TheArtOfKindness] podcast) on Instagram @robpeterpaul [https://www.instagram.com/robpeterpaul/] and learn more at robertpeterpaul.com [https://www.robertpeterpaul.com/]. Follow Casting Networks on social media for casting news, interviews and more: Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/castingnetworks/] Threads [https://www.threads.net/@castingnetworks] https://twitter.com/castingnetworks/Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/CastingNetworks/] LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/casting-networks-llc/] YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9l5vNFU_va0dNiP6yxISag]

How to Audition for High Stakes TV Thrillers with Emmy-Winning Casting Director Julie Schubert (The Diplomat)

Submit a question! [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2297780/fan_mail/new] Emmy-winning Casting Director Julie Schubert gets refreshingly candid and practical about how actors can raise their odds on booking high-stakes. On the heels of her new series Netflix’s The Diplomat, Schubert joins host Robert Peterpaul to unpack everything from self-tape habits that quietly cost roles to concrete ways to make co-star scenes work in your favor. In this episode for actors, you’ll learn: • How to reframe networking as genuine curiosity and relationship-building • Why honoring the exact dialogue matters on writer-driven TV • What Julie looks for in a self-tape before she sends it to producers • A vital hack for eyeline placement in a scene with multiple characters • High-stakes scene tips for authority, subtext, and big moments • The reality of recasting, continuity, and last-minute emergencies • What it’s like working with stars such as Keri Russel, plus much more! JULIE SCHUBERT is an Emmy winning casting director based in New York. Select film and TV credits include: The Diplomat, Under the Bridge, House of Cards (Emmy Award for Outstanding Casting); Night Comes On (Sundance award winning feature), Deliver Us From Evil; Marvel's The Punisher; Marvel's Daredevil; Marvel's Jessica Jones; Marvel's Luke Cage; Marvel's Iron Fist; Marvel's The Defenders; Mindhunter; Confessions of a Shopaholic, among others. This is - How We Role. Discover fresh casting calls at castingnetworks.com [http://castingnetworks.com/]. Follow Host, Actor and Producer Robert Peterpaul (Amazon's Sitting in Bars with Cake, The Art of Kindness [https://bpn.fm/TheArtOfKindness] podcast) on Instagram @robpeterpaul [https://www.instagram.com/robpeterpaul/] and learn more at robertpeterpaul.com [https://www.robertpeterpaul.com/]. Follow Casting Networks on social media for casting news, interviews and more: Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/castingnetworks/] Threads [https://www.threads.net/@castingnetworks] https://twitter.com/castingnetworks/Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/CastingNetworks/] LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/casting-networks-llc/] YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9l5vNFU_va0dNiP6yxISag]