A few months ago The Cut published an article 3 years in the making. Journalist Sara Jin Li spoke to 26 ex-students of acting studio Lonsdale Smith & Company, ran by "dogmatic leader slash guru" Michèle Lonsdale-Smith; who has been running acting classes in studios acros North America, and now Europe, for 20+ years. Actors described, in detail, cult-like abuse, mistreatment and bullying exhibited under the guise of "doing the work". Since the release of the article, huge comparisons have...

For so long conservatoire drama schools have been the only way to get invaluable training to set you up for the industry...but not anymore. IAmPro is just one of the alternative training offerings out there for actors and creatives who want to work in the entertainment industry. IAmPro trains talent digitally and gets them discovered, collaborating and networking, and offers personalised end-to-end learning which prepares people for the future creative industry. Their mission is to...

“It’s all corporate greed” July 2023 marks an historic time for the entertainment industry. For the first time in decades the actor union in the United States (SAG-AFTRA) and the Writers Guild Of America (WGA) have joined forces to strike after the expiration of their contracts with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers and the AMPTP's refusal to engage in negotiations for fair pay, safe working conditions, protection against AI and other basic rights for performers,...

While The 98% mostly discusses everything about the real #actorslife aside from the actual art of acting…this episode is a slight gear change as Alexa talks to renowned acting teacher Terry Knickerbocker. In this down to earth, honest chat you can hear discussion on the importance of laying the foundations for working on your craft, why your goals should be more than just “be a working actor”, what to look out for when finding a good coach, the importance of self care and finding a nurturing...

An episode years in the making and one The 98% is SO excited to share. A first-of-its-kind chat where an Assistant Director for TV and film shares all the insight an actor could possibly need for working on set. This is like a crash course in everything they don't teach you at drama school..but what you should know! In this insightful, informative episode 2nd A.D Erin Morris-Large shares the ins and outs of #setlife, the do’s and don’t’s for actors working in TV/film, a breakdown of a call...

*Content Note/Trigger Warning: This episode contains conversation around mental illness and eating disorders. Please take care while listening.* Grab a cuppa and settle in for a feature film length episode! We feel so privileged to platform stories on The 98% that are not usually heard in #actorslife circles, and today’s episode is a really special one of that nature. Alexa and guest Em Holdaway could have chatted for hours thanks to Em's incredible honesty and transparency about her...

Get ready for an energised, uplifting and empowering episode with today's guest Brian Patacca!  Brian helps actors get what they want without all the struggle. Known as “The Representation Whisperer" for helping over 500 actors find representation through his popular online courses and entertaining podcast, Brian teaches actors how to market themselves authentically and use gratitude to open doors. Brian believes whole heartedly in actors, performers and creatives following their purpose,...

From wanting to be an actor but being told she was “ruining it for everyone else” with her struggle to learn lines to building a retreat for actors to make a safe learning space, today’s guest Steph Upsall has one mission: to revolutionize how we train ourselves as actors and making sure we are being our best selves as a human first and an actor second. Steph’s company “Both Feet” offers actor training retreats that are the only training of its kind in the world. Designed to help build...

As tradition, the 10th episode of the season sees just Alexa and Katie chinwagging about the real #actorslife. In this 90 min episode you'll hear discussions around reevaluating what "success" looks like as an actor, where Katie has been, the importance of boundries and self validation, actor-podcaster frustrations in an industry that only celebrates the 2%, a worrying new Hollywood trend, lessons learned, what's coming up in future episodes, and so much more! Grab a cuppa and strap in for a...

If you've ever felt exhausted by how much acting means to you, or overwhelmed by the desperation of wanting to be a working actor when it seems so far out of reach, then this is an episode you're sure to relate to. Today's guest is actor, empowerment coach and breathwork facilitator Jeannie Scott who, after years of regularly facing actor burnout and living in a state of desperation and anxiety, decided to retrain as a life coach and now uses her knowledge and experience to help those in...

We've all seen child actors in tv, film and theatre...but there are whole processes, jobs and a lot of work that goes into making sure kids working professionally in the entertainment industry are kept safe and are handled accordingly. Our guest for this episode is Arlene De Cruz who works to safeguard children all the way from casting through to wrap. She runs professional training for chaperones and works hard to make sure productions work to the expected standard when employing actors who...

Unless you have experience of one yourself, many people don't know much about co-operative agencies, we sure didn't! The first co-op agency started in the UK in 1974 and since then many thrive in the industry. An actors' co-operative agency operates similarly to a conventional agency but is managed by the actors themselves and each member dedicates a certain amount of time to working as an agent for all other members of the co-op.  In this episode our guest Owyn Stephens, chair and member of...

Our first casting director episode of Series 5! Amy Jackson is a freelance casting director with vast prior experience as a casting assistant and associate. In this episode you'll hear Amy's journey from actor to award-nominated casting director, as well as advice for actors in auditions/self tapes/showcases, the importance of the CDG, how to reach out to casting, why we should be calling for casting to be recognised across all awards platforms, and much more! You can follow Amy on...

“If an acting coach has to touch you to make you a better actor, then they’re a bad f*cking coach.” When today's guest, Nikki, was a young new actor in Toronto she went for a private coaching session with an actor, coach and union member who, in the course of the session, assualted her under the guise of coaching her to 'loosen up'. When Nikki recieved no help from her union, or anywhere else, she courageously took to social media to share her story and soon found out she wasn't the only one...

Since the release of our new mini-series From Learning To Earning A Story Of Mistreatment In The Acting Industry, we have recieved more emails and messages detailing people’s damaging experiences during actor training and in the industry. In this episode we will be giving them a voice, anonymously, to show that abuse of power, of which actors are regularly the victims, is not an isolated issue...It is a systemic, institutionised problem that exists in the entertainment and performing arts...

In the final episode of our 3 part mini-series about mistreatment of actors we speak to powerhouse, advocate and trailblazer Helen Raw who has made it her mission, despite devastating pushback, to make changes in our industry to protect actors and be a support system for those who have nowhere to go with their experiences of all forms of abuse. You may have heard of Helen, or seen her online, but here you get to hear from the woman herself and the person behind the crusade. We chat to Helen...

In our second episode of our mini series highlighting mistreatment in the arts we are re-releasing an episode from 2021 of people’s stories of abuse in the industry. While our guests for this mini series cannot share the accounts they have been made privy to, we felt it important to provide context and accounts that show how widespread these issues are in our industry and give examples of why Katie, from our previous episode, and our next guest Helen are doing the work they are doing. In...

The 98% is back! And we’re kicking off with a 3 part mini series “From Learning to Earning, A Story of Mistreatment in the Acting Industry.”  In our upcoming 5th series of the podcast we have a range of incredible guests lined up, but first we wanted to delve into an important subject matter that sadly affects many in our profession; abuse and mistreatment in an industry with a dangerous hierarchy and a pressure to do “whatever it takes.” In this first episode we have the pleasure of...

Get your festive gear on, grab a drink and hunker down for a jam packed Christmas episode including listener stories, some VIA ("very important animal") introductions and a generous helping of classic 98% chat from Alexa and Katie.  We are very excited to be back on the mic, with many new episodes in the bank and/or scheduled to record for a brand new series starting in the New Year! But for now, please enjoy a festive check in on relatable, realistic and humorous acconts from #actorslife.  ...

Don't be shy...come be involved in our Christmas '22 Episode of The 98%! 3 ways to get involved: 1) Come speak to us live on the zoom recording! (Note..this won't be broadcast live..anything you say can be edited afterwards if needed, so no pressure!) Monday December 7th from 7:15pm onwards. Email [email protected] for the zoom link 2) Send a written account of your story/thoughts/musings for us to read to each other in the episode Email [email protected] and let us know if...

In this episode Katie and Alexa have a catch up and fill you in on what's been happening behind the scenes. Hear about how things have been going for Katie in the writer's chair and why Alexa is feeling like she's stuck in a rut with classic frustrations for the 98% of actors. Grab a drink and pretend you're joining us at the pub for a classic #actorslife chat. It's shit, but we're all bloody brilliant! - New to The 98%? There’s 3 whole series for you to catch up on! Get ready for a no hold...

WeAudition have been trailblazers in the world of helping actors and making opportunity more accessible for years now, and have been supporters of the podcast for a long time. In this episode you can hear an abundance of positive stories, inspirational ideas and aspirational hope from co-founder Darren Darnborough as well as finding out how this platform came to be and why it's worth joining! Heralded by casting directors and actors alike, WeAudition has a range of opportunities from...

In this mini series of The 98%, hear from some actors who have made it their mission to help others, specifically actors in The 98%. In this episode join Alexa, Rob and Elliot as they discuss Flairbox; a global online community of performers that allows talented individuals to perform, connect and be discovered for what matters most – their talent. Hear about how the co-founders have used their experiences and ideas about how anyone should have the opportunity to be discovered to create a...

Mic, Concern, Reaction; where Alexa and Katie discuss current goings on in the industry, hot off the press, that specifically relate to The 98% of actors. In this episode, following on from the twitter storm in response to Rufus Norris' comments quoted in a recent article for The Stage, Alexa and Katie chat to Alastair Coomer, head of casting at The National, about the context of the artistic directors comments, the nuances of the issues raised and have honest and open look at casting for the...

Join in some festive fun with Alexa, Katie and the return of Philip Joel (aka the King of Panto!) as they relive panto experiences (the illusion of panto may be ruined forever!), shocking celebrity encounters (Brian Blessed did WHAT now?!) and revel in all the holiday and performance delights that pantomime can bring! If you take a sip of your boozy beverage for every time a hilarious or toe curling story is shared in this episode...you won't be sober for very long! For more Christmas content...