Kate Box (Rake, Offspring, Paper Giants) is maintaining her sense on humour while in LA for pilot season! We chat about playing the mortal enemy of Australia's sweetheart, Asher Keddie, driving lessons with Sam Neill ,rewrting scripts for US accent ease and the everyday reality of pilot season which (sometimes) includes losing out to Jada Pinkett-Smith... And when all else fails, there's always the #3 at Greenblatt's Deli! 

So many surprises in this podcast with Hugh Sheridan! Star of Packed to the Rafters, Never Tear Us Apart and patron (saint) of Urban Myth Theatre... Bet you didn't know that one! Hugh tells stories about opening for Liza, beating out Rhianna and where his FOMO comes from. Oooooo! So close... But don't think one set back's gonna stop this triple threat. Na-uh! Oh, and keep and ear out for the crooning. It's pretty sweet. 

Being in Hollywood has made Zoe Ventoura (Packed to the Rafters, Wild Boys) very zen-like. The getting close to life changing deals, auditioning against bonafide stars and having a career that straddles the Pacific - well, that'll do it! We talk about being ready to carry a film, working with John Cusack, the art of self testing and not being immune to celebrity spotting. If you saw Seth Rogen, you'd probably have a moment too... But just be sure to ASK for a photo. No creepiness please!

AWESOME GUEST ALERT! Tim Minchin joins Another Aussie in LA for a chat three weeks into making LA his new home. Digressions abound and names are dropped. Tim illuminates me on the economic machine that is Broadway, how Groundhog Day the musical came about and his existential crisis brought on by the Grammys. We talk about the importance of making stuff you'd like to see, going for the low hanging fruit first, the beauty of reimagining what you've made before and how EVERYTHING informs EVERYTHING. And there are some Old Fitzroy Theatre reminisces. A 'This Blasted Earth' reboot, anyone?

Fresh from NBC's Camp, Natasha Basset is just starting out in LA. But don't let that fool you into thinkng she is a novice. Oh no! This lady knows her stuff. With guest roles in RAKE, LAID and WILDBOYS, she chats with me about her experiences here thus far. We bond over the Atlantic Theatre Company and working with Melissa Bruder. She shares her stories about making her first short KITE, under the mentorship of Jane Campion! We get dsitracted by a puppy chomping on a bone. Just your normal podcast really!

Watched some Australian comedy on the tele in the past few years? Then it's highly likely you're familiar with Trent O'Donnnell's work. Director of A Moody Christmas, Review with Myles Barlow, Laid and Sam Simmons' Problems. We talk about how easy it is to sell an idea in the US (pretty damn easy) compared to making something in Oz (hmmm, kinda tough...), the joy of making stuff with friend and collaborator of TWENTY years, Phil Lloyd and pranking peeps - I mean, working with - The Chaser team. He admits to less manhandling of actors on US sets. Probably for the best, considering...

This little Aussie is back in LA with a chat to rising star Beejan Land. In only ten months, Beejan has scored a lead in the feature, Damn Foreigners, a recurring role in NCIS:LA and supporting role in Mega Shark vs. Mecha Shark. But don't think this is some overnight sensation. He's been training and working in Paris for the last four years and couldn't be more grounded as a result. We talk about his origins as a magician - Ta-Dah! - LA not being a theatre town, what's it's like going to producers on your third audition - awesome! Be careful. His grounded and positive approach to work might rub off on you. It did on me... 

Another Aussie is in NYC visiting my carnie family, La Soiree. Soooooo, this week's guest is Creative Producer and Ringmaster Brett Haylock! We catch up with him in between teching acts for the New Years Eve spectacular. We talk about the international phenomenom that La Soiree has beome - from little show born out of The Famous Speigeltent to it's Olivier award winning West End run. Skill and heart, danger and subversion. Trusting your instincts and being the best is what it is all about. Leave your troubles at the door, La Soiree is in town!! And, yes, it is impossible to resist. 

A Melbourne stand up does a set in LA... And gets a gig writing for Jay Leno. Not a gag, just the facts. That guy is Simon Taylor! We talk about how that crazy thing happenned, why he's happier in Melbourne, being a ghost and gag writer and being both Turtle and Johnny Drama to someone else's Vinnie Chase. My favourite dog, Dusty Biscuits makes a cameo or two.

Join Sam Clark and I for some tea drinking, thigh slapping and existential chat from our mutual hometown, lil' ol' Adelaide. But don't fret conversation is still very much focussed on LA things. We cover hiking (or what Aussies would call walking outside) street sweeping, parking fines and losing jobs to Emilie Hirsch. We bond over our love of acting homework. Sam illuminates how music and acting go hand in hand for him. Tangents are in abundant supply.