The Actor’s Guide to the End of the World

Oscar Noms, Incarcerated Firefighters, and Getting Banned by TikTok, Oh my! | Ep 13

Welcome to the Actor’s Guide to the End of the World Episode 13! … a little later than usual because of a big weekend for Philly (Go Birds).
While Rían braces for possibly the worst storm in Ireland’s history (he’s okay), he tells us about the first time he faced an American winter (he was not okay). Los Angeles gets ready for another wild week, and E-Kan gets a little more into the air quality of the fires and what we need to know about 9-11 and a previous study on California wildfires. Also, incarcerated firefighters are getting paid almost nothing to fight the fires and what Kim Kardashian has to say about it.
Not surprisingly TikTok is still around, and they also banned one of E-Kan’s videos. You can be the judge how fishy it was. We also learn a little history lesson courtesy of Oscar-nominated actors of “The Apprentice” Sebastian Stan and Jeremy Strong, and Donald Trump. Also, how the “The Apprentice” film shows how art and film can intersect with the society and politics. The guys share how difficult it is to stay engaged and not get overwhelmed by politics and 24/7 news cycle, and what do you do when it feels like there’s nothing you can do.
The Oscar nominations just got announced, and the guys will discuss the top storylines from the nominations, history being made with Emilia Perez and others, and notable Golden Globes moments. Also a nice reminder - if you steal a few scenes, you might end up getting burned alive by Leo Dicaprio. And E-Kan and Rían realize what award shows are really about and why they’re so captivating. 
New episodes every Monday!
Follow us wherever you find your podcasts, including Apple, Spotify, YouTube, Substack and on all social media at @actorsguidepodcast
 
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/sep/10/epa-head-wrong-911-air-safe-new-york-christine-todd-whitman
https://www.asbestos.com/featured-stories/9-11-lingering-health-effects/#:~:text=Since%20the%209/11%20attacks,illness%20with%20over%2029%2C000%20cases.
https://www.statnews.com/2025/01/10/wildfires-and-health-los-angeles/
https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2020/10/09/907099868/smokey-skies-are-the-new-normal-are-they-making-us-sick
https://ww2.arb.ca.gov/news/new-analysis-shows-spikes-metal-contaminants-including-lead-2018-camp-fire-wildfire-smoke
https://deadline.com/2025/01/kim-kardashian-la-wildfires-incarcerated-firefighters-wages-1236255068/
https://www.statnews.com/2024/06/07/smoke-exposure-california-wildfires-52000-early-deaths-study/
https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2020/10/09/907099868/smokey-skies-are-the-new-normal-are-they-making-us-sick
 
Time stamps:
(00:00) Intro
(04:00) Ireland’s worst storm in their history
(05:25) Rían’s first American winter
(07:20) California’s Air after the wildfires
(09:15) What we can learn from 9-11
(13:15) TikTok is back and how they banned E-Kan
(16:35) How all the apps are getting wacky
(19:00) How do you stay above the noise and when things get overwhelming
(23:00) Incarcerated firefighters are making almost nothing
(24:00) Oscar nominations and history is made
(30:45) Demi Moore’s Golden Globe speech and why awards shows are so captivating

What Really Happened with the Wildfires, TikTok Ban (not really), and Online Dating | Ep 12

The Actor's Guide to the End of the World is back from a week off, and what a week it was. This is a bonus double episode and a much needed sanity check-in for E-Kan and Rían (and maybe for you as well), which then turned into a therapy session.  We hope you’re all safe, and thank you to the first responders, firefighters, and incredible community in Los Angeles for all they have been doing in response to the wildfires. If you’ve been affected, we hope you have found resources, but if not, we’ve attached resources and links below. 
E-Kan and Rían share their first reactions to seeing and hearing the devastating wildfires in CA and what they want people to know about the biggest stories and misleading headlines coming out of California. Could this have been avoided? Will LA be changed forever? Was this is a Black Swan event? And thank God for Bill Burr. They also talk about the predatory schemes by insurance companies and landlords preying on those affected by the fires you should watch out for (links below) as well as trends that you might see more of when it comes to climate change. Rían will talk about how he sees Dublin being affected already. And about that air quality in Los Angeles...they will go through how you can prepare yourselves from the air as the city recovers from the fires. 
Also, is TikTok actually going to be banned forever? Spoiler alert - not yet. This was recorded before the ban and unban of TikTok, but does anyone really care at this point? Rían shares his particular struggle with social media, and they discuss why so many actors dislike social media- and why it might be more important than we think. They also talk about how difficult it is to not care what people think and how much can you really know about a person from their social media? We get deep, ya'll. 
Then it all takes a turn and they get onto dating apps. E-Kan shares why he doesn’t touch them, and they find the parallels between getting rejected as an actor and in dating. Stick to the end and you'll hear about the time E-Kan tried one…for five minutes. You'll hear Rían's mediocre maybe even bad advice on the best way to use dating apps. And we might answer the big question- Who's more cynical when it comes to dating, E-Kan or Rían? 
New episodes every Monday!
Follow us wherever you find your podcasts, including Apple, Spotify, YouTube, Substack and on all social media at @actorsguidepodcast
 
California Fire Resources -
https://actorsguidepodcast.substack.com/p/california-wildfires-resources-list?r=4mm2fh
Air Quality in Los Angeles FYI - https://coveacupuncture.substack.com/p/i-just-watched-a-25-hour-webinar
K95 are good, but N100 are best - https://www.amazon.com/3M-Particulate-Respirator-8233-N100/dp/B008MCV43K
Bill Burr on the Wildfires - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KAZE2aYUrHY
Compensation Claim for the Eaton and Hurst Fires-
McNicholas & McNicholas, LLP
Report Rent Hikes here - Dial 3-1-1 or https://oag.ca.gov/contact/consumer-complaint-against-business-or-company
1 year Moratorium on insurance cancellations- Richard Laura is giving consultations. Reach at 800-927-4357
 
Time stamps:
(00:00) Intro
(03:15) Reactions to the wildfire disaster
(07:10) Bill Burr on the wildfires
(08:50) Biggest stories and misinformation about the fires
(12:45) Black Swan events
(15:15) What we need to think about with climate change
(17:05) How Dublin is being affected by climate change
(19:30) How people are preying on the fire victims
(23:30) How LA residents can prepare themselves for the air quality
(27:00) TikTok Ban - will it go through?
(30:15) The value of social media and the internet
(34:30) Rían talks about his struggle with social media
(41:00) Why E-Kan isn't on the dating apps
(45:50) Is anything we see online true? 
(48:30) The parallel between getting rejected as an actor and in dating
 
 
 
 

Quick Update - The California Wildfires

Hey everyone - there will not be a new episode this week. With the ongoing wildfire situation in California, we will get back to uploading new episodes when it feels right, hopefully soon. If you are moved to donate to help the disaster relief, here is a list of organizations, places to volunteer, as well as resources for those in need and evacuees. Stay safe, and we will be back soon.
Donate: 
REDCROSS - redcross.org, calling 1-800-RED CROSS (800-733-2767) or texting the word CAWILDFIRES to 90999 to make a donation.
CORE (Core Organized Relief Effort) - https://www.coreresponse.org/
Volunteer:
Los Angeles Regional Food Bank: Volunteers are needed to sort food and non-food donations. https://www.lafoodbank.org/
Canine Rescue Club: Foster or volunteer to help rescue animals. https://www.caninerescue.club/
LA Animal Services: Fostering pets is essential right now. Adoption fees are temporarily waived. https://www.laanimalservices.com/
Pasadena Humane Society - foster an animal
361 S. Raymond Ave., Pasadena, California 91105, (626) 792-7151
UNION RESCUE MISSION - https://urm.org/get-involved/volunteer/
 
 

AI Bills in Effect, Golden Globes, Resolutions, and Is New Year's the Worst Holiday? | Ep 11

It's the new year, and this is episode 11 of The Actor's Guide to the End of the World!
Some key AI bills in California start this week, and E-Kan and Rían will get into what you need to know about digital replicas and how this bill will protect actors. Also the Golden Globes are this week- this episode was taped before the Golden Globes happened so it will just be a preview of the show and any notable stories will be in the next episode. 
You’ll hear E-Kan’s hard take on New Year's resolutions and New Year's in general and how they celebrated, or in   E-Kan’s case, not celebrate.  Is it the most overrated holiday ever? What is Dublin really like for New Year's? Is        E-Kan actually Larry David? They will get to the bottom of this, as well as break down what works for them when it comes to building habits and why resolutions haven't worked for them in the past. Do they work for you? You might start reframing resolutions like they do and come up with a few of your own. They also drop a few gems on the trap of vision boards and the keys to a daily routine.
They also dish on some of their guilty reality show pleasures and some of the most surprising shows that came out of the writers’ strikes. 
New episodes every Monday!
Follow us wherever you find your podcasts, including Apple, Spotify, YouTube, Substack and on all social media at @actorsguidepodcast
Hidden Gems: 
Live tapings and sitcoms: https://1iota.com/
Awards screenings blog - https://awardswatch.com/studio-fyc-pages-for-2023-2024-film-awards-season/
 
Time stamps:
(00:00) Intro
(02:00) AI Bill for Digital Replicas start this week 
(04:45) Nikki Glaser hosts Golden Globes this week
(05:50) Reality show guilty pleasures
(07:45) Crazy reality shows that happened during Writers' Strike
(09:20) Is New Year's the worst holiday ever?
(14:00) How Dublin parties on New Year's 
(17:25) The problem with New Year's resolutions
(21:50) The trap of vision boards
(25:30) Atomic Habits and morning routines
(30:00) E-Kan finds a resolution
(32:00) Rían's resolution
(35:30) Hidden Gems
 

Affleck, AI, and the Secret to Juggling Your Side Hustle | Ep 10

Happy Holidays! This is episode 10 of The Actor's Guide to the End of the World and we saved the best for the last of the year! Today we’re diving into AI this week which is a point of concern for many in Hollywood, but Ben Affleck’s surprising comments on AI have gone viral and might encourage a lot of filmmakers. Will AI upend traditional Hollywood as we know it? Will it replace actors and creatives altogether? Are we in control of what we watch or are we the ones being controlled?
E-Kan and Rían will tackle all these questions and more, including the challenge and opportunities that AI will provide in the future and why we still need regulations. They also will talk about why traditional Hollywood is usually seven years behind and who really is winning the streaming wars. Then they get on a deep conversation about actors’ sometimes difficult relationship with money, personal stories about juggling their side hustles over the years, and lessons they’ve learned along the way. And what we can learn from Silicon Valley tech entrepreneurs about pursuing their passions and aspirational words from Colman Domingo.
New episodes every Monday!
Follow us wherever you find your podcasts, including Apple, Spotify, YouTube, Substack and on all social media at @actorsguidepodcast
 
Ben Affleck on How AI will and will not impact Hollywood - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=07XJicGWMVo
Hidden Gems: 
Slainte Cold Plunge (Dublin)-
https://slaintesaunas.ie/
IKEA weekly food deals and all you can eat buffet..?!
 
Time stamps:
(00:00) Intro
(03:30) Affleck on AI 
(08:25) Will customers really want generative AI?
(15:00) Customers might win but they won't be happy
(17:11) Hollywood is seven years behind
(19:00) Will traditional media be replaced by AI?
(20:00) How can actors manage their side hustle? 
(25:45) Rían talks about the mindset shift that happened for him
(28:00) E-Kan shares what his father thought about his career
(32:00) E-Kan talks about the blind spots when you have blinders on
(35:00) Inspiring words from Colman Domingo
(37:00) Hidden Gems
 

Biggest Winners of 2024, Broadway, Keanu, and Making Art Accessible | Ep 9

Episode 9 of the Actor's Guide to the End of the World and it's the holidays! The guys discuss the biggest risks of the year and who really won in a turbulent year for the industry, including Shogun, The Substance, Kneecap, and others. They also discuss the things like David Zazlav selling 30 million dollars of Warner Bros Discovery stock, whether studios have any idea what they're doing, and examine what makes a film bad. Rían saw an incredible play in Dublin while E-Kan shares some stories watching Laurence Fishburne, Sam Rockwell, and Jeff Daniels on Broadway, some lessons he learned, and the time he went around NYC looking for Keanu Reeves. They get on a conversation about the importance of making art accessible for all walks of life and economic backgrounds and James McAvoy's comments on the subject.   
New episodes every Monday! We want to hear from you- email us at actorsguidepodcast@gmail.com, Follow us wherever you find your podcasts, including YouTube and Substack and on all social media @actorsguidepodcast!
https://qz.com/david-zaslav-wbd-stock-1851725550
"It's Always Your Bleedin' Own" (Dublin) - https://projectartscentre.ie/events/its-always-your-bleedin-own/
https://deadline.com/2024/11/wolfs-sequel-demise-jon-watts-george-clooney-brad-pitt-no-longer-trusted-apple-1236186227/
James McAvoy on the "Class Ceiling" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oDwRkzJPkSA&t=65s
Hidden Gems:
Gabe and Max's Internet Thing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PPsUmhqncAg
Discounted Broadway NYC tickets: https://www.broadwaybox.com/discounts/the 
Time stamps:
(00:00) Intro
(03:37) Zazlav sells 30 million dollars in stock of WB
(06:05) Biggest Winners of 2024
(09:30) Why award shows and film festivals matter
(12:22) Studios don't know what they're doing
(15:12) The biggest bet of 2024
(17:35) What does it mean when a movie is bad?
(19:45) Rían talks about "It's Always Your Bleedin' Own" play
(24:00) Why E-Kan loves Keanu Reeves and on seeing American Buffalo
(26:00) James McAvoy talks about the importance of making art accessible
(27:00) When E-Kan saw "To Kill A Mockingbird"on Broadway
(29:00) Hidden Gems
 

SAG Health Plan Lawsuit, and Is the Golden Globes the Sketchiest Award Show? | Ep 8

Episode 8 of the Actor's Guide to the End of the World and award season is underway! Golden globe nominations were announced and the guys discuss the notable films this year as well as the show's spotty history and rebuild. They tackle the questions: Are the Golden Globes the sketchiest awards show? Are awards shows relevant anymore? Then they talk about what got them into acting in the first place, their deeper motivations, and the irony that they became performers despite their shy childhoods. They also get to the recent SAG Health Plan data breach and class action lawsuit and why actors need to be careful taking selfies on set. Rían talks about the greatest moment of his career and the ritual he does everytime he books a job while E-Kan talks about the time he made a spectacle in high school… and paid for it. They also dive into the importance of mindset and the key to affirmations and what happens when you dream big. 
New episodes every Monday! We want to hear from you- email us at actorsguidepodcast@gmail.com,
Follow us wherever you find your podcasts, including YouTube and Substack and on all social media @actorsguidepodcast!
Hidden Gems:
8-Bit Christmas (2021)
Buy Nothing Facebook Free-cycle group
Time stamps:
(00:00) Intro
(03:30) SAG Health Plan Data Hack
(07:00) Security Training for Actors
(08:44) Sag Health Plan
(10:34) Golden Globe nominations
(12:25) The sketchiest awards show
(17:40) Are acting awards important to us?
(18:30) The key to affirmations and goal setting
(20:40) Why E-Kan got into acting
(22:00) What drives Rían and why he loves to act
(25:00) The time E-Kan made a spectacle in high school 
(26:15) Rían getting over his shyness
(27:00) The power of mindset
(28:45) Rían shares a special moment with his father
(30:20) Ritual to celebrate the victories
(32:00) Hidden Gems
 

TikTok Ban, Commedia dell'arte, and the Fear of Failure | Ep. 7

Welcome to Episode 7 of the Actor’s Guide to the End of the World! This was an eye-opening one. The guys discuss the newest developments of the possible ban of TikTok. Rían talks about doing Commedia dell'arte for the first time, E-Kan shares about starting Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, which gets them on a conversation of being a beginner, embracing challenges, and daring to suck.  They discover many similarities between the two and discuss how it has helped them get past their ego and learn to let go. E-Kan shares about his battle with stage fright and why everyone should take an acting class. Rían tells us about a beloved and now-extinct social media app in Ireland, and E-Kan updates us on how his handmade cheesecake was received.
New episodes every Monday! Follow us on social media @actorsguidepodcast and all episodes on YouTube and Substack as well! 
We want to hear from you - actorsguidepodcast@gmail.com and more on YouTube and Substack  - https://substack.com/@actorsguidepodcast
https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-ban-court-ruling-china-6bfd505295ad44126df0544fc083d6a6
https://www.foxbusiness.com/technology/fbi-warns-texts-between-android-iphone-users-pose-cyber-risk
Subsconscious BBJ - https://www.subconsciousbjj.com/
Hidden Gems: 
Suay Thrift Store: https://suayla.com/
Corn Exhange Theatre in Dublin: https://www.cornexchange.ie/
 
Time stamps:
(00:00) Intro
(01:27) Beloved Beebo Platform
(02:10) TikTok Ban
(09:40) Rían tries Commedia dell'arte
(17:00) Learning Brazilian Jiu-jitsu
(21:30) Every day on the mat was a day getting better
(27:00) How acting has changed their lives
(30:00) Hidden gems