The Actor’s Guide to the End of the World

Kids want to be YouTubers when they grow up - But is that really a bad thing?

Welcome to Episode 41 of the Actor's Guide to the End of the World! E-Kan and Rían jump around this episode with a nice a recap of our recent guests Patrick Massett and Kevin Walsh, and some not so nice news with Actors Access changing their terms of service. You will hear what actors need to know, why actors are in a sticky situation, and the root of the problem actors have with Actors Access. 
They also get into a discussion about keeping your status as an actor in a turbulent time in the industry. Then somehow the guys start comparing, who talks about their feelings less- the Irish or the Asians? And of course they start talking about their feelings. This is a deep one, ya'll. 
Then E-Kan talks about the recent survey that said the top job wanted by young children was YouTuber or streamer, and why it might not be a bad thing. 
If you enjoy the podcast, please leave a review, it'll help other people find the podcast as well. 
Follow @actorsguidepodcast on social media!
@ekansoong, @riansheehykelly
Actors Access video - https://www.instagram.com/reel/DM8Cc9tO43p/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
https://www.cnbc.com/2019/07/19/more-children-dream-of-being-youtubers-than-astronauts-lego-says.html
Hidden Gem:
Translate App
The Rainmaker (USA Network, Peacock)
Time stamps:
(0:00) Intro
(2:40) Actors Access drama
(11:49) Rían's fear of getting in trouble
(19:00) Recap of Patrick Massett and Kevin Walsh interviews and insights 
(08:07) When Kevin first got the acting bug
(23:00) Actions dictate Feelings
(26:27) Asian vs Irish culture - who talks about their feelings less? 
(34:00) YouTube is young kids' top profession
(19:40) A crazy story with the guns and the armorer
(41:40) Hidden Gems

Kevin Walsh - Professional Footballer Turned Actor Talks Grit and Following Your Passion

Welcome to Episode 40 of the Actor's Guide to the End of the World! This week we have friend of the podcast and fellow actor in Los Angeles, Kevin Walsh!  For most of his life, Kevin was a professional footballer playing around the world, and now he’s taking center stage as an actor. Along with hilarious stories,  Kevin tells the guys about his transition to the arts and how he was a “closeted” actor and knew from early on, he was driven to pursue the arts. They also discuss how Kevin’s athletic background translates to his acting career, the moment when he told his dad he was going to quit playing football and become an actor and how Steven Urkel and Family Matters was an especially formative moment for him.
Plenty of sports metaphors in this one - they talk about grit and determination and how film and tv is another great team sport. This was recorded a couple of months ago, and he talks about the process of producing a play -  “The Irish Curse 2.0: The Diverse Curse”. The play just wrapped and has been a success, selling out to great reviews.
This is a fun one!
If you enjoy the podcast, please leave a review, it'll help other people find the podcast as well. 
 
Kevin Walsh - @mayoyank
@theirishcurse2.0_theplay
Hidden Gem:
Photographer Jeff Vespa @Jeffvespa
 
Time stamps
(0:00) Intro
(2:08) Getting Started in Acting
(05:20) Life as a footballer
(06:55) Inspired by Family Matters and Steve Urkel
(08:07) When Kevin first got the acting bug
(11:30) Having Self-Confidence
(14:50) It’s the most complete I feel
(16:50) Getting experience on set
(19:40) A crazy story with the guns and the armorer
(23:55) First paid job as an actor
(28:00) Landing an agent and knowing your type
(31:00) Why athletes make great actors
(34:50) What it takes to producing a play
(39:15) Hidden Gem

Patrick Masset Pt. 2 - The Writing Process, How to Pitch, and Life and Death with Michael Mann

Welcome to Episode 39 of the Actor's Guide to the End of the World! This is a special one, folks. Writer-Producer Patrick Massett (Lara Croft: Tomb Raider, Friday Night Lights, The Blacklist) returns to the show.  Unlike most sequels, this one might be better than the first time. 
This week, Patrick discusses how Friday Night Lights became a cult classic, his writing process, the very best book on writing, and how he manages to keep the fire going despite the ups and downs of this crazy industry. 
They also get into a very insightful conversation about mindset, spirituality, and how sobriety changed Patrick's life. 
Of course, there will be more Hollywood stories, like the time Michael Mann almost got Patrick killed. So sit back and enjoy this one! 
Follow us wherever you find your podcasts, including video on YouTube and Substack! And on all social media @actorsguidepodcast
If you haven't heard their first conversation Episode 37, the link will be below. They discussed how Patrick grew up in rural Nebraska with a love for movies, starting out as an actor in Hollywood without knowing anyone besides, um, Val Kilmer, and how he broke through early adapting Lara Croft: Tomb Raider, the most successful video game adaptation up until Super Mario. 
Patrick's IMDB - https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0557266/
Patrick Massett Pt 1 - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/writer-producer-patrick-massett-talks-taking-risks/id1776516950?i=1000717431148
Time stamps
(0:00) Intro
(2:45) Friday Night Lights
(10:00) How Friday Night Lights became a cult favorite
(14:40) Crazy Eagles football story
(16:00) What are the differences between writing and producer credits on a TV show? 
(18:00) Dealing with politics on set
(32:20) Did you think Jesse Plemons would be a star? 
(36:20) Why Robert McKee's Story is the best writing book
(45:00) What a writing day looks for Patrick
(48:00) How sobriety changed his life
(54:50) What's your favorite part about being a writer
(1:01:35) The secrets to pitching a show
(1:08:30) Gold film with Matthew McConaughey
(01:13:30) The Michael Mann story
(01:22:22) Hidden Gems
 
 

Stephen Colbert Fired and Does Rehearsing Too Much Kill Your Performance?

Welcome to Episode 38 of the Actor's Guide to the End of the World! This week, we got a few bombs to drop. First WeTransfer, online file sharing service announced a highly confusing and enraging change to their terms and conditions, did someone say machine learning? This service is used by almost all actors and those working in the industry, so needless to say, people were freaking out. E-Kan and Rían will go over the backlash and what you need to know.
Next, is the announcement that The Late Show with Colbert is ending despite strong ratings, and a look into why and what that means for the future of late night.
This week is another segment of “The Best in Reddit” where E-Kan and Rían answer the best questions from the “acting” thread of Reddit which poses the question, “Does rehearsal kill the spontaneity in performance” We also talk about how Tom Holland revealed that he often goes over his lines the morning of when he’s in the make-up chair and more tales from Hollywood Land.
The guys also break a new segment “Worst Breakdowns”, and go into an actual breakdown that has red flags all over it. For those not in the industry, breakdowns are the listings that have the information on the project, roles, that actors get when they audition for a project. This one was a DOOZY and a fair warning for those submitting for non-union projects especially.
 
Follow us wherever you find your podcasts, including video on YouTube and Substack! And on all social media @actorsguidepodcast
 
https://www.the-independent.com/tech/wetransfer-terms-conditions-ai-artificial-intelligence-b2789452.html
https://tech.yahoo.com/ai/articles/wetransfer-backtracks-ai-file-training-205600763.html
https://www.artnews.com/art-news/news/wetransfer-changes-terms-licensing-rights-ai-1234747368/
 
Late Show with Stephen Colbert Ratings -
https://latenighter.com/news/ratings/late-night-tv-ratings-q2-2025/
 
Reddit thread - https://www.reddit.com/r/acting/comments/1lick5v/netflixs_adolescence_kills_the_idea_that/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button
https://youtube.com/shorts/iKGCSf9CjSI?si=ulSwwa0ACWN6TTbP
Hidden Gems:
Cooking fennel..?
Xing Fu Tang (NYC, Taiwan) - https://xingfutang.com/
 
Time stamps:
(0:00) Intro
(1:45) WeTransfer changes terms of service
(9:27) Late Show w/ Stephen Colbert ending
(14:50) Worst Casting Breakdown ever
(18:30) Best of Reddit acting thread - Does Over-rehearsing kill spontaneity in performance?
(27:20) Tom Holland says he learns his lines the morning of in the makeup chair
(32:40) Hidden Gems

Writer-Producer Patrick Massett talks Taking Risks, Tomb Raider, and Hanging with Val Kilmer

Welcome to the Actors Guide to the End of the World Podcast, Episode 37!
This week we have a very special guest, prolific screenwriter and producer, Patrick Massett!
This episode is packed as Patrick walks the guys through his incredible career spanning decades, beginning with hitting it big co-writing Lara Croft: Tomb Raider w/ Angelina Jolie, the most successful video game adaptation until Super Mario.
E-Kan and Rian got a treat to Patrick’s many classic Hollywood stories like doing theater with Val Kilmer and behind the scenes hanging on the set of Oliver Stone’s "The Doors" and how sometimes you gotta take big swings to succeed in this industry.
They  go back to the Patrick's early days starting out as an actor, working with some of the greats in TV history, including Ron Moore, Larry Gordon, and Sean Ryan, as well as humble beginning growing up in Nebraska. You'll hear a hilarious story of how he got into his first acting class and yet another lesson why everyone should take an acting class.
 
Patrick talks about pivoting from acting to screenwriting and following his passion for telling stories.
He also talks about his writing process and why handling criticism and feedback are so important to his success. This is a masterclass in how to handle the ebbs and flows of a tricky and evolving entertainment industry.
Of course they eventually get into the polarizing AI conversation, and a larger discussion about data, money, and how it all will affect our entertainment industry and global economy, as well as an alarming warning of what might happen if we're not careful.
This episode was so packed, stay tuned for a part two coming soon!
Follow  @actorsguidepodcast  wherever you find your podcasts! New episodes here every Monday!
Patrick's IMDB - https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0557266/
Time Stamps:
(0:00) Intro
(3:00) Growing up in Nebraska and how it started
(4:00) Shooting big helped them land Tomb Raider
(7:30) The old Hollywood we miss
(9:00) How a Nebraska quarterback got into acting and writing
(10:49) The first person I met was Val Kilmer
(11:30) Early inspirations and falling in love movies
(13:10) Writing success rescued him from being broke
(15:15) Mick Jagger and taking risks
(16:45) How they landed Angelina Jolie
(22:30) Getting typecast as the bad guy
(28:55) How he started acting because of football
(29:36) Doing Shakespeare with Val Kilmer
(37:30) When Rían auditioned for Patrick
(40:00) Pivoting from acting to writing and trusting your gut
(41:21) Against all odds with Friday Night Lights
(46:40) It’s a collaboration
(52:15) Fighting the algorithm and the magic of the unknown
(56:00) Why we need AI regulations and the future of TV
(1:06:00) Final thoughts and keys to success

What ChatGPT is Doing to Our Brains and Should Actors Do Vertical Shorts?

Welcome to Episode 36 of the Actor's Guide to the End of the World! This week, the AI Regulations Ban gets voted down by the Senate 99-1, so chalk one up for the good guys. Can’t speak about everything else in the bill, but that’s really good news for AI state regulations. Thanks to the overwhelming action taken by voters calling in to their local lawmakers and Senators, state AI laws will still be in effect and are safe… for now.
The guys also discuss a recent MIT study on the brains of Chat GPT users and the results are TERRIFYING. You’ll want to hear this. Rían shares how he used Chat GPT for the first time and what happened when  E-Kan tried to adjust a picture of the Pyramids in Egypt in Chat GPT.
The guys also discuss the trending vertical shorts that are sweeping through the entertainment industry. Cheesy, addictive, quick to shoot, and non-union-What can go wrong? What actors need to know and are they good for your career?
It’s the good, the bad, and the ugly on this week’s episode!
Follow us wherever you find your podcasts @actorsguidepodcast and on all social media. New episodes every Monday! 
 
https://www.reuters.com/legal/government/us-senate-strikes-ai-regulation-ban-trump-megabill-2025-07-01/
https://time.com/7295195/ai-chatgpt-google-learning-school/
https://www.instagram.com/p/DLEzpBUxwG5/?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DLafRmfJ2qi/?igsh=MTl4YWJjMzlkZ24xYw==
Hidden Gems:
Wabry Strawberry Sauce
https://www.amazon.com/W%C3%A4bry-Organic-Syrup-14-9-Strawberry/dp/B01B38XU7W/ref=asc_df_B01B38XU7W?mcid=ee468f94a7a33797ba79ab5d5c5adc45&hvocijid=9132119578248570766-B01B38XU7W-&hvexpln=73&tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=721245378154&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=9132119578248570766&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9002783&hvtargid=pla-2281435179098&th=1
 
DeMillo’s (Portland, ME) - https://www.dimillos.com/
Time stamps:
(0:00) Intro
(3:15) AI Regulations survive
(4:40) Chat GPT affect on users’ brains
(10:50) Are we willing to be uncomfortable?
(15:15) How a journalist uses Chat GPT
(18:37) Is it worth it to go to film school or drama school?
(24:00) There still is hope for our youth
(26:30) Vertical shorts are sweeping Hollywood
(29:40) Should actors do vertical shorts?
(36:00) What actors should be aware of
(40:15) Hidden Gems
 
 

What Creators Can Learn from Lin-Manuel Miranda

Welcome to Episode 35 of the Actor's Guide to the End of the World! This week, CA got some big news and a step forward for getting production back in CA. E-Kan and Rían talk about the latest progress in CA’s $750 million film/tv tax credit as well as what just went down the FilmLA contract renewal. FilmLA is the non-profit that helps LA filmmakers get permits for their productions, at least that’s the idea. But with productions leaving CA in droves, LA filmmakers want some major change and showed it by making their voices heard at a town hall in Downtown LA. You’ll hear what went down.
The guys also continue their conversation on making your own work, obstacles and roadblocks they’ve faced, and some practical tricks and methods to trick your brain and get sh#* done.
E-Kan also saw a talk with Lin-Manuel Miranda, Leslie Odom Jr. and shares incredible lessons on leadership and collaboration from the Broadway gods themselves. And that gets them to Rían’s worst audition story for a musical and what could’ve been… if Rían just knew how to dance. You’ll also hear why Christopher Nolan said “You don’t need to be typing to be writing”, and E-Kan says “Write what makes you angry.”
If you find yourself hitting stumbling blocks, this episode might help you.
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/l-a-renews-film-office-contract-five-more-years-1236297718/
https://deadline.com/2025/06/california-passes-750m-film-tax-credit-funding-1236444493/
 
Lin-Manuel Miranda and Leslie Odom Jr conversation - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SzHVG7r0G0c
E-Kan directed a short- No Laughing Matter: Tears of A Clown link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=sleaN1b0og8&t=1s&sttick=0
 
Hidden Gems:
The War of Art by Stephen Pressfield - https://www.amazon.com/War-Art-Through-Creative-Battles/dp/9395741538/ref=asc_df_9395741538?mcid=5fad61ab3eb73b24b49e34f8e10be519&hvocijid=10747138887357338460-9395741538-&hvexpln=73&tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=721245378154&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=10747138887357338460&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9003384&hvtargid=pla-2281435178778&psc=1
B&H Bild Expo- https://www.bildexpo.com/
Time stamps
(0:00) Intro
(3:50) CA Film TV Tax Credits
(5:10) FilmLA Tax Renewal
(08:40) Creating your own work
(09:45) Rían’s worst audition story was for a musical
(12:20) E-Kan enters a singing contest
(15:00) Rían was almost a pop star
(17:00) Why Lin-Manuel Miranda’s the best
(21:00) Roadblocks that Rían faces
(23:00) Practical ways to get started creating
(26:40) Trick your brain
(29:00) Get a deadline
(38:00) Lesson E-Kan learned and why consistency is key
(40:25) Hidden Gems
 
 

Disney Sues Midjourney, AI Tools We're Scared to Use, and What it’s like to Work on a Tom Cruise Set

Welcome to Episode 34 of the Actor's Guide to the End of the World! This week, the guys talk about why Disney and Universal is suing AI powerhouse Midjourney. It's time to root for Disney this time, and E-Kan and Rían talk about why it's a big deal for creators and the future of AI regulations. They dig into what Midjourney does exactly and the tricky debate about whose at fault if a copyrighted image is created - the user or the tool? Is Midjourney like using other tools like Photoshop? 
E-Kan also opens up about AI tools he's scared to use and why we need to look into the terms of service for these sites. Can we trust anyone? So far, it's unclear.  They discuss the importance of AI regulations and the power of unions which gets them onto Tyler Perry and his tricky relationship with unions in the past. 
And a side tangent- what does it mean when we say someone's intense? Is E-Kan intense?
We then get into a conversation about Tom Cruise, how he's saving the movies, and what makes him, according to us, possibly the best movie star we have today. The dedication he has to working on camera and what actors need to learn from him. E-Kan then shares a story about how he did background on a Tom Cruise film back in the day which thrills Rían. This is a fun one, folks. 
New episodes every Monday, wherever you find your podcasts, including video on YouTube and Substack. Follow us on social media at @actorsguidepodcast!
Disney vs Midjourney Dain Walker post - https://www.instagram.com/p/DK0pmxdTupE/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
https://www.wired.com/story/midjourney-generates-videos-of-disney-characters-amid-massive-copyright-lawsuit/
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/06/11/business/media/disney-universal-midjourney-ai.html
https://blavity.com/entertainment/heres-why-tyler-perry-could-get-in-trouble-with-labor-unions-again-with-new-play-madeas-farewell
 
Hidden Gems: 
The Artist's Way (Julia Cameron) https://www.amazon.com/Artists-Way-25th-Anniversary/dp/0143129252
Magnesium L-Threonate (I'm not a doctor, shocker, please do your research)
 
Time stamps
(2:17) Disney sues Midjourney
(5:37) Who’s at fault?
(10:33) Tyler Perry and Unions
(15:10) We’re scared to use certain AI tools
(20:08) Tom Cruise is saving movies 
(22:40) How well Tom Cruise understands the lens
(25:47) The intensity of Tom Cruise
(30:48) When E-Kan worked on a Tom Cruise movie
(40:09) Hidden Gems