S14 E04: Sacred Service Of The Actor with Cleo Rinkwest

Cleo Rinkwest is a South-African actor who has worked with the likes of Samuel L Jackson, The Walking Dead's Callan McCauliff, and Game of Thrones, Charlotte Hope. Through her acting, she seeks to perform stories that go beyond entertainment and enlighten her audiences to values of human flourishing.

Her current film projects follow themes of justice and mercy, capital punishment laws in Southern Africa, the supernatural realm, and the impact of AI on humanity.

In our conversation, Cleo shares about the sacred service of the actor, the role of empathy in her art form and how she embodies the personas of the characters she portrays. In keeping with our season theme Reclaiming Wonder, I asked Cleo what reclaiming wonder looks like in her life. Be sure to listen to the end for her answer.

If you’re a patron of podcast, we reserved a special segment of our conversation exclusively for you. In that segment, Cleo shares about the aspect of collaboration and the challenges of being a working actor in South Africa.

Acting, Actor, black artists, film, Reclaiming WonderStephen RoachAugust 21, 2024actor, Cleo Rinkwest, South African

S13 E10: Comedy and Context with Andi Marie Tillman

Andi Marie Tillman is an Appalachian comedian and self-proclaimed “recovering Pentecostal.” Her roots in performance began at the early age of 8, when she sang in churches across the Southeast. It was here Andi gathered much of the inspiration for what would later become her well-known cast of original characters. Andi has acted in numerous shorts, feature films, commercials, and music videos including the recent video doc we covered here on the podcast, Come and Save Me by Danielson. But it was Andi’s series of TikTok sketches that elevated her platform and struck a chord with folks both native and new to Appalachian culture.

In this episode, Andi shares about the roots of her acting, her winding journey through Appalachian spirituality and the healing power of comedy.

S13 E08: Come And Save Me with Danielson and Chris White

Film director Chris White and songwriter Daniel Smith of The Danielson Family have crafted an 8-minute short film/music video titled "Come and Save Me," a poignant exploration of acceptance and community as a cure to the loneliness epidemic of our post-pandemic world.

In this episode, Daniel and Chris share about the film’s inception, working with lead actor and comedian Fred Armisen, and why the arts play a central role in addressing social concerns.

S11 E02: Embodiment & Transformation with Actor Wynn Everett

Wynn Everett is an American actor based in Atlanta Georgia. She has acted in films such as Justin Timberlake’s Palmer, HBO’s Doom Patrol, Marvel’s Agent Carter as well as familiar Television shows - Modern Family, The Walking Dead and will appear in the upcoming season of Sweet Magnolia’s.

In this episode, Wynn and Stephen discuss the contrast between performing and transforming, discovering transcendence within the ordinary and what it is like for an actor to take on the emotions and characteristics of another.