Story and Craft with Marc Preston

I sit down to chat with actor Aaron Moten from "Disjointed" and Prime Video's "Fallout" to discuss his career and personal stories.We catch up with Aaron as he settles into life in Los Angeles after spending five years in Iceland with his family. We chat about his Texas roots growing up in Austin, his pivot from an aspiring lawyer to a Juilliard-trained actor, and the realities of translating stage acting to working on camera.He also shares some behind-the-scenes moments from his recent work. From having Kathy Bates advocate for him early in his television career to a hilarious "baptism by fire" stunt sequence on his very first day shooting Fallout, Aaron brings a ton of heart and insight to the table.SHOW HIGHLIGHTS[00:03:24] | The beauty of Iceland's audible blank canvas [00:10:12] | Dealing with late growth spurts and the pressure of playing point guard[00:12:43] | Why pretending to be a lawyer is much more fun than actually being one[00:15:24] | Developing technical tools and a fallback plan at Juilliard [00:18:32] | The hard lesson of saving your tears for the close-up shot [00:21:03] | Understanding focal lengths and camera coverage on a multi-cam set [00:24:59] | Kathy Bates' unbelievable work ethic and on-set advocacy[00:29:00] | Jonah Nolan's baptism by fire and a terrifying missing harness [00:32:13] | Transforming the Namibian desert into a post-apocalyptic Santa Monica [00:35:50] | The Seven Questions

Marc Preston sits down with actor, comedian and former model Rosalee Mayeux from "Magnum, P.I." and "Model Mom" to discuss her career, and personal stories.Rosalee opens up about her unconventional path, starting as a teenager from a small town in Louisiana who found herself working as a high-fashion model for Eileen Ford in Paris and New York. She shares vivid memories of the modeling world in the 1980s, the stark reality behind the glamour, and how a chance opportunity led her to acting. Her natural knack for comedy eventually pushed her into commercials and television, bringing her face-to-face with legends like Carol Burnett, Lee Grant, and Tom Selleck.After a sudden and life-altering cancer diagnosis forced her to pivot from a promising directing career with Quentin Tarantino’s production house, Rosalee leaned on her resilient spirit and close circle of friends to survive. That journey ultimately steered her toward stand-up comedy, where she found her truest voice. We talk about the grueling but rewarding realities of the comedy stage, the nuances of crowd work, and why being unapologetically yourself is the ultimate punchline.SHOW HIGHLIGHTS [00:11:48] | Parallel parking a 22-foot Cadillac and getting a standing ovation in Beverly Hills[00:17:45] | Navigating the wild, rarefied world of high-fashion modeling in 1980s Europe[00:19:00] | Listening to the news of Ronald Reagan being shot from the bowels of a Parisian restaurant[00:20:18] | Eileen Ford's blunt advice on marriage and what it meant for a modeling career[00:29:26] | The power of an unscripted moment and earning a standing ovation from Lee Grant[00:30:53] | Flubbing a line with Tom Selleck and Carol Burnett on the set of Magnum, P.I.[00:36:22] | Pitching a blind commercial script to Quentin Tarantino's A Band Apart[00:37:35] | Surviving a terminal cancer diagnosis with the help of a kickass support system[00:41:13] | Why improvisational comedy requires immense education and real-world intelligence[00:55:03] | The Seven Questions: Southern comfort food, jazz legends, and advice to her younger self

Marc Preston sits down with Actor Olivia Rose Keegan from "Days of Our Lives" and Paramount+'s "Dutton Ranch", as well as the summer film "Scary Movie" to discuss her new projects, career, and personal stories.We chat about her transition from being an eager 11-year-old writing letters to talent agents in San Francisco to landing major roles. Olivia shares the incredible support from her family, who entirely uprooted their lives in Northern California so she could pursue acting in Los Angeles. She reflects on her early heartbreak of being replaced on a major Nickelodeon show and the immense work ethic she built during her four-and-a-half-year run on "Days of Our Lives."We also get into the exciting new chapters of her career, contrasting the intense, slow-burn drama of playing a mother in Paramount+'s "Dutton Ranch" with the absolute, unhinged physical comedy of the summer sequel to "Scary Movie." Olivia reveals what it was like playing Anna Faris' daughter, conquering her fears of improv comedy, and how working with the Wayans brothers pushed her completely out of her comfort zone.SHOW HIGHLIGHTS[00:08:00] | The intimidating yet rewarding process of network testing for Taylor Sheridan shows[00:13:46] | Drafting a handwritten letter to talent agencies at just eleven years old[00:23:20] | Targeting the Disney and Nickelodeon pipeline as a pragmatic young actor[00:24:34] | Faking an Australian accent to land a breakthrough role on Ant Farm[00:25:42] | Navigating the earth-shattering heartbreak of being recast on a major sitcom[00:27:37] | Why acting on a soap opera is the ultimate industry boot camp[00:30:02] | Channeling inner Anna Faris-isms to play her daughter in Scary Movie[00:37:00] | Working with a dialect coach and stepping into the emotional shoes of a mother[00:39:11] | Embracing the terrifying and thrilling challenge of Wayans brothers-style improv[00:43:12] | The Seven Questions

Marc Preston sits down with Actor Natalie Alyn Lind from "The Goldberg’s" and Paramount+’s "Dutton Ranch" to discuss her new project, career, and personal stories.In this episode, Natalie opens up about what it was like growing up on a TV set and hitting major life milestones while playing Dana Caldwell on the hit sitcom "The Goldberg’s". She shares how those early experiences shaped her approach to acting, giving her the chops to step into her own producing role with the upcoming indie comedy/horror flick, "Halloween Store". Natalie even geeks out over her love of classic horror films and what it's like to build a project from the ground up alongside her friends.The conversation naturally shifts to the sweltering heat of Texas and her immersion into cowboy camp for the highly anticipated series "Dutton Ranch". Natalie talks about sliding into her character's well-worn boots, working on horseback, and the empowering feeling of being part of a Taylor Sheridan production. Plus, we bond over our shared love for authentic Canadian poutine, her very first celebrity crush, and why letting go of other people's expectations is the best advice she could give her younger self.SHOW HIGHLIGHTS[00:04:46] | Adjusting to the blistering Texas heat during night shoots[00:08:09] | The absolute necessity of authentic cheese curds in Canadian poutine[00:10:37] | Auditioning against her mom's last name to land her first role on "One Tree Hill"[00:13:33] | Hitting real-life milestones and having her first kiss while filming "The Goldberg’s"[00:19:48] | Turning downtime into a creative spark to produce her love letter to comedy/horror films, "Halloween Store"[00:25:49] | Recording a full country album and dealing with prosthetics for "Tell Me a Story"[00:30:35] | The powerful female characters in the Taylor Sheridan universe and the real-life women who inspire them[00:37:33] | The grounding, gritty reality of attending real cowboy camp for "Dutton Ranch"[00:40:16] | Finding the sweet spot between authentic functional cowboy gear and character style[00:46:02] | The Seven Questions

Marc Preston sits down with actor Rex Linn from "Cliffhanger" and NBC & Peacock's "Happy's Place" to discuss his new project, career, and personal stories. Over his decades-long career, Rex has become a familiar face on television, appearing in major marquee shows like "CSI: Miami", "Better Call Saul", "Young Sheldon", and "Big Sky".We cover his early days growing up in Texas and Oklahoma, and how classic Universal movie monsters inspired him to pursue acting. Rex details the pivotal decision to leave his career in banking at age 34 to move to Los Angeles, eventually landing his breakout role opposite John Lithgow and Sylvester Stallone in "Cliffhanger". He also shares insights into the fast-paced, improvisational nature of shooting a sitcom compared to dramatic television.Off the set, Rex talks about his lifelong passion for drumming, including the moment his fiancée, Reba McEntire, surprised him by having him play live on stage with her band. We also touch on the dynamics of working alongside Reba every day, our mutual appreciation for Whataburger, and the importance of simply being kind.SHOW HIGHLIGHTS00:06:52 | The unexpected classic movie monsters that inspired his acting career00:10:56 | The Jack Nicholson performance that cemented his career path00:13:33 | Leaving a career in Oklahoma banking to pursue acting at 3400:15:42 | Landing a breakout role opposite John Lithgow and Sylvester Stallone00:24:31 | Breaking a thumb on the congas to impress a high school crush00:26:00 | The birthday surprise drum kit from Reba McEntire00:30:54 | Playing the drums live on stage with Reba's touring band00:37:47 | The advice John Lithgow shared about working on sitcoms00:40:58 | The dynamic of rehearsing and acting alongside his fiancée00:46:16 | The Seven Questions