Story and Craft with Marc Preston

Marc Preston sits down with Actor Danay Garcia from AMC's "Fear the Walking Dead" and NBC / Peacock's "M.I.A." to discuss her new project, career, and personal stories.We talk about her journey arriving in Los Angeles from Havana, Cuba, and the reality of navigating the industry while tackling a profound language barrier. Danay shares memories from her early days, including the thrill of getting her first major break shooting Super Bowl commercials alongside Snoop Dogg and Guy Ritchie. She also opens up about surviving the apocalypse for seven seasons on AMC's hit series, and the incredible, set-blessing presence of Edward James Olmos on her newest project.Plus, Danay gives us a glimpse into her passion for food and community, sharing how cooking traditional Cuban dishes live on Instagram kept her connected to her fans during the pandemic. We also explore the intense, one-hour-and-45-minute in-person audition that landed her the role in NBC / Peacock's crime thriller, "M.I.A.", and why she always says "yes" to stepping into the unknown.[00:01:43] - Settling into Texas[00:09:25] - Why an apocalypse led by a female character made the prequel to The Walking Dead so enticing [00:11:01] - Having lunch at the exact spot where they filmed the "Titanic" infinity pool [00:13:08] - Arriving in Los Angeles from Havana and realizing the true challenge of the language barrier [00:18:04] - Breaking into the American industry shooting Super Bowl commercials with Guy Ritchie and Snoop Dogg [00:20:19] - Growing up in Cuba with a father who poured drinks at Ernest Hemingway's favorite bars [00:27:00] - Nurturing connection by teaching her fans how to cook traditional Cuban food live during the pandemic [00:43:07] - Enduring a grueling one-hour-and-45-minute in-person audition to land her role in "M.I.A." [00:46:50] - Working alongside the iconic Edward James Olmos and feeling his presence bless the set [00:49:00] - The Seven Questions

Marc Preston sits down with Writer and Director Thom Harp from "The Donor Party" and "Home Delivery" to discuss his new project, career, and personal stories.Thom brings a fantastic energy to the conversation, sharing how his background as a cinematographer in Seattle eventually shaped his approach to humane comedy. We talk about the importance of giving actors the space to just play and trust their instincts on set. It’s always fun getting to hear about the process behind creating those incredibly messy, yet hilariously relatable human moments that define his style.We also get into some great stories about his unique writing methods and the undeniable influence of an "explosive diaper" moment changed the trajectory of his creative choices. Thom reminds us that life is pretty ridiculous, and sometimes the best way to deal with the madness is just to point a camera at it and embrace the laughs.[00:02:19] - Guitars, The Cars, and safely navigating a midlife crisis.[00:09:31] - How Monty Python's Flying Circus completely rewired his creative brain.[00:21:28] - Cultivating a safe, playful environment on set for actors.[00:23:48] - The strategic genius of casting dramatic actors in comedic roles.[00:30:10] - Thom’s unique "magnet" method for developing script ideas.[00:34:35] - Why the best comedy requires putting your hero in the absolute worst situation.[00:38:57] - Casting Joe Pantoliano against type to find the moral heart of the film.[00:46:24] - The "explosive diaper" moment that forever changed his view on comedy.[00:55:33] - The Seven Questions.

On this episode of Story & Craft, Marc sits down with actor Meaghan Rath.  We take a moment to discuss the Zen of all things Hawaii, as Meaghan looks back on living on Oahu for “Hawaii Five-0,” sharing favorite beaches, island food takes, and the unique experience of filming with locations shut down just for the crew. She also talks about landing AMC’s “The Audacity,” playing Anushka Bhattachera-Phister, a chief ethicist in a corrupt tech world, and what the show taught her about privacy and data. Along the way, they cover her Montreal upbringing, mixed Jewish/Indian-Catholic heritage, early discovery as a teen actor, creative interests, a haunted childhood home, and her go-to comforts like ramen, the ocean, and a great TV binge.03:36 Hawaii Five-0 Memories05:55 Beaches and Island Food09:30 How She Got Cast11:56 Canada Roots and Family16:25 Finding Acting Early19:59 Meeting Her Husband23:43 The New Series “Audacity”28:50 Tech Culture and Social Media34:14 Privacy Wake Up Call35:29 Haunted House Memories37:48 Drama Comedy Balance39:14 Dense Scripts And Accent42:50 The Seven Questions

On this episode of “Story and Craft”, Marc sits down with actor and writer Johnny Ray Gill (“Cross” Season 2 on Prime Video) for a wide-ranging conversation about Gill’s Portland roots in an all-Black Northeast community, his working-class family, and early artistic start in spoken-word poetry inspired by the film “Slam.” Gill shares how a rites-of-passage program shaped his cultural awareness, how an internship with writer Mike Rich opened doors, and how his path led from USC film school to Temple and then UC San Diego’s theater program. He recounts booking “Harry’s Law,” reflects on hip hop’s shift as commerce overtakes art, and explains why he feels artists owe audiences truth. Gill discusses his climate-focused script “Laying Pipe,” his love of animals and nature, learning Spanish, and the serendipitous way he was offered his role in “Cross.”02:24 From Portland to LA03:23 Working Class Roots04:48 Choosing the Arts08:09 Spoken Word Origin Story11:28 College Path and Drama School15:10 Hip Hop and Early Influences17:10 Art Versus Commerce20:25 Screenwriting and Truth22:03 Pitching Laying Pipe29:45 How Cross Came Together34:31 Persistence and Knowing Your Vocation36:31 New Passions Nature and Animals40:03 Plants Pets Travel41:40 Indigenous Symbiosis44:26 Cross Writing Process45:17 Bobby Trey’s Capitalism48:34 Shreveport Food Authenticity51:06 The Seven Questions

On this episode of “Story and Craft,” Marc sits down with actor, producer and comedian, Rob Corddry to talk about his new AMC show “The Audacity”. We explore a career that spans projects such as “The Daily Show,” “Children’s Hospital,” “Ballers,” “Top Gear America,” and films like “Old School,” “The Heartbreak Kid,” and “Hot Tub Time Machine.” We learn about Rob’s story, such as moving from moving from Massachusetts to L.A., what it was like acting alongside Ben and Jerry Stiller, the pace of working on “The Daily Show”, and some of his favorite projects. He also discusses early ambition to be a Shakespearean actor, to working in clown makeup on “Children’s Hospital”, and everything in between! 03:39 East Coast to LA Move04:05 Seth MacFarlane The Winner05:40 Ben Stiller Family Scene09:51 Cedar Rapids and Dark Horses11:45 Daily Show Era Origins16:06 Daily Show Grind Today18:47 Playing Ari Fleischer20:41 Shakespeare Dreams New York24:37 Parents Support and Naivete28:39 Kids and Clown Makeup31:26 Top Gear America Cars34:04 First Car Gen X Nostalgia35:33 Brat Pack Inspirations36:30 Cusack and Chevy Stories38:15 Why “Arthur” Hits Hard40:08 Grounded Absurd Comedy41:57 Choosing Roles and Auditions43:29 Writing Mysteries and Spies44:35 Lynch and Weird Worlds45:53 Children's Hospital Logic47:31 Indie Film Comeback Hopes52:48 The Seven Questions