Isis' Incredible Drive-By Interviews

April 17, 2021 - In the last few years, I've gotten back into watching ice skating, thanks largely in part to the incredible On Ice Perspectives, aka Jordan Cowan. He's a retired skater who has revolutionized the way skating fans can see their favorites on the ice (check out his YouTube and Instagram accounts). We chatted about his start in skating, the creation of On Ice Perspectives, and the importance of ice skating as an international sport.

February 5, 2021 - It's been a while since my last podcast (thanks Covid), so to celebrate my first podcast of 2021, I did a special full length conversation with the one and only Mary Vogt, costume designer for many movies I love, including Crazy Rich Asians. She and I had a blast chatting away over the phone about how she got her start, some of the movies she's worked on/talent she's worked with, and so much more!

July 16, 2020 - As a fan of J. Wilkes Wines, it was a pleasure to learn a little about the history of wine and how it's made with J. Wilkes Wines winemaker Wes Hagen. In addition to being a fantastic guest on this podcast, he also hosts his own tri-weekly show (Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays at 5pm Pacific) that can be found on his Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube pages.

July 3, 2020 - I became a fan of cosplayer Duy Truong (check out his Facebook and Instagram) after seeing him cosplay as Yuri!!! on ICE character Yuri Katsuki, and have been following him ever since. We had the opportunity to chat about his work as a cosplayer and costume designer, as well as touch on his love of haute couture fashion. 

June 10, 2020 - A mere day after the release of Darynda Jones' latest story in the Charley Davidson series, The Graveyard Shift, she and I had a lovely little chat about the story. We talked about the lead character of the story, Garrett Swopes, some of the plot of the story (there is a small spoiler alert), the teaser for the next story in the series, and a bit more. You don't want to miss this interview!

For the first time ever, I'm posting a podcast on my talent's birthday! Happy 22nd, Nam! May 14, 2020 - I enjoyed a phone call with Canadian figure skater Nam Nguyen in which we discussed how the Covid-19 pandemic has changed his training for ice skating, how he keeps from spreading himself too thin, and more.

*DISCLAIMER* This was recorded BEFORE Covid-19 caused the cancellation of pretty much everything this year. As such, the closing question and comments about San Diego Comic-Con no longer apply.  January 27, 2020 - I sat down with Loryn Stone, the co-creator of the brand new Toon Con, which took place in November 2019. It's one of the most intimate and fun conventions I've ever experienced in my time as a convention attendee. Loryn and I discussed the previous event and her goals for Toon Con's second year.

January 18, 2020 - I've known André Sogliuzzo for several years thanks his performances in various productions at L.A. Theatre Works as well as being a fan of his work as King Bumi in Avatar: the Last Airbender. It was an absolute pleasure to chat with him about those topics, and much more over Skype recently. I even learned that I was hearing his voice without knowing it due to some of his commercial work!

January 17, 2020 - For my first podcast of the new year, I sat down for coffee with the wonderful Richard Redlefsen to discuss his work on Bombshell, the new Star Trek: Picard, his path to becoming a makeup artist, and a little bit more!

November 10, 2019 - While attending the first ever Toon Con, I ran into the wonderful Matt Dunford, who is the current chairman of San Diego Comic Fest. We chatted about Comic Fest and some of the special guests who will be attending the 2020 convention.

In a brief break from his attempts to take over the world, The Brain has something he'd like to share!

October 21, 2019 - After a fantastic Q&A at Makeup Designory in Burbank, Debbie Zoller sat down with me to talk about Pitch Perfect, working on Fosse/Verdon, and what it was like to win her Emmy for non-prosthetic makeup after being nominated eleven times previously.

October 12, 2019 - While attending L.A. Comic Con, I had the chance to sit down and chat with the one and only Maurice LaMarche about several of the shows he's previously worked on, including Animaniacs, Pinky & the Brain, Futurama, and more. On top of that, we discussed Rob Paulsen (and his new book Voice Lessons), the 2020 Hulu revival of Animaniacs, and even a few upcoming projects!

September 18, 2019 - I sat down for a quick chat with Broadway star Rory O'Malley. We talked about how he became interested in theater, his time as King George in Hamilton, being a new dad, and more!

July 20, 2019 - While walking through the floor at San Diego Comic-Con International, I happened to discover the one and only Stephen Silver in his booth! I know him from his work on Kim Possible and Danny Phantom, both shows that were integral to my teen years. We talked about both shows, SDCC turning 50, and more.

July 20, 2019 - It's always fun to run into voice actors you highly admire while walking through the Sails Pavilion at San Diego Comic-Con International. Steve Blum and I discussed the importance of SDCC being 50 years old, how excited he is to be back as Wolverine, and a whole lot more!

Sometimes, the interviews I do are a bit long for my standard podcast. Such was the case when I had a phone interview with the legendary voice director Andrea Romano on November 27, 2017. I've been thinking about releasing the entire interview, and in light of San Diego Comic-Con's 50th event taking place next week, I am sharing the complete conversation as a special piece. Thanks to everyone for listening!

June 21, 2019 - I sat down for coffee with Paul Rugg, one of the writers from Animaniacs, to discuss my favorite episode H.M.S. Yakko (which he wrote), some of the comedy work he's been doing recently, and more. Froynlaven!

May 15, 2019 - I got a chance to chat with makeup artist Casey Wong about his love of the classic Universal monsters, makeup, and a bit more. 

May 1, 2019 - Dark Delicacies had its soft open today in its brand new location (822 N. Hollywood Way in Burbank, CA)! I chatted with store owner and author Del Howison about the move, how Guillermo Del Toro helped to boost the GoFundMe that kept the shop alive, and more.

January 13, 2019 - While at IMATS LA, I had the opportunity to speak with Oscar- and Emmy-winner Bill Corso about his work on the Deadpool films. What a thrill and an honor to speak with such an incredible makeup artist!

January 13, 2019 - Eden Elizalde is an up-and-coming makeup artist who recently was part of a team that did a tarot-inspired shoot for a special edition cover of Makeup Artist Magazine Issue 135. It was a thrill to speak with this insanely-talented young woman at IMATS LA.

December 31, 2018 - In two weeks, the final Charley Davidson book, Summoned to Thirteenth Grave, will be released. As it's the end of my favorite series, I had to sit and chat with Darynda Jones, the creator of this fantastic set of books. We had a great time chatting about this book and what's coming next for her.

October 21, 2018 - After attending 'The Little Foxes' at LA Theatre Works, I ended up chatting with Tim DeKay, who had been part of the show's cast. We discussed the play, reminisced about his time as agent Peter Burke on White Collar, and some of his upcoming work.

October 16, 2018 - Visual media composer Mike Reagan and I sat down to talk about some of his past and current work, which includes creating original scores for the God of War series and the new Powerpuff Girls show. 

Speedy Gonzales has a few (quick) words for you!

September 20, 2018 - Makeup artist Douglas Noe is best known for turning Tom Hiddleston into Loki. He and I finally had a chance to catch up and record this podcast! We discussed the aforementioned makeup, as well as the current and upcoming projects Douglas is working on.

July 22, 2018 - This year's Comic-Con was an entirely different experience for me as I was working throughout the convention and didn't have much time to see and chat with my friends. It's also the last time I'll see my friend Dino Andrade in his usual booth, as he's decided to retire the booth. As such, we reminisced about previous years of SDCC and talked a little bit about his upcoming work.

May 20, 2018 - After enjoying another show at L.A. Theatre Works, I had the opportunity to speak with actor Darren Richardson about his years with L.A. Theatre Works, the projects with them that he's loved the most, and some of his upcoming work.

May 20, 2018 - After enjoying another show at L.A. Theatre Works, I had the opportunity to speak with Mark Holden of The Invisible Studios about his work recording the shows for LATW. We talked about the production I'd seen that night, Spill, some of his favorite shows he's worked on, and more.

May 3, 2018 - After enjoying a panel about the history of women in animation (focusing in Disney animation), I was lucky enough to speak with animator Jane Baer, whose storied career has included projects like Sleeping Beauty, The Rescuers, and Who Framed Roger Rabbit? 

March 13, 2018 - When I spoke to Doug Jones at Dark Delicacies in December, it was just prior to The Shape of Water getting its full US release (though limited release had already begun). Now, with four Oscar wins, including Best Picture under its belt, I caught up with Doug once again at the Dark Delicacies signing for the release of the film's novelization to discuss what it was like at the Academy Awards in the moment when The Shape of Water won the most coveted award of the evening.

March 12, 2018 - Author Daniel Kraus is the man who worked alongside Guillermo del Toro to bring The Shape of Water (currently Amazon's #1 new release in historical fantasy fiction) to life as a book alongside the film. I had the opportunity to speak with him following a Q&A session.

March 11, 2018 - While attending FirstGlance Film Festival, I once again caught up with actor/director Raphael Sbarge, who hosted this year's awards ceremony after winning Best of Fest in 2017. We chatted about the difference in his role at this year's festival as well as some of the work he has coming up.

February 6, 2018 - Makeup artist Arjen Tuiten is currently Oscar nominated for his work on the film Wonder. He and I spoke about learning about his nomination, his creation of the Pale Man makeup for Pan's Labyrinth, and what kind of projects he'd like to do in the future.

January 5, 2018 - Alex Bozman is an incredibly talented musician who became a digital game designer. His games are educational and fun to play. I spoke with him about his inspiration for his current game, Bubbly Primes, as well as his next game, which is in the works.

December 19, 2017 - While attending a signing for the art book for The Shape of Water, I had the opportunity to interview Doug Jones, who is one of the film's stars. We talked about how it was to play the love interest while also being a creature, the suit/makeup, and more.

December 7, 2017 - Mindy Johnson is an incredible professor as well as an expert on the history of women in animation. I was lucky enough to take one of her classes, and in that time, her new book Ink & Paint: The Women of Walt Disney's Animation was published. It's absolutely fascinating, and I was lucky enough to interview her about her work on it.

November 27, 2017 - Not everyone will immediately recognize the name Andrea Romano, but if you've watched cartoons including Animaniacs, Pinky & the Brain, Static Shock, Avatar: The Last Airbender, and a lot of the DC universe cartoons, the show you watched was heavily influenced by her. Andrea is one of the best known voice directors in entertainment, and it was such a thrill to talk to her about her experiences and ask about what one should do if they'd like to follow in her footsteps.

November 19, 2017 - I sat down with Seamus Dever to discuss his life post-Castle, his continuing relationship with L.A. Theatre Works, and the goals he'd like to reach in his continuing career.

October 31, 2017 - Today, my favorite author and dear friend Darynda Jones' newest book, The Trouble with Twelfth Grave, released to the public. We talked about how she met Charley and the gang, plus more!

October 28, 2017 - While attending Stan Lee's LA Comic Con, I ended up meeting Seldon Young, the executive producer of The Swan Princess movies. As a huge fan of the movies, it was a thrill to ask about his contributions to the franchise as well as about some of the talent he's worked with for them.

It's Halloween month once again (in fact, it's Friday the 13th!), and the man behind the voice of World of Warcraft's Professor Putricide has a brief message he'd like to share with everyone!

October 1, 2017 - At the second annual Gran Fondo Santa Clarita (which raised funds for the Davis Phinney Foundation), I spoke with announcer Jim Miller about his love of cycling and how he became an announcer.

September 30, 2017 - On International Podcast Day, I spoke with the one and only Darren Hayes (you might recognize him as the lead singer of Savage Garden) while attending the 4th Annual 'Comedy Fights Cancer' Variety Show. We discussed his pre-Savage Garden work, the musical he's currently creating, and more!

September 17, 2017 - While attending Son of Monsterpalooza, I ran into Sven Granlund, a makeup artist who makes the pieces used on set to bring character makeups to life. He's currently best known for being part of the team behind Deadpool, and shared a story about his work on the film (which includes Ryan Reynolds) as well as some details about upcoming projects he's worked on.

September 5, 2017 - While at Dark Delicacies to support a fundraiser raising money for the victims of Hurricane Harvey, I was lucky to meet Christopher Hart, the man behind one of my all-time favorite characters, Thing, from The Addams Family movies. We had a great little chat!

August 23, 2017 - Makeup artist Craig Reardon and I sat down to talk a little about his storied career, which includes work on Poltergeist, The Goonies, Oz the Great and Powerful, The Orville, and much more. We also lightly brushed over Craig's semi-retirement from makeup artistry and what comes next for him.

August 19 2017 - After attending my first ever Shakespeare in the Park at Griffith Park, I spoke with Independent Shakespeare Company's managing director, David Melville, about the current production of The Two Gentlemen of Verona. The show will continue to run Wednesdays through Sundays at 7 PM until September 3. You can learn more here: http://www.iscla.org/griffith-park-festival/ Image Credit: Mike Ditz

August 11, 2017 - While at Stage 2 of the Colorado Classic in Breckenridge, Colorado, I had the opportunity to speak with former professional cyclist Christian Vande Velde. He now works for NBCSN as a cycling commentator alongside Bob Roll. We discussed his love of his sport, his past as a pro, and more.

August 1, 2017 - Following an incredible Q&A at Makeup Designory in Burbank, I spoke with makeup artist Christopher Nelson about what it was like to win the Oscar for Suicide Squad, some of his upcoming work (including Bright and The Orville), and more.