Welcome to Industry Standard!
This week I’m joined by the versatile actor b. You may know them as Antonio from The Public Theater’s Twelfth Night (starring Lupita Nyong'o, Peter Dinklage, and Sandra Oh), Phoenix from Netflix’s You, or Officer Nikki Reynolds on CBS’s Elsbeth.
What’s the secret behind b’s rising career? Relentless self-advocacy and a commitment to mastering their craft.
As b puts it: “What is my dream job? What do I want? Where am I now? And how can I close the distance between me and the person who’s ready for that job?”
In this episode, b opens up about manifesting their dream role, navigating rejection, and the mindset shift thatchanged everything.
A huge thank you to b for joining the show!
If you enjoyed the episode, don’t forget to like, subscribe, and follow for new conversations every week.
Watch or listen wherever you get your podcasts.
Welcome to Industry Standard with Isa Tejera!
This week, I’m joined by veteran SNL writer Will Stephen, one of the brilliant minds behind some of the show’s most viral sketches — often starring Bowen Yang. You’ve probably seen his work in Bowen Is Still Straight, or Bowen as Moo Deng. He’s also the genius behind the Foodie Boys Podcast sketch with Sabrina Carpenter, Rap Roundtable with Timothée Chalamet, and the Emmy-winning song Come Back, Barack.
In this episode, through Will’s story and insight, you’ll discover
How you can break into comedy writing
What actually gets people to laugh (hint: it’s all about the unexpected)
Where to find SNL-level sketch inspiration
A huge thank you to Will for joining the show!
If you enjoyed the episode, don’t forget to like, subscribe, and follow for new conversations every week.
Watch or listen wherever you get your podcasts.
Welcome to Industry Standard with Isa Tejera!
In this episode, Emmy-nominated actor Rufus Sewell joins me to dive into all things Season 3 of The Diplomat on Netflix.
He shares insights on his on-screen chemistry with Keri Russell, what it was like working with Allison Janney, and why the show feels like a quintessential “comedy of divorce.”
We also explore his powerful transformation into Prince Andrew for Netflix’s Scoop, unpacking how he prepared for the infamous BBC interview scene — and how he approaches bringing complexity and humanity to real-life figures often seen as “villains.”
A huge thank you to Rufus for joining the show this week!
If you enjoyed this conversation, hit like, subscribe, and follow for new episodes every week.
Watch or listen wherever you get your podcasts.
In the pilot episode of the show, bestselling author and chef Alison Roman joins me to talk about her new cookbook, Something From Nothing, and the art of authentic cooking.Alison shares her cooking philosophy, the beauty of imperfection in food, and how motherhood has shaped her approach in the kitchen. She also opens up about running her grocery store, First Bloom, and the challenge of balancing quality and affordability while staying true to her distinctive, relatable style.Thank you, Alison, for being part of the very first episode of Industry Standard—a new podcast about creativity, craft, and the work behind the work.Watch or listen wherever you get your podcasts.