Acting Strong
Resilience for Stage Ready, Mind Ready Artists. Inspiring interviews with successful actors and artists exploring how they maintain positive mental wellbeing and resilience through the highs and lows of their career.
Created by Generation Arts. This production is supported using public funding by Arts Council England.
Hosts: Ali Godfrey & Unique Spencer
Episodes
12 episodes
Patsy Palmer: from the East End to Eastenders, 30 years as an iconic soap character
Patsy Palmer is an Actor, DJ, Wellness Advocate and Cultural Icon, best known for her unforgettable role as Bianca Jackson in EastEnders — a character she has embodied for over 30 years, earning her a place in British television histor...
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Season 2
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Episode 2
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20:29
Sarah Seggari: Resilience behind the role, from Drama School to BBC Drama, and finding love for Shakespeare
Actor Sarah Seggari joins Ali and Unique for an honest, funny, and inspiring conversation about her journey from South London to becoming a series regular playing Rida Amaan on BBC’s Casualty.She shares how solid drama school tr...
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Season 2
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Episode 3
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38:54
Helder Fernandes: From Harlesden to Hollywood? Netflix success and staying humble, side jobs as a working actor
An episode for aspiring actors looking for inspiration on resilience, success, and a grounding in the realities of being a jobbing actor. Actor Helder Fernandes has starred in Black Mirror, Rings of Power, T...
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Season 2
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Episode 2
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25:56
Tamara Lawrance: Fearless in Get Millie Black, the courage to choose carefully, building a career that matters
What happens when a performer refuses to compromise on their artistic integrity from day one? Tamara Lawrance's remarkable career journey offers a masterclass in building success through meaningful choices and unwavering self-belief.Tam...
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Season 2
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Episode 1
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31:08
Gabrielle Nimo: Thriving without an agent, blending football and theatre, Black women in the West End, and making space for rest
What happens when your passion becomes your career, but then a setback threatens everything you've built? In this honest conversation with Ali and Unique, Gabrielle Nimo, West End Movement Director, shares her inspiring story of resilience and ...
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Season 1
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Episode 8
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51:32
Casting Director Q&A: Unlocking the secrets of casting with Suzy Catliff on self-taping, auditioning, and getting seen
In this special Q&A episode, Suzy Catliff CDG, a renowned Casting Director and author of The Casting Handbook, shares her wealth of experience from iconic TV shows like Silent Witness and Casualty to film classics...
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Season 1
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Episode 7
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39:25
Your Questions: Getting into acting, auditions, getting an agent, self tapes and mental resilience
Ali and Unique respond to listeners' questions.If you found this episode helpful let us know. If you have more topics you want us to cover, or guests you want to hear from get in touch with us on Instagram @GEN_ARTS or message us below....
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Season 1
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Episode 6
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38:13
Jennifer Irons: Breaking the mould, not seeking permission, and performing grief
Award-winning choreographer, dancer, and director Jennifer Irons shares her journey from immigrant beginnings in London to becoming a trailblazer in the world of contemporary dance and theatre. In this episode, Jennifer reveals how her experien...
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Season 1
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Episode 5
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40:31
Hayley Konadu: Starring in a Netflix hit, not going to drama school, Black hair for actors, and staying grounded
Hayley Konadu is an actor, and facilitator who recently starred as Flo Bones in Lockwood & Co (Netflix) and has worked on screen and theatre, as well as extensively as an facilitator and assistant director with young people and in arts educ...
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Season 1
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Episode 4
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35:31
Chetna Pandya: Overcoming barriers into the arts, starring in Heartstopper, and building creative resilience
Chetna Pandya is an Actor, Director, Producer and Creative advocate, most recently known to many for her role as Coach Singh in Heartstopper (Netflix) and for her extensive acting career in TV shows such as The Trouble with Maggie Cole, ...
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Season 1
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Episode 3
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42:04
Ace Ruele: From prison to Hollywood, mastering a positive mindset and transforming the industry
Ace Ruele is a leading motion capture film and video games actor, and founder of Creature Bionics. In this conversation he discusses his extraordinary journey from 4.5 years in prison, through to acting in Hollywood movies, TV and commer...
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Season 1
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Episode 2
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50:28
Ira Mandela Siobhan: Overcoming Dyslexia and racism, a lesson from Tom Cruise, and why artistic perfection doesn't exist
Ira Mandela Siobhan is a leading Actor, Dancer and Movement Director, and joins Ali and Unique directly from final rehearsals for The Grapes of Wrath at the National Theatre where he is Movement Director. In this conversati...
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Season 1
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Episode 1
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37:34
