SPEAKING OF...

Conversations on Voice, Speech, and Identity with Ryan O'Shea

“It’s harmful because it’s not just about the movie; it’s not just about an actor playing this role. It’s about this representation going...

“There are so many different ways that that transition into a new color of your accent can happen. It can be learned, or it can be...

“‘I usually default to—and I totally own this—a very powerful, loud, in-your-face type of voice. And not all scenarios call for that,...

“‘African-American Vernacular of English’ has certain implications just because of the title—because of the fact that it has...

“My teachers encouraged me to own my “Blackness,” whatever that meant, and to own my “gayness,” whatever that meant…Feeling empowered to...

“If you don’t take care of your vocal cords, the world will not help you.” – Joanna Cazden On this episode of Speaking Of… I’m joined by...

“I want artists and actors to have rich, complex human experience open in their lives, as well as in their art form, and not just feel,...

“With any sort of performance I had, if I couldn’t emotionally get there, then I’d think it wasn’t good. So when I start a performance,...

“If you’re in the place of ‘everything feels good and easy,’ that’s probably not a good orientation in terms of these words and this...

“When I get into that fight-or-flight response, one of the first things to go is my voice.” – Vivi Devereaux On this episode of Speaking...

On this episode of Speaking Of… I’m answering listener questions! My boyfriend, Cam, co-hosted with me, serving as the reader of...

“Because I don’t feel like I’m seen fully as a human…I feel like I need to push.” – Lisa Ermel On this episode of Speaking Of… I’m joined...

“I realized coming to Los Angeles that there’s not a strong emphasis on voice—or at least I didn’t notice that. I felt that I had lost...

“I’m mostly used to camera-work and being mic-ed up, so that I can talk and if I get quiet people can hear me. But this is my first time...

“I feel really comfortable when I’m just discussing whatever the topic at hand is. But it could be the same topic and if it’s presented...

“I have to tell myself to breathe, but even when I do, I don’t feel like I’m getting a full breath.” –Arianne Villareal On this episode...

“Maybe the voice is the root of vulnerability for a human, and we just don’t really realize it.” – Kevin Whitmire On this episode of...

“I have a lot of fun playing with accents in Spanish, and I wish I wasn’t so shy and so closed off to trying to do it in English. But...

“Her voice was like a pinch.” – Daniel Jaar For the very first episode of Speaking Of… I’m joined by my friend and singer Daniel Jaar....

Join my newsletter to stay up to date on new episodes, get content specific to episodes, and other special offers.