Lisa and David speak with the multifaceted JAMES DUFF, an actor, Broadway playwright, Emmy-nominated screenwriter, and showrunner/creator about how the young actor can approach material with mature and controversial themes, why it’s okay to decline an audition if the role makes you uncomfortable, the importance of telling authentic stories, the role of the showrunner, and much more.

This week’s mailbag question: “What should I do if I’m getting conflicting advice from my agent and manager?”

JAMES DUFF

James Duff was born in New Orleans and raised in Texas where he studied piano, journalism and drama, eventually becoming a working actor, performing in several productions at Theatre Three (Chicago, The Taking Away of Little Willy, The Seagull), Dallas Repertory Theatre (Shenandoah, God’s Favorite), and Casa Mañana (Grease, Man of La Mancha), as well as doing voice overs, commercials and industrial films.

On moving to New York, Duff switched careers, deciding to concentrate on writing plays. His first drama, The War at Home, premiered at the Hampstead Theatre Company in London, and successfully traveled the world with productions in Israel, Belgium, Greece, South Africa, Sweden (directed by Ingmar Bergman) and a four-city tour of Germany. Retitled Home Front, it opened on Broadway in January of 1985. His second play, A Quarrel of Sparrows premiered at the Cleveland Playhouse in 1991 and went on to bow at The Promenade Theatre in New York City six months later. That same year, his first television movie, Doing Time on Maple Drive, aired on FOX, garnering Duff an Emmy nomination.

Other TV movies include Without A Kiss Goodbye and Betrayed. His series work includes stints writing and producing Popular, Felicity, The Agency and Star Trek: Enterprise, Star Trek: Discovery and Star Trek: Picard. He is probably best known for creating, producing and writing The D.A., The Closer and its spinoff, Major Crimes. The Closer and Major Crimes both reached a worldwide audience of over eighty million viewers. Other work includes executive producing Star Trek: Discovery and Star Trek: Picard. Currently, he is show running Sherlock & Daughter, currently prepping in Dublin.

Duff is married to actor Phillip P. Keene and lives in Paris and Southern California.

THE YOUNG ACTOR WORKSPACE was born out of a single request — a mom who was looking for help with an audition for her son. At the time, the young actor was doing a play with Lisa Picotte and David Kaufman. They were both happy to share their personal insight and advice on how to approach the particularly difficult audition material. He booked the job. Word of mouth ensued and a studio was born. In the past 20 years, Lisa and David have worked with hundreds of young actors, both in weekly classes and private coaching. Some of the young actors who have studied and coached with them have gone on to tremendous success — Millie Bobby Brown, Taylor Lautner, Rico Rodriguez, Raini Rodriguez, Grace Kaufman, Tanner Buchanan, Haley Ramm, Brenna D’Amico, Bobby Soto, just to name a few. While these young actors’ success is a point of pride for Lisa and David, they are just as proud of the many other young actors who are also working regularly, or simply gaining the skills to go out into the world feeling confident in their ability to speak in front of and honestly engage with others in whatever paths they eventually choose. While the studio continues to thrive, Lisa is now a sought-after set coach for young actors. She has worked for ABC, CBS, Showtime, Apple TV Plus and Disney among others.

Instagram: @lisapicotteworkspace

Facebook: @lisapicotteworkspace

Website: www.youngactorworkspace.com

Lisa and David welcome Anne Henry, co-founder of BizParentz, the nation's foremost non-profit organization serving professional young performers and their families, for an invaluable conversation about ways to stay safe while pursuing an entertainment career, how to avoid scams, the importance of trusting one’s instincts, navigating social media, and much more.

Lisa and David address this week’s mailbag question: “What are some tips for directing your young actor if you have no acting/directing experience?”

ANNE HENRY

Anne Henry is the mother of 3 former young performers, all of which had successful careers. In her life prior to showbiz, she had a 15-year career as a city administrator where her responsibilities included managing parks and recreation departments, special events, social services, and legislation and public policy. She currently works as an administrator at a private school. Anne served as a parent advisor to the Screen Actors Guild National Young Performers Committee and is the co-founder of BizParentz Foundation (www.bizparentz.org), the nation's foremost non-profit organization serving professional young performers and their families.

About BizParentz


BizParentz Foundation is a non-profit 501c3 organization serving families in the entertainment industry through education and advocacy. Since its founding in 2004 by Paula Dorn and Anne Henry, BizParentz representatives have provided personal assistance at no charge to thousands of families. They have presented seminars on Coogan Accounts, Parenting Young Performers, Child Actor Taxes, Incorporation/Emancipation, and Predators and Performer Safety. Anne and Paula have become sought after media and legislative experts on the subject of young performers and have written or sponsored 12 laws protecting children across the country, including the 2012 California Child Performer Protection Act, which for the first time, required fingerprint clearance for adults working with children in the entertainment industry. Anne and Paula were honored for their contributions to the entertainment industry with a formal Commendation from the City of Los Angeles in 2011.

 BizParentz is recognized as the leading organization serving families in the entertainment industry, and the organization has partnered with actors and legislators across the United States to develop safe standards for children in the industry. The articles on the BizParentz website have been translated into more than 10 languages, and Paula and Anne have contributed to multiple national publications, web-based venues, and television shows in the US, Canada, the UK, and Brazil. Recent appearances include NBC’s Today Show, CBS’s Inside Edition, Dr. Drew, Entertainment Tonight, and multiple appearances on CNN. They have been quoted in Vanity Fair, The New York Times, LA Times, The Boston Globe, and Backstage. A feature film, AN OPEN SECRET, documents some of their work and was released to critical acclaim in 2015.

Website: www.bizparentz.org

Facebook: @bizparentz

THE YOUNG ACTOR WORKSPACE was born out of a single request — a mom who was looking for help with an audition for her son. At the time, the young actor was doing a play with Lisa Picotte and David Kaufman. They were both happy to share their personal insight and advice on how to approach the particularly difficult audition material. He booked the job. Word of mouth ensued and a studio was born. In the past 20 years, Lisa and David have worked with hundreds of young actors, both in weekly classes and private coaching. Some of the young actors who have studied and coached with them have gone on to tremendous success — Millie Bobby Brown, Taylor Lautner, Rico Rodriguez, Raini Rodriguez, Grace Kaufman, Tanner Buchanan, Haley Ramm, Brenna D’Amico, Bobby Soto, just to name a few. While these young actors’ success is a point of pride for Lisa and David, they are just as proud of the many other young actors who are also working regularly, or simply gaining the skills to go out into the world feeling confident in their ability to speak in front of and honestly engage with others in whatever paths they eventually choose. While the studio continues to thrive, Lisa is now a sought-after set coach for young actors. She has worked for ABC, CBS, Showtime, Apple TV Plus and Disney among others.

Instagram: @lisapicotteworkspace

Facebook: @lisapicotteworkspace

Website: www.youngactorworkspace.com

Lisa and David speak with CESD’s PEDRO TAPIA, one of Los Angeles’ top agents for youth performers, about the actor-agent relationship, including how to get an agent, how to handle slow work periods, the transition from child to young adult performer, the importance of enjoying the process, and much more.

Lisa and David address this week’s mailbag question: “How do I know if the relationship with an agent or manager is not working?”

PEDRO TAPIA

Born and raised in Los Angeles to immigrant parents from Mexico, Pedro Tapia grew up with a deep appreciation for both his heritage and the opportunities around him. Living in the heart of the entertainment industry, he felt inspired to pursue a career in that world and landed his first studio position at Paramount Pictures. It was during his time at Abrams Artists that he discovered his true passion: talent representation. In 2008, he was invited to join the team at CESD Talent Agency, where he has continued to thrive and grow professionally ever since.

Instagram: @cesdtalent

Facebook: @cesdtalent

THE YOUNG ACTOR WORKSPACE was born out of a single request — a mom who was looking for help with an audition for her son. At the time, the young actor was doing a play with Lisa Picotte and David Kaufman. They were both happy to share their personal insight and advice on how to approach the particularly difficult audition material. He booked the job. Word of mouth ensued and a studio was born. In the past 20 years, Lisa and David have worked with hundreds of young actors, both in weekly classes and private coaching. Some of the young actors who have studied and coached with them have gone on to tremendous success — Millie Bobby Brown, Taylor Lautner, Rico Rodriguez, Raini Rodriguez, Grace Kaufman, Tanner Buchanan, Haley Ramm, Brenna D’Amico, Bobby Soto, just to name a few. While these young actors’ success is a point of pride for Lisa and David, they are just as proud of the many other young actors who are also working regularly, or simply gaining the skills to go out into the world feeling confident in their ability to speak in front of and honestly engage with others in whatever paths they eventually choose. While the studio continues to thrive, Lisa is now a sought-after set coach for young actors. She has worked for ABC, CBS, Showtime, Apple TV Plus and Disney among others.

Instagram: @lisapicotteworkspace

Facebook: @lisapicotteworkspace

Website: www.youngactorworkspace.com