On this episode of ActorSpeak, Austin Basis speaks with actor Ellen Gerstein (Shameless, Southland, James Dean, Seinfeld, Friends). 

In Part 1, we talk about being a social worker in NYC, sage advice from her therapist, studying with Lee Strasberg & Ernie Martin, script analysis with Stella Adler, trusting yourself, substitution, subtext improv, "if you don't need- don't use," behavior, and her teaching & coaching techniques. 

Ellen Gerstein is an award-winning Los Angeles filmmaker, actress, writer and director. She’s a member of: Women In Film, The Alliance of Women Directors, Film Independent, and a lifetime member of The Actors Studio. As an actor, Ellen has worked with talented directors including Martin Scorsese, Mark Rydell, Mimi Leder, Rob Marshall, and Danny DeVito. Her TV credits include Law and Order True Crimes: The Menendez Murders, Southland and her recurring role on Shameless as Aunt Rande. Ellen starred in the award-winning feature film The Golden Age and in the short film Passage. Her acting work ranges from the comical to the poignant, working on shows like Better Things, The Morning Show and in the TNT movie James Dean. She played Aunt Lisa in Friends and Jerry’s aunt in Seinfeld, so you’ve probably seen her talents grace your screen at one point or another. Ellen has also performed in multiple plays in Los Angeles and wrote & performed her one-woman show, My Psychotherapy Comeback Tour. Under the banner of Lulu Productions, Ellen has produced award-winning films, web series, music videos, documentaries, and theatre. She is currently developing several new projects, including Just South of Normal, a half-hour dramedy series in the vein of The Odd Couple about two high functioning men with developmental disabilities. I was lucky enough to participate in an early reading of this project, which was adapted from her award-winning short film Waiting For Ronald, with a blended cast of disabled and non-disabled actors. Come Away With Me, another film Ellen adapted, directed & acted in, has won over 15 awards and been in over 30 film festivals around the world- and was made with an all-female crew. What impresses me most about Ellen, besides her acting chops, is her persistent creative pursuits coupled with her warm welcoming spirit & sense of humor. Her passion for storytelling pushes her to constantly be creating new projects for her & her colleagues, and in turn, tell new stories. 

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