431 - Amy Hill - How to Survive Toxic Film Sets, Staying Employed in Hollywood for Decades, and the Value of Saying Yes

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Hello, Hello! 

In this episode, veteran character actress Amy Hill shares her incredible journey from growing up in a Finnish-Japanese household in Deadwood, South Dakota, to building a prolific career spanning over 230 television and film credits. Hill discusses her breakthrough roles, including the beloved grandmother in "All American Girl" and her current work on Amazon Prime's "Ballard," while emphasizing the power of saying "yes" to unexpected opportunities throughout her decades-long career. The conversation reveals how her multicultural background and improv training shaped her approach to acting, from voice work to memorable roles in shows like "Just Add Magic" and films such as "50 First Dates."

We also talk about:

• The challenges of being an Asian American actor in Hollywood and finding representation on screen

• Her experiences on toxic film and TV sets, including working with difficult personalities

• The importance of professionalism, preparation, and building genuine relationships in the industry

• Voice acting career development and the transition from San Francisco theater to Hollywood

• Current projects include "Ballard" Season 2 and the upcoming film "Flowers para los Muertos."

People, Places, Products, and Websites Mentioned:

Deadwood, South Dakota

Seattle, Washington

San Francisco, California

Tokyo, Japan

Nashville, Tennessee

Gaithersburg, Maryland

Honolulu, Hawaii

Merida, Yucatan, Mexico

Carnegie Mellon University

Asian American Theater Company (San Francisco)

Philippine Airlines

The Gong Show

All American Girl (TV show)

Just Add Magic (TV show)

Ballard (Amazon Prime series)

Bosch (TV series)

I Love Lucy

Golden Girls

Nancy Kwan

Betty White

Marie Osmond

Craig Ferguson

Mike Myers

Maggie Q

Yolonda Ross

Margaret Cho

Téa Leoni

Mark Roberts

Holland Taylor

The Naked Truth (TV show)

Cat in the Hat (film)

50 First Dates (film)

Lilo and Stitch (animated film)

King of the Hill (animated series)

Everything Everywhere All at Once (film)

The Brutalist (film)

Anora (film)

Sinners (film)

Birdman (film)

Nomadland (film)

Anna May Wong

The Gallery of Madame Liu-Tsong (1951 TV series)

DuMont Television Network

Amy Hill Actor website

Instagram: Amy Hill

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