I met Rachel Shenton, when we were both working on Hollyoaks - many moons ago.

A couple of years back, she started talking to me about a film she wanted to write, about a deaf girl, born into a hearing family.

I thought it sounded like an amazing idea, but we both knew it would require a tremendous amount of work to make it a reality.

Fast forward to the present day, and that film is not only a reality, it's just won Rachel AN OSCAR!

Of course, I had to invite Rachel down to MediaCityUK for...

Dan Hubbard CDG needs no introduction - but we'll give him one anyway!

Dan is an absolute powerhouse in casting and has been responsible for casting no less than 16 feature films in the last couple of years .

Titles included Angel Has Fallen - starring Gerard Butler and Morgan Freeman, Ilkley - starring Derek Jacobi, and Executive Producer - starring Orlando Bloom.

Dan and the team at Hubbard Casting have cast some of the biggest film and TV franchises of all time - including The Lord Of The...

Ladies and gentleman - let me introduce you to one of the most POPULAR TV directors I have EVER met - Mr Mickey Jones!

Over the years, Mickey has directed literally HUNDREDS of episodes of the UK's favourite soaps - including Coronation Street, Emmerdale, EastEnders and Hollyoaks.

I met Mickey for a coffee in MediaCityUK recently, and was instantly struck by this guy's heart.

He's such a GIVING director, and is always on the lookout for new talent to give that first break to.

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Known most famously for playing the iconic footman, Thomas Barrow, in Downton Abbey - Rob has come A LONG WAY in the 15 years since I met him at an acting class in Manchester.

I asked Rob to join me at 'On The 7th' in MediaCityUK for a long overdue catch-up and chat about ALL THINGS acting!

During our chat, Rob and I discussed:

• Rob's experiences filming 6 seasons of 'Downton Abbey'.
• What it's like when a dream job like Downton comes to an end.
• Knowing when it's time to find a new agent - and...

If there is one thing I've learnt from 15 years of working as a professional actor - it's that there is NO substitution for hard work!

This applies to everyone in the acting industry - both in front of and behind the camera.

One of the hardest working directors I have EVER met is Lewis Arnold.

At just 31 years old, he's already directed MASSIVE TV hits, including Misfits, Humans, Prey and Broadchurch - a phenomenal achievement.

I caught up with Lewis for a chat about what has lead to his...

Andy Pryor CDG is one of the UK's most respected casting directors.

Working in the highest echelons of TV, Andy's track record speaks for itself.

Andy's been responsible for casting more than 120 episodes of Doctor Who - including 5 new doctors, he's recently cast BBC's Undercover, Call The Midwife and The A Word, and he's just wrapped on a brand new series of Cold Feet.

Seeing first-hand how pro-active Andy is in discovering new talent, I was desperate to get him on Act On This for a...

Agents eh?

They are a BIG part of the acting industry and a HUGE part of your acting career success... BUT so many actors struggle when it comes to finding great representation.

Those who do find it, often have trouble making the actor/ agent relationship work, some actors feel afraid to even call their agents, and many actors find themselves jumping ship too early.

These actors end up between agents with no sense of career direction.

To learn how to avoid all of these mistakes I dropped by...

It gives me GREAT pleasure to welcome back to the site, one of the most fearless directors in the TV industry - BAFTA-winning Jordan Hogg!

Both super-talented and relentlessly positive, Jordan is a force to be reckoned with.

He spends his time directing some of the most popular TV shows in the UK - Coronation Street, Casualty, Hollyoaks and Doctors - to name but a few.

After interviewing Jordan for a full #ActOnThisTV episode - I just had to ask him back for a 100% LIVE video Q&A!

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Kate Rhodes James is a juggernaut in UK TV casting.

With a career spanning 20+ years, Kate has been responsible for casting some of the most successful TV shows to EVER grace our screens.

Kate's credits include BBC One's Line Of Duty, Bodyguard, ITV's Good Karma Hospital, The Terror, Requiem... the list is ENDLESS.

In this EXCLUSIVE interview for Act On This Kate invites us into the world of high-profile drama casting, answering all kinds of questions from members of the community.

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I sit down for an in-depth chat with award-winning filmmaker Chris Stone.

Chris is one of the most talented filmmakers I have ever had the pleasure of working with, and in this interview he opens up about the world of independent film and the amazing opportunities it is currently offering actors of all levels.

During our chat, Chris and I discuss:

• The plethora of acting opportunities in independent film right now.
• Chris' background and how he got started in filmmaking.
• Chris' latest...