This episode of That’s Awesome wasn’t designed to teach anything - it was simply two actors catching up and comparing notes on life, work, and the strange in-between spaces of a creative career. Ryan McPartlin sits down with former co-star from Clusterfunke Christmas Vella Lovell, star of Animal Control, for a free-flowing, stream-of-consciousness conversation that moves effortlessly between humor, honesty, and the shared uncertainty that comes with chasing work you love.

They talk about acting without romanticizing it, auditions without overthinking them, and imposter syndrome without pretending it ever fully disappears. Along the way, stories from theatre, television, Vancouver during COVID, and the modern reality of self-tapes lead to an accidental realization: Vella has a way of framing life that feels suspiciously close to an accicdental motivational keynote.

There’s no roadmap here. Just laughter, perspective, and the comfort of knowing that not having it all figured out might actually be the point.

Keywords & Topics Discussed

Vella Lovell, Ryan McPartlin, Mr. Mayor, Animal Control, acting podcast, actor life, creative career, Hollywood acting, imposter syndrome, uncertainty, authenticity, comedy acting, audition process, self tapes, creative process, resilience, self doubt, confidence, community, motivation, life lessons, staying grounded, behind the scenes acting, limiting beliefs,

Catching up as friends and letting the conversation go where it wants
Acting as a long game rather than a destination
Hollywood’s obsession with labels and expectations
Living with imposter syndrome instead of trying to eliminate it
Auditions as repetition, not judgment
Comedy, rhythm, and instinct—onstage and in life
The isolation of self-tapes vs. the energy of real community
Letting go of outcomes and focusing on effort
Finding humor inside uncertainty
Accidentally sounding like a motivational speaker without trying

Mentioned in This Episode

Animal Control, Mr. Mayor,
Theatre training and television comedy
Life lessons hidden inside everyday conversations
Tony Robbins (purely by accident)

Connect with Ryan McPartlin

Twitter, Facebook, Instagram @ryanmcpartlin & @ryanmcpartlintv

Listen & Watch

Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartRadio, and everywhere you get podcasts

Watch the full episode on YouTube at RyanMcPartlinTV channel

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.