In episode nine of The Young Entertainment Podcast, Daniella and Mordechai are joined by Benjamin Norris, who you may recognize as Trent in Netflix’s Never Have I Ever, Tony in Superstore, Bardi in season two of Andor and as a recurring guest star on Abbott Elementary. If you’ve ever wanted a podcast to learn from the stars and get the best masterclass tips and tricks for launching your own career, you’ve come to the right place!

Benjamin has been a part of so many hit shows, and we learned that he even got his acting start at BuzzFeed. After honing his craft by studying improv at the Groundlings School, Benjamin joined close friend and Abbott Elementary creator Quinta Brunson at BuzzFeed, where he acted in many of their short form comedy videos and series. Benjamin said he learned so much about improv from working with so many like minded creatives!

“[BuzzFeed] was a really cool incubator of talent.”

We also played our new favorite game of “six degrees of Zac Efron.” Mordechai went the film route, while Benjamin revealed he met a fellow creator at BuzzFeed who grew up with Zac. Talk about a close connection!

Benjamin: “I think I’m two degrees away [from Zac Efron].” 

Benjamin joined Andor, which follows thief-turned-rebel spy Cassian Andor as he embarks on a path to turn him into a Rebel hero, in season two. He revealed to us that show creator Tony Gilroy wrote the part of Bardi specifically for him, showing just how perfect he was for this role!

Benjamin:“[Andor] was definitely a pinch myself moment.”

Benjamin told us he grew up a huge Star Wars fan so now being a part of this legendary franchise was a dream come true and full circle moment. 

While on set, Benjamin said Diego Luna who plays Cassian was so welcoming and the entire cast became family because it was such a collaborative set. Benjamin delivered us a masterclass moment of knowing that you understand your character when you can place them in any environment and know how they would act there. Bardi on the moon? Under the sea? Benjamin gets it! 

Even as an actor, Benjamin is just like all of us and really enjoys watching TV and film as an audience member. He is a massive Bravo fan, and we couldn’t relate more!

Benjamin: “I think one of the most special parts of being able to do what you love is you are kind of always a student as well as a fan and audience member.”

If you haven’t seen Andor yet, what are you waiting for? Benjamin said it is intense and heartfelt and is an incredible story from start to finish. Benjamin delivered us so many great BTS moments, masterclass advice, and relatable stories!

“If you show up with a good attitude and ready to do anything, that’ll come across on screen.”

Again, this podcast is for you, the fans! We want to know who you want to hear and learn from and have many exciting guests and stories coming up in future episodes! We’ll be releasing episodes each week so don’t forget to subscribe and stay tuned!

Consider this:

• Walk onto set each day with a great attitude and ready to learn. This’ll make the whole experience that much more enjoyable and that energy will definitely come across on screen. 
• Simply enjoy TV! You can learn a lot as an audience member and consumer from other actors.