BROADCASTS.com

If you\u2019re an auditioning actor, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II has a strange but effective tip for you: wear mismatched socks. \u201cIt takes the pressure off of trying to be perfect,\u201d says the Emmy-winning star, who has many other practical tips for his peers. The former architect\u2019s rigorously methodical approach to both his career and craft is proof that there\u2019s no one path to success in the entertainment industry. Read his 2016 cover story here: https://bit.ly/37pg7AD\n\nBorn in New Orleans, raised in the Bay Area, and studied at UC Berkeley and the Yale School of Drama, Yahya broke into the biz just after graduate school on the Netflix series \u201cThe Get Down.\u201d His roles since have run the gamut from musicals like \u201cThe Greatest Showman\u201d to action hits \u201cAquaman\u201d and \u201cWatchmen,\u201d and he\u2019ll next star in the upcoming sequels to the \u201cMatrix\u201d franchise and \u201cCandyman.\u201d Yahya is currently SAG Award\u2013nominated as part of the cast of Aaron Sorkin\u2019s Netflix film \u201cThe Trial of the Chicago 7,\u201d in which he plays real-life activist Bobby Seale. This episode is brought to you by HBO.\n---\nBackstage has been the #1 resource for actors and talent-seekers for 60 years. In the Envelope, Backstage\u2019s podcast, features intimate, in-depth conversations with today\u2019s most noteworthy film, television, and theater actors and creators. This is your guide to every aspect of acting, from voiceover and commercial work to casting directors, agents, and more. Full of both know-how and inspiration, In the Envelope airs weekly to cover everything from practical advice on navigating the industry, to how your favorite projects are made, to personal stories of success and failure alike. Join host Jack Smart, Awards Editor at Backstage, for this guide on how to live the creative life from those who are doing it every day: https://bit.ly/2OMryWQ\n\nFollow Backstage and In the Envelope on social media:\n- https://www.facebook.com/backstage\n- https://www.twitter.com/backstage\n- https://www.twitter.com/intheenvelope\n- https://www.instagram.com/backstagecast\n\nLooking to get cast? Subscribe here: www.backstage.com/subscribe\nBrowse Backstage casting listings: https://bit.ly/3mth68e\nCheck out our community-driven virtual programming, The Slate: https://bit.ly/2WDNXf0\nBackstage stands in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement: https://bit.ly/3cuMBt5\n\nSpecial thanks to...\n- Host: Jack Smart\n- Producer: Jamie Muffett\n- Social media: Katie Minard, Alysa Cirelli\n- Design: Mark Stinson, Caitlin Watkins\n- Additional support: Kasey Howe, Samantha Sherlock, Benjamin Lindsay, Oriella St. Louis