Gil Junger

Gil Junger

Author: Barry Katz April 17, 2025 Duration: 1:19:55

Barry Katz sits with film and television director, Gil Junger (10 Things I Hate About You, Ellen), for a deep conversation on the mental blocks that actors and artists face in the entertainment industry. Gil shares what he looks for in actors, as well as incredible stories about Heath Ledger's and Julia Stiles' auditions, working with Oprah, and directing Ellen's coming-out episode. He offers impactful insights on the creative mind and the struggles that creative people face, how he personally overcame those struggles and how he's now helping actors overcome them through his Breakthru Company workshops.

Check out Gil Junger's audition workshops: The Breakthru Company

https://www.instagram.com/breakthrucompany

https://thebreakthruco.com/

Blueprint for Success

https://barrykatz.com/blueprint

Are you a comedian, actor, writer, director, producer, manager, host, podcaster or agent? Would you like personalized help to reach all of your goals in the entertainment business? Click the link to learn more & join our FREE industry networking group full of decades of experience!

Barry Katz Entertainment

https://barrykatz.com


Barry Katz has spent decades in the trenches as a comedy manager and producer, and in Industry Standard w/ Barry Katz, he uses that unique position to pull back the curtain on how entertainment really gets made. This isn't a theoretical discussion about Hollywood; it's a series of conversations with the actual decision-makers-the writers, directors, executives, and fellow producers who operate behind the scenes. Each episode feels like sitting in on a private lunch where these players get candid about the pivotal, often risky choices that shaped iconic projects across film, television, and digital media. The tone is conversational and grounded in real experience, offering an insider's perspective that you rarely hear presented so frankly. By focusing on the stories of creation and the hurdles cleared along the way, the podcast provides a genuine, all-access pass to the machinery of show business. You'll hear how unexpected breakthroughs happen and what it actually takes to get groundbreaking content into the world. Barry's background in comedy naturally informs the dialogue, making even complex industry tales engaging and accessible. For anyone curious about the human elements of creativity and commerce that collide in entertainment, this podcast serves as an essential guide. It’s about the practical wisdom and occasional chaos that define the industry standard, told by the people who set it.
Author: Language: en-us Episodes: 500

Industry Standard w/ Barry Katz
Podcast Episodes
223: Larry Namer [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:45:07
Larry Namer is an entertainment and media entrepreneur who founded E! Entertainment. He has also founded several other media companies around the globe and currently heads Metan Global Entertainment Group. See Privacy Po…
222: Gordon Ferrie [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:19:40
Born in 1941, Gordon Ferrie is a national security and JFK assassination expert. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
221: Mychal Simka [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:58:19
Mychal Simka is the writer, director, and producer of “re-versioned” animated features, meaning he takes movies produced abroad in non-English languages and adapts them for American audiences primarily through editing an…
220: Mike Farah Special Re-Release [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:13:57
Mike Farah, CEO of "Funny or Die", sits down with Barry to record this hilariously inspiring episode of Industry Standard. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.co…
219: Alonzo Bodden [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:24:46
Alonzo Bodden is an American comedian who won Season 3 of NBC’s Last Comic Standing. Alonzo has made the rounds on the late night television circuit including appearances on “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno,” “Late Night…
218: Leigh Steinberg [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:11:12
Leigh Steinberg has represented many of the most successful athletes and coaches in Football, Basketball, Baseball, Hockey, Boxing, Golf, etc., including the number one overall pick in the NFL draft for an unprecedented…
217: Godfrey [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:10:06
Godfrey is an American comedian and actor While performing impressions of his college football teammates, Godfrey realized his irreverent style of comedy might be more than just a hobby and found his passion in stand up.…
216: Byron Allen Re-Release [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:45:54
BYRON ALLEN is a multiple Emmy winning 35-year entertainment veteran, who began his career as a stand-up. At 14 years old, he got his first break when Jimmie Walker saw his stand-up act and was so impressed that he invit…
215: John Heffron [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:30:58
John Heffron is an American stand-up comedian, who is best known as the winner of the highest rated season of NBC’s hit reality competition "Last Comic Standing." Heffron first took the stage at the University of Michiga…
213: Pat O'Brien [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:20:17
Pat O'Brien is an american author, radio host, and legendary sportscaster. He worked at CBS sports from 1981 to 1997, as well as the anchor and host of Access Hollywood from 1997 to 2004, and The Insider from 2004 to 200…