431 - Amy Hill - How to Survive Toxic Film Sets, Staying Employed in Hollywood for Decades, and the Value of Saying Yes

This episode is brought to you by Factor . No prep, no cooking. Just dietitian-approved, chef-prepared meals delivered to your door and ready to eat in 2 minutes. Go to and use the code MAKEIT50OFF to get 50% off your first Factor box PLUS free breakfast for 1 year. This episode is brought to you by Anthropic. Claude is the AI for minds that don’t stop at good enough—it's the collaborator that actually understands your entire workflow and thinks WITH you, not for you. Ready to tackle bigger problems? Sign up for Claude today and get 50% off Claude Pro when you use our link – Hello, Hello! In this episode, veteran character actress Amy Hill shares her incredible journey from growing up in a Finnish-Japanese household in Deadwood, South Dakota, to building a prolific career spanning over 230 television and film credits. Hill discusses her breakthrough roles, including the beloved grandmother in "All American Girl" and her current work on Amazon Prime's "Ballard," while emphasizing the power of saying "yes" to unexpected opportunities throughout her decades-long career. The conversation reveals how her multicultural background and improv training shaped her approach to acting, from voice work to memorable roles in shows like "Just Add Magic" and films such as "50 First Dates." We also talk about: • The challenges of being an Asian American actor in Hollywood and finding representation on screen • Her experiences on toxic film and TV sets, including working with difficult personalities • The importance of professionalism, preparation, and building genuine relationships in the industry • Voice acting career development and the transition from San Francisco theater to Hollywood • Current projects include "Ballard" Season 2 and the upcoming film "Flowers para los Muertos." People, Places, Products, and Websites Mentioned: Deadwood, South Dakota Seattle, Washington San Francisco, California Tokyo, Japan Nashville, Tennessee Gaithersburg, Maryland Honolulu, Hawaii Merida, Yucatan, Mexico Carnegie Mellon University Asian American Theater Company (San Francisco) Philippine Airlines The Gong Show All American Girl (TV show) Just Add Magic (TV show) Ballard (Amazon Prime series) Bosch (TV series) I Love Lucy Golden Girls Nancy Kwan Betty White Marie Osmond Craig Ferguson Mike Myers Maggie Q Yolonda Ross Margaret Cho Téa Leoni Mark Roberts Holland Taylor The Naked Truth (TV show) Cat in the Hat (film) 50 First Dates (film) Lilo and Stitch (animated film) King of the Hill (animated series) Everything Everywhere All at Once (film) The Brutalist (film) Anora (film) Sinners (film) Birdman (film) Nomadland (film) Anna May Wong The Gallery of Madame Liu-Tsong (1951 TV series) DuMont Television Network Amy Hill Actor website Instagram: Amy Hill We are humbled to have a community of creatives who care deeply about our work. And your support makes our work possible. Every subscriber, rating, and review matters. So, if you like what we're doing, please consider subscribing, rating, or giving us a review. Cheers, and best of luck on your filmmaking journey. All Links: Advertising Inquiries: Privacy & Opt-Out:

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431 - Amy Hill - How to Survive Toxic Film Sets, Staying Employed in Hollywood for Decades, and the Value of Saying Yes is an episode from MAKE IT by Chris Barkley & Nicholas Buggs.

This episode is 97:55 long.

This episode was published on Mar 6, 2026.

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