Embracing the Unexpected: Ian Lyons' Acting Odyssey

  When life handed Ian Lyons a script, he didn't just read his lines—he brought the whole story to life. Our latest Mindset Artistry Podcast episode is a front-row seat to Ian's riveting transformation from production assistant to a seasoned actor with a penchant for the horror genre and a knack for embracing life's unexpected turns. His candid reflections on personal growth, battling anxiety in the audition room, and the sweetness of finding the finest cookie in New York are the raw, unscripted moments that remind us all to savor the journey.

Ian Lyons @Iantheactor

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Transcript

Amanda DeBraux: 0:03

This is the Mindset Artistry Podcast. I'm Amanda DeBraux, an actor or actress per your reference, and an inner voice life coach, and I'm Janel.

Janel Koloski: 0:10

Koloski, an actor and career and mindset coach. We're your hosts and we're here to flip your mindset, to teach you the artistry of what we learned to keep your mind in check Over the course of our lives.

Amanda DeBraux: 0:20

we've taken on the journey of healing, living and being authentically ourselves, as we successfully built our individual careers in the entertainment industry.

Janel Koloski: 0:28

This podcast is designed for you so you can discover your goals and courageously reach them at your highest potential, while being a hundred and thousand percent yourself.

Amanda DeBraux: 0:37

What you'll get from us is real dirty and okay, a little more like a lot of quirky, along with special elite guests that nurture empathy and create a safe space without judgment. So get ready to build a mindset that is unapologetically you and excel beyond the stars. Welcome to the Mindset Artistry Podcast.

Janel Koloski: 1:00

That's good. Hello everybody, and welcome back to another episode of Mindset Artistry. We've got Ian Lyons today, which I'm super excited about because we met on this like wacky shoot for National Geographic and there were teleprompters and snakes and spiders and bugs involved. Yeah, it was pretty wild. Well, we're going to do a little bio here and talk all about Ian and then we're going to just jump right in.

Janel Koloski: 1:27

So he was born in Rhode Island, raised in Connecticut with two older brothers and a single mom. The limelight was always something Ian made every effort to avoid. His father and oldest brother, Christian, were both actors. His mom a regional theater director. Ian was always more attracted to the art of filmmaking and after years of turning bright red whenever he had to speak in front of class, Ian decided to pursue a career behind the scenes. Days after marrying his film school sweetheart in NYC Central Park in 1998, that's so cute Ian and his new bride ventured off to LA to pursue their film and TV production careers.

Janel Koloski: 2:03

Years passed, along with several grueling production jobs, and soon Ian realized behind the scenes was no fun and thankless as factory work. So, given an opportunity to audition for a role on Sabrina, the Teenage Witch, one of my favorites. Oh my God, Ian jumped at the chance and booked it. What? And that's where it all began. Now, 21 years later, still happily married, father of two nearly adult boys, two heart surgeries and a stint living in Belgium, Ian finally feels comfortable enough to call himself an actor. Wow, Okay, there's a lot in there, Ian, but I'm still floored about Sabrina, the Teenage Witch, and I've just it's very funny. So my brother he has autism and he's super cool and amazing and he loved the cat.

Ian Lyons: 2:48

Salem.

Janel Koloski: 2:49

Salem would just like laugh and cackle and he would still, you know, to this day, do that. And he also nicknamed me Sabrina because it's like funny. It was his favorite character, so it was like a loving nickname. So tell us about that experience, because that's what launched you.

Ian Lyons: 3:09

I still have a little hat because I worked on the production end of it before I got that audition. So I have a little production hat with the cat on it, a little red, like yeah, let's get like a winter hat. I should give it to you, to give it to your brother.

Janel Koloski: 3:21

I was going to ask and now you have to. Because, I'm my dresser. I don't know why you have it out. Freak out, okay.

Ian Lyons: 3:29

You can't really tell it's Salem, but yeah, no, it was one of many production jobs I did in LA. I did a lot of PA work, production assistant work, which is so thankless. It was a lot of getting coffee and getting food, delivering scripts. So, on, sabrina, I was delivering scripts for the uh, the script department, the writing department, uh, so that was, that was fun. And then one day one of the writer's assistants said we should get Ian an audition on this, like he should be an actor. And I'm like, ah, cause I'm I'm kind of high energy and goofy. And then the one of the writers was like, yeah, we could do that. And they got me an audition and I booked it. It was the tiniest role, but for me it was huge. And Leonard Nimoy you know Spock's son directed that episode. I think it was Adam Nimoy. And, yeah, I had to say I'm sorry, folks, we're completely out of popcorn shrimp, there's not one left on the ship. And that's what I did Go back and do it now. So, yeah, that's my Sabrina story.

Amanda DeBraux: 4:35

That's so incredible because, just like now, I was obsessed with Sabrina the Teenage Witch. I always wanted witchy powers.

Amanda DeBraux: 4:42

I always thought you know, it's not too late, it's not too late, it's not too late, it's never too late, and I love that. They, you know, did the reboot of it as well with Netflix and did a whole new spin of it. But let's get back to you. So what happened next in your career, now that you know, you did the PA work for a while and then you got this amazing opportunity to be on the show and what it to say? That is, what does it go, you know, being at the right place at the right time. That was literally it, and you were open to the opportunity. But what came next for you? What was your thought after that? Going All right, well, yeah, I think I'm going to do this, or I do want to do this, and what like? What was next for you at that time period and how did that propel you to keep going in that particular field of being an actor?

Ian Lyons: 5:30

oh, I think at that point I was like wow, that you know that was way more fun than delivering scripts and getting food and coffee. And I didn't really. I'd worked on I kind of do a little backstory on the production I'd worked on like some nickelodeon shows and they would. There was this, uh, uh well, this producer named Dan Schneider, who I guess is in big trouble now for doing some creepy stuff, but I'll let you look that up yourself. At the time he seemed cool to me and he was trying to give me opportunities, uh, you know, to work as a writer's assistant and I was realizing the production end wasn't where I wanted to go, even the creative end of production. Um, and so after I was given this opportunity, I'm like wow, that that was way more fun, though it was a tiny role.

Ian Lyons: 6:08

I was like this is way more fun, but how do I continue to pursue this? So I knew I needed an agent at that point. And a lot of getting an agent, as I'm sure the two of you know, is who. You know the connections, and my wife was working at this place called the Geffen Playhouse, a theater in LA at the time, and she had a connection with their casting department, who hooked me up with an agent, the Levine agency. And one thing led to another. They had me read some lines for them and I got an agent. And then auditions started coming in.

Janel Koloski: 6:41

Well, and you said, you told us that you turned red if you had to speak in front of somebody. Yeah, hey, I see that now that you do hate it okay, it happens to me, it happens to me as well, and you're like what is happening? Central nervous system, but you know you're working all the time, which is so amazing and inspiring, and so what, what changed? What changed then? Because you're like well, I like this, and then it just the fear went away, or it's kind of always there and you just work through it.

Ian Lyons: 7:11

No, I think it's still. It can come and go, like I don't like personal attention on me, which I think is why I do turn red, like now and in class, when I would have to like give speeches and stuff, but when I'm in a character, it's so much more enjoyable. I love, I love the pretending and faking aspect of it. Um, and I think that that comes from, you know, when bill collectors would knock at our door when I was a kid and I'd be like, um, no, mom's not home right now, and so that's how I learned to lie. Uh, but yeah, I think just putting it on a character, just I found that so fun. And so when I get an audition now, I think just putting on a character, I found that so fun. And so when I get an audition.

Amanda DeBraux: 7:52

Now I'm like, ooh, I can delve into this thing and lose myself in that. How has the industry changed for you when you first started, from that first role to now? Have you seen a difference or have you seen a pickup now that you've been in the industry for so long?

Ian Lyons: 8:03

It's definitely been a pickup as far as opportunities, more interesting opportunities. And I think when we had our little pre-talk I talked about how I kind of aged into a place where casting sees me and before I don't think they really knew what to do with me because I wasn't necessarily like the model type or like the muscle guy or any of that. So yeah, I think older dad is where they've kind of seen me now or like the kind of mean lawyer, that kind of thing. So it's definitely as far as opportunities has changed. And then with self taping it's amazing Like that change, though it came from you know the pandemic and bad things. It's opened the whole world up for me, especially because you know the pandemic and bad things. It's opened the whole world up for me Especially because you know I do get that turning red when it's auditions, like I'm a bad auditioner in person, but I think when I'm on set I'm good.

Amanda DeBraux: 8:59

Oh, so how have you worked through that fear? Like you know, when you were in the audition room, you still booked it. You know how did? How did you work through that fear?

Ian Lyons: 9:10

Um, compared to doing it self tape. So when I would book an opportunity, when I would uh, I don't know, I think some it really depended on the day. Like sometimes I go in really confident and Really dependent on the day. Like sometimes I go in really confident and then the second I'm in the room I'm like, oh, I lost it, where'd it go? Or I realized when I get in the room, oh my God, there's like 46 people in here. I didn't expect that. So you know that that would throw me. Like that's one thing about being in the room or being in the waiting room and the different things that could throw you.

Ian Lyons: 9:39

So I love the control of the self-tape because there's none of that. I know nothing's going to throw me. I know when you get on set things can throw you, but it's different. You've had time to prepare. Once you know you have the role.

Amanda DeBraux: 9:53

No-transcript and what have you found? Like, oh sorry, what have you found most fun about this transition from being behind the camera to in front, and do you ever find that you're interested in going back to being behind the camera?

Ian Lyons: 10:09

uh, I definitely am. I mean, I do think about my first love is movies like I just love not necessarily being in them, but I think I do approach acting from a fan of film, uh, so I definitely have that desire to make a movie still, but I'm such a scatterbrain that I don't see myself actually following through, so that's my problem. Uh, and what have I enjoyed in the change is Is that what you asked about going into? I think that, well, I guess it gives me that freedom to create.

Ian Lyons: 10:45

Where, on the production end, I was realizing that LA, unless you approach it from the indie side and try to raise the money and all that, I didn't feel a sense of anything really being created. I felt like it was a factory of trying to produce all this content and maybe that's changed the behind the scenes end of things now with streaming, but at the time it just felt like I don't really want to be a part of this, this factory, and it was all consuming. The hours were insane. My wife and I started on the same show when we were production assistants on this one UPN show way back when, and we had separate days off, so we got no time together and it was. Yeah, it was really. I mean not to whine, but it was hard.

Janel Koloski: 11:32

Yeah, it's a lot. I always think of that. I did a shoot last week and they were like, oh, your call time, you can come with production at six because we were all going somewhere. And then she's like I feel bad, you know what. You come in at 10. And I'm always thinking of like, oh my God, these people have been here for hours already and it's so much work. So Amanda and I both coach people in all types of ways, people in all types of ways, but when I'm speaking to um it could be a model or an actor I'm just like just really know your job, do it Well, don't be a diva, don't make it weird. Remember, like you're part of a system, it's not just about you and there's a lot that came before you and a lot that's going to happen after you. So just do your part. So Do your part. So I would love.

Amanda DeBraux: 12:20

You know, because now you know.

Janel Koloski: 12:21

Amanda and I are getting older. Oh please, no, no, but Amanda's like I'm not aging. But wait, wait, wait. It's a good thing because you hear, like my mom, my mom would always say like it always works out. You know, but you don't really know that until you've been through things where you're like is it going to work out. And so I love advice you have for people, because we're already talking about it. Obviously you switched. Sometimes people are afraid to enter the entertainment industry in one way because they'll only be seen that way and they can never transition. Or also people think there's a certain timeline. Well, if I'm not acting by this age, I'll never work the way that I want to. And so I would love if you could really speak to all that how you kept yourself going, what advice you have to everybody that's listening regarding these timelines? And you know, only wearing one hat and then you're damned to that hat forever.

Ian Lyons: 13:12

You know, it's just I first I want to say I applaud you two for creating your own content and doing the different things you do to stay active and be creative, because that's important, because there's no, obviously there's no said timeline that's going to work for anyone. It works differently for everyone and so many people I know have dropped out of it. I was speaking actually today and I won't give any names, so speaking today with a young friend who he is getting tons of auditions and we spoke about it. The industry is in a weird place. There's not a lot of opportunities right now but he has tons, but he's overwhelmed by it and he he's getting like five auditions a week and he's not seeing results and so he's getting very frustrated and he's he's wondering is this really what I want to do? And then some of us are like, wow, we would die for those opportunities. But then you have to understand that if you're not getting opportunities, it's difficult and you don't know where it's going to go. If you're getting them, you don't know if you're doing all that work for nothing. So I think, just knowing, trusting your gut, if you think this isn't for you, then you know, get out of it.

Ian Lyons: 14:21

I realized for me it's the only thing I know how to make money at. So I'm not to say I'm rich or anything, but it's the only thing that I continue to make money at. So I have to do it. I enjoy it, it's fun, but I have no expectations. If something huge happens, then great. I love that element of it of not knowing what could come next, and we all have that opportunity of maybe it could be a life changer, though I love my life, so I don't want to change it too much.

Ian Lyons: 14:51

But I think it's also important to ground yourself in your reality, whatever that is, your loved ones or who you like. I said I have my, you know my kids and my wife and my dogs and my love of movies. Like those things keep me grounded and make all of this while important to me to some degree, it's not everything and you need to think about, you know, when you're on your deathbed God forbid in many, many, many hundreds of years what's going to matter to you? Did I get their role in Law Order or did I spend more time with my kids? It's the time with the kids.

Ian Lyons: 15:27

I said the right thing. Good, yeah, I don't know if that answered your question, but yeah, there is no set timeline. You just got to ride it and if you feel it's time to get out, get out. But if you stick with it, then great and maybe it you'll find success at your own level and you have to accept what your level is and if you don't, it's hard. You can't really compare yourself to other people because it's so different for all of us I love that.

Amanda DeBraux: 15:51

Is that something that you grew into with this like mindset, or is it something that you like went in with and just it was like your root in your core, that mindset of it'll happen? You know what's meant for you and I mean generally in life.

Ian Lyons: 16:09

that's how I am about. You know it is what it is. But no, I would say when I first started out opportunities, when I get an, an opportunity, I'd be like why I didn't hear anything. Is it me, as we all do, I doubt myself and blame myself, or what did I do wrong? So it's something I've come to accept and appreciate that you know, if it didn't happen, then so be it. I've got all this other stuff that's important to me and really does that matter? Sure, maybe financially it could matter, but I think it's something I've embraced over time to let myself off the hook.

Amanda DeBraux: 16:47

Lovely. I'm curious because I am also a big fan of Jaws. So tell me a bit about your background here. I see Jaws, I see some like is this are you like a horror buff or something? Oh, I saw that you are. I am a horror buff, I love good horror.

Janel Koloski: 17:04

Oh, I'm a huge.

Amanda DeBraux: 17:05

Horror Christmas. You know I love horror, so tell me like your top three Go ahead, go ahead.

Ian Lyons: 17:12

Wait, no, my top what.

Amanda DeBraux: 17:14

Your top three like horror movies.

Ian Lyons: 17:16

Period. Oh gosh, I would say the Changeling from 1979. George C Scott is a ghost story, Really creepy, Not gory or anything, but really creepy. I mean over here in this corner you can't see, but I have some masks from An American Werewolf in London. What?

Janel Koloski: 17:35

That's a classic.

Ian Lyons: 17:39

And Return of the Living Dead is another favorite. 1985, 1985. It's the movie that turned me on to horror.

Amanda DeBraux: 17:43

I'm a huge horror fan and all movies like this is our movie room I love it because I just every time I think of jaws, I think of the fact that that animatronic didn't actually work and all that, all that stuff, and then it came together. So it's just a real testament to like, just keep going. And now it became a cult classic and it's like the epitome of what people think.

Janel Koloski: 18:07

That when you think of like horror and you know animatronic, what do you mean? It's not a real. No, it was real it was real. Okay, but okay. But amanda and I went surfing and she wouldn't go for a while because she was afraid of sharks.

Amanda DeBraux: 18:19

Because you know, megatron apparently does exist somewhere and I really have like a fear of sharks.

Janel Koloski: 18:25

But then I love them, though that's the thing, I'm obsessed with them, you guys love them, but then she tried to bait them because she broke her nail while we were surfing in the blood. I was, like you know, just a typical Aries. Just one extreme to the other, the fear is like let's go throw the chum in the water. Anyway, you two scary people, why do you like horror? What is it? What is it about it?

Ian Lyons: 18:49

Do you want to go first?

Amanda DeBraux: 18:50

Amanda, you answer first and then I answer after, when I hear you.

Ian Lyons: 18:55

For me, I think it comes from a sense of nostalgia and, like my brothers, my brothers, my older brothers, they would put on like the movie the howling, which is a werewolf movie I remember telling on them saying, mom, they had the howling on and they got in trouble and they had to turn it off.

Ian Lyons: 19:06

So I think it was that great fear that I had of those movies. And now that they don't scare me anymore, I'm chasing that nostalgia of the fear and it's just complete escapism that's. I mean I love all genres, but the escapism of horror, because I don't really believe in that stuff.

Amanda DeBraux: 19:22

How interesting For me. It's a bit nostalgia as well, but it's a different way. I remember going to the movies and really part like with my mom specifically, and we went to horror movies. She was like my introduction to horror. Even though she's scared of them, she'll watch it and then and then like sleep with the light on. But she loves a good horror movie and so she got me into it and it was like our bonding way that we bonded and to this day I think it's a way she's like oh, did you watch this? It's not that scary, but you watch it. You let me know. And so it's just like a way for us to bond.

Amanda DeBraux: 19:55

But I love everything about it because I think it combines the um, the fantastical of life and the things that we can't quite explain. So it's like it makes you question the, the reality versus the non-reality, and what's real and what's not. So that's what I love about it. And also just the jump scares just makes you like, oh, that was good, that was good, they got me. I get excited when I'm like you see, like the insidious franchise, I think it was good. Turn the whole industry around, around that like time period as well as like saw when that first came out and you know the classics, like exorcist, and I still. I think whenever I hear that theme song I just get so excited because I'm like my mom hates it but but I actually love it.

Ian Lyons: 20:40

The two bell bells.

Amanda DeBraux: 20:41

Yes, I just love it. I can picture everything about the movie. I think that's also what I like about it. I think about it as I've gotten older. The magic behind the scare, that you know, the magic behind the scare.

Ian Lyons: 20:57

James Wan has mastered that. The hideous guy, yeah he definitely, definitely did.

Amanda DeBraux: 21:02

So I love that. Have you shared that with your, with your kids and your wife? I?

Ian Lyons: 21:08

forced sorry, not forced, but she was willing to go. But I made my wife go to way too many bad horror movies. I'm like Rotten Tomatoes has this good and they're always turned out being really bad. So I thank her. I've tried to get my kids into horror and just now, my 17 year old he's starting to get into it, but I started them early. I'm a bad dad.

Amanda DeBraux: 21:32

So much you may make the next.

Ian Lyons: 21:35

You know Stephen King, who knows right Like you never know I'm not scared of anything now because I started it too early, but I can't imagine what I did to them when they were too young.

Amanda DeBraux: 21:42

Sorry, it's okay. I'm probably a little traumatized from that too, but I kind of enjoy it. Have you ever started or been in a part of a project that was a horror?

Ian Lyons: 21:52

No, that is what I. I mean. I did a like a college film. I wouldn't count that it was fun. But no, I want that more than anything.

Amanda DeBraux: 21:59

Yeah, that's awesome.

Janel Koloski: 22:01

You gotta be scarier, ian Dream director. Go ahead, yeah, you gotta be scarier.

Ian Lyons: 22:07

You know, I certainly killed in one.

Janel Koloski: 22:08

No, listen, listen, this is what you do, cause you could. You could do this. Okay, you said you're the dad. Yeah, you know what keeps happening to me? I keep ending up on creepy shows, creepy waspy shows, so it's like that's what you got. You got to find your space there yeah, yeah, the stepdad.

Amanda DeBraux: 22:28

It wasn't like a horror movie, he'd be turned into like a killer.

Ian Lyons: 22:31

I never saw that, but yes, like that concept could work.

Amanda DeBraux: 22:34

You know that creepy stalker neighbor, or that's how you gotta to pitch it. Now Call your agent.

Janel Koloski: 22:43

This is what we're doing Call your agent and tell him to pitch you.

Ian Lyons: 22:46

I want to be killed. I just want to be killed. Just put me in a scene and murder me In fake life.

Amanda DeBraux: 22:51

Just pure gore.

Janel Koloski: 22:54

What did I see? The most recent one was the Last, last of us. Oh yeah, that was creepy. Yeah, you know that has some good creepy stuff. Yeah, that's horrific to me. I guess it's not technically horror, but it was zombies. No, that's creepy, it's creepy, it was yeah you could be, you could die in one of those.

Ian Lyons: 23:17

I would love, love it, and then you could come back with one of them. Walking Dead coming to Boston, so maybe I can do that.

Amanda DeBraux: 23:24

Walking Dead coming to Boston. That's great.

Ian Lyons: 23:26

I hear one of them is yeah.

Janel Koloski: 23:27

Hey, but I called your agent and you have to say pitch me for this.

Ian Lyons: 23:31

I know, I'm sure she is. She's amazing.

Janel Koloski: 23:34

Yeah, but just call her again.

Ian Lyons: 23:36

I'm excited. She's amazing. Yeah, just call her again. I miss it. We're going to get to it.

Janel Koloski: 23:38

I want to see you on the Walking Dead Right.

Ian Lyons: 23:41

Yeah, they need a red guy.

Amanda DeBraux: 23:43

Red guy, that's what makeup is for. Don't worry about that. That's the part of the eye hanging out, or a half an ear, non-teeth, or something you know peeling of a head. This is what makeup's for, the what makeup's for the makeup department right, yeah, I'm in, I'm really I'm going the dark route. I'm with you all day oh my gosh, I love everything about horror.

Amanda DeBraux: 24:03

But circle back now um I was just thinking about you know, with the industry today and kind of like the slowness of it. Also speaking to the fact that you said you know when things happen, your time comes. Has it made it a bit easier for you now, the fact that you said you know when things happen, your time comes? Has it made it a bit easier for you now that the fact that you know, now they, you know casting knows where to fit you Casting goes. You're the dad type, you know. Do you find it that you're way more kind of confident and relief in that relief even though it's slow right now?

Ian Lyons: 24:37

Yes, yeah, uh it didn't sound like a right now yes, yeah. It didn't sound like a very confident yes, no, yeah, it's a weird. I mean, this is a weird time right now. So I'm like, oh, but I do see it as slow for everyone. No, definitely I do trust that I'll be put in the right place.

Ian Lyons: 24:52

I do like the challenge of doing something, maybe more things with more depth, which I did get to do last or in January, which is like a role about a dad dealing with the suicide of his teenage son, so that that kind of challenge is really fun, which I don't I don't think I've seen. I'm really seen as a I don't look very sensitive, maybe I look kind of pricky, maybe, so I don't get a lot of those. So it was nice to get that opportunity. So, yeah, I think getting that footage will help lead to more of those opportunities. So it's really about just building, putting the building blocks, and that's what I like about it that I still care and get excited about it and see that there is room to change and, as I get older, see there's different places that they'll be able to put me, and I trust that they will.

Amanda DeBraux: 25:41

And what was your besides that? Was there anything you took away on top of that from the project you did in January that you feel will resonate with you forever? You know, as far as switching that and dealing with something that's a bit more dramatic, a bit more heavy, a bit more sad, Uh, I think I.

Ian Lyons: 26:01

What I can take from it is that I can do it. You know, if I, you know, I think there was some concern, you know cause I this script, call for me to really be bawling and talking. I mean, we'll see how it comes out when I see my footage, but when I was doing it I felt like I was doing the best I could do with the material. So I think it gave me some further confidence to do more of that kind of work, as I think every job does. Would you agree that every job kind of builds to like, oh, it kind of opens you up in certain ways to the next opportunity?

Janel Koloski: 26:34

Oh yeah, I did a film in August where I knew they want me to cry a little bit but then like I didn't realize until I was there how much it was like a lot all the time and I was like, oh my goodness, and I had to do an accent on top of that. But then what's really fascinating about that is it's like you're in all these classes and I went to William Esper studio for two years. I've been in plays Amanda's been in plays like you do.

Janel Koloski: 27:01

All this stuff that seems so low stakes, so you've already done a little bit of it and then then it's like oh, but it's a film, it's tv, and it suddenly makes it like you can't do it and it's like well, I've been doing it, just nobody saw it before before.

Ian Lyons: 27:17

And all this squeezed into that moment, You're like, this is the moment that they asked me to do the thing that I've done times, but this is the I have to do it right now. And that's where it's like oh, can I? And that's I mean this. I think this script did call for more tears, which I realized. I'm not naturally coming up with a whole lot of tears, so I just had to feel it as much as I could, and I knew I was feeling it. Was I bawling? No, but you know, I understood. You know, realistically, this is, I think, how what would happen to me in this situation, and then, hopefully, we give them what they want.

Janel Koloski: 27:54

Yeah, I know I'm always like being character thoughts because then it makes it so much easier to be grounded. It's, it's amazing, acting's crazy. Well, I, you, you played twins with David Hyde Pierce did tell me about that that was okay.

Ian Lyons: 28:10

So that's one of those experiences where, uh it, this was for a double role, so they just wanted me to double for him. So I'm like I said no to this at first, cause I was like I'm actually just interested in principal work and so I'm not, this doesn't interest me. And they came back to me. They're like this is principal work. They want David wants a real actor to act with, cause he's playing his opposite, his twin, so he needs to be able to act back and forth with him. So we really want someone. So I'm like okay, so I could do that. They're like the truth. The thing is, though, you're going to shave your head and also so just be bald totally on top, which I'm not far from it. But I had to go further and I had to memorize both roles and fully act both of them with him, which is like, oh my god, that sounds kind of terrifying, because I was not sure I was up to it, and to act in like a series regular capacity for that episode, and so I was hoping I would get COVID. You know, this is my lack. Of this is the red face me, and that was like, oh, I hope I get COVID and I don't have to do it because I really don't. I hope they don't want me because I don't know if I can do this.

Ian Lyons: 29:19

And then I realized they wanted me and I got on set and David Hyde Pierce is like have you? Have you done this before? I'm like no, he's like I haven't either. Like play twins with someone. And I realized, well, he really needs someone. And so I memorized the lines and you know, when you get at the level that I've acted at and you know, when you get at the level that I've acted at, like, you get a couple of scenes, you work your butt off on them and then you you go in and you know them super, super well, but with thisoser and just understand okay, I've got that in my head, go on to the next scene, memorize that and then flip them and then you know practice the other role opposite the one, the other one I know. And it was just extraordinary to get to work with him. He was amazing and I'm not a person who's like, oh ooh, I love that actor, though now I do because I know him and he's amazing. But I was working with Sarah Lancashire as well, who plays Julia on the show, julia, and to get to work with her too, and she's amazing. It was just a mind-blowing experience. And they gave me really nice letters after and it was the sweetest, most. Yeah, I just they said I would come. Oh, then they gave me a role. Well, shit, yeah, no, it was the. It was the coolest, like at the.

Ian Lyons: 30:46

I don't know if I told you this, but at the end of our last scene that we were doing playing twins, david hyde pierce and myself, um, the dp, the director of photography, said you know, we could have give Ian his own role.

Ian Lyons: 30:58

And David Hyde Pierce walks over and he's like, oh, I've been talking to people.

Ian Lyons: 31:02

And then the show creator came over, a Daniel Goldfarb, and he's like, hey, and next thing I knew, a couple of weeks later they had me back on set for my own role, which was I was like when they said, oh, we have to give you in his own role. That's people say nice things, I, we have to give Ian his own role, people say nice things. I was like, okay, it's a nice thing, that's a nice sentiment. But they followed through and they really did it. It was the most rewarding experience I've had as an actor, just because they were so giving and sweet and sincere and just everyone was on the same level. And then I had the small role and they said so, I filmed that. So I filmed that and when I came back on set to do this small role, the assistant director she's like hey, and we have Ian back after I'd done those three weeks as the twinning and everyone cheered, it was the sweetest. It was just kind of it was just magical.

Ian Lyons: 31:50

And you know me, I turn red because I'm like oh, too much attention on me, but it was, it was the coolest and I did that and I spoke with oh. Going further back, chris Kaiser was a showrunner on that show and he I was a PA, a production assistant, on the show Party of Five in 1999, 2000. He didn't remember me at all from that, but I worked in his office. I would buy him lunch and see him in the hallways all the time, but, uh, I got to come up after they gave me my own role at the end of the show. I'm like, look, I brought the big cast and crew photo that they gave us on party of five. I'm like there.

Janel Koloski: 32:33

I am.

Ian Lyons: 32:33

And there you are and he's like, oh my God, and it was just, it was so cool. And he's like, you know, if the show gets picked up for a third season, you're coming back. We have more for your character to do. Did not get picked up, but c'est la vie. I mean that happens. And the way I look at it is that was such a perfect experience working on that show that not coming back means nothing's going to mess with that memory of that experience. And sure, it's sad that people don't have jobs. I'd love to come back, but it remains glorious in my head as what it is in my head as what it is.

Amanda DeBraux: 33:12

I love every bit about this story because this is just to show you started off with major hesitation. Yeah Right, you were kind of against it, you were resisting it.

Ian Lyons: 33:19

And I want to cope.

Amanda DeBraux: 33:20

Yeah, and then right, you want to cope, you want, you didn't want this so bad. You're like I don't want to get sick and I want to be forced not to do this. And I didn't trust me. Yeah, right, and what's? What a beautiful thing that came about, that you decided to continue to do it and you did it. And then I'm assuming you trusted yourself along the way or gained a bit of trust with yourself. And not only that, you gained trust from your peers and you showed up every day. And it's just a great example of do your job and do it well and show up and have, you know, the passion in your art, the passion whatever it is that you want to do, because it will eventually reflect on somebody else and they will advocate for you Like they did. You know, not everybody's going to follow through with a word. We know that, yeah, work will.

Ian Lyons: 34:08

You work, do it for you, do it for you Trust yourself. And if you don't trust yourself, take a chance. I mean, as terrifying as that is, for me, just taking that chance has been so rewarding Like that. Far and away though it sounds like, oh, he played a twin, a double, and it doesn't sound like anything to anyone, but for me, I learned so much about myself from that and it's been so rewarding. So take a chance. If you fear it, just go for it, unless it's a shark.

Amanda DeBraux: 34:39

Maybe you never know, they're not that dangerous. So I've heard I love it. Yeah, that's so wonderful and thank you for sharing that. I think everybody needs to hear that, because there's so much that we put on ourselves expectations and expectations of others and this career and like timeline of if you don't make it at a certain time, that you never will and if it's too overwhelming, you give up and like what? Just a great story that you'll have forever and remember that there's still magic in this yeah, yeah.

Amanda DeBraux: 35:10

There's still magic in it and a lot of it comes from our own ability to choose ourself. Like you said, that magic and what came from that is just incredible relationships and like, from wherever that may go not from that season being picked up again, but you met so many amazing people later on, people are going to do jobs, they're going to remember you and that's what we have to keep in mind when we're doing this. Not about the fame and like it's about the work. It always is about the work and the collaborations and the connections, because I think that's what makes it worthwhile, at least for me. You know, and I'm sure you can relate to that.

Ian Lyons: 35:46

And not having expectations too. You know, don't expect anything from anyone. And then that makes it so much more rewarding and surprising when there is a follow through or some sort of offer of something. Or you know, don't do things to get something, Just do it for your. You know, not necessarily for yourself, but do it for the experience, and then if something comes of it, then great.

Janel Koloski: 36:09

Beautiful, yeah, and I think you touched on this a little bit earlier. But it's just I don't know, if a person is having like a super down day or year or something like, what advice you have for them. Like you know, for you you're like I enjoy this, so I'm going to keep doing it, but then you know, we can get in our head and make am I really meant to do this? I mean, for me, I think I'm just stubborn.

Janel Koloski: 36:36

I always compare myself to that kid in a Christmas story. That's like going down the slide and he comes back and he's like I want the baby gut, like I'm just like going to achieve. I'm always checking in if something still brings me joy and I've always just said to myself if I really want to do it, that just means there is work out there for me, cause I don't believe I would really want to do it if there wasn't work. So I don't know what it is for you. I mean, I know you enjoy it, but for people that are like I just don't know, maybe I'm crazy, I should give up, I don't know.

Ian Lyons: 37:07

I mean, if it doesn't, obviously we all go through moments where we have doubts about it. But if you're not feeling the passion for it, the excitement for it, and you're not doing it for you, then why do it Like we have? I'm not one to believe in, you know, other lives and all that kind of stuff, and to each their own. So live this life that you have, you know, make the best of it. And if you know it's too short to kind of squander on things you don't really want to do, and just do it for the right reasons.

Ian Lyons: 37:39

And if you're frustrated and you feel, you know it's taking all your, your life away and all these opportunities, like the friend I was talking to today, he just felt like really kind of shut in. And I'm like I said to him like you know, do it, do it for you. You know they don't own you. You are your own boss. So do it for the right reasons. And it's okay if you don't want to do it and it's great if you and it's okay if you do want to do it. I with yourself.

Janel Koloski: 38:11

Yeah, and that balance, like I don't know, man and I are always posting this mindset artistry stuff we do and I love roller skating and I love dancing and so much fun but I think it's definitely helpful.

Janel Koloski: 38:29

Like you're, like I have my kids and my family. It takes the pressure off. I think that's really beautiful to say and share, because you got to make sure you're also mixing in. I just always have this anxiety that, like, my life will go by and I didn't like do a little bit of everything that brings me joy. I don't get too lost in the work, yeah, like oh my gosh, I didn't dance. I didn't dance, I didn't skate, I didn't surf. I don't know. Find the best cookie in New York? I don't know.

Ian Lyons: 38:58

Have you found the best cookie in New York? I would like that.

Janel Koloski: 39:00

Well, I know everybody talks about Levain, levan, however you say it, those big cookies.

Ian Lyons: 39:06

Oh, I like cookies a lot.

Janel Koloski: 39:08

Have you had those ones? I don, oh, I like cookies a lot those. Have you had those ones? I don't know if I have. I don't guess I haven't what. Oh my gosh, I think there's a vegan one now, amanda are you vegan?

Ian Lyons: 39:18

then you can have that cookie. Yes, that's yeah.

Amanda DeBraux: 39:23

Uh, sorry, so sidetracked us with the cookie well, yeah, I mean food, cookie, horror movies, all that stuff is relevant to life. No-transcript. What would be the next step for you, for your career, like I know we talked about like potentially being in a horror movie, and but what would be the next step that you feel would be like another magical moment?

Ian Lyons: 40:05

Well, I'm not going to. I mean I don't want to say that I continuously acted since that Sabrina the teenage witch. I mean I left't want to say that I continuously acted since that Sabrina the Teenage Witch. I mean I left the country. I was teaching kindergarten for a while. So it's when I came back to the States and I started auditioning again, I'm like, oh my God, I'm booking things. So I would say you know? So it doesn't know. Again doesn't necessarily go in one direction, go smoothly in one specific way. What's next for me? I think I'm going to continue and see where it takes me. If nothing happens, then nothing happens.

Janel Koloski: 40:43

I mean I'll have to find another way to make money.

Ian Lyons: 40:45

But I don't know. Obviously I wouldn't mind some larger roles. Just keep on building upon that, and maybe they'll. Somewhere down the road there'll be a series or something. Who knows, Though I'd prefer a horror movie with many sequels.

Amanda DeBraux: 41:00

That's my kind of guy, that's my kind of guy right there. I love you Good horror. Well, thank you so much. I'll let Nellie wrap it up and do her magical thing. Any last thoughts? Nellie Dolly.

Janel Koloski: 41:21

Yeah, I mean, Ian, do you have any last thoughts, Anything else you want the world to know based on your life experience?

Ian Lyons: 41:23

No, I mean yeah, I don't claim to be anything too huge, but I know just, you know, be true to yourself and trust your gut and if something doesn't feel right, then maybe it's not right, and if it feels good, then pursue it. And you know, just make sure you enjoy life as it moves along and don't let that pass you by. But I mean, that's it.

Janel Koloski: 41:43

That's it, that's perfect. Oh my gosh, ian Lyons, everybody, thank you so much.

Amanda DeBraux: 41:48

Yay, good to see you. And that's a wrap on this episode of Mindset Artistry Podcast. Don't forget to like, share and subscribe. Catch us every Thursday for a new episode to help you master the art of your mindset. Got it? Yes, okay, cool.