This week, host Isaac Butler talks to actor Alessandro Nivola, who recently starred in the Sopranos prequel The Many Saints of Newark. In the interview, Alessandro discusses his early career as a theater actor and shares a piece of wisdom he got from Robert De Niro about memorizing lines. Then he digs into the process of becoming a believable 1970’s tough guy in Many Saints. 
After the interview, Isaac and co-host June Thomas discuss line memorization and the joys of being part of a “scene.” 
In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Alessandro shares how he’s able to tap into powerful emotions in scenes that call for it. 
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to working@slate.com or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews. 
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