Upgraded with Deirdre Lorenz

Oscar and Emmy Award winning, and 2x SOVA nominated actor Danny Fehsenfeld has several noteworthy industry insights to share with our Upgraders.  From the streets of Rome to the rainbows of Kauai, join us in the studio as we deep dive into the creative world of acting, singing and creating characters in Hollywood for Netflix, HBO and more. From his recent experience performing on Hacks, to voicing for the #1 ranked animated film on Netflix, Danny shares some of his amazing moments of discovery and good energy.  His unconventional upbringing on the road to discovering Hollywood gave him a wealth of creative inspiration to pull from while he's creating characters, and he's not slowing down now.  Find out his dream role, a couple of the actors he has learned techniques from, and some of his upcoming films and shows, then we share some deep thoughts and philosophy on life.  Thank you, Danny!  A worthwhile and thought provoking listen.

Your favorite House party DJ is in the Upgraded House today!My buddy DJ Mano joins us to share some absolutely iconic stories on Def Poetry Jam, The Fringe Festival, MTV days!!!, big movie sets, House Party Dj sets, music favorites, and travel inspirations. And, guess who’s serving as your favorite new sizzling voiceover announcer? Listen in here for my performance as part of his hot vibing drop. Let’s goooooo!Tune in to DJ Mano’s shows and channels for a lot more:Socials: @DJMANO_COMFacebook: Mano BennettHis mixes are on:Podomatic.com/djmanoand Mixcloud: DJMANONYCAnd here’s a more on me, your host:www.deirdrelorenz.comActing Representation: UGA Talent/Charlie Wright Management: [email protected] Model Management: https://www.elitemodels.com/new-york/classic/8482-deirdre-lorenzActing Demo Reel: https://youtu.be/Gcnwidae6wA?si=yjCv4Plbc3-x7nEmimdb: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1255825/instagram: https://www.instagram.com/deirdrelorenz facebook: https://www.facebook.com/deirdre.lorenz.the.originalyoutube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCYVRz_8UjTkHzf3jERZq6Tgtiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@deirdrelorenzupgraded with deirdre -- instagram: https://www.instagram.com/upgradedwithdeirdre/?hl=enlinkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/deirdrelorenz

Join me in the studio as I hang out with a longtime friend of mine who is making her own dreams come true!Carolina Vengoechea is a Miami-based entrepreneur, award-winning fashion designer, master colorist, and Team USA dragon boat athlete. After two decades in the beauty industry, she combined her love for innovation, design, and technology to build solutions that empower both beauty professionals and consumers.She bootstrapped her own startup doing hair from her Beaubar van, a mobile salon solution that started during covid and sparked the creation of the Beaubar app, a beauty marketplace where users earn rewards and Haircolor Drop, an AI based next-generation at-home hair-color kit crafted by professional colorists and delivered ready to apply.Her mission is to push the beauty industry forward by blending technology, artistry, and real-world experience while inspiring women to pursue their fullest potential through creativity, self-growth, and discipline.You'll love this feel good energy!Links for Carolina:Beaubar: https://www.beaubar.comBeaubar Us: https://www.beaubar.appHaircolor Drop: https://www.haircolordrop.comLinks for your host, Deirdre: Imdb: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1255825/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/deirdrelorenz Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@deirdrelorenzFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/deirdre.lorenz.the.originalLinkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/deirdrelorenz

If you love Hollywood legends, this is for you! What a deep dive that this tremendously insightful and, at times, wildly surprising conversation turned out to be. Multiple New York Times Best Selling author and former film critic for The Oregonian and KGW (the NBC affiliate in Portland) Shawn Levy joins me to discuss his newest masterpiece, an extensive book titled CLINT, The Man and the Movies.  This conversation covers many notable points on Academy Award winning actor and director Clint Eastwood, and many of the revelations that surprised both of us from his life and career. The conversation moves to another of Shawn's books that I feverishly read and soaked up, The Castle on Sunset, which is an astounding biography on the hidden, yet famous (and some would say, infamous), Hollywood gem, The Chateau Marmont. We then discuss Shawn's storytelling podcast Glitter & Might, The Lou Wasserman Story.  This man is one of the reasons Hollywood is Hollywood, but nobody knows his name! Oh, and I'm not sorry to say that we have a total Oregon love fest at the end. Yes, we both have Oregon family pioneer stories. We laughed, we cried and so much more.  This episode is an adventure movie in itself!

We are back in the virtual Upgraded Podcast studio with my friend, the talented and renowned still photographer and visual storyteller David Charles Lee. We share our fun memories meeting on a couple of his brother, filmmaker Spike Lee’s, sets. Then, we discuss David’s travel dreams, current projects, his more than 100 film and show credits (and missing his credits on projects including The Wire!!), and the challenges of organizing a vast and growing collection of photo archives. David shares about his family, the value and love of creativity in his family, and how he loves storytelling from all angles. We packed in too many gems to count in this reunion conversation. This is a must listen. Thank you, David!

After months of living abroad in Vietnam, Viet Nguyen returns to the podcast to share his thoughtful and thought provoking reflections, adventure stories with new and old friends, as well as his hopes and dreams for beautiful Vietnam and its residents as it navigates rapid growth and change. So many good insights on expat life and traveling the country - from Saigon to a breathtaking rooftop in Da Nang overlooking the South China Sea at sunrise. This episode if full of golden keepsakes.

Radio City Rockette Nikki Carroll joins me in the Upgraded studio for an upbeat conversation sharing her journey to fulfilling dreams of becoming a Rockette, details on getting tickets for the upcoming 100th Anniversary season, the value of support from her fellow precision dance community members, finding friends who are family, and gearing up for her first trip to Greece. This episode will have you humming Christmas tunes and toasting with the Greek word for cheers (hint: yamas!) before you know it!More on Nikki Carroll: @nikkicramprollWhere to buy your Radio City Christmas Spectacular tickets: rockettes.com

Scottish New Yorker Jenny Balding joins me from the iconic Cutler Salon at The Arlo Hotel where she works her hair styling magic, and where she also works as a co owner of the fabulous salon with Rodney Cutler.  Jenny shares about why Rome is a dream location to travel. Then, we jump into how she manifested her dream career as not only a hair styling career with supermodels in New York, but also as a mother and role model for her daughter.  Jenny shares about the hard hustle and grass roots efforts to build the salon over the years, pounding the pavement and building it step by step and year after year with everyone at the salon.  She shares about her early and continued inspiration from her father, and how she's technically been doing hair since she was 7!  Since I've been a hair ambassador for the salon for so long, I can personally vouch for her immense talent and consistency. You have to hear the Betsy Johnson and Bryant Park fashion week stories, too.  So amazing! This conversation is full of feel good thoughts and nostalgic stories that fashion, beauty and New York lovers won't soon forget.  Join us for this podcast adventure!

Join Sean and I in the studio as he shares all about his early days, discovering his voice and songwriting inspirations, and how fatherhood is his most precious and wonderful reward in life. Also, he sings one of my favorite originals, and we talk about how we met. Lots of creative magic in this awesome episode! Thank you so much, Seany Boy!!! Book Sean and The Samples [email protected] Read more on The Samples at thesamples.com#seankelly #thesamples #folksong #music #livemusic #singer #songwriter #actress #santoriniblue #score #originalsong #success #goodvibes #lifestory #deirdrelorenz #podcast #entertainment #acoustic #concert #goodlife #colorado #artist #thankyou

Join me in the studio as my long time extraordinary hair colorist of Cutler Salon, Mercedez Mueller, shares some of her wild stories about different jobs and special requests she has navigated, as well as how she got me hooked on reality tv, Bravo, and all about her fabulous new hair studio upstate, M Studios. We spill some really good tea in this episode since we’ve shared so many crazy beauty adventures. Time to eavesdrop! Find more at:Insta, YouTube, TikTok ​⁠ Insta @M.StudiosNY#actress #deirdrelorenz #movies #podcast #explore #story

Join me as I dive into the sailing world of Captain Ted and Santorini, Greece. Find out about all the best island tours, how the Kardashians sailed and filmed, and about some of the most scenic and romantic adventures available.  You’ll be ready for a dip in the hot springs by the time we wrap the episode!

International fashion designer Alejandro Blanco joins me in the studio to share all about his new found love of vacationing and vibing in Spain, and the chic and extraordinary fashion, food and wine scene there.  Then, he shares about a recent vacation in Tulum with friends, the value of relaxing without any schedules or set plans and how going with the flow while traveling has led to his absolute best adventures and new found friends.  We chat about working together, his style and love of being a designer, his design process, how he learned so much from his fabulously talented mother, and that his greatest fashion inspiration is, and always has been, the one and only Sophia Loren.  Of course, I have to share a little about that time I was lucky enough to meet her AND to eat her spectacular pasta dish that she had just made for the tv show segment.  Incredible! What a cherished memory with such an icon!  Alejandro then shares about designing for 11 years at Guess, designing for Eva Mendez, and all about what's trending now and into the summer.  This episode is packed with more Easter eggs than the new pope's welcome basket!  Let's go!

Grammy, Tony and Emmy Award winning and nominated pop and opera songstress, N’Kenge joins me on Upgraded to share all about a massive summer 2025 scholarship opportunity (through her NKENGEFOUNDATION.ORG) in Paris for aspiring triple threats. She shares about getting discovered, singing on Broadway, meeting Aretha Franklin herself and getting invited to her birthday party!!! N’Kenge actually SINGS with her stunning voice for us, shares about two live albums she just recorded and will be available shortly, shares about a musical tv series and a Broadway show on Dorothy Dandridge’s life and music that she is developing, as well as her absolute love of warm, sunny beaches and relaxing vacations. (I couldn’t agree more!) Come listen in to this inspiring, action packed conversation!Find a lot more on N’Kenge at Insta: @divaankengeNkengeMusic.comNkengeFoundation.orgThank you for joining us for the listen! @UpgradedWithDeirdreLorenz  Hosted by me, Deirdre LorenzInsta: @deirdrelorenz✨🎙️✨🥂☕️ Support the Podcaster :) buymeacoffee.com/deirdrelorenzFor guest ideas and collaboration offers: [email protected]@ug.artists acting  ✨@elitenyc modeling  ✨#actor #actress #deirdrelorenz #explore #mo

🎙️ Join me in the studio as we hear all about the value of Pilates for the body and mind, how it was originally created for rehabilitating injured soldiers, how much instructors matter, what is on the travel list, and all about where to take classes and instruction by Nwando herself. Check out more at @nwandobartley and @melissawoodhealth ✨🪄✈️

Join Deirdre in the Athens, Greece virtual studio with Maria Korinthiou as the multi award winning actress, producer, fashion company CEO and jewel of Greece shares about her love of acting, the magical connection of theatre, the importance of artists in sharing stories, educating and communicating, her love of travel, how she unwinds and then she announces some BIG international news for one of her extraordinary plays. Deirdre and Maria also reminisce about filming on location years ago, and the cast & crew memories of the award winning feature film "Santorini Blue". This entire episode is packed with inspiring goods!   

Join Deirdre in the virtual studio as she dives into the world of the award winning Viennese actor Wolfgang Cerny as he shares about his early education, discovering his love for the arts, wild and adventurous filming and role development on film sets, his nude scene experience, his volunteer work and soul changing experience of helping refugee youth through theatre, and his deep love of all forms of nature. You will love this compelling storyteller!

Join Deirdre and multi award winning director, editor, cinematographer, and fashion photographer Taj Francois as they dig into the lure of Japan, the Oscar eligible Latinx short film making the festivals shine, early inspirations from a teacher who was like Robin Williams in Dead Poet's Society, documentaries, music videos, tv pilots, creating a legacy, and just getting started. Let's GO!

Join Deirdre in the virtual studio as she digs into fashion designer Dee White's wild and adventurous stories of fashion school in the 90's and making friends for life, the old club scene and velvet rope challenges, starting her sustainable fashion company, designing for a fashion show celebrating breast cancer survivors, how she survived the dirty streets of New York, dancing and partying with sketchy cancelled icons and also iconic celebrities, stoicism and letting go of stress, and where to find the hottest men in the world,  Let's go!

Join Deirdre in the virtual studio for an interview with former radio DJ, movie producer, and bar/restaurant/club manager Viet (aka Rikee) Nguyen.  Viet and Deirdre toast to the best things in life, Viet reveals that he's taking off on a 30 hour solo travel adventure with a one way ticket, talks about diving into life in Saigon as a local, the culinary scene he plans to explore, dating possibilities he has going on and how he's excited to meet women from around the world, bartender etiquette for people ordering fancier drinks, what to watch out for when out on the town, bucket list travel ideas for Vietnam, being open to life adventures, how to live on $20 or less a day, the kindness of people in Vietnam, making his wildest travel dreams come true, and seizing the day!