Join us on Zoom for another installment and live conversation in our 'Journey of the Working Actor' series with Chris Perfetti, Danielle Pinnock, Deon Cole, and Lecy Goranson,. The panel of actors will share and discuss how they choose and approach projects, why they think comedy is important today, and advice to other actors wanting to pursue comedy. Moderated by Perri Nemiroff, Collider.

Have a question for the panelists? Submit it here now or live during the panel.

Bios:

Chris Perfetti

Chris Perfetti is an acclaimed stage and screen actor and most recently the breakout star of ABC’s 'Abbott Elementary'. 

He is currently a series regular on ABC’s breakthrough, Emmy- and Peabody-winning comedy series, 'Abbott Elementary', from creator/star Quinta Brunson, which returned for its highly anticipated third season on February 7 and was quickly renewed for a fourth season just three days after. 

The first two seasons of the series—which shines a hilarious and heartfelt light on a group of teachers at a Philadelphia public school—have received countless honors, including the Television Critics Association award for ‘Program of the Year’, the AFI Award for ‘TV Program of the Year’, and ‘Best Comedy Series’ prizes from the Golden Globe, Critics Choice and NAACP Image Awards. 

For his fan-favorite role of ‘Jacob Hill’, Chris has been nominated for a Critics Choice Award for ‘Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series’; and he won a 2023 Screen Actors Guild Award in the category of ‘Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series’ alongside his castmates. 

An award-winning stage actor, Chris most recently opposite Alfred Molina and John Douglas Thompson in The Pasadena Playhouse's new stage production of Jerome Lawrence and Robert E. Lee’s classic play 'Inherit the Wind'. Earlier last year, Chris returned to the NYC stages for another successful run as ‘Matt’ in Rajiv Joseph’s Lebron-themed two-hander, 'King James'. A role he originated and has previously performed at the Steppenwolf in Chicago (Jeff Award nomination), Mark Taper Forum in Los Angeles, and Off-Broadway with Manhattan Theatre Club. He made his Broadway debut in the acclaimed revival of 'Six Degrees of Separation' opposite Allison Janney and Corey Hawkins; and also appeared on Broadway in a revival of 'Picnic' starring Ellen Burstyn, Sebastian Stan and Mare Winningham. 

His extensive Off-Broadway credits include Stephen Karam's Pulitzer Prize-nominated play, 'Sons of the Prophet', for which Chris won the Theatre World Award for his NY stage debut. He also received Drama Desk, Outer Critics, and Drama League nominations for his sensational performance in MCC's 'Moscow x6' by Halley Feiffer. Additional credits The Public Theater’s 'The Low Road'; Brandon Jacob-Jenkins’ 'Everybody'; 'The Tempest at Shakespeare in the Park'; Atlantic Theater Company’s 'Cloud Nine'; and Second Stage’s 'The Tutors'. 

His past screen credits include memorable roles in HBO's Emmy-winning limited series 'The Night Of', The CW's 'In the Dark', FX's 'What We Do in the Shadows', HBO's 'Looking', FOX’s 'The Resident', NBC’s 'Crossbones' with John Malkovich and Claire Foy, 'The Virtuoso' opposite Anson Mount and Anthony Hopkins, the indie feature 'Minyan', and a starring role in Hulu’s feature film 'The Surrogate'. 

A native of New York, Chris is a trained stage actor and graduate of the acting conservatory at SUNY Purchase. He currently splits his time between Brooklyn and Los Angeles.

Danielle Pinnock

Danielle Pinnock is a dynamic actor-creator-writer who has quickly established herself as one of Hollywood’s most versatile new talents. 

Recently honored with the 2023 Hollywood Creative Alliance Astra Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series, Danielle currently stars as a series regular on CBS's hit comedy series, 'Ghosts', which was recently renewed for a third season. Danielle has a hilarious, breakout role in the ensemble as ‘Alberta’, a Prohibition-era lounge singer turned ghost who is trapped in a modern-day country estate recently inherited by two unexpecting new tenants. Last holiday season, she appeared alongside Eddie Murphy and Tracee Ellis Ross in the holiday comedy film 'Candy Cane Lane' on Prime Video. 

As a creator, it was announced that her adult-aimed animated series, 'Unmentionables' about mismatched underwear and the millennial human who wears them is being developed for television by Emmy-winning producer Anthony Hemingway and Taraji P. Henson. Danielle co-created the series with Emmy-nominated Punam Patel (SPECIAL). 

Television audiences will recognize Danielle from four seasons on the hit CBS comedy, 'Young Sheldon', where she recurs as ‘Ms Ingram’, Sheldon’s math teacher. She has also memorably recurred opposite Ray Romano and Peter Bogdanovich in EPIX's 'Get Shorty'; and guest-starred on HBO’s Emmy-nominated 'A Black Lady Sketch Show', created and executive produced by Robin Thede and Issa Rae. Her other notable guest appearances include 'This Is Us', 'Scandal', among others. In addition, her voice work has been heard on Netflix's 'Boss Baby: Back in Business', Cartoon Network's 'Thundercats Roar', and Peacock’s 'Where's Waldo?' 

Danielle's creative prowess extends beyond scripted comedy, as she takes the lead in developing an unscripted series on WEtv. Functioning as both creator and host, Danielle introduces a unique concept centered around vow renewals, giving couples the opportunity to rewrite their wedding stories under her guidance. This series is based on her own personal wedding and vow-renewal story which she co-EPs  with her husband Jack Wallace.  

As a multi-hyphenate, Danielle’s laugh-out-loud social media account @BODYCOURAGE has earned her global recognition. In 2023, Forbes Magazine took notice of Danielle’s viral PARISIAN BEDBUG sketches, while her portrayal of MRS CLAUS earned recognition from celebrities like Viola Davis, Cynthia Erivo, Jennifer Garner and John Boyega to name a few. Additionally, her sketch series 'Hashtag Booked', co-created with LaNisa Renee Frederick, secured a prestigious Webby Award for its painfully funny depiction of the very real challenges black actors face at predominantly white casting agencies. 

Mentored by Anna Deavere Smith, Danielle is a classically trained stage actress and playwright, notable for her solo show, 'Body/Courage', a rich exploration of body acceptance which she created from over 300 real-life interview subjects whose words and spirits she evokes in a thrilling one-woman show. She has also appeared Off-Broadway and at the Edinburgh Fringe in the prize-winning play, 'In Conflict'; and has performed at major regional theaters including Geffen Playhouse in Los Angeles, Goodman Theatre in Chicago, and D.C.’s famed Kennedy Center, among many others. 

Raised in Northern New Jersey by her mother and grandmother, Pinnock is a proud first-generation Jamaican American. She received her BA in Communications and Theatre from Temple University and graduated with First Distinction Honors with an MFA in Acting from the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire in the UK. She currently resides in Los Angeles. Danielle is represented by Aligned Entertainment, Independent Arist Group [IAG] and ID-PR.

Deon Cole

Deon Cole is a comedian, writer, and actor, who can currently be seen in Jeymes Samuel’s 'The Harder They Fall' for Netflix opposite Idris Elba, Regina King, Zazie Beetz, and Lakeith Stanfield. Deon recently wrapped a role in Kenya Barris and Jonah Hill’s 'You People' for Netflix, acting opposite Jonah Hill, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, and Eddie Murphy. Deon is currently playing ‘Alfonso’ in Amblin/Warner Bros.’ 'The Color Purple' directed by Blitz Bazawule opposite Taraji P. Henson, Corey Hawkins, Colman Domingo, Danielle Brooks, Aunjanue Ellis, Halle Bailey, and H.E.R. Next up, Deon will star in BET+’s drama series 'Average Joe' from McG. 

Deon can also be seen as Charlie on ABC’s 'Black-ish' and Freeform’s 'Grownish'. For his work on Black-ish, Deon won Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series three times in a row at the 2020, 2021 & 2022 NAACP Image Awards. Deon can be heard as the voice of Dave, for Dreamworks Animation’s Netflix series, 'Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts'. Previously, he starred as Detective Daniel “DJ” Tanner on the TBS comedy 'Angie Tribeca' opposite Rashida Jones, and co-starred in the Ice Cube led 'Barbershop' film series.

In standup, Deon recently shot his latest one-hour special for Netflix, 'Charleen’s Boy'. His last special, Cole Hearted, also for Netflix, was released in 2019 after the success of his appearance in Netflix's 'The Standups'. His previous one-hour special, 'Deon Cole’s: Cole Blooded Seminar' was shot for Comedy Central. His stand-up documentary, 'Workin’ It Out', debuted exclusively on Netflix is a Joke's YouTube channel, and has garnered 6 million views on social media, and 1.6 million views on YouTube alone.

Lecy Goranson

Lecy Goranson was born in Evanston, IL. At thirteen, she landed the role of “Becky Conner” on 'Roseanne'. In 1992, she left the show to attend Vassar College, where she majored in English. After college, she moved to New York City, where she has appeared Off-Broadway in theaters such as The Public, New York Theater Workshop, The Vineyard, The New Group, The Atlantic, Soho Rep and Ensemble Studio Theater, among others. Movie appearances include 'Boys Don’t Cry', 'How to Make An American Quilt', 'Love, Ludlow' and 'The Extra Man'. Television appearances include 'Inside Amy Schumer', 'Sex and The City', 'Law and Order: SVU', 'Fringe' and 'Damages'. For six seasons, she has reprised the role of “Becky Conner” on ABC’s 'The Conners' (Critics Choice Nomination). As a screenwriter, she has written two episodes of 'The Conners': “Triggered” (Humanitas Nomination) and “Fire And Vice".

Run Time: 60 minutes