The Let’s Play Podcast

Episode 5: The Campfire Girls, Part 1

Samantha Strelitz (Mary-Beth Gaskill, RDR2), Jo Armeniox (Karen Jones, RDR2), Meeya Davis (Tilly Jackson, RDR2)

Podcast Transcript

TRANSCRIPTS ARE GENERATED USING A COMBINATION OF SPEECH RECOGNITION SOFTWARE AND HUMAN TRANSCRIBERS, AND MAY CONTAIN ERRORS. PLEASE CHECK THE CORRESPONDING AUDIO BEFORE QUOTING IN PRINT.

Sam Strelitz [00:00:00]  Gaming influences culture and fashion and all of these things right now. And I think it's a really cool time to, like, be able to come out and be like, Yeah I game. I like to game. It's awesome. All of these people that maybe felt a certain way about saying it before don't feel that way anymore.

Verta Maloney, the*gameHERs [00:00:22] Welcome to Let's Play by the GameHERs, a podcast hosted by actress Kylie Vernoff. Fans know Kylie best as the fiery Susan Grimshaw in Red Dead Redemption 2 and Miranda Cowan in GTA five. Our series features some of the most informed and exciting people in the gaming industry today. Kylie and our guests discuss careers, gaming, and so much more. If you like what you hear be sure to check out thegamehers.com website to hear exclusive bonus material from each of our guests.

Kylie Vernoff [00:00:56]  Hey, everybody. So as you know from last week's episode, today I'll be sitting down for part two of our two-part episode with three of my incredible camp girl costars from Red Dead Redemption. 2. We have Sam Strelitz who plays Mary-Beth Gaskill, Meeya Davies, who plays Tilly Jackson, and Joe Armeniox, who plays Karen Jones. As I mentioned last week, this was a live interview taking place around a makeshift camp fire. So please excuse any marshmallow eating. And as you would expect from a Van Der Linde campfire conversation, there's a tiny bit of colorful language. All right. Without further ado, let's get into part two.

Kylie Vernoff [00:01:33] So let's talk about when we got to release it to the fans, to the launch. What did that feel like for you guys? I know what it felt like for me, which was I have absolutely no idea what's about to happen. Like, is this going to change my life?

Meeya Davis [00:01:53] Cause the night before we all got together, right? The Wednesday before, it came out Friday.

Jo Armeniox [00:01:57] What did we do?

Kylie Vernoff [00:01:59] We went to that party, so everybody was there.

Jo Armeniox [00:02:02] It was so much fun.

Kylie Vernoff [00:02:03] And it was the first time we were allowed to be in the same room.

Meeya Davis [00:02:06] And they were kind of trying to prep us, like, Get ready! Get ready. And we're just like, OK. Get ready for what? Like, what does it mean? Get Ready.

Jo Armeniox [00:02:18] Because it's global.

Kylie Vernoff [00:02:22] Well, and then they sent us the artwork of our character. That, for me, was like Christmas morning times a thousand. I was like, Oh! That's Susan. And here's her sort of catchphrase.

Jo Armeniox [00:02:34] And then the billboards were every everywhere. I was down to LA for a second the day it released. And you were out there too. And it was everywhere in L.A. And as soon as I got back to New York, it was everywhere New York.

Kylie Vernoff [00:02:48] Times Square, I mean, the billboard in Times Square was the biggest billboard I've every seen.

Sam Strelitz [00:02:52] There was a full subway corridor. It was like bam, bam, bam, bam, bam, just like nonstop. But I felt like, to me personally, it was a relief when it finally launched because I had been working in Esports and gaming. I was hosting all of these tournaments with Microsoft and just really kind of delving into the community and making great friends under these streamers and different people who've cut out their own little piece of the pie in the whole gaming world. And they had questions about like who the hell I was and where the heck I'd come out of, as like like, what makes you think you can be basically a host on this show or whatever. Not that they weren't lovely about it, but it was just like this thing, like, who are you? And I just remember thinking, now I can finally kind of make these two worlds collide. And so it was a real relief to me to be able to be like, this is what I do. I'm an actress. And this is like a facet of acting. But I also remember at the cast party before the game launched, I went up to Roger and I was like, You know that there's every day in your life before this Friday, and then there's everyday after. And it's not going to be the same for you at all. I was like, your life is gonna change. And again...

Kylie Vernoff [00:04:06] To Roger?

Sam Strelitz [00:04:09] To Roger. Because I knew he's really the person that you get to play in. As attached as everyone is to our characters, I mean, they feel like they've lived his life. And none of that was lost on me. And I was just like, this is going to be big for you, buddy. And it's been for all of us. But, I felt like I knew that going into that cast party.

Jo Armeniox [00:04:33] Dude. I remember going to Gamestop to buy a copy for my man at the time. And the guy checking me out was like, have you played this game? And I was like, oh, I'm actually in it, just sort of like whatever. And he was like, um, what? And I was like, Oh no. I'm like in the game. He's like, I'm sorry, can you explain it? And I sort of explain it, yeah I play Karen. And he is like what?! He stopped the whole thing. He was like, yo, Joe! Get over here!  And that's when I started to go like, oh. People really do care deeply, fondly. He was like, I've played it twice already through. And had just released it.

Sam Strelitz [00:05:14] People spent full weekends when it came out doing the entire play through like for 48 hours or 72 hours or whatever it was. Just like literally hitting the ground and just going from beginning to end. And I felt like that was when people really got to know our characters, you know, because it's like, oh, I'm in the game. It...it's like, OK, well, there are like twelve hundred characters in the game. But when you're like, I'm part of the Van Der Linde gang, they're like, woah! And you're like, oh wow. It's kind of bigger than we could have imagined.

Kylie Vernoff [00:05:45] Do you remember when you sent us all that little like Instagram thing that Drake was playing it on the tour bus?

Sam Strelitz [00:05:51] He's a big gamer.

Kylie Vernoff [00:05:54] Yeah. And I was like, what?! Yeah. He was, like, playing it on the tour bus. I remember there was a guy in my laundry room, Scott, my cute husband was wearing an outlaws for life t shirt, like maybe within a week or two of the launch of the game. And we were coming up from the laundry room together. And my neighbor was like, oh, man, that is the best game. And we were in there and he was like, Oh, she's in it. And the guy was like, what do you mean she's in it? And he was like, she plays Susan Grimshaw. And my neighbor couldn't speak. Like literally couldn't speak.

Sam Strelitz [00:06:36] He just lit the room on fire and was like, I'm out. 

Kylie Vernoff [00:06:41] He was like, I don't I don't I'm I'm I'm honored. And I was like, we're in the laundry room, like. I'm honored. I'm honored. We're honored. I mean, it really stops people.

Sam Strelitz [00:06:53] You start bowing and just getting really weird about it.

Jo Armeniox [00:06:56] You start giving him your laundry.

Kylie Vernoff [00:07:00] Yeah. Actually I shouldn't have to fold this, you're right. Get to work! But that was incredible. And then seeing the fan response on social media, I was unprepared because I really joined social media in order to have fan engagement. You guys helped me with all that. I thought that wasn't something I was interested in. And then I was really warned that it would be a mixed bag, that I would see a lot of viciousness and a lot of nastiness, but also some great stuff. That has not been my experience at all. Why do you think that is? Why has it been so positive?

Jo Armeniox [00:07:40] I don't know. But there has been some...

Meeya Davis [00:07:43] I mean, there's been a little bit, but not like negative, not like Micah negative.

Kylie Vernoff [00:07:49] But like inappropriate sexual content? Is that what you're talking about? I get the occasional weirdo in the DMs. Which still makes me... I'm like what? And I call you and I'm like, what is that?

Meeya Davis [00:07:59]  I'm like, delete it. Now. Delete it. Don't press the link. Only fans. Don't press the link.

Kylie Vernoff [00:08:08] But I do feel like overwhelmingly our fans are so respectful. So supportive. So consistently involved in responding to what we do. And I will tell you, which has really surprised me, how much of the fan base are made up of women. 

Jo Armeniox [00:08:27] I love getting the fan mail from the girls too. Like, it's just so great to know, they're out there carrying and supporting us and we're supporting them and, you know. It's changing so quickly.

Meeya Davis [00:08:38] Yet again, I feel like it wouldn't have happened if we would've kept the same narrative.

Sam Strelitz [00:08:42] Oh, absolutely not.

Meeya Davis [00:08:43] Of the women in the camp being working girls and stuff like that. I feel like women have more of a reach or grasp on us because we're not just all the same.

Kylie Vernoff [00:08:53] I never thought about that, but that is so true.

Meeya Davis [00:08:57] Because they can relate to you. You know what I mean? They have a mother that's been like... You know what I mean? They have more of a respect for us because of who we are in the game.

Kylie Vernoff [00:09:07] I was at a Comic-Con in London and I met... First of all, I met a lot of mothers, that surprised me, that play the game when their kids are asleep. Yes. Did you know that the average age of female gamers is thirty six. That is the average age of female gamers. I was really surprised.

Sam Strelitz [00:09:23] I had played video games growing up. Oh, yeah. I played a lot of video games.

Jo Armeniox [00:09:30] Mortal Kombat was like my game. Street Fighter 2.

Sam Strelitz [00:09:32] I pkayed Super Nintendo, Nintendo 64, and a lot of weird titles and stuff like that.

Jo Armeniox [00:09:38] Sega.

Sam Strelitz [00:09:38] I never had a Sega.

Jo Armeniox [00:09:43] Oh dude, it was the best. Sonic the Hedgehog.

Sam Strelitz [00:09:44] I remember the animated, like the cartoon but I never played Sonic.

Jo Armeniox [00:09:46] All the fighting games.

Sam Strelitz [00:09:47] They're like arcade games today.

Kylie Vernoff [00:09:49] Why did you like the fighting games so much. I don't know. I'm not sure. Have you met my friend Jo Armeniox? I don't know why she would like a fighting game? Well, I was really surprised by that. I remember meeting a woman who said that she was changing her grad thesis based on the women in our game.

Meeya Davis [00:10:09] Wow.

Jo Armeniox [00:10:09] That's crazy.

Kylie Vernoff [00:10:10] Isn't that crazy?

Jo Armeniox [00:10:11] I want to read it.

Sam Strelitz [00:10:12] Remember that one that won an award when we were at the New York Gamer Awards, and that insanely gorgeous...

Kylie Vernoff [00:10:18] Jade Raymond is her name.

Sam Strelitz [00:10:20] Thank you. She got up there. She won an award for being like the bestest badest bitch around or something. I don't even know what the award was for. But I was like, give her all the awards. And she got up there and I was like, that's incredible. And I just think gamers have... I think we have an idea of what it means to be a gamer. And it's so part of the culture now. It's not this like outsider view of some dude in a basement living in his... That is such an antiquated view of what a gamer is. And so it's kind of surprising. But then it's also not surprising because gaming influences culture and fashion and all of these things right now. And I think it's a really cool time to be able to come out and be like, yeah, I game. I like to game. It's awesome. It's like, all of these people that maybe felt a certain way about saying it before don't feel that way anymore.

Kylie Vernoff [00:11:13] Yeah. I actually remember... I wasn't planning on talking about this, but I remember shooting a scene with with Rod, our director, incredible director. And he was really directing me to have Susan be, you know, cranky and angry and bossy, in particular, bossy, really bossy. And I did it and he would just sort of like, give me that look he would give when he's really trying to decide if it worked or didn't work or what he wants, and I was like, what? What? I did exactly what you told me. He said, you did. You did exactly what I said. But I'm starting to worry that men from 18 to 25 are going to fucking hate your character, you know, there was a moment where he knew he was taking a risk by letting a middle aged, bossy woman be a main character. But I think that he had this broader understanding that that wasn't our only base. That that people of all ages and all genders and all... just that everybody is a gamer, and that everybody deserves to see someone who reminds them of themselves and who might act like they do, you know? It was really revelatory for me. And I'm so grateful that they took a chance and let us develop those characters in such authentic ways.

Jo Armeniox [00:12:37] Yeah. I remember like fighting with Rob a little bit. Like, no, no. Karen considers herself one of the guys, and she wants to go on this mission. Because he was like, why are you giving Roger so much attitude? And I was like, because she thinks she's one of his best friends. And he was like, eh, let's try it this way. And I was like, of course. But in my mind, I was like, this is what she thinks. And then because of that, all these other scenes with Arthur started to make so much more sense. And I think he really got on board with that. I mean, it was such a relief to feel like I was heard to0, and have him go, yeah. OK. Cool. Let's try that. And he's always been so smart at flipping it or saying, oh, let's just throw it away or whatever it is.

Kylie Vernoff [00:13:29] It always felt like a full collaboration. yeah. It always felt like a full collaboration.

Jo Armeniox [00:13:33] That's a great way to put it.

Kylie Vernoff [00:13:34] And because, you know, and becaus we knew these characters from their inception pretty much, I felt like I always got the respect of knowing the character as well as anyone else.

Sam Strelitz [00:13:51]  Like you're informing the writing as much as the writing is informing the character. They're almost synonymous. And you can kind of take that journey together, which happens on TV shows, right? It happens on TV shows all the time. You'll get a TV show and they'll think that they're writing, you know, a certain character. And then as you work with them, they're like, oh, shoot. Meeya has a little bit of this. I'm going to write a little bit of that into the character. And they kind of just really work in tandem.

Meeya Davis [00:14:18] That's why I think they made Tilly pregnant at the end, because I was pregnant. It was like Osmosis Jones.

Sam Strelitz [00:14:26] They took a hint.

Meeya Davis [00:14:27] It wasn't because of me. I asked and they were like, we love you but...

Sam Strelitz [00:14:35] Doesn't she marry a lawyer?

Meeya Davis [00:14:38] Yes! And they didn't even know that.

Sam Strelitz [00:14:38] They read your diary.

Meeya Davis [00:14:41] They've been in my email.

Kylie Vernoff [00:14:45] Well, I think also the collaboration continues with the fans. I have to say I feel like in a way, the fans have just as much ownership over our characters as we did. I see now, especially with the virtual photography and the fan art.

Jo Armeniox [00:15:00] Oh that stuff is so cool. You have serious fans. You're like, it's Susan Grimshaw Saturday!

Meeya Davis [00:15:07] Saturday is a hit!

Sam Strelitz [00:15:09] And it's like forty five posts!

Meeya Davis [00:15:15] And they find the perfect pictures.

Jo Armeniox [00:15:17] She's so expressive.

Kylie Vernoff [00:15:21] They do. They do. And then they'll write their own words where, you know, they'll talk about her strength and her resilience. And I think, you know, they're adding a layer of color to my character long after I've taken those boots off.

Sam Strelitz [00:15:35] I'm fascinated by the cosplay. I think that has to be the highest form of flattery. Like the fact that people would painstakingly go to efforts to detail. They're like, I found the barrette, the perfect barette. I'm like, that's amazing.

Meeya Davis [00:15:53] Even the ducks we get.

Kylie Vernoff [00:15:59] Oh yes. We love Durango. I mean, she started creating our characters out of rubber duck and I don't understand how she... The detail!

Meeya Davis [00:16:08] She has a little blue in... and her like yellow... I'm just like, what?!

Sam Strelitz [00:16:14] And she said that she wanted to make fan art, but that she's not really a great illustrator. She doesn't know really how to draw. That's not her thing. But that she has these other creative expressions. And she made you a pop...

Kylie Vernoff [00:16:28] Yeah, she made me a custom Funko Pop and it is outrageous.

Sam Strelitz [00:16:31] I'm like, girl, you might not be an illustrator, but you're a sculptor. The way that she makes the hair and stuff. It's insane.

Kylie Vernoff [00:16:39] I feel like what I need is another apartment to put this stuff. Because I also have bought some of the art. I've tried to support the artists who create these when they have their own online studios or ways to purchase them. And I just feel like living in New York, I don't have... Like I have this little dedicated corner, but I want to find a way to really give it a place to shine.

Sam Strelitz [00:17:03] You buy a couch, you toss on that Pendleton Red Dead blanket.

Meeya Davis [00:17:07] Which is very, very warm. That's Mason's favorite.

Sam Strelitz [00:17:10] The limited edition blanket. And then you make a little living room for Red Dead.

Kylie Vernoff [00:17:15] My dog keeps trying to sort of snatch that blanket.

Sam Strelitz [00:17:18] Pokey. Pokey no.

Kylie Vernoff [00:17:21] Pokey has everything he cannot have. Read Dead blanket, I'm sorry. OK. So as we are winding down here, I'm going to ask you each to, for the fans, tell a little something that the fans need to know and might not know already about the woman to your right. So you start.

Meeya Davis [00:17:57] What don't they know about you? I think everyone knows this, but Sam's got body-ody. I am a fan of Sam Strelitz.

Sam Strelitz [00:18:14] Got to keep it buttoned up in a vest.

Meeya Davis [00:18:18] She's very, very good on her feet. Like sharp shooter. She can answer anything. We were just watching your reel and I was like, I could never. I couldn't. I could never. You're so good. I don't think a lot of people know that, but they should know that. Body-ody and sharpshooter.

Sam Strelitz [00:18:33] I love you.

Meeya Davis [00:18:33] That is your new name. Body-ody sharpshooter.

Kylie Vernoff [00:18:40] And Sam, what do you want to tell us about Jo?

Sam Strelitz [00:18:42] Oh, gosh. She's amazing. As we all know, she has a great sense of humor. As you guys see online. The thing... I don't think anyone would find it surprising to know this about Jo, but she has an incredible decorative eye. I have seen her whip into shape apartments that I would walk into and be terrified to live in because I'd be like, I don't know, there's so much space and what would I? And she gets in there and she will make it look like an architectural digest, tear sheet. And then on top of that, she's doing all the freaking work herself. She's like a plumber. She has a tool belt. She has an industrial ladder in her apartment. Let me know when you want me to stop telling everyone about your personal life.

Kylie Vernoff [00:19:27] I didn't know this. I feel a little embarrassed that you've been to my apartment.

Sam Strelitz [00:19:33] She's the person I would go to if I was. Oh, well, actually, we had conversations about different ways to, like, redo my apartment.

Jo Armeniox [00:19:39] Oh yeah. Because you're so good at it too.

Sam Strelitz [00:19:40] You know, put everything in different places to make it feel larger. But she's like, girl, if you want me to hook up a washer and dryer, you want to build a shower? I will dry wall. It's crazy. It's crazy. And I am just like beside myself with, you know, like accolades about that because I think it's an incredible thing.

Kylie Vernoff [00:19:59] I didn't know either. I need you. I need you in my life.

Sam Strelitz [00:20:01] Handy dandy Jo. Are you nicknaming everyone?

Meeya Davis [00:20:02] I am. So today's show is called nicknamed the guests.

Kylie Vernoff [00:20:12] All right, Miss Jo.

Jo Armeniox [00:20:14] Um, Oh my God. So, Kylie goddamn Vernoff.

Kylie Vernoff [00:20:17] Oh, me. Right. I'm on your right.

Jo Armeniox [00:20:19] So, you know, I sort of have a nickname... Like I call you Vogue sometimes because Kylie has been like a full on supermodel and has been featured in Paris Vogue, right?

Kylie Vernoff [00:20:34] Yyes. Paris Vogue.

Jo Armeniox [00:20:34] Yeah. And the way that you handle all that stuff so humbly. And you've grown into an even more shockingly beautiful woman. It's awe inspiring. I've always been a little too... Like I've always been nervous that I was going to over compliment you, because I don't want it to feel disingenuous. But yeah, the way that you've done those things as this stunningly beautiful woman and then had this career where you're like... Which I don't think a lot of the fans know that. You can scroll through Instagram, you can find it. She like rarely ever talks about this like crazy, magical modeling career. But then to also, at that time when I feel like it's so easy to be put in this box, where you're like, oh, that's what you do. You probably don't have a brain. You're probably not going to do much else. And then you're like, oh, no, no. By the way, I'm going to plow through beyond this show. You know what I mean? Like, be in the hot seat of this acting world in New York and then continue to just work and work and work. And you have family members also that are doing that kind of stuff to you. But like, I really admire your career. I admire your tenacity. And like everything that you stand for in my life, because it's easy to be dismissed at that age when you're young and you're so beautiful.

Kylie Vernoff [00:21:57] I'm crying.

Meeya Davis [00:21:59] And your grace. You have a lot of grace. You are very gracious. Even with us. And a wife, too. On top of it all.

Kylie Vernoff [00:22:09] Well, you were the best thing that happened to my ego. But also, it's really meaningful to me to hear that because I'm so inspired by all of you. And to hear that has just obviously got me a little emotional. So. Anyway guys. So let me talk about Miss Meeya Davis and what fans don't know. I think that anyone who follows you on Social Media can see that you are full of integrity and faith and that you are this terrific mother and collaborator. But I think people don't know that you're a little bit of a bad girl. Right? I would not fuck with you.

Sam Strelitz [00:22:56] I have some archived Instagram Stories.

Meeya Davis [00:22:56] Stop it.

Meeya Davis [00:22:59] There is bad naughty girl energy racing all through it. And I am so glad that you are on my team. I don't want to fight you.

Sam Strelitz [00:23:12] Although I would tune in.

Kylie Vernoff [00:23:14] You would tune in for that kind of fight? I would lose. And I'm tough. Although, I'm a lot taller than you are.

Meeya Davis [00:23:22] I know.

Sam Strelitz [00:23:23] I don't want to see a real fight. But I'd love to see like a competitive...

Jo Armeniox [00:23:26] Oh, like a boxing?

Kylie Vernoff [00:23:29] I could fight somebody else.

Sam Strelitz [00:23:30] Don't look at me when you say that.

Meeya Davis [00:23:33] No no no. They're not here, but I could fight them.

Kylie Vernoff [00:23:34] OK. I want to do something that we did not prep for. And it just occurred to me. I just need to talk about something.

Meeya Davis [00:23:42] Facials.

Kylie Vernoff [00:23:43] No.

Sam Strelitz [00:23:44] Are we gonna sing?

Kylie Vernoff [00:23:45] Yes. I have such fomo about that Valentine song where you guys all get to sing it, and I didn't even know it existed until I was playing the game. And I was like, one tear.

Meeya Davis [00:24:02] Who remembers it?

Sam Strelitz [00:24:02] [singing] I got a girl in Valentine, likes to drink that fine wine. She got a something. Duh duh duh du duh.

Kylie Vernoff [00:24:09] Is there a chorus we could all sing together?

Meeya Davis [00:24:14] I got a girl in Valentine?

Sam Strelitz [00:24:16] Remember, she's got a thing between her... yeah, it's really bad. The lyrics are really bad.

Meeya Davis [00:24:21] I think that's why I don't remember it.

Sam Strelitz [00:24:21] Or can we sing country roads?

All singing [00:24:22] Take me down to the old town road. I'm gonna ride til I can't no more.

Kylie Vernoff [00:24:32]  All right. I feel a little better, but not really.

Sam Strelitz [00:24:37] Listen to the lyrics of that song, and then let us know if you really want to sing it.

Jo Armeniox [00:24:41] Yeah, we could find it. Cut back in.

Kylie Vernoff [00:24:43] No, that's OK. As long as you guys know that I just felt incredibly left out. That's all.

Meeya Davis [00:24:48] There were a lot of songs that weren't good. That we had to sing. That I know I had to sing.

Kylie Vernoff [00:24:58] Alright, well, I'm going to let go of that dream for myself. OK. So as we're winding down here for real. I want to ask you each a signature question that I'm asking all of the guests on this podcast, which because gameHERs is all about community and because as we know, as actors and as women and as humans, we can't really accomplish anything in a vacuum. I'd love if each of you could tell me about a time in your life or in your career when someone took a chance on you, when someone saw something special in you and gave you an opportunity to shine. So who wants to start?

Sam Strelitz [00:25:40] I feel like a lot of actors have imposter syndrome, right? So you get a job and then you're like, oh my God, I don't deserve to be here. So to some extent, I feel like that every time I really book a job that I'm excited to walk on set and do, I feel like, wow, thank you for whatever you saw in me that allowed me to get this opportunity and really do it some justice. And anytime that that person has been collaborative and respected my point of view about the character and my time with that character to really create an experience for the audience that is, again, a collaboration as opposed to just like telling me exactly what to do and technical and whatever. That I really, really appreciate. But I will say that I never thought I was going to do any amount of hosting. I really had kind of like a chip on my shoulder about what that would look like. And for the people over at Microsoft, that gave me a chance to do that. I am forever grateful because it's opened up so many incredible opportunities. And for them to have seen that in me when I didn't really know if I saw that in myself. That has been kind of a game changer.

Kylie Vernoff [00:26:48] That's really fantastic.

Sam Strelitz [00:26:49] Thank you.

Jo Armeniox [00:26:52]  I would say obviously the manager, he was the one who... Like I had an agency out of Philly, but he took me under his wing here in New York and that sort of all fell into place. I ended up having new agents and new stuff and more stuff happening. And there was a casting director a while ago who gave my reel to these guys who wanted to shoot this movie and they took me an offer. And now because we did that film, now they're wanting to do a feature now and have me starring in it and co-producing on it. And that's been amazing because all those things, when somebody goes like, just check out this actor or whatever. And , trust me, she's awesome. Or you're gonna love her. Or maybe like, this might be a good option. Who knows what that conversation was like. But then those little things start to fall into place and all of a sudden you're like, wow, it is building something. Obviously, we have our...

Kylie Vernoff [00:27:43] Yeah, you reputation carries.

Jo Armeniox [00:27:43] And you have people that are working for you and they're submitting you and you're going in for stuff, too. But then you also have your own power. If the work is there, those people will start to notice. It feels so powerful.

Kylie Vernoff [00:28:02] To know that your hard work is yielding. That it's not happening in a vacuum.

Sam Strelitz [00:28:09] People don't forget. They'll see you. And you might not be right for that job, but down the line when they contact you. There is a huge sense of, I'm still doing, I'm still on the right path, and I'm still doing the thing.

Meeya Davis [00:28:23] I think the person that comes to mind is Alexis Fogel.  And to me, it's so random, but it's so divine, because she's called my agent for specific things that are for me. Or that she'll say like...

Kylie Vernoff [00:28:40] I'm going to interrupt you and just say she's a casting director here in NYC.

Meeya Davis [00:28:44] Yes. And she'll call and say like, I want her to come in for this. To the point where it's not an audition. It's an actual like, hey, let's do a chemistry read or hey, let's do a producer's meeting or whatever. It's always something. And I never knew her prior. I think I audition once for something completely different. And ever since then, she's always called me in to something. And it's always giving me the sense of, like, I'm good enough for somebody to call me and know that my gift is great and that they don't have to see me go through the whole process or anything. But they know I'll bring in the work that needs to be brought in. And she's just been fantastic. But it's just always been like every time I get a call, they're like, yeah, Alexis has been asking about you.

Kylie Vernoff [00:29:30] She's really one of the best in the business. She's been doing it forever. And she knows what she's doing, she knows she knows what she's doing.

Meeya Davis [00:29:35] Yeah, that's been my person. And she's put me in front of people that I would never have been in front of before. People, like you said, they remember you. And who's vouching for you. So I've always loved that she's been in my corner.

Kylie Vernoff [00:29:49] I love that. I think casting directors in general need a little more credit.

Jo Armeniox [00:29:53] Although I love my agents. Shoutout.

Kylie Vernoff [00:30:00] Okay, so that actually is going to sort of be the end of our campfire interview.

Jo Armeniox [00:30:07] You don't have to answer?

Kylie Vernoff [00:30:07] No, I don't have to answer that. No way. I'm behind the cards, lady.

Kylie Vernoff [00:30:16] So as we get into these smores here, we'd like to invite you to learn more about these amazing women at meeyadavis on her sociales. At meeyadavis. Jo Armeniox on Instagram at imjoarmeniox and on Twitter at joarmeniox. And Sam Strelitz on her Sociales at samstrelitz and on her website, samanthastrelitz.com. And if you aren't ready to leave us, our party continues with more exclusive content from our fireside chat on the gameHERs website. thegamehers.com. We'll see you there, outlaws.

Verta Maloney, the*gameHERs [00:30:58] Thank you for listening. Let's Play was brought to you by the*gameHERs, a community that connects all gamers who identify as women and welcomes people of all genders who support this. Let's Play was co-produced by Kylie Vernoff, Jenny Groza, and the*gameHERs Team: Laura Deutsch, Rebecca Dixon, Heather Ouida, and me, Verta Maloney. Please visit thegamehers.com for show notes to access exclusive bonus material and to learn more about the*gameHERs community. And if you like what you heard, we'd so appreciate it if you subscribed and gave us a five star review. Thanks again for listening.