Barrett Doss - Actor of the Month for October 2026

1. Has there been a Casting Director who has really championed or supported you in your career journey?

Jim Carnahan has been an incredible supporter throughout my professional journey. I first auditioned for him when I was 16 years old—my first professional audition in New York City—and he ultimately cast me in my first Broadway show almost 10 years later. Any time I get to audition for him, I am reminded of the endurance that’s built and the trust that can endure between actors and casting directors. We have to love each other!

2. What is the project you’re most proud of, and why?

I’m most proud of my work on stage, specifically in You Can't Take It With You on Broadway. Working as an understudy in that show (learning from absolute icons of stage and screen) taught me how to stay present, thoughtful, curious and active as a performer, which allowed me to see my on-camera work as a practice of always staying invested and collaborative in a scene, even when the camera isn’t on me. So, during the 7 seasons of Station 19, I was able to use every day as an opportunity to learn something new about my character.

3. What or who inspired you to pursue acting as a career?

I was a voracious reader from a young age. I have always loved telling stories and I connect deeply with other people’s emotions. I started singing in the Chicago Children’s Choir when I was 9. It wasn’t until I discovered musical theater in middle school and then met an incredible acting coach when I was a freshman in high school, Janet Louer, who told me she thought I could do this professionally, that I really considered it an option.

4. What was your first IMDbPro credit and how did you feel when you saw it? 

My first IMDbPro credit was Eliza Lemon in 30 Rock. I was in the final moment of the final episode of one of my favorite tv shows. Seeing that credit still makes me emotional. It was a surreal moment. I realised that my life had the possibility to expand to meet my dreams and ambitions.

5. How has IMDbPro helped you either to market yourself or connect with other industry professionals?

I love that IMDbPro allows me to explore the credits of the professionals I work with or hope to work with, so I can do my research into tone, style, and vision. Not only does it introduce me to new art and artists I love, but it can help me contextualize material that I may not initially understand.

6. Any funny or memorable casting room stories you can share?

Not exactly a casting room story, but I took an audition class with David Caparelliotis (another of my favorite casting directors). My favorite piece of advice he gave that I try to keep in mind any time I audition is: “Don’t cut your tail off when you walk into the room,” meaning, we all have something that makes us special; don’t leave it outside the door (or Zoom room) when you walk in. People want and deserve to see it.

7. If you could play any character in any movie, past or present, who would it be and why?

Laurie Strode in Halloween (and the entire Halloween franchise). I’m a true lover of horror movies, and she is the absolute queen of Final Girls. It’s a classic, brilliantly directed, and who would pass up the opportunity to kick Michael Myers’ ass decade after decade?

8. What show or movie that you’re currently watching or have watched countless times could you nerd out about forever? What do you love about it?

I’ll probably never stop rewatching Six Feet Under. I’ve found myself drawn to it anytime I’ve gone through a significant life change, and each time I’ve connected to a different character. There’s so much honesty and depth in writing and performances, and it’s so funny! It’s such an amazing exploration of grief and of the complexity of different types of relationships and love—how we live with it and how we live without it.

9. Tell us a fun fact about you outside of acting.

I love to jump rope, bake pies, and I have an amazing English Bulldog named Bertie (Roberta). She makes me laugh every single day.