Today, we're diving into the incredible journey of Abubakar Salim, an actor who at just 16, gave himself a life-altering ultimatum: break into the National Youth Theatre or join the Army. From that high-stakes beginning, Abubakar has navigated the industry by constantly chasing the raw, unpolished instinct of his younger self. He shares how this philosophy carried him through a grueling nine-round audition process for Ridley Scott's Raised by Wolves and eventually into the world of House of the Dragon. We explore how he transitioned from a "performer for hire" to a visionary storyteller by founding Surgent Studios, where he now creates video games like Tales of Kenzera: ZAU to process deeply personal themes of grief and loss. Get ready for an inspiring conversation about the power of "just being," the importance of kindness in a brutal industry, and why the most successful auditions are often the ones where you stop trying to have a plan and start seeking discovery.
These are the unforgettable stories that landed Abubakar Salim right here.
Credits:
House of the Dragon
First Day on Earth
Assassin's Creed: Origins
Raised by Wolves
Napoleon
Black Mirror
PH-1
Informer
Jamestown
24: Live Another Day
Guest Links:
IMDB: Abubakar Salim, actor, producer, director
THAT ONE AUDITION'S LINKS:
For exclusive content surrounding this and all podcast episodes, sign up for our amazing newsletter at AlyshiaOchse.com. And don't forget to snap and post a photo while listening to the show and tag me: @alyshiaochse & @thatoneaudition
SELF TAPE SORTED WORKSHOP: LONDON - June 20th (in person)
SELF-TAPE MAY CLASS: STM REPLAY
THE BRIDGE FOR ACTORS: Become a WORKING ACTOR (50% off special)
THE PRACTICE TRACK: Membership to Practice Weekly
PATREON: @thatoneaudition
CONSULTING: Get 1-on-1 advice for your acting career from Alyshia Ochse
COACHING: Get personalized coaching from Alyshia on your next audition or role
INSTAGRAM: @alyshiaochse
INSTAGRAM: @thatoneaudition
WEBSITE: AlyshiaOchse.com
ITUNES: Subscribe to That One Audition on iTunes
SPOTIFY: Subscribe to That One Audition on Spotify
STITCHER: Subscribe to That One Audition on Stitcher
EPISODE CREDITS:
HOST/PRODUCER: Alyshia Ochse
WRITER: Maddie McCormick
WEBSITE & GRAPHICS: Chase Jennings
SOCIAL: Alara Cerikcioglu