VELLA LOVELL: Playing the Musical Notes of Comedy

Today we're joined by actress Vella Lovell, whose path to the screen began with a childhood dream of Juilliard—sparked by a Babysitters Club character—and eventually led her to the school not once, but twice. Vella currently stars opposite Joel McHale in Fox’s Animal Control, returning for its third season in 2025. She previously starred alongside Ted Danson and Holly Hunter in Mr. Mayor, earning a 2021 HCA TV Award nomination for her role as Chief of Staff Mikaela Shaw. She’s also beloved for her standout turns as ‘Heather’ in Crazy Ex-Girlfriend. In this episode, Vella opens up about the intensity of Juilliard’s training, booking her first pilot after a silent retreat, and how her background in classical piano unexpectedly informs her comedy work. She talks about navigating set life, the business side of acting no one teaches you, and why it’s so important to celebrate the wins—big or small—along the way. These are the unforgettable stories that landed Vella Lovell right here. CREDITS: Animal Control Mr. Mayor Crazy Ex-Girlfriend Dollface The Big Sick Your Place or Mine Younger Girls Gracie and Frankie So Help Me Todd GUEST LINKS: IMDB: Vella Lovell, Actress, Producer, Singer 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 MAGIC MIND: Get 48% off with code ONEAUDITION20 THE BRIDGE FOR ACTORS: Become a WORKING ACTOR 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: WRITER: Erin McCluskey WEBSITE & GRAPHICS: Chase Jennings ASSISTANT: Elle Powell SOCIAL OUTREACH: Alara Ceri