You Can’t Buy Confidence: Gordon Woolvett and Mobolaji Tunde-Oladepo on the Power of Improv
Take One with Samantha FremontShow Notes
In this episode of Take One with Samantha Fremont, I’m joined by Vancouver-based improv performers and creators Gordon Michael Woolvett and Mobolaji Tunde-Oladepo to talk about their creative journeys, the power of improvisation, and the confidence that comes from putting yourself out there.Gordon and Mobolaji are the creators and performers behind Unfinished Business: The Cold Case Files, an improvised comedy show opening at the Vancouver Fringe Festival on 11 September 2026. We go behind the scenes of the show and explore what it means to build a performance from nothing — and how years of improvisation have helped both of them develop confidence, trust their instincts and embrace the unexpected.But there's much more to their creative lives than improv. Mobolaji takes us through her research and academic work, while Gordon reflects on his extensive career across both screen and stage and the different experiences that have shaped him as a performer. From finding confidence through creative risk-taking to navigating careers across multiple disciplines, this conversation explores what happens when you stop waiting for the perfect moment and simply say, “Yes, and…”Unfinished Business: The Cold Case Files opens at the Vancouver Fringe Festival on 11 September 2026.Land Acknowledgement:We acknowledge the Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung people of the Kulin Nation as the Traditional Custodians of the land where Samantha’s part was recorded.We also acknowledge the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw (Squamish) and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations, whose unceded traditional territories include Vancouver, where Gordon and Mobolaji’s part was recorded.We extend our respect to all Indigenous communities in Australia, Canada and beyond.Recording Date: 7 September 2026
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Director Gianna Mazzeo has never taken a conventional path through filmmaking. From directing commercials and making a documentary that travelled the festival circuit, to participating in a filmmaking intensive in Patagonia with mentorship from Academy Award-winning director Paolo Sorrentino, Gianna has continually explored new ways to tell stories. Most recently, she stepped into the adult film industry — another unexpected chapter in her varied career. In this episode of Take One with Samantha Fremont, Gianna talks about experimenting with different forms of filmmaking, following her curiosity, learning from the opportunities that come her way, and what she's discovered along the way about finding her own style as a director.Special Thanks: Toronto Public Library, Fort York branch Land Acknowledgement: This episode of Take One with Samantha Fremont was recorded in Toronto, on the traditional territory of many Indigenous peoples, including the Mississaugas of the Credit, the Anishinaabeg, the Chippewa, the Haudenosaunee and the Wendat peoples. We extend our respect to all Indigenous peoples across Canada.
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