Welcome to The Vertical Buzz, where vertical entertainment finds its voice. Season 3 begins with one of the brightest stars in vertical entertainment, Brooke Moltrum. Host Buzz Leer sits down with the award-winning actress to talk about her journey from the small town of Camas, Washington, to becoming one of the most recognizable faces in vertical storytelling.
Brooke shares how competing at the Jimmy Awards helped launch her career, why theater shaped her as an actress, and how vertical films gave her the confidence to rediscover her love for acting. She also opens up about blocking for the vertical frame, balancing emotional performances, advocating for herself on set, and why the format has become a legitimate new path for actors.
Buzz and Brooke also discuss dream roles, musicals, AI, Wes Anderson, Verticon, Broadway, Hollywood, success, producing, and the incredible community that's forming around vertical entertainment.
In this episode, you will learn:
• How Brooke went from small-town Washington to starring in more than 40 vertical productions
• What competing at the Jimmy Awards taught her about performance
• Why theater continues to influence her acting style
• How vertical filmmaking restored her confidence as an actress
• The biggest differences between acting for vertical and traditional film
• Why blocking and framing are unique in vertical storytelling
• How Brooke approaches emotionally demanding scenes
• Why actors should advocate for themselves on set
• How AI may impact the future of entertainment
• What success means to Brooke beyond awards and recognition
Chapters
00:00 Falling for Acting
06:04 Camas Roots and Early Training
08:54 Volleyball vs Theater Choice
12:48 Brigadoon to Jimmy Awards
16:37 Broadway Trip and Webber Bump
20:02 College Transfer and LA Move
25:15 First Vertical Breakthrough
28:59 First Vertical Film Lessons
30:32 Mastering Vertical Blocking
31:46 Vertical vs Horizontal Freedom
32:54 Role That Restored Confidence
37:35 Dream Roles and Musicals
39:08 AI and the Future of Verticals
49:46 Rapid Fire and Hometown Stories
55:53 Wes Anderson Favorites
56:14 Fan Love Moments
57:54 Broadway Hollywood Verticals
59:39 Success Home Advice
01:02:53 Turning Down Roles Boundaries
01:08:33 Producing Directing Next
01:14:51 Origins Favorites Farewell
Sponsor: AEIRO (Arrow Air Purifiers)
AEIRO Air Purifiers help identify, reduce, and monitor airborne contaminants to create a cleaner indoor environment for homes and professional spaces.
Featured in this episode: AEIRO AC150, powerful enough to clean rooms 300+ sq ft, quiet enough for production, with smart sensor controls and true HEPA plus carbon filtration.
Website: AEIRO.co
Rapid Fire Sponsor: VertiCast
VertiCast is a casting app built for the speed of vertical storytelling. Actors can create profiles, upload clips, share availability, and make it easier for casting directors and producers to find them quickly.
Instagram: @verticastapp
Guest: Brooke MoltrumBrooke Moltrum is an award-winning actress based in Los Angeles whose career spans theater, film, and vertical entertainment. Originally from Camas, Washington, she competed at the prestigious Jimmy Awards before launching her professional acting career. Today, Brooke has starred in more than 40 vertical productions, earned Best Actress honors at the 2023 Hollywood Fringe Festival, and received the 2026 Best On-Screen Couple award alongside Nick Ritacco for Love Always Finds Its Way. Known for her emotional authenticity and versatility, she continues to be one of the most recognizable performers in the vertical space.
Instagram: @brookemoltrum
Host: Buzz Leer
Instagram: @buzz_leer
A Glendale Podcast Studio Production
Instagram: @glendalepodcaststudio
Social Media Coordinator: Ana Karina Cano
Instagram: @anakarinacano
Theme Song by Grace Leer and Bryan Dawley
Public Relations and Media: Robb Leer
Leer Communications, Inc.
Special thanks to all of my support team, friends, and family.
Host, Buzz Leer
