I’m so excited to finally share my recent conversation with Awards Buzz during this Emmy season about my role in Jury Duty Presents: Company Retreat on Amazon Prime Video

Awards Buzz recently featured me in their interview:
Wendy Braun on Crafting the Saucy Villain of Jury Duty: Company Retreat”

Playing Elizabeth Prescott, a polished, strategic private equity boss who audiences seem to absolutely love to hate 😈, was one of the most creatively demanding and exhilarating experiences of my career.

What made this project so unique was the format itself.

There were no traditional “cut and reset” moments. No second takes. No safety net. Every scene unfolded in real time alongside our unsuspecting hero, Anthony, which meant the entire cast and crew had to stay deeply present, emotionally grounded, and fully committed every second we were filming.

It required trust.
It required preparation.
And honestly, it required all of us to let go of control in a way I’ve never experienced before as an actor.

One thing I shared in the interview was this:

“Confidence doesn’t come from controlling the moment. It comes from knowing you can handle whatever is thrown your way.”

That lesson became one of the biggest gifts of this experience, not just professionally, but personally.

Here’s my full conversation with Awards Buzz:

Also This Emmy Season…

TV Critic Brittany Frederick recently featured my work with the headline:

“Jury Duty Presents: Company Retreat star Wendy Braun is an Emmy-worthy villain and a real-life hero.”

👉 Read the full interview here.

5 Lessons I Learned From Playing Elizabeth Prescott

1. Preparation Creates Freedom

One of the biggest misconceptions about Jury Duty Presents: Company Retreat is that it was “all improv.”

In reality, the show was meticulously crafted and rehearsed long before Anthony ever arrived on set. We had weeks of rehearsals, detailed story arcs, emotional beats, and an incredibly collaborative creative process behind the scenes.

What the preparation gave us was freedom.

Because once the unpredictable moments happened (and they constantly did) we could stay grounded enough to respond truthfully in real time.

It reminded me that preparation isn’t restrictive.
Preparation is what allows you to fully let go.

2. Presence Is Everything

Nothing brings you into the present moment faster than a show like this.

At any second, Anthony could shift the scene in an unexpected direction, and every actor had to stay fully tuned in, emotionally available, and ready to move with the moment.

As actors, we often spend so much time thinking ahead:
“What’s my next line?”
“What’s my next beat?”
“Am I doing this right?”

But great performances don’t happen in your head.
They happen when you’re fully present.

This experience deepened my understanding that acting is less about “performing” and more about listening, trusting, and responding truthfully.

3. Great Villains Don’t Think They’re Villains

One of my favorite parts of playing Elizabeth Prescott was understanding that she never saw herself as the villain.

She genuinely believed she was helping.
She believed she was elevating the company.
She believed her perspective was the “right” one.

That’s what made her fascinating to me.

The moment you stop judging a character and start understanding their logic, everything changes.

The humanity appears.
The layers appear.
The contradictions appear.

And honestly, that’s true in life too.

People are rarely one thing.

4. Confidence Comes From Trust, Not Control

This show was one of the highest-pressure environments I’ve ever worked in.

At any moment, one mistake could have exposed the entire premise of the series. Everyone understood how fragile the format was, which created this incredible combination of terror and exhilaration.

What I discovered through that process is that confidence isn’t about controlling every variable.

It’s about trusting yourself enough to handle uncertainty.

That realization has shifted how I approach auditions, performances, business, leadership, and honestly, life itself.

Confidence isn’t perfection.
It’s trust.

5. The Best Performances Happen When You Stop Second-Guessing Yourself

Elizabeth Prescott walks into every room absolutely certain of who she is.

She doesn’t apologize for her presence.
She doesn’t shrink herself.
She doesn’t second-guess every decision.

And strangely enough, playing someone with that level of certainty helped me access more of that within myself.

As actors, we can lose so much energy second-guessing:
Was that good enough?
Did I mess that up?
Am I enough?

But some of the strongest work happens when we stop trying to micromanage every moment and instead fully commit.

This role reminded me how powerful it is to trust your instincts, stay grounded, and simply move forward with conviction.

What did you love about Jury Duty Presents: Company Retreat? I’d love to hear from you in the comments below.

Love + Gratitude,
Wendy

• the self-tape strategy I’ve used to book roles (including this series)
• how to stop spiraling and second-guessing yourself
• performance psychology tools for staying grounded under pressure
• and how to create real momentum in your acting career

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