What if one bold “yes” could change the course of a life? From championing a young Ryan Gosling to inspiring Scott’s own leap into hosting, Cynthia Hsiung proves that belief in others can rewrite the script.
🌟 What if one bold “yes” could change the course of a life?
From championing a young Ryan Gosling to inspiring Scott’s own leap into hosting, Cynthia Hsiung proves that belief in others can rewrite the script.
Meet Cynthia Hsiung — producer, mentor, and creative catalyst behind projects from MTV/HBO to “Young Hercules” (Sam Raimi & Rob Tapert), where she championed a 17 year old Ryan Gosling for the lead. Cynthia’s superpower? Spotting truth, building community, and turning “not yet” into “let’s go.” In this episode, she and Scott unpack how belief, craft, and collaboration accelerate big creative dreams—and how her encouragement helped Scott step into hosting.
⏱️ Chapters
00:00 Today's big idea
01:12 Why belief and community speed up dreams
05:40 Cynthia’s path: MTV/HBO development to hands-on producing
11:08 The “Young Hercules” casting story and championing Ryan Gosling
18:30 Fighting through “no” to find the “yes”
24:45 Scott’s New York pivot: classes, auditions, and camera confidence
31:10 How to avoid being pigeonholed—create your own lane
37:22 Producer tips for Hollywood hopefuls
43:10 Cynthia’s new NYC stage production (December dates)
47:05 Parting advice: build your team, stay you
🔗 Connect with Cynthia Hsiung
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yourhollywooddream
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@yourhollywooddream
UCLA Extension upcoming courses: https://www.uclaextension.edu/writing/screenwriting/course/showrunners-boot-camp-script-x-4261
Tickets for her upcoming play in New York City: https://www.simpletix.com/e/danny-and-the-deep-blue-sea-new-york-city-tickets-237628
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cynthiahsiung/
🎙️ About Believe Bolder
Believe Bolder is hosted by Scott Griffin, a nationally recognized TV host, author, and three-time Mortgage Broker of the Year, featured on CNBC, Bloomberg, HGTV, and more.
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