Welcome to The Vertical Buzz, where vertical entertainment finds its voice. This week, host Buzz Leer sits down with Nick Ritacco, a Chicago-born actor, athlete, baseball fan, and one of the standout leading men in the vertical drama space.Nick shares how a high school injury led him from baseball into theater, how New York and Shakespeare shaped his foundation as an actor, and how early TV roles on Homeland and Law & Order: SVU helped push him toward Los Angeles. From there, Buzz and Nick get into his rise in verticals, the role that changed everything, what it takes to keep working in this fast-moving format, and why the vertical community has become so meaningful to him.They also break down Kiss of the Pirate King, Nick’s pirate vertical with Emma Reinagel, including the behind-the-scenes reality of shooting on a real ship, sword fights, costumes, and why genre experimentation is pushing the space forward. Plus: Chicago sports, theater roots, hidden food spots, AI concerns, fan connection, and the future of vertical entertainment.In this episode, you will learn:• How Nick Ritacco went from baseball dreams to theater• Why Chicago, New York, and Shakespeare shaped his acting foundation• How Homeland, Law & Order: SVU, and Lifetime led him toward LA• How Nick found verticals before the space had a clear name• Why Fated to My Forbidden Vampire changed his life• What makes vertical acting different from traditional film and TV• How Kiss of the Pirate King was made on a real ship• Why vertical fans and community matter so much• How Nick thinks about AI, rules, and protecting actors• Why vertical storytelling is still just getting startedChaptersSponsor: 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.coRapid Fire Sponsor: VertiCastVertiCast is a casting app built for the speed of vertical storytelling. Actors can create profiles, upload clips, showcase social links, and make it easier for casting directors and producers to discover them quickly.Website: VertiCastApp.comInstagram: @verticastappGuest: Nick RitaccoNick Ritacco is a Chicago-born actor, athlete, and avid baseball fan. After realizing he probably would not become the starting shortstop for the White Sox, Nick moved to New York City, where he earned his BFA from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts and trained at the Stella Adler Studio for Acting. He performed in numerous theatrical productions, helped launch a Shakespearean theater company, and later moved into television with a recurring role on Showtime’s Homeland and a co-star role on NBC’s Law & Order: SVU. After moving to Los Angeles with his tabby cat Cora, Nick has worked in Lifetime Movie Network projects and has become one of the most recognizable actors in vertical dramas, with more than 40 verticals and counting.Instagram: @nick.ritaccoHost: Buzz LeerInstagram: @buzz_leerA Glendale Podcast Studio ProductionInstagram: @glendalepodcaststudioSocial Media Coordinator: Ana Karina CanoInstagram: @anakarinacanoTheme Song by Grace Leer and Bryan DawleyPu