Making Space with Hoda Kotb

Jane Lynch is an Emmy and Golden Globe-winning actress, comedian, and host whose quick wit and unmistakable charm have made her one of Hollywood’s most beloved figures. From her iconic role as Sue Sylvester on Glee to her unforgettable performances in Best in Show and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, she has built a career on making people laugh. But behind the humor is a woman who has found peace through truth and self-acceptance. Jane opens up to Hoda about how therapy helped her shed years of shame, what she learned from her relationship with her mother, how Glee continues to impact fans more than a decade later, and why she now finds joy in the quiet moments of everyday life. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Jay Leno is one of the most recognizable figures in comedy and late night, hosting The Tonight Show for a combined two decades. But in recent years, his life has shifted into a quieter, more intimate chapter as he cares for his wife Mavis, who was diagnosed with dementia in 2024. Jay opens up to Hoda about what it means to support the woman who stood beside him throughout his career and her small glimmers of memory and recognition that mean everything. He reflects on their love story, the humor they still find in simple moments and how this chapter has revealed a deeper purpose built on patience, tenderness, and grace. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Melinda French Gates is a philanthropist, business leader, and New York Times bestselling author who has spent decades transforming lives around the world. Melinda opens up to Hoda about why her latest chapter is more personal than ever, how she learned to let go of perfection, and what it means to lead with empathy. She reflects on her lifelong advocacy for women and families, the faith and friendships that have grounded her, and why she believes the smallest acts of kindness can spark the biggest change. Plus, she shares where her focus lies today through her work with Pivotal Ventures. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

From growing up in a famous family to creating one of her own, Katherine Schwarzenegger Pratt has learned that true peace begins with presence. The New York Times bestselling author, wife, mother, and animal advocate joins Hoda to talk about her new book Kat and Brandy, the lessons she’s teaching her kids, and how her lifelong love of animals remains a source of calm, courage, and healing. Plus, she opens up about the wisdom she’s gained from her mom, Maria Shriver, her partnership with her husband, Chris Pratt, and why faith and family remain at the heart of everything she does. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Naomi Watts is an Academy Award-nominated actress, producer, and entrepreneur who’s learned that some of life’s greatest roles come with age. She joins Hoda for an honest conversation about resilience, reinvention, and embracing womanhood in all its seasons… from navigating loss and rejection to finding her voice as an advocate for menopause awareness. Naomi opens up about launching her wellness brand, Stripes, writing her book “Dare I Say It,” and why she believes it’s never too late to get started. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Alicia Keys has spent nearly three decades using her voice to move the world, but the most powerful thing she’s learned is how to listen to her own. The seventeen-time Grammy Award winner joins Hoda for a soulful conversation at Making Space Wellness Day at Brooklyn’s Wythe Hotel about trusting your intuition, unlearning old habits, and finding stillness in a world that rarely slows down. Alicia also opens up about creating her wellness brand, Keys Soulcare, her Broadway musical Hell’s Kitchen, and the peace that comes when you finally bet on yourself. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

From building a billion-dollar beauty empire to starting over at 60, Bobbi Brown’s story is one of grit, grace, and growth…but behind her success lies a deep journey of reinvention. Bobbi opens up to Hoda about her mother’s struggle with mental illness, her unlikely path to becoming a world-renowned makeup artist, and the moment she walked away from the brand that bore her name. She shares how she rebuilt her life and career with her clean beauty line, Jones Road, what keeps her grounded as a mother and grandmother, and why she believes the best chapters don’t end with success, but begin when you find the strength to start over. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Sheryl Lee Ralph is an Emmy-winning actress, singer, and advocate whose radiant spirit and decades-long career, from Dreamgirls to Abbott Elementary, have inspired generations. Sheryl opens up to Hoda about choosing joy as her “strong suit,” the resilience that carried her through rejection and reinvention, and how she learned to believe in herself even when others didn’t. She reflects on lessons from her parents, a surprising run-in with Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and why following her own path turned out to be the most rewarding part of her journey. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Selma Blair is an actress, author, and advocate whose career has spanned film, television and stage, with standout performances in Legally Blonde, Cruel Intentions, and Hellboy. After publicly revealing her diagnosis with multiple sclerosis (MS), she has become a powerful voice for chronic illness awareness, inspiring others through her honesty, resilience, and vulnerability. Selma sits down with Hoda to discuss her lifelong health struggles, her relationship with her late mother and the strength that carried her through acting, motherhood and moments of uncertainty. She reflects on her friendships with fellow stars navigating MS, including Christina Applegate and Jamie-Lynn Sigler, and why she refuses to let anything stand in the way of the life she’s determined to live. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Clea Shearer is the co-founder of The Home Edit, star of the hit Netflix series, Get Organized with The Home Edit, and a New York Times bestselling author who’s sharing the lessons she’s learned in her cancer journey in her new book, Cancer Is Complicated and Other Unexpected Lessons I’ve Learned. Clea opens up to Hoda about how she learned to advocate more for herself amidst her cancer journey, the importance of accepting help from others and why she views her diagnosis not as “why me,” but as “why not me.” In addition, she shares how she spoke to her kids about her diagnosis and how her perspective has broadened after the trying experience. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Matthew McConaughey is an Academy Award-winning actor, bestselling author, and now the writer of Poems and Prayers, a deeply personal collection of poetry and reflections spanning 30 years that explores faith, hope, and purpose. Though he is one of Hollywood’s most recognizable stars, McConaughey admits he’s never felt the “ah, I did it” feeling, leading him on a search for deeper meaning through family, teaching, writing, and even advocacy, including speaking at the White House after the 2022 Uvalde school shooting. In this conversation, McConaughey sits down with Hoda to reflect on his evolving relationship with humility, gratitude, and belief and why writing has become his way to understand the world, inspire others, and remind us all to keep believing. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Hey TODAY fans! As a bonus, we’re giving you a special preview of Jenna Bush Hager’s podcast, ‘Open Book with Jenna.’ In the season’s debut episode, Jenna sits down with three-time Grammy-winning artist, and lead vocalist of the Zac Brown Band, Zac Brown. From his humble beginnings playing in coffee shops at age fourteen to his upcoming residency at the Las Vegas Sphere, Zac reflects on the milestones that shaped his path. He opens up about fatherhood, founding Camp Southern Ground, and the creative process behind his upcoming album Love and Fear, which features collaborations with icons like Snoop Dogg and Dolly Parton. To listen to the full conversation, just search ‘Open Book with Jenna’ wherever you’re listening to follow now, or click here: https://www.today.com/open-book-with-jenna Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Linda Cliatt-Wayman spent 20 years teaching special education before rising to oversee all high schools in The School District of Philadelphia, but her defining moment came when she stepped up to lead Strawberry Mansion High School: a school that no one wanted to run. With fierce love, high expectations, and unshakable hope, Wayman and her team turned despair into possibility. In this conversation from a Joy 101 event earlier this year, Wayman sits down with Hoda to share how she inspired real change in her students and how she’s continuing that work in her latest chapter.

Chart-topping rapper Big Sean has spent nearly 15 years in the spotlight, but his path to success wasn’t always easy. The Detroit native joins Hoda Kotb to reflect on his evolving relationship with fame, from believing he was destined for stardom at a young age to how he views notoriety today. In this revealing conversation from April 2025, he also shares lessons from his new book, Go Higher: Five Practices for Purpose, Success, and Inner Peace, a guide he follows to be the best version of himself every day.

Bestselling author, acclaimed public speaker, and Harvard Business School professor Arthur C. Brooks joins Hoda Kotb for an inspiring conversation on the science and practice of happiness. They discuss how to cultivate joy in everyday life, get unstuck during challenging times, and why happiness is not a final destination but a direction you can intentionally choose. In this conversation from March 2024, Brooks draws from his years of research into what makes life meaningful, insights that also shape his new book, The Happiness Files: Insights on Work and Life, out this week.

Erin Andrews is a fixture on the NFL sidelines. She’s been a sportscaster for more than two decades, and is a legend in the sports industry. But like the rest of us, not every season has felt like a winning one for Erin. She’s learned that some test your strength, your endurance and your drive to keep going. Erin opened up to Hoda Kotb about the road to becoming one of sports tv’s brightest stars, her cervical cancer diagnosis, her battle with infertility and her journey to motherhood. Erin continues to inspire on and off the field, as she celebrates the busiest and best season of her life yet.

Goldie Hawn is a Hollywood legend. And while she never set out to be a movie star, the Academy Award winning actress, producer and director has had a prolific career spanning more than five decades, with iconic roles in films like “Overboard”, “Private Benjamin” and “The First Wives Club”. And while Goldie is beloved for her work on-screen, she is also making an impact off-screen, with her charity MindUp, created with a mission to promote mental health and fitness for children, after facing her own struggles. Goldie sat down with Hoda Kotb to talk about her accidental rise to fame, her famous family and where she finds her purpose.

Suleika Jaouad is a New York Times-bestselling author and journalist. When Jaouad was just 22-years old, she was diagnosed with leukemia, sidelining her dream of becoming a foreign correspondent. Instead, she chronicled her cancer battle in the New York Times column "Life, Interrupted", and went on to write a best-selling memoir. Jaouad opened up to Hoda about her journaling practice, which inspired her latest book "The Book of Alchemy: Creative Prompts for an Inspired Life."

Martha Beck is a best-selling author, life coach, and speaker and expert in coping with anxiety. Despite decades of sociology research and coaching, Beck says she'd struggled with anxiety her entire life. She says we live in a global anxiety spiral, and turned to neuroscience to understand why, and how to move past it. Through her research, Beck found that anxiety shuts down the brain's curiosity and creativity, and tapping into them can be life-changing. She opened up to Hoda about her book, "Beyond Anxiety: Curiosity, Creativity, and Finding Your Life's Purpose", and shares strategies to change the way they think and live.

Joanna Gaines is the co-founder and designer behind the iconic Magnolia brand. She and her husband Chip made a name for themselves flipping homes in Waco, Texas and gained popularity thanks to their HGTV shows and own network. Gaines opened up to Hoda about imposter syndrome, being a working mom, and how she stays connected with her husband through it all.