Feeling Seen

Drag superstar Latrice Royale has been in the game since before Ru Paul's Drag Race was a phenomenon. She won Miss Congeniality on her season of that show, and went on to appear on All-Stars and Drag U. An actor and performer, Latrice is one of the co-hosts of the just-launched Season 4 of HBO's We're Here. And if you know anything about Latrice, just a few moments with Della Reese's character, Vera Walker, in the Eddie Murphy-directed dramedy Harlem Nights will show you how Latrice's persona may have been shaped by Vera's no-nonsense power and heart of gold. Then, Jordan has one quick think about Humane, directed the latest Cronenberg to join the family business, Caitlin. *** With Jordan Crucchiola and Latrice Royale

This episode originally aired on May 18, 2023. From her roles in a semi-autobiographical sitcom in 1996 (Life's Work) to The Parent Trap to Abbott Elementary, Lisa Ann Walter has played a lot of different kinds of strong, brassy women. And even though standards of beauty and acceptance in Hollywood are always changing, those winds haven't always blown in her favor. But what makes an icon iconic is her unwavering commitment to being her own unmistakable self. After talking with Lisa, Jordan has one quick thing about Fast X (and especially Jason Momoa).

Larry Fessenden is almost a kind of mythic figure in the world of indie filmmaking. He's a filmmaker behind dozens of his own independently produced projects, an actor, an editor, and a producer who's helped give directors from Ti West to Kelly Reichart their start. His new film is BLACKOUT, which focuses on a different kind of mythic figure: the werewolf (with Larry's signature thoughtful touch). Appropriatey, Larry is feeling seen by...Larry, the Wolf Man from the 1941 original THE WOLF MAN, starring Lon Chaney, Jr. as...well...the Wolf Man. Then Jordan has one quick thing from the premiere of CHALLENGERS! *** With Jordan Crucchiola and Larry Fessenden

Avril Speaks, independent filmmaker and co-host of the film advice podcast DISTRIBUTION ADVOCATES PRESENTS tells us why J from AWKWARD BLACK GIRL was such a revelation -- even more so than when the successful web series morphed into INSECURE, and J became Issa. Plus, she shares her affinity with Summer, a teen girl coming of age as her mother converts to Islam, in her film JINN. Then, Jordan has a long-awaited one quick thing about...MAXXXINE! *** With Jordan Crucchiola and Avril Speaks

THE SAVAGES (directed by Tamara Jenkins, who also directed SLUMS OF BEVERLY HILLS, and starrring Laura Linney and Philip Seymour Hoffman) is an often poignant comedy about adult siblings trying to get care for their elderly father, who suffers from dementia. That might not be the most expected pick from a director whose new horror film, IMMACULATE, now has the distinction of being NEON's highest grossing opening weekend ever. But it's the movie that speaks most directly to an all-to-common, yet rarely depicted phase of life -- one that Michael found himself in right at the moment his Hollywood career hit its stride. After this moving and open conversation, Jordan has one quick thing about GODZILLA X KONG. *** With Jordan Crucchiola and Michael Mohan

It's the final week of #MaxFunDrive! Thanks to everyone who has joined or upgraded so far; if you've been putting it off, now's thie time! maximumfun.org/join It's been a long time since comedian Jackie Kashian (co-host of MaxFun's own Jackie and Laurie Show) has been a industry newb like Benji (Mark Linn Baker) in 1982's MY FAVORITE YEAR. But she felt really seen by Benji's journey into the world of comedy -- the risks, the shifting identity, and the heartbreak. She and Jordan will get into all of that, plus learn why Jackie relates to A.X.L., the top-secret robotic dog from 2018's A.X.L. Then, Jordan has one quick thing about the...ahem...Poohniverse? *** With Jordan Crucchiola and Jackie Kashian

This podcast is part of the #MaxFunDrive! If you’d like to help this podcast continue and get great gifts in the process, go to maximumfun.org/join and become a MaxFun Member for as little as $5 a month. You can also upgrade or boost your membership for as little as $1 more a month to help the show out even more and earn gifts and certain levels. COLOR OF NIGHT is one of the wildest, most surprising movies Jordan has ever seen, and now producer Marissa can say the same! Starring Bruce Willis as a psychologist who's also trying to solve his friend Scott Bakula's murder (while on vacation in Los Angeles, a vacation he went on to try and heal from a totally unrelated trauma), you won't want to miss hearing us walk you through it. Here's a sneak peek at the full episode, which (if you play your cards right) will hopefully be just the start of an entire Bonus Content series on erotic thrillers! But that will only happen if we get 100 new/upgrading/boosting FEELING SEEN listeners! Maximumfun.org/join ! *** with Jordan Crucchiola and Marissa Flaxbart

Susie Banikarim has been a freshman journalist. She's also been a boss. Now, she's the co-host and EP of the podcast In Retrospect, along with her friend, New York Times editor Jessica Bennett. Over the years, Susie has kept watching the 2006 modern classic The Devil Wears Prada, and she's noticed a funny thing happen. Where once she (obviously!) identified with the put-upon lead, Andy Sachs (Anne Hathaway), time and life have shown her that maybe Miranda Preistly (Meryl Streep) wasn't such a devil after all. Plus...it's #MaxFunDrive! Listen to find out what becoming a member at maximumfun.org/join can get you, to find out about our special bonus content for this year, and to learn what happens if you help us hit our goals! *** With Jordan Crucchiola and Susie Banikarim

Comedian Caitlin Peluffo (whose new album, DIRTY BIRD, just dropped) was a soccer star as a kid who craved attention from boys, despite not fitting the "cute girl" stereotype. Becky "Icebox" O'Shea, a central character in the 1994 family football comedy LITTLE GIANTS, is on the precipice of that same flight. Caitlin never did shake her deep affinity with Becky/Icebox, but her relationship to it has changed over the years. Then, Jordan has one quick thing about the upcoming THELMA, which just might prove to be June Squibb's BEEKEEPER. *** With Jordan Crucchiola and Caitlin Peluffo

Brigette Lundy-Paine comes from a creative family, and (in addition to their music and their work on WAIF Magazine), has been acting since childhood. In adulthood, success in their career has shown them the difference between being playing a role on screen and playing one in real life. Joe Buck, the pretend cowboy and wannabe hustler at the center of 1969's MIDNIGHT COWBOY goes on a journey of identity, too. It's also a journey of friendship, and one through the perils and pleasures of life in the big city. All that and more on today's FEELING SEEN! Then, Jordan has one quick thing about DUNE: PART TWO. *** With Jordan Crucchiola and Brigette Lundy-Paine

The host and writer of the SIGNIFICANT OTHERS podcast, Liza Powel O'Brien, was a teenager when Dustin Hoffman's iconic Michael Dorsey/Dorothy Michaels dropped into her life via TOOTSIE. The Michael/Dorothy transformation illustrated to her the same thing it showed Michael in the movie: it takes a lot of work to dress up like a woman. Jordan and Liza will get into all that, and then Jordan has one quick thing about Drive Away Dolls *** With Jordan Crucchiola and Liza Powel O'Brien

Oscar Montoya is a co-host of the new MaxFun podcast Eurovangelists, all about the Eurovision Song Contest. And his love of song and spectacle factors into his professional life as a dancer, actor, and comedian. But long before that career began, Oscar was a kid growing up in Colombia, where for some reason a 1985 movie called Young Sherlock Holmes was playing on repeat. Directed by Barry Levinson and produced by Steven Spielberg, the movie captures the Watson/Sherlock dynamic that is common to most every retelling of that story...except this time, they're kids. As a smart but quiet kid himself, Young Oscar saw himself in the Young Watson of Young Sherlock Holmes. Then, Jordan has one quick thing about the slate of upcoming horror movies! *** With Jordan Crucchiola and Oscar Montoya

It's a banner day for Feeling Seen! On the heels of her latest screenplay, LISA FRANKENSTEIN (in theaters now), Jordan is talking to none other than Diablo Cody. From the Oscar win for her first screenplay (JUNO) to her recent success in the realm of the Broadway musical (JAGGED LITTLE PILL), Diablo has made a career of writing from her unique voice and perspective. And she's feeling seen by the unique, and arguably misunderstood (especially by parents!) Rayanne from the shortlived-yet-seminal 1990s teen drama MY SO-CALLED LIFE. Then Jordan has one quick thing about...MADAME WEB! And she's on Letterboxd. *** With Jordan Crucchiola and Diablo Cody

While MILLER'S GIRL, in theaters now, is Jade Halley Bartlett's debut feature, she's been a working screenwriter, playwright, and actor for many years. In this conversation, Jade and Jordan discuss the multi-faceted awakening that was Elizabeth Taylor as the witty-but-acerbic, strong-but-broken Martha in Mike Nichols' debut feature, WHO'S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF?, adapted from Edward Albee's play. And they'll get into the complicated victims and villains of MILLER'S GIRL (which stars Jenna Ortega and Martin Freeman), and the lessons Jade learned and unlearned through the process of getting her own work from stage to screen. *** With Jordan Crucchiola and Jade Halley Bartlett Follow us on Instagram!

You might know Moshe Kasher from his standup, from his podcast Endless Honeymoon (co-hosted with his wife, actor/comedian Natasha Leggero), or from his memoirs -- of which the latest, SUBCULTURE VULTURE: A MEMOIR IN SIX SCENES, is out now. But that's just scratching the surface in the many lives and quests of Moshe. He tells Jordan about his forays with scenes as diverse as AA, Rave culture, sign language interpretation, and Burning Man, and how it all relates to characters like Luke Skywalker, Harry Potter, and Edmund from the NARNIA series. Then, Jordan has one quick thing about a new action film from Dev Patel, and the state of action movie landscape. Find out more about Moshe's book tour at linktr.ee/MosheKasher *** With Jordan Crucchiola and Moshe Kasher

The interview in this episode was originally published in March of 2022. Before she was the starring alongside Jodie Foster in TRUE DETECTIVE, Kali Reis was a champion boxer. As she shares in this interview, she has always been "boxing for a cause" -- in particular, that of Murdered and Missing Indigenous Women. In her feature debut, 'Catch the Fair One' (directed by Josef Kubota Wladyka), she plays a woman whose world is shaken when her sister goes missing. Reis, who is of Wampanoag and Cape Verdean heritage, brings us a character with much different problems, but whose physicality, sense of humor, and deeply felt emotions, have been making Kali feel seen: Rue Bennett from HBO's Euphoria. Then, back in 2024, Jordan has one quick thing to say about the brand new crop of Oscar nominees. *** With Jordan Crucchiola and Kali Reis

Star of stage and screen, film and television, voice over and live action, Parvesh Cheena's list of credits is expansive -- and you've almost certainly seen or heard him in SOMETHING (Barbershop? Outsourced? Crazy Ex-Girlfriend? Mythic Quest? The Mandalorian?). Parvesh has carved out a place for himself as a character actor -- a position that has at times been a little lonely, and a little strange. As for seeing himself on screen? Even as a kid, he looked to some of the biggest, weirdest characters of them all: Danny Devito's Penguin in BATMAN RETURNS and Mike Myers as Dr. Evil in the AUSTIN POWERS movies. Michelle Pfeiffer whip stunt Niecy Nash-Betts's Emmys acceptance speech *** With Jordan Crucchiola and Parvesh Cheena

Comedian and writer Josh Gondelman is a pep-talk enthusiast and famously upbeat guy, with a solid career and a happy home life. Not one of these traits does he share with Llewyn Davis (Oscar Isaac), from the Coen Brothers' 2013 film INSIDE LLEWYN DAVIS. And yet, when he saw it in the theater, Josh felt so seen by Llewyn -- and not in a good way -- that he couldn't watch the movie again for a decade. Which brings us to now, when he tells us why! Then, Jordan has one quick thing about the brand new movie your dad might be texting you about. Josh’s Vulture piece about Speckle Josh’s Newsletter, That’s Marvelous! *** With Jordan Crucchiola and Josh Gondelman

Growing up on the rez, comedian and writer Joey Clift didn't know that comedy (or TV writing) was an option for him. But a decade in Hollywood has taken him from UCB teams to Emmy nominations, and on the way he's helped create the Native representation he didn't see as a kid. He's also watched as the industry has begun to make that representation more common -- as with his Feeling Seen movie pick of Naru from Hulu's 2022 hit PREY. After that, Jordan has one quick thing about Watch Gone Native *** With Jordan Crucchiola & Joey Clift

This interview was originally recorded in April of 2022, when Auli'i Cravalho, who made a name for herself as the voice of Moana, was co-starring in Hulu's CRUSH (which is delightful, you should watch it!). Now, Auli'i will soon be hitting big screens as Janis Ian in the new movie adaptation of the MEAN GIRLS musical. With warm wishes for a bright New Year to all our listeners, we're delighted to bring you this all-time favorite episode, plus a brand-new One Quick Thing from Jordan about her favorite movie memories from 2023. *** With Jordan Crucchiola and Auli'i Cravalho