CherryPop welcomes star of The Buccaneers, Aubri Ibrag to the podcast.

Aubri and Meg explore her character Lizzie's empowering Season 2 arc. They touch upon the show's beautiful and powerful themes of female friendship, love, and what happens when the two conflict. Although Lizzie may make some questionable choices, we're very proud of her for choosing love and following her heart. At the end of the day, the Buccaneers always find their way back to each other, which is just one of the countless reasons we are continually obsessed with the series.

Although it takes place in the past, Aubri discusses the show's very relatable themes. We may not relate to, say, abdications, but we can relate to these characters on a human level, and as Aubri says, "that's what storytelling is all about." We, of course, also dive into this season's sensational aesthetics, set pieces, and costumes. The episode comes to a close in true CherryPicks style with a game of "Sweet and Sour" with Aubri sharing her exciting future career goals and aspirations.

"[There are] men like Seadown that exist, who made Lizzie feel so awful for such a long time, and she tried to almost quiet herself and make herself smaller so that she didn't elicit bad reactions from people, which is really heartbreaking. But I'm really proud of her [...] for pursuing love." -Aubri Ibrag

"After being sexually violated by Seadown, she was quite numb and probably gave up on the idea of ever having passionate feelings, but then came along Theo… I'm really proud of her for allowing herself to follow that feeling, even though it did hurt people. I'm proud of her for doing something wrong, for once, if that makes sense, that was in her own self interest." -Aubri Ibrag

All episodes of The Buccaneers Season 2 are available to stream on Apple TV+.

CherryPicks is the best place to see what women think about movies, tv, and more. CherryPicks highlights reviews and original stories exclusively from female and non-binary writers. www.TheCherryPicks.com

Follow CherryPicks on Instagram and Twitter @thecherrypicks

Follow your host Meg McCarthy on Instagram @megjomccarthy

Music composed by Honor Nezzo.

CherryPop is executive produced by Miranda Bailey and Rebecca Odes, produced and hosted by Meg McCarthy, and edited by In Haus Media

Photo Credit: Stephanie Diani

CherryPop welcomes Abigail Cowen (Fate: The Winx Saga, Redeeming Love) to the podcast, who stars in two films out now.

First up, Meg and Abigail dive into the wild and colorful world of Electra by the brilliant and vibrant mind of first-time feature film director Hala Matar. Cowen fondly talks about working with Hala and her love and appreciation for the passion and creative collaboration born out of independent filmmaking.

"I wanted to act since I was like nine years old, and I never really got the opportunity, because I was in a small town in Florida that didn't have many theater opportunities or anything like that. I grew up on a farm, so I spent a lot of time outside making up stories. I've just always been fascinated by people and their stories—and understanding why people do what they do—and I think that's why I do what I do, and why I love it. It's been a passion of mine since I was very, very young." -Abigail Cowen

Next, the two discuss Cowen's powerful and physical work in The Ritual. In this horror film based on true events, she plays Emma Schmidt, a young woman undergoing multiple exorcisms alongside Hollywood legend Al Pacino. In addition, Abigail and Meg share their dislike of mornings, the need for better dreams, and an undying love for storytelling.

"I really have enjoyed doing these smaller independent films, because it's a smaller crew. You have your director, who is usually also the writer. If you have an idea, you can throw it at them, and if they say no, they say no; if they like it, you can change it on the day in the moment. And having that smaller cast too to really hone in and collaborate with has been so fun for me, and so creatively fulfilling. [...] there is an air and just an energy on a set where everyone is on the same page, everyone is working the same amount and cares the same amount, which I've really fallen in love with." - Abigail Cowen

Electra is available on demand and you can watch The Ritual out now in theaters.

CherryPicks is the best place to see what women think about movies, tv, and more. CherryPicks highlights reviews and original stories exclusively from female and non-binary writers. www.TheCherryPicks.com

Follow CherryPicks on Instagram and Twitter. @thecherrypicks

Follow your host Meg McCarthy on Instagram @megjomccarthy

Music composed by Honor Nezzo.

CherryPop is executive produced by Miranda Bailey and Rebecca Odes, produced and hosted by Meg McCarthy, and edited by In Haus Media

In honor of the anticipated premiere of season 3 of the hit Netflix series, Ginny & Georgia, Meg welcomes its very talented star, Sara Waisglass, to the podcast!

Sara expresses her deep love for her character, Max, and how her brightness and exuberance have been a powerful and bright light for her in the past. She insightfully shares how she navigated Max's big emotional shifts this season and worked with her co-stars to bring an authentic and grounded family dynamic to life.

Meg and Sara connect over the show's ability to help audiences feel seen and less alone. Additionally, Sara speaks about her passion for screenwriting and how it's changed her approach to acting.

"[Max is] fighting tooth and nail to stay in these girls' lives, and it's not like they're purposefully dissing her, but it's not like they're including her or feeling like they should include her, which is also very painful. Reading the scripts and seeing them all hang out without Max and being like, 'don't tell Max', it hurt so bad. I've been so close to her for so long now that she feels like a best friend to me, and watching people talk about her poorly, and being like, 'You're so dramatic', really was painful." - Sara Waisglass

CherryPicks is the best place to see what women think about movies, tv, and more. CherryPicks highlights reviews and original stories exclusively from female and non-binary writers. www.TheCherryPicks.com

Follow CherryPicks on Instagram and Twitter @thecherrypicks

Follow your host Meg McCarthy on Instagram @megjomccarthy

Music composed by Honor Nezzo.

CherryPop is executive produced by Miranda Bailey and Rebecca Odes, produced and hosted by Meg McCarthy, and edited by In Haus Media

Photo Credit: Richard Bernardin

Rule Breakers tells the remarkable true story of how entrepreneur Roya Mahboob fought for girls' education in Afghanistan and formed the country's first competitive robotics team, the Afghan Dreamers.

On this very special Season 3 premiere of CherryPop, Meg welcomes to the podcast, the film's inspiration and executive producer, Roya Mahboob, and stars Nikohl Boosheri and Amber Afzali. Nikohl and Amber start things off by sharing heartfelt memories from the set and remark on their meaningful experience filming and bringing this story to life. Roya joins in, and together, they discuss filmmaking as a powerful tool for change in continuing the fight for girls' education, and the importance of representing Afghan women in their entirety on screen.

"We don't see courage being in the absence of fear. We see that it's having fear and moving forward anyways." - Nikohl Boosheri

"In Hollywood we don't see Afghanistan represented with the dark and the light. We often focus on the dark and we often see women with faceless identities or not being fully dynamic characters on screen. I felt good knowing that I can make my community proud by engaging in this project; I can make my family proud. And most of all, I could look back on the project and be like, this is something that I think is bigger than me." - Amber Afzali Rule Breakers is out now in theaters!

CherryPicks is the best place to see what women think about movies, tv, and more. CherryPicks highlights reviews and original stories exclusively from female and non-binary writers. www.TheCherryPicks.com

Follow CherryPicks on Instagram and Twitter. @thecherrypicks

Follow your host Meg McCarthy on Instagram @megjomccarthy

Music composed by Honor Nezzo.

CherryPop is executive produced by Miranda Bailey and Rebecca Odes, produced and hosted by Meg McCarthy, and edited by In Haus Media

On this special episode of CherryPop, multi-hyphenate dancing/singing trio Triple Charm joins Meg to talk all about sisterhood. The real-life sisters shed light on their love and appreciation for each other's strengths and individualities and share how their strong bond helps them creatively collaborate. We also dive into holiday traditions, swapping clothes, and Barbie.

"I would say I've learned so much about them. And in a strange way that I don't think I ever would have had the opportunity to if we weren't working together. And in a creative sense, I don't think I would have seen that side of them as much [...] So I think that's been something that's so beautiful, that we've been able to see [...] each other's minds at work in a completely different way than if we're just, like, you know, watching TV together." - Amalia

CherryPicks is the best place to see what women think about movies, tv, and more. CherryPicks highlights reviews and original stories exclusively from female and non-binary writers. www.TheCherryPicks.com

Follow CherryPicks on Instagram and Twitter. @thecherrypicks

Follow your host Meg McCarthy on Instagram @megjomccarthy

Music composed by Honor Nezzo.

CherryPop is executive produced by Miranda Bailey and Rebecca Odes, produced and hosted by Meg McCarthy, and edited by In Haus Media

This episode of CherryPop is proudly sponsored by our friends at DSW. We're going all in for fall! From the perfect knee-high or western boot for the office or back-to-school to your new favorite loafers, DSW has a shoe for every occasion! Shop their latest fall looks at dsw.com!

On this episode of CherryPop, we're highlighting rising stars in the music industry with special guest La Rhonza. La Rhonza, known as Lee Rodriguez on screen, talks about her recent journey to becoming a singer and songwriter. She shares the inspiration behind her latest and first bilingual single, "All Inclusive," honoring and exploring her Hispanic heritage. La Rhonza and CherryPop host Meg McCarthy also discuss the power of lyrics, the therapeutic quality of music, and La Rhonza's desire to help others relate and feel seen through song.

"Some days, I feel like Lee and some days I feel like La Rhonza. They have different feelings to them. When I'm Lee, I feel cool as hell. Lee is confident, and La Rhonza's more vulnerable in her feelings and more like, let's talk about life and all questions that come with it." - La Rhonza

CherryPicks is the best place to see what women think about movies, tv, and more. CherryPicks highlights reviews and original stories exclusively from female and non-binary writers. www.TheCherryPicks.com

Follow CherryPicks on Instagram and Twitter. @thecherrypicks

Follow your host Meg McCarthy on Instagram @megjomccarthy

Music composed by Honor Nezzo.

CherryPop is executive produced by Miranda Bailey and Rebecca Odes, produced and hosted by Meg McCarthy, and edited by In Haus Media

On this episode of CherryPop, Meg welcomes educator, advocate, and author Blair Imani.

"If you're a lonely kid who has to eat lunch at the library, like I did, it just feels like that's gonna be your life forever. So, if someone can tell you a real-life story of somebody who was in that situation and overcame it, it can help you be like, 'Okay, right now, I'm in my cocoon phase and, one day, I'm gonna bloom and become this beautiful butterfly'." -Blair Imani

The "Smarter in Seconds" creator shares the value of boundaries, personal space, and implanting strategic vulnerability. She also talks about her love for biographies, the fine line between disruption and curiosity, and the power of collaborating and honoring people's time.

"I think one of the biggest things that capitalism and white supremacy culture tell us is that we can't work with our friends. We can't work with our family. And for a lot of folks who are marginalized [...] we don't have the option of not doing that. We don't have all the same opportunities; we have to make things work. And so it's all about having boundaries, all about building trust." - Blair Imani

Learn more about Blair Imani by visiting her website, joining her on social media @blairimani, and reading her books: Making Our Way Home (2020), Modern HERstory (2018)

CherryPicks is the best place to see what women think about movies, tv, and more. CherryPicks highlights reviews and original stories exclusively from female and non-binary writers. www.TheCherryPicks.com

Follow CherryPicks on Instagram and Twitter. @thecherrypicks

Follow your host Meg McCarthy on Instagram @megjomccarthy

Music composed by Honor Nezzo.

CherryPop is executive produced by Miranda Bailey and Rebecca Odes, produced and hosted by Meg McCarthy, and edited by In Haus Media

This episode of CherryPop is presented by DSW. DSW is your one-stop shop for all the need-right-now shoes from all your favorite brands. Visit http://dsw.com to find a shoe that's right for you!

Actor Gia Kim candidly shares her empowering personal growth journey playing Yuri in XO, Kitty, explains the show's celebration of South Korean culture, and speaks about her positive and productive experience working with a predominantly female-led team behind the camera.

"Yuri commands the space that she's in. That's something that, even up until recently, I always had to consciously work out. It's like, it's okay for me to take up space. Everyone has their own right to take up their own space. I learned a lot from Yuri [...] she found me at the right time when I needed her to." -Gia Kim

Don't forget to celebrate all the big (and little) moments in life that shape us! Share your big moments with DSW and become a DSW VIP for free by visiting dsw.com!

CherryPicks is the best place to see what women think about movies, tv, and more. CherryPicks highlights reviews and original stories exclusively from female and non-binary writers. www.TheCherryPicks.com

Follow CherryPicks on Instagram and Twitter. @thecherrypicks

Follow your host Meg McCarthy on Instagram @megjomccarthy

Music composed by Honor Nezzo.

CherryPop is executive produced by Miranda Bailey and Rebecca Odes, produced and hosted by Meg McCarthy, and edited by In Haus Media

This episode of CherryPop is presented by DSW. This Pride Month, join us and our partners at DSW as we celebrate putting our best foot forward and unapologetically living in full color!

Actor, activist, and writer Nicole Maines shares the powerful impact dreaming big had on her as a young trans woman, the joys and challenges of writing a graphic novel for the DC Universe, and what it's like tackling the complexities of mental health on screen as Lisa in Yellowjackets Season 2.

"If we're not hoping, or if we're not dreaming, what are we doing? It's important for us to have ambition, goals, and hope. All of that is encompassed in dreaming. As cliche as it is to tell people to chase their dreams and to hold on to their dreams, I think it's crucial for all of us." -Nicole Maines

DSW is your one-stop shop for all the need-right-now shoes from all your favorite brands. Visit http://dsw.com to find a shoe that's right for you!

CherryPicks is the best place to see what women think about movies, tv, and more. CherryPicks highlights reviews and original stories exclusively from female and non-binary writers. www.TheCherryPicks.com

Follow CherryPicks on Instagram and Twitter. @thecherrypicks

Follow your host Meg McCarthy on Instagram @megjomccarthy

Music composed by Honor Nezzo.

CherryPop is executive produced by Miranda Bailey and Rebecca Odes, produced and hosted by Meg McCarthy, and edited by In Haus Media

This episode is sponsored by Buffalo 8 Distribution: A Bondit Company. Buffalo 8 is a full-service film and media company focused on production, post-production, distribution, design, and finance. CherryPop host Meg McCarthy and Head of Buffalo 8 Distribution Nikki Stier Justice discuss the future of women in film, spotlighting Marcella Cytrynowicz's gripping thriller romance, American Cherry, and Em Johnson's coming-of-age story, Balloon Animal.

American Cherry producer Taryn Sims and Balloon Animal writer/director Em Johnson join the conversation to grapple with gender disparity in front of and behind the camera while shedding light on how to support women in film from inside and outside of the industry. The group's respective experiences give unique perspectives on the indie filmmaking landscape, festival support, and more.

"We still have a long way to go. It helps when you have female producers and people in those positions that can champion women directors and leads in departments. We're not even close to scratching the surface, and we have a long way to go, but I think that the conversations have been started and there is an awareness that we need more." - Taryn Sims

With its intense storyline, stunning cinematography, and powerful performances, American Cherry is a must-see and is now available on demand.

And do not miss the chance to experience Em Johnson's enchanting world of Balloon Animal, available on demand April 7th.

Support indie filmmaking by checking out some other Buffalo 8 films:

Amy's Victory Dance

Diamond in The Rough

Fransgiving

CherryPicks is the best place to see what women think about movies, tv, and more. CherryPicks highlights reviews and original stories exclusively from female and non-binary writers. www.TheCherryPicks.com

Follow CherryPicks on Instagram and Twitter. @thecherrypicks

Follow your host Meg McCarthy on Instagram @megjomccarthy

Music composed by Honor Nezzo.

CherryPop is executive produced by Miranda Bailey and Rebecca Odes, produced and hosted by Meg McCarthy, and edited by In Haus Media