The Black List Podcast

Introducing Selena Gomez & Benny Blanco EXCLUSIVE: Their Love Story Like You’ve Never Heard Before from On Purpose with Jay Shetty.

Follow the show: On Purpose with Jay Shetty

How did Selena and Benny first meet?

What makes their love story unique?

On today’s episode of On Purpose, Jay sits down with global superstar Selena Gomez and acclaimed music producer Benny Blanco where they share their love story like they never have before. They open up about their personal journey—one that didn’t start with an immediate spark.

Their story is full of humor, mixed signals, and that moment when it all clicked. Benny once thought Selena didn’t like him, while Selena, protecting her heart, kept her distance. But as their friendship grew, they built something real—a relationship rooted in trust, respect, open communication, and always supporting each other. Their story is a true testament that love unfolds when the timing is right.

Together, Jay, Selena, and Benny reflect on the power of embracing love, letting go of past fears, and choosing a partner who helps you grow. Their journey serves as a beautiful reminder that love often comes when you least expect it—but when it’s right, you’ll know.

In this interview, you'll learn:

How to Build a Strong Friendship Before Dating

How to Communicate Openly in a Relationship

How to Maintain Trust in a Long-Distance Relationship

How to Support Your Partner’s Emotional Needs

How to Balance a Busy Career with a Healthy Relationship

Selena and Benny’s story reminds us that true love isn’t defined by grand gestures or perfection—it’s about finding someone who sees you for who you are, supports you through life’s challenges, and makes even the simplest moments feel special.

With Love and Gratitude,

Jay Shetty

Join over 750,000 people to receive my most transformative wisdom directly in your inbox every single week with my free newsletter. Subscribe here.

Join Jay for his first ever, On Purpose Live Tour! Tickets are on sale now. Hope to see you there!

What We Discuss:

00:00 Intro

01:10 Male Friendships Can Be Challenging

03:01 First Meeting & Deep Conversations

08:48 How It All Started

16:32 Opening Up to Love Again

18:57 It All Happens for a Reason

21:08 Finding Genuine Love

27:13 Be Kind to Yourself

33:37 Don’t Let Negativity Dictate Your Life

37:55 Cultivating Relationships with Trust

48:22 This is How Emotionally Mature Relationships Work      

57:08 The Proposal 

01:05:29 Wedding Planning

01:06:26 Recording an Album Together

01:13:17 Future Family Plans

01:18:03 Selena and Benny on Fun Questions

Episode Resources:

Selena Gomez | Website

Selena Gomez | Facebook

Selena Gomez | Twitter

Selena Gomez | Instagram

Selena Gomez | YouTube

Benny Blanco | TikTok

Benny Blanco | Instagram

Benny Blanco | YouTube

Benny Blanco | Twitter

Benny Blanco | Facebook

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

DISCLAIMER: Please note, this is an independent podcast episode not affiliated with, endorsed by, or produced in conjunction with the host podcast feed or any of its media entities. The views and opinions expressed in this episode are solely those of the creators and guests. For any concerns, please reach out to [email protected].

[Encore! ¡Otra!] Two powerhouse talents, one unforgettable episode. When The Black List teamed up with Hulu to launch the first-ever Latinx List, it was only natural for Franklin and Kate to sit down with two of the initiative’s driving forces: Gloria Calderón Kellett (One Day at a Time) and Tanya Saracho (Vida). In this classic conversation, the acclaimed showrunners discuss how their friendship fuels creativity, their commitment to uplifting the next generation of Latinx storytellers, and the impact of authentic representation in Hollywood.

Questions? Comments? Criticism? Hit us up on social media at @theblcklst.

This was recorded in 2020. To learn more about The Black List, visit www.blcklst.com.

Mentions: 

+Deadline, The Black List, Latin Tracking Board, NALIP, And Untitled Latinx Project Unveil Latinx TV List: https://deadline.com/2020/06/the-black-list-latin-tracking-board-nalip-remezcla-untitled-latinx-project-unveil-inaugural-latinx-tv-list-diversity-inclusion-representation-1202972696/ 

+One Day at a Time: https://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/one_day_at_a_time 

+Hollywood Reporter, ‘One Day at a Time,’ ‘Star Trek’ Sub for Returning Originals on CBS Fall Schedule: https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/one-day-at-a-time-star-trek-sub-for-returning-originals-on-cbs-fall-schedule 

+Vida: https://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/vida 

+Variety, ‘Vida’ Creator Tanya Saracho Signs Overall Deal With UCP: https://variety.com/2020/tv/news/vida-tanya-saracho-overall-deal-ucp-1234740022/ 

Introducing Murder on Steroids (PODCAST EXCLUSIVE EPISODE) from MrBallen Podcast: Strange, Dark & Mysterious Stories.

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On a summer night In 2013, newlyweds Joe and Olga Connell walked into their condominium in Wilmington, Delaware. Joe flipped on the light and sat down on the couch, while Olga headed to the bedroom to get changed. Suddenly, Joe heard a loud scream. He got up, and ran down the hall to the bedroom. There, he found Olga sitting on the floor yelling and crying. And he saw her jewelry boxes had been completely emptied and thrown off her dresser – thousands of dollars worth of rings and necklaces were just gone. But through her tears, Olga said she didn’t care about how much money they cost. Some of those pieces were precious family heirlooms that had been passed down to Olga from hers and Joe’s mothers. Joe comforted his wife, but he didn’t tell her what he was thinking. Because Joe thought he knew who had robbed them, and he feared this might be just the first attack in an escalating family war.

For 100s more stories like these, check out our main YouTube channel just called "MrBallen" -- https://www.youtube.com/c/MrBallen

If you want to reach out to me, contact me on Instagram, Twitter or any other major social media platform, my username on all of them is @mrballen

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

DISCLAIMER: Please note, this is an independent podcast episode not affiliated with, endorsed by, or produced in conjunction with the host podcast feed or any of its media entities. The views and opinions expressed in this episode are solely those of the creators and guests. For any concerns, please reach out to [email protected].

[Listen again]. Filmmaker Alice Wu joins Franklin and Kate to discuss her journey back into Hollywood as a queer Asian-American storyteller. She shares how Chinese-language films shaped her love of cinema, her time away from the industry, and the creative process behind The Half of It—a fresh take on the teen romantic triangle movie. From Saving Face, which was a huge hit at Sundance, to The Half of It landing on the Black List, Alice’s path is as inspiring as her films.

Questions? Comments? Criticism? Hit us up on social media at @theblcklst.

This episode was originally published in 2020. To learn more about The Black List, visit www.blcklst.com. 

Mentions:

+Saving Face: www.rottentomatoes.com/m/saving_face 

+The Half of It: www.netflix.com/title/81005150

Introducing Helium Road (PODCAST EXCLUSIVE EPISODE) from MrBallen Podcast: Strange, Dark & Mysterious Stories.

Follow the show: MrBallen Podcast: Strange, Dark & Mysterious Stories

On a night in 2013, a woman in her 30s named Erin heard loud banging on her front door. She opened the door and saw her best friend Robin standing there. And she could tell right away that Robin was scared. She was shaking, tears were running down her face, and she had scratches on her arms. Erin led Robin inside to the couch, and asked her what was going on. Robin said she had gone over to her ex-husband’s house to drop off their two daughters. Everything between her and her ex had seemed fine. But then her ex-husband’s new wife came into the room, and had just started yelling. And before Robin could even say anything, the woman ran across the room, lunged at her, and started fighting. Erin sat there and listened. And she wasn’t at all surprised. She knew the woman Robin had been fighting with. When Robin was finished talking, Erin told her never to be alone with that woman, because Erin said that woman was “the kind of crazy that will kill you.”

For 100s more stories like these, check out our main YouTube channel just called "MrBallen" -- https://www.youtube.com/c/MrBallen

If you want to reach out to me, contact me on Instagram, Twitter or any other major social media platform, my username on all of them is @mrballen

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

DISCLAIMER: Please note, this is an independent podcast episode not affiliated with, endorsed by, or produced in conjunction with the host podcast feed or any of its media entities. The views and opinions expressed in this episode are solely those of the creators and guests. For any concerns, please reach out to [email protected].

Gremlins, Goonies, Home Alone, Mrs. Doubtfire—iconic films that few of us haven't seen. But how did they come to be? In this episode, Kate sits down with legendary filmmaker Chris Columbus to explore his journey from aspiring screenwriter to Hollywood heavyweight. Columbus shares how his college screenplay sold for just $5K, the professor who told him success was 50% talent, 50% luck, and the serendipitous moment when Steven Spielberg discovered his Gremlins script. Plus, behind-the-scenes stories from Home Alone, Mrs. Doubtfire, and collaborating with Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell on The Christmas Chronicles 2.

This conversation took place in, and was originally published, in 2020.

Questions? Comments? Criticism? Hit us up on social media at @theblcklst.To learn more about The Black List, visit www.blcklst.com.

Introducing The Mutant (PODCAST EXCLUSIVE EPISODE) from MrBallen Podcast: Strange, Dark & Mysterious Stories.

Follow the show: MrBallen Podcast: Strange, Dark & Mysterious Stories

On a day in 2001, a veteran homicide detective put on his gloves and stepped into a cluttered bedroom. He’d been working a murder case for months, but he still had no clear evidence pointing to any of his suspects. But a tip from an informant had led him to this bedroom, and he hoped he would find something useful. The detective searched the room, but nothing stood out to him amidst the mess – until he saw a piece of notebook paper sitting on a nightstand. On the paper was someone’s list of goals they wanted to accomplish in life. The detective scanned the list. Most of the goals on the list were pretty standard stuff, but one goal immediately jumped out at the detective. Because one of the things on the list the writer wanted to achieve was to “Kill somebody and get away with it.”

For 100s more stories like these, check out our main YouTube channel just called "MrBallen" -- https://www.youtube.com/c/MrBallen

If you want to reach out to me, contact me on Instagram, Twitter or any other major social media platform, my username on all of them is @mrballen

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

DISCLAIMER: Please note, this is an independent podcast episode not affiliated with, endorsed by, or produced in conjunction with the host podcast feed or any of its media entities. The views and opinions expressed in this episode are solely those of the creators and guests. For any concerns, please reach out to [email protected].

Introducing The 3 Things EVERY Human Wants with Esther Perel | The Oprah Podcast from The Oprah Podcast.

Follow the show: The Oprah Podcast

In this episode of The Oprah Podcast, presented by Ulta Beauty, world renowned relationship therapist Esther Perel offers her profound insight on modern romance, and what we can do to feel more alive in all our relationships – not just the romantic ones.

With wisdom gained as a therapist and from her hit podcast, Where Should We Begin? with Esther Perel, Esther offers frank sexual advice along with her thoughts on dealing with betrayal, life transitions and relational burn out. Couples and individuals will join via Zoom to hear Esther do what she does best: reveal the hidden truth beyond the stories we tell. She’ll also discuss her ingenious conversation-starter card game, “Where Should We Begin? A Game of Stories by Esther Perel.”

Thank you to our partners at Ulta Beauty. They want to help you celebrate all the relationships in your life - not just the romantic ones! Share a post, tag your bestie and @ULTABEAUTY and share why they’re so special to you! Ulta Beauty will help pay the joy forward with a chance to receive a ‘surprise and delight’ beauty experience. www.ulta.com

“Where Should We Begin? A Game of Stories by Esther Perel” is available on her website,

And Esther's books are available here: https://www.estherperel.com/books

Conflict to Connection: https://www.estherperel.com/courses/turning-conflict-into-connection 

Desire Bundle: https://www.estherperel.com/course-bundles/the-desire-bundle 

Follow Oprah Winfrey on Social:

Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/@Oprah

https://www.instagram.com/oprah/

https://www.facebook.com/oprahwinfrey/

Listen to the full podcast:

https://open.spotify.com/show/0tEVrfNp92a7lbjDe6GMLI

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-oprah-podcast/id1782960381

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DISCLAIMER: Please note, this is an independent podcast episode not affiliated with, endorsed by, or produced in conjunction with the host podcast feed or any of its media entities. The views and opinions expressed in this episode are solely those of the creators and guests. For any concerns, please reach out to [email protected].

Franklin and Kate sat down with comedy legend Ed Helms to explore his journey from Saturday Night Live-fueled interest in high school, to performing with the Upright Citizens Brigade as a young adult to making waves on The Daily Show during the George W. Bush era. They discuss how those experiences shaped his perspective on political comedy today, dive into his roles in blockbuster hits like Vacation and The Hangover trilogy, and chat about his Netflix project, Coffee & Kareem. Plus, don’t miss the surprising twist: Ed Helms isn’t just a comedic genius—he’s also a talented bluegrass musician.

Questions? Comments? Criticism? Hit us up on social media at @theblcklst.

This conversation was recoreded in 2020. To learn more about The Black List, visit www.blcklst.com. 

Mentions:

+Coffee & Kareem: https://www.netflix.com/title/80220009 

+Upright Citizens Brigade: https://ucbcomedy.com 

+The Daily Show: http://www.cc.com/shows/the-daily-show-with-trevor-noah.