The Gabby Reece Show

Actor, creator, and entrepreneur Luke Cook joins Gabby Reece for an honest, funny, and deeply reflective conversation about creativity, rejection, faith, and building a meaningful life.

Luke shares his unconventional journey from growing up in Australia as the youngest of five, to chasing comedy and acting in Hollywood — including seven years of near-constant auditions with little visible success. He speaks candidly about rejection, identity, and why loving the craft itself matters more than external validation.

The conversation moves fluidly between creativity and discipline, faith and doubt, ego and humility. Luke reflects on fatherhood, marriage, and the grounding power of family — as well as the importance of play, presence, and not taking success (or failure) too seriously.

They also explore Luke’s entrepreneurial ventures, including building a “no-weird-stuff” protein shake brand, creative coaching for founders, and using humor to communicate without shame. Throughout, Luke emphasizes curiosity, integrity, and joy as essential ingredients for longevity — in work and in life.

This episode is about staying in the game, trusting the process, and remembering that success isn’t a destination — it’s how you live along the way.

⏱️ CHAPTERS

- Intro & meeting Luke

- Growing up the youngest of five

- Early love of performance and comedy

- Discipline, training, and loving the craft

- Moving to LA & chasing the dream

- Years of auditions and rejection

- Ego, ambition, and humility

- Faith, doubt, and finding a north star

- Marriage, fatherhood, and family grounding

- Creativity vs. external validation

- Building a values-driven business

- Content, comedy, and honest communication

- Relationships, partnership, and play

- What success really looks like

- Staying joyful in uncertainty

- Closing reflections

 WHAT STAYED WITH ME

Loving the work matters more than loving the outcome.

Rejection doesn’t end careers — quitting does.

Discipline follows passion.

When you care deeply enough, showing up becomes natural.

Ego needs humility to stay healthy.

Confidence fuels performance; humility keeps you grounded.

Family changes the definition of success.

Responsibility, presence, and play become the real markers.

Faith doesn’t eliminate doubt.

It gives you somewhere to return when things feel unstable.

Joy is a choice.

Especially when the path forward isn’t clear.

WHY IT’S WORTH SLOWING DOWN FOR THIS

We live in a culture that celebrates instant success and overnight wins — often ignoring the long, invisible seasons of work that come before them.

Luke’s story is a reminder that staying in the game matters.

That creativity doesn’t expire.

And that meaning is built through patience, integrity, and connection — not applause.

If you’re navigating uncertainty, rejection, or a season of waiting, this conversation offers perspective worth sitting with.

FIND LUKE

Luke Cook

Instagram & TikTok: https://www.instagram.com/thelukecook

Protein brand: https://getshakewell.com

FOR MORE ON GABBY

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gabbyreece/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@gabbyreeceofficial

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@GabbyReece

The Gabby Reece Show Podcast: Available on all major platforms

Episode sponsors:

Get up to 30% off OneSkin with the code GABBYREECE at https://www.oneskin.co/GABBYREECE #oneskinpod

Don’t let another year go by feeling less than your best. Grab 35% off your one month subscription of Mitopure Gummies at Timeline.com/GABBY35, while the offer lasts.

Now, it’s easier than ever to try Manukora Honey. Head to MANUKORA.com/GABBYREECE to save up to 31% plus $25 worth of free gifts with the Starter Kit, which comes with an MGO 850+ Manuka Honey jar, 5 honey travel sticks, a wooden spoon, and a guidebook!

Please note that this episode may contain paid endorsements and advertisements for products and services. Individuals on the show may have a direct or indirect financial interest in products or services referred to in this episode.

Produced by Dear Media.

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

This week, Gabby sits down at home with her husband and partner of more than three decades, Laird Hamilton, for an honest conversation about love — not the romanticized version, but the lived-in, day-to-day kind.

Together, they reflect on what has sustained their relationship through parenting, careers, loss, pressure, and growth. From small daily habits to hard conversations, they talk about why love is built through consistency, not intensity — and why partnership works best when you act like teammates, not competitors.

They explore what it means to love through action, how independence actually strengthens intimacy, and why respect, service, and endurance matter more than grand declarations. They also share lessons on parenting daughters, staying playful, navigating conflict, and creating freedom inside commitment.

It’s a raw, funny, and deeply human look at what it takes to stay connected — and why the strongest relationships are built slowly, deliberately, and with care.

Chapters

00:00 — A Valentine’s conversation at home

03:10 — Teammates vs. competitors

07:40 — Love as action, not words

11:20 — Facing conflict instead of avoiding it

16:00 — Why you can’t “save” someone

19:30 — Stop searching, start becoming

23:00 — Service and showing up for each other

27:30 — Chemistry, passion, and partnership

31:15 — Repairing trust after hard seasons

35:00 — Pride, forgiveness, and endurance

40:20 — Need-to-know communication

45:10 — Parenting daughters & modeling respect

50:30 — Accountability, movement, and staying healthy together

55:00 — Community, friendships, and why people matter

59:30 — Freedom inside commitment

1:04:00 — Appreciation, daily habits, and the small things that last

What Stayed With Me

Love is built in small, repeatable moments.

It’s the daily coffee, the airport ride, the quiet acts of care.

Endurance matters more than intensity.

Staying is often the bravest thing you can do.

You can’t save someone.

Two whole people make a stronger partnership than two halves.

Respect fuels attraction.

Trust grows when both people consistently hit the mark.

Service is strength.

Helping your partner win doesn’t make you smaller — it makes the team stronger.

Freedom and commitment can coexist.

The healthiest love gives both security and space.

Community is medicine.

Relationships — not achievements — sustain long-term happiness.

Why This Matters

We live in a culture that chases quick fixes and big gestures. But the research — and real life — show that long-term happiness comes from steady relationships, honest communication, and shared effort.

This episode is a reminder that love isn’t something you find once.

It’s something you practice — every day.

Whether you’re partnered, single, married, or rebuilding, these principles apply to every relationship in your life.

Connect

Gabby Reece

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gabbyreece

Website: https://gabriellereece.com

Laird Hamilton

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lairdhamiltonsurf

Website: https://lairdhamilton.com

Produced by Dear Media.

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

Dr. Gabrielle Lyon—physician and leading voice in muscle-centric medicine— returns to talk with Gabby Reece about her new book, Forever Strong: The Playbook—a practical, tactical guide to building strength for life. They unpack why the health conversation went sideways into weight-loss obsession, why sarcopenia (loss of muscle and strength) may be the next major epidemic—especially in the era of GLP-1s—and how muscle impacts everything from blood sugar to long-term brain health.

They also get into what “neutrality” looks like for high performers, why consistency is less about motivation and more about clarity, and how to simplify protein and training without making it complicated. Plus: recovery, minimum effective dose, intramuscular fat vs. body fat, blood flow restriction training, and why Dr. Lyon keeps her kids off screens.

Produced by Dear Media.

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

Neuroscientist and educator Jared Cooney Horvath joins Gabby Reece to break down how learning really works — from attention and memory to motivation and behavior change. A practical conversation on why many common teaching methods fail, what neuroscience actually supports, and how we can learn more effectively at any age.

FIND JARED

Socials:

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/jaredcooney

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jared-cooney-horvath-phd-med-730704b2/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jared.cooney.horvath/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lmeglobal.net

FOR MORE ON GABBY

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gabbyreece/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@gabbyreeceofficial

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@GabbyReece

The Gabby Reece Show Podcast: Available on all major podcast platforms

Please note that this episode may contain paid endorsements and advertisements for products and services. Individuals on the show may have a direct or indirect financial interest in products or services referred to in this episode.

Produced by Dear Media.

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

Legendary photographer Brian Bowen Smith joins Gabby Reece for a wide-ranging conversation on artistry, risk, trust, and why doing the work—quietly and consistently—still matters. From rollerblading and acting to shooting the most recognizable faces in culture, Brian shares the long road to mastery, the power of restraint, and what it really means to live a creative life with integrity.

FIND BRIAN

Brian Bowen Smith

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brianbowensmith

Website: https://www.brianbowensmith.com

FOR MORE ON GABBY

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gabbyreece/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@gabbyreeceofficial

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@GabbyReece

The Gabby Reece Show Podcast: Available on all major podcast platforms

Episode Sponsors:

Now, it’s easier than ever to try Manukora Honey. Head to MANUKORA.com/GABBYREECE to save up to 31% plus $25 worth of free gifts with the Starter Kit, which includes an MGO 850+ Manuka Honey jar, 5 honey travel sticks, a wooden spoon, and a guidebook.

Please note that this episode may contain paid endorsements and advertisements for products and services. Individuals on the show may have a direct or indirect financial interest in products or services referred to in this episode.

Produced by Dear Media.

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

Blake Mycoskie joins Gabby Reece for an honest conversation about success, identity, mental health, and the search for worth beyond achievement. From founding TOMS to rebuilding his life and purpose, Blake shares how healing begins when external validation no longer defines who you are.

🔗 FIND BLAKE

Enough (Mental Health Nonprofit): https://www.weareenough.org

Instagram: @blakemycoskie

Upcoming Podcast: No Magic Pill (launching during Mental Health Awareness Month)

🔗 FOR MORE ON GABBY

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gabbyreece/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@gabbyreeceofficial

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@GabbyReece

The Gabby Reece Show Podcast: Available on all major platforms

Episode Sponsors:

Get up to 30% off OneSkin with the code GABBYREECE at https://www.oneskin.co/GABBYREECE

Don’t let another year go by feeling less than your best. Grab 35% off your one-month subscription of Mitopure Gummies at Timeline.com/GABBY35, while the offer lasts.

Please note that this episode may contain paid endorsements and advertisements for products and services. Individuals on the show may have a direct or indirect financial interest in products or services referred to in this episode.

Produced by Dear Media.

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

Mark Manson joins Gabby Reece to talk about responsibility, authenticity, relationships, and choosing the problems that actually matter. A grounded conversation on identity, commitment, and what it means to live well in a complicated modern world.

ABOUT MARK MANSON

Mark Manson is a #1 New York Times bestselling author, entrepreneur, and thinker best known for The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck, Everything Is F*cked, and The Will Smith Memoir. His work blends psychology, philosophy, and cultural critique to help people live more honest, grounded, and meaningful lives.

FOR MORE ON GABBY

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gabbyreece/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@gabbyreeceofficial

The Gabby Reece Show on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@GabbyReece

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

Erwan Le Corre, founder of MovNat, joins Gabby Reece to explore natural movement, breath-hold training, and what it means to move — and live — with more freedom. They discuss movement poverty, functional strength vs. appearance, outdoor training, and how simple daily practices can restore resilience, calm, and confidence in the body.

FIND ERWAN

Natural Movement (MovNat): https://www.movnat.com

Breath-Hold Training: https://www.breathholdwork.com

Instagram: @erwanlecorre

FOR MORE ON GABBY

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gabbyreece/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@gabbyreeceofficial

The Gabby Reece Show on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@GabbyReece

Produced by Dear Media.

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

Two longtime friends go deep. Joakim Noah—two-time NCAA champion, NBA All-Star, Defensive Player of the Year—joins Gabby to talk identity after sport, learning to give himself grace, fatherhood, and why trust is a coach’s real superpower. He shares the story behind his new travel/interview series Nomad, how losses shaped him more than wins, what Chicago taught him about community, and the mindset shift from “run through a wall” to leading with curiosity. Real talk on injuries, NIL, nature as counterbalance, and building a life that’s strong, calm, and connected.

FIND JOAKIM

Nomad | NBA Take Two on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iNycYzLEhNc

Noah’s Ark Foundation — youth programs & violence prevention: https://www.noahsarcfoundation.org/

IG: @joakimnoah https://www.instagram.com/stickity13/

For More on Gabby:

Instagram @GabbyReece: https://www.instagram.com/gabbyreece/

TikTok @GabbyReeceOfficial https://www.tiktok.com/@gabbyreeceofficial

The Gabby Reece Show Podcast on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@GabbyReece

Produced by Dear Media.

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

In this episode, Gabby sits down with Dr. Mindy Pelz to reframe what it really means for women to age. They break down the science of the menopausal brain, why mood and identity shift in midlife, and how fasting, nutrition, movement, and mindset can help women feel clearer, stronger, and more connected. This is an empowering conversation about entering your second act with energy, purpose, and confidence.

Connect with Dr. Mindy Pelz

Website:

Instagram: @drmindypelz

Books: Fast Like a Girl, Age Like a Girl

For More on Gabby:

Instagram @GabbyReece: https://www.instagram.com/gabbyreece/

TikTok @GabbyReeceOfficial https://www.tiktok.com/@gabbyreeceofficial

The Gabby Reece Show Podcast on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@GabbyReece

Produced by Dear Media.

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