Sara Bareilles has always known there’s a difference between writing songs because it’s fun, and writing songs because it’s how you make it through the day. In this episode, Sara opens up about the pivotal moments that shaped her path: a high school experience that shut her down creatively for years, the loneliness of studying abroad in Italy that revealed music as a lifeline, and the slow-build grind of open mics, MySpace hustle, rejection, and eventual breakthrough.

From there, Sara reflects on the “left turns” that kept her career expansive, especially her move to New York and the leap into musical theater with Waitress, a decision she says she was naive enough to say yes to before fully understanding the scale of the commitment. She also shares why vulnerability is her favorite quality in people, how anxiety can blur into intuition (especially for women), and why speaking the truth out loud can be “medicinal.”

The conversation circles grief and the profound power of comedy, too, including Sara’s time on Girls5eva.

Listen to learn:

- How music became Sara’s coping mechanism and career compass

- What rejection taught her about identity as an artist

- Why Waitress changed everything (and what she didn’t know going in)

- How she approaches vulnerability, anxiety, and intuition

- Why grief can create connection and performance can become catharsis

The Women in Entertainment Podcast presents thoughtful conversations with leaders across entertainment from film and television, to media and gaming, and everything in between; as we talk about what it takes to make your mark in the industry, lessons these incredible people have learned along the way, and how they have found their way in an ever-changing environment.

With in-depth conversations and pre-submitted listener questions, each episode provides candid advice for navigating today’s entertainment industry, giving listeners an inside look at how key players got their start, and guidance for building the necessary toolkit to bring careers to life in film, TV, music, theater, graphics, writing, animation, and beyond.

Listen on Spotify: ⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/5AfPfPQ...

Listen on Apple Podcasts: ⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast...

Listen on Audible: ⁠https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/a85...

#SaraBareilles #WomenInEntertainment #Waitress #Broadway #Songwriting #WomenInMusic #GriefAndHealing #Vulnerability #Girls5eva #ComeSeeMeInTheGoodLight #CreativeProcess #MentalHealthInTheArts

Costumes aren’t just clothes; they’re storytelling, psychology, and world-building stitched into every scene. In this episode, three iconic designers - Lyn Elizabeth Paolo, Marylin Fitoussi, and Amy Parris - take us inside the real work behind the looks that audiences obsess over. From unexpected beginnings to defining “magic moments” on set, they share how a career in costume design is built: on grit, curiosity, and trust.

They talk process, starting with the script, diving deep into research, and collaborating with directors, producers, and actors to build characters that feel lived-in. They also pull back the curtain on the job’s biggest misconception in the fact that it’s not glamorous; it’s early calls, long hours, constant problem-solving, and being a therapist, firefighter, and leader all at once. Additionally, they cover AI and what it means for creativity, and why protecting the human, intuitive “library” inside a designer’s mind matters more than ever.

Listen to learn:

- How designers translate words into a visual world through research

- Why “costume is psychology” (and how collaboration really works)

- The truth about managing budgets, teams, and on-set chaos

- How to handle social media criticism—and still trust your gut

- What gets newcomers hired: passion, curiosity, and a can-do attitude

The Women in Entertainment Podcast presents thoughtful conversations with leaders across entertainment from film and television, to media and gaming, and everything in between; as we talk about what it takes to make your mark in the industry, lessons these incredible people have learned along the way, and how they have found their way in an ever-changing environment.

With in-depth conversations and pre-submitted listener questions, each episode provides candid advice for navigating today’s entertainment industry, giving listeners an inside look at how key players got their start, and guidance for building the necessary toolkit to bring careers to life in film, TV, music, theater, graphics, writing, animation, and beyond.

Listen on Spotify: ⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/5AfPfPQ...

Listen on Apple Podcasts: ⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast...

Listen on Audible: ⁠https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/a85...

#WomenInEntertainmentPodcast #CostumeDesign #WomenInFilm #TVandFilm #BehindTheScenes #CreativeLeadership #StorytellingThroughStyle #FashionInFilm #FilmCraft #Mentorship

What happens when a bestselling YA author bets on herself right as the world shuts down?

In this episode of the Women in Entertainment Podcast, Stephanie Garber takes us behind the scenes of her first adult novel, Alchemy of Secrets, a project she sold in early 2020 and spent five years bringing to life. Known for the beloved Caraval universe, Stephanie shares the honest, strategic reasons she made the leap into adult fiction along with the creative freedom that came from writing a technicolor, noir-tinged Los Angeles filled with hidden magic, treasure hunts, and hope.

Stephanie reflects on growing up loving movies, building LA as a living, breathing character, and why she believes adult stories can, and should, still be fun. She also opens up about craft: why she no longer believes in “standalones with series potential,” how romance beats shaped her longer arcs, and what it means to write with intention rather than fear.

The conversation takes an exciting turn as Stephanie recounts the unforgettable moment she learned that Julie Plec, the visionary behind The Vampire Diaries, had read Alchemy of Secrets. From fangirling to forging a partnership with Universal, Stephanie shares why this adaptation journey has left her feeling optimistic, supported, and deeply grateful.

Listen to learn:

- Why Alchemy of Secrets took five years and why that time mattered

- How career strategy and creative passion can coexist

- What makes Los Angeles the perfect setting for an adult treasure hunt

- How to think about series vs. standalones without breaking your heart

- Why hope is the one ingredient Stephanie always writes into her stories

The Women in Entertainment Podcast presents thoughtful conversations with leaders across entertainment from film and television, to media and gaming, and everything in between; as we talk about what it takes to make your mark in the industry, lessons these incredible people have learned along the way, and how they have found their way in an ever-changing environment.

With in-depth conversations and pre-submitted listener questions, each episode provides candid advice for navigating today’s entertainment industry, giving listeners an inside look at how key players got their start, and guidance for building the necessary toolkit to bring careers to life in film, TV, music, theater, graphics, writing, animation, and beyond.

Listen on Spotify: ⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/5AfPfPQ...

Listen on Apple Podcasts: ⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast...

Listen on Audible: ⁠https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/a85...

#StephanieGarber #AlchemyOfSecrets #JuliePlec #WomenInEntertainment #InHerWordsPodcast #AuthorsOfInstagram #BookToScreen #UrbanFantasy #WritingCareers #WomenCreators

Jenna Santoianni didn’t grow up dreaming of Hollywood; she grew up without cable. But that outsider perspective became her secret weapon as she carved out a powerful career at the center of television’s biggest transformations.

In this episode, Jenna traces her path from aspiring broadcast journalist to influential TV executive, beginning with early internships in development, a formative start at Creative Artists Agency, and a long, hard-fought road into scripted television. She opens up about learning the business before the streaming boom, getting her first real TV break at BermanBraun, and building shows during an era when rules, budgets, and expectations were constantly being rewritten.

Now a leader at MRC, Jenna reflects on what defines an MRC show, from bold creative voices to stories that have something to say, and why hits like House of Cards, Ozark, and Poker Face reshaped the streaming landscape. She also dives into the loss of 22-episode seasons, the challenge of measuring success today, and why audiences still crave characters they can grow up with.

Listen to learn:

- How growing up without TV shaped Jenna’s creative instincts

- Why character is the most powerful hook in modern storytelling

- What’s been lost and gained in the shift to short streaming seasons

- How success metrics have fractured across platforms

- Jenna’s practical advice for aspiring executives on building real mentorship

The Women in Entertainment Podcast presents thoughtful conversations with leaders across entertainment from film and television, to media and gaming, and everything in between; as we talk about what it takes to make your mark in the industry, lessons these incredible people have learned along the way, and how they have found their way in an ever-changing environment.

With in-depth conversations and pre-submitted listener questions, each episode provides candid advice for navigating today’s entertainment industry, giving listeners an inside look at how key players got their start, and guidance for building the necessary toolkit to bring careers to life in film, TV, music, theater, graphics, writing, animation, and beyond.

Listen on Spotify: ⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/5AfPfPQ...

Listen on Apple Podcasts: ⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast...

Listen on Audible: ⁠https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/a85...

#WomenInEntertainmentPodcast #JennaSantoianni #WomenInEntertainment #TelevisionExecutives #StreamingEra #TVDevelopment #MRC #CareersInHollywood

What does it take to “land the plane” on one of the most ambitious shows in modern TV and still keep it feeling human?

In this episode, VFX Supervisor Betsy Paterson pulls back the curtain on joining Stranger Things for its final season and stepping into a world where every sequence is a high-stakes puzzle. Betsy walks us through the reality behind the spectacle: a long prep period shaped by constant planning, storyboards, and pre-vis, followed by a full year of shooting and an equally massive post-production push. Her north star is always the same, ground the visuals in reality so the emotion and performance stay front and center.

We dive deep into how the team approached Vecna with a hybrid practical/CG solution designed to preserve Jamie Campbell-Bower’s performance while reducing the brutal hours in the makeup chair. Betsy also shares the craft (and chaos) of collaboration, working hand-in-hand with special effects, stunts, wardrobe, and cinematography, whether that means building rigs for falling “goo” or problem-solving a stab-able Demogorgon stand-in with… flower foam.

Listen to learn:

- What a three-year VFX timeline really looks like

- How Vecna was redesigned with a performance-driven hybrid approach

- Why the best VFX starts with practical, on-set reality

- The behind-the-scenes teamwork that makes big creatures believable

- Where AI is (and isn’t) actually helping VFX pipelines today

The Women in Entertainment Podcast presents thoughtful conversations with leaders across entertainment from film and television, to media and gaming, and everything in between; as we talk about what it takes to make your mark in the industry, lessons these incredible people have learned along the way, and how they have found their way in an ever-changing environment.

With in-depth conversations and pre-submitted listener questions, each episode provides candid advice for navigating today’s entertainment industry, giving listeners an inside look at how key players got their start, and guidance for building the necessary toolkit to bring careers to life in film, TV, music, theater, graphics, writing, animation, and beyond.

Listen on Spotify: ⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/5AfPfPQ...

Listen on Apple Podcasts: ⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast...

Listen on Audible: ⁠https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/a85...

#InHerWordsPodcast #WomenInEntertainment #BetsyPaterson #StrangerThings #VisualEffects #VFXSupervisor #Vecna #TheUpsideDown #Netflix #Weta #ILM #Maya #Houdini #JamieCampbellBower #DufferBrothers #JamesGunn #Peacemaker #PostProduction #Filmmaking #CGI #PracticalEffects #AIInFilm

What happens when preparation meets opportunity — and suddenly you’re standing on set with legends? In this episode of Women in Entertainment, Kayla Wallace opens up about the life-changing experience of starring on Landman and finding her footing inside the expansive world created by Taylor Sheridan.

Kayla shares what it felt like arriving on set in season one, from filming alongside private jets to working opposite icons like Billy Bob Thornton and Sam Elliott, and why those moments never stop feeling surreal. She dives into the popularity and virality of Landman, the grocery-store recognition that followed, and the balance between gratitude and overwhelm as her career reaches a new level.

The conversation also goes deeper: Kayla reflects on her theater roots, the transition to film and television, and the years of auditioning that tested her patience and belief. She speaks candidly about imposter syndrome, overthinking, and the mental discipline required to play a character like Rebecca Falcone — a woman defined by strength, control, and carefully guarded vulnerability. Plus, she shares her approach to character prep, the joy of exploring romance onscreen, and why staying curious is her guiding principle.

Listen to learn:

- What it’s really like working inside the Taylor Sheridan universe

- How Kayla approaches playing powerful, guarded women

- The mental side of acting, from prep to imposter syndrome

- Why virality can feel both thrilling and overwhelming

- The advice she’d give her younger, auditioning self

The Women in Entertainment Podcast presents thoughtful conversations with leaders across entertainment from film and television, to media and gaming, and everything in between; as we talk about what it takes to make your mark in the industry, lessons these incredible people have learned along the way, and how they have found their way in an ever-changing environment.

With in-depth conversations and pre-submitted listener questions, each episode provides candid advice for navigating today’s entertainment industry, giving listeners an inside look at how key players got their start, and guidance for building the necessary toolkit to bring careers to life in film, TV, music, theater, graphics, writing, animation, and beyond.

Listen on Spotify: ⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/5AfPfPQ...

Listen on Apple Podcasts: ⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast...

Listen on Audible: ⁠https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/a85...

#KaylaWallace #Landman #WomenInEntertainment #InHerWordsPodcast #TaylorSheridan #ActorsLife #ImposterSyndrome #WomenOnScreen

They may be called “YA queens,” but Julie Plec and Candice King know the truth: the stories that stick don’t belong to one age group. They belong to anyone who’s ever felt everything all at once. In this episode, Julie (the powerhouse behind The Vampire Diaries universe) and Candice (forever Caroline Forbes, now stepping into adulthood as Bess Sinclair in We Were Liars) reunite to talk about what it really takes to build characters audiences grow up alongside and grieve, binge, and re-binge for years.

With warmth, candor, and plenty of laughs, they revisit the early magic of casting Caroline, the craft of making “the mean girl” human, and the industry pressure that still haunts leading women: that relentless likability note, now delivered through streaming data instead of network standards. They also dig into how shifting conversations around agency and consent changed the rules of genre storytelling in real time, and why We Were Liars was a decade-long fight worth winning: a story built to wreck you, heal you, and keep you talking.

Listen to learn:

- Why Caroline Forbes worked: vulnerability as the ultimate character unlock

- How YA became “nine to 72” (and why it’s still misunderstood)

- What changed from Vampire Diaries to We Were Liars in writing women

- Why eight-episode seasons can’t replace the “holiday episode” era

- How “hyper emotionality” became the secret sauce for lasting fandom

The Women in Entertainment Podcast presents thoughtful conversations with leaders across entertainment from film and television, to media and gaming, and everything in between; as we talk about what it takes to make your mark in the industry, lessons these incredible people have learned along the way, and how they have found their way in an ever-changing environment.

With in-depth conversations and pre-submitted listener questions, each episode provides candid advice for navigating today’s entertainment industry, giving listeners an inside look at how key players got their start, and guidance for building the necessary toolkit to bring careers to life in film, TV, music, theater, graphics, writing, animation, and beyond.

Listen on Spotify: ⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/5AfPfPQ...

Listen on Apple Podcasts: ⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast...

Listen on Audible: ⁠https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/a85...

Find us on:

Instagram: ⁠ / inherwords_...⁠

Facebook: ⁠ / inherwordspodcast ⁠

Twitter: ⁠ / inherwords_wie ⁠

Tiktok: ⁠ / inherwords_wie

#JuliePlec #CandiceKing #InHerWordsPodcast #WomenInEntertainment #TheVampireDiaries #CarolineForbes #WeWereLiars #BessSinclair #YAStorytelling #Showrunner #TVWriting #FemaleProtagonists #StreamingEra #Fandom #BookToScreen

What happens when discipline, instinct, and lived experience collide? In this episode of Women in Entertainment, Diane Kruger joins us for a thoughtful, deeply honest conversation about the evolution of her artistry and herself.

From her early training as a ballet dancer to discovering acting through theater school in Paris, Diane traces a nonlinear path into the industry, shaped by curiosity, risk, and resilience. She shares how working with Quentin Tarantino transformed her approach to character-building, teaching her to fill in the unseen emotional spaces that bring roles to life. As her career expanded across languages, countries, and formats, Diane explains why she refuses to limit herself to one lane, embracing art-house films, studio projects, and the demanding pace of television alike.

The conversation turns especially personal as Diane opens up about motherhood and her powerful role in Little Disasters, discussing identity loss, fear, guilt, and the quiet struggles many women face after becoming parents. She also reflects on collaboration, the importance of female directors, setting the tone on set, and why learning to ask for help became one of the most important breakthroughs of her career.

Listen to learn:

- How Diane’s ballet training shaped her emotional discipline as an actor

- Why backstory matters, even when it never appears on screen

- What Little Disasters revealed about motherhood, fear, and identity

- The power of vulnerability and asking for help on set

- How women-led stories and female directors change the creative process

The Women In Entertainment Podcast presents thoughtful conversations with leaders across entertainment from film and television, to media and gaming, and everything in between; as we talk about what it takes to make your mark in the industry, lessons these incredible people have learned along the way, and how they have found their way in an ever-changing environment.

With in-depth conversations and pre-submitted listener questions, each episode provides candid advice for navigating today’s entertainment industry, giving listeners an inside look at how key players got their start, and guidance for building the necessary toolkit to bring careers to life in film, TV, music, theater, graphics, writing, animation, and beyond.

Listen on Spotify: ⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/5AfPfPQ...

Listen on Apple Podcasts: ⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast...

Listen on Audible: ⁠https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/a85...

Find us on:

Instagram: ⁠ / inherwords_...⁠

Facebook: ⁠ / inherwordspodcast ⁠

Twitter: ⁠ / inherwords_wie ⁠

Tiktok: ⁠ / inherwords_wie

#DianeKruger #WomenInEntertainment #InHerWordsPodcast #ActorsLife#MotherhoodAndCareer #FemaleCreatives #WomenInFilm #Storytelling #CreativeProcess#LittleDisasters #ArtHouseFilm #WomenSupportingWomen

What happens when a father and daughter, both navigating the entertainment industry at very different moments, decide to talk openly about the highs, the setbacks, and everything in between?

In this episode, Tony Goldwyn and Anna Musky-Goldwyn reflect on working in Hollywood across generations, from early career momentum and inevitable slowdowns to finding creative confidence outside traditional paths. Anna shares what it was like to come out of film school with early success, face uncertainty during COVID and industry strikes, and ultimately release the shame around career pauses. Tony offers a parent’s perspective shaped by decades in the business, reminding us that instability isn’t failure, it’s the job.

Together, they unpack the evolving creator economy, the myth of networking, and why creative relationships, not industry schmoozing, are what truly sustain long careers. The conversation is candid, grounded, and deeply human, offering lessons that extend far beyond entertainment and into any creative life.

Listen to learn:

- Why career ups and downs are not detours, but essential training

- How shame and comparison can quietly derail creative confidence

- Why “creative networks” matter more than traditional networking

- How the industry has shifted toward entrepreneurial self-creation

- What legacy really means when art—not fame—drives the work

"In Her Words" presents thoughtful conversations with leaders across entertainment from film and television, to media and gaming, and everything in between; as we talk about what it takes to make your mark in the industry, lessons these incredible people have learned along the way, and how they have found their way in an ever-changing environment.

With in-depth conversations and pre-submitted listener questions, each episode provides candid advice for navigating today’s entertainment industry, giving listeners an inside look at how key players got their start, and guidance for building the necessary toolkit to bring careers to life in film, TV, music, theater, graphics, writing, animation, and beyond.

Listen on Spotify: ⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/5AfPfPQ...

Listen on Apple Podcasts: ⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast...

Listen on Audible: ⁠https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/a85...

Find us on:

Instagram: ⁠ / inherwords_...⁠

Facebook: ⁠ / inherwordspodcast ⁠

Twitter: ⁠ / inherwords_wie ⁠

Tiktok: ⁠ / inherwords_wie

#InHerWordsPodcast #WomenInEntertainment #TonyGoldwyn #AnnaMuskyGoldwyn #FarFromTheTree #CreativeCareers #HollywoodStories #CreatorEconomy #CareerResilience #FamilyAndWork

At just a few years out of high school, Isabella Esler has already lived a theater-kid fantasy: going from an open-call audition to booking her first professional job as Lydia Deetz in Beetlejuice, then carrying the role on a two-year national tour before landing on Broadway. In this heartfelt conversation, Isabella shares how one audition as a senior changed her life, leading to representation, community support, and ultimately the career she’s nurturing today in New York City.

She talks candidly about growing up without a creative family background, discovering musical theater at age six, and feeling deeply shaped by San Jose’s vibrant arts community. Isabella also reflects on how different it feels to return to Beetlejuice now, more grounded, more confident, and more aware of the emotional demands of playing Lydia night after night. From mishaps on stage to conserving her voice between shows, she reveals the unseen rituals and resilience that live theater requires.

Looking ahead, Isabella shares her excitement for film and television, her commitment to authenticity in auditions, and the grounding practices helping her navigate rising visibility while still doing her own social media.

Listen to learn:

- How an open-call audition led Isabella to Broadway

- The emotional and physical realities of touring versus performing in one home theater

- Her approach to staying grounded, silent, and centered between shows

- What Beetlejuice taught her about vulnerability, focus, and grace

- Her best advice for young performers chasing their first big role

In Her Words presents thoughtful conversations with leaders across entertainment from film and television, to media and gaming, and everything in between; as we talk about what it takes to make your mark in the industry, lessons these incredible people have learned along the way, and how they have found their way in an ever-changing environment.

With in-depth conversations and pre-submitted listener questions, each episode provides candid advice for navigating today’s entertainment industry, giving listeners an inside look at how key players got their start, and guidance for building the necessary toolkit to bring careers to life in film, TV, music, theater, graphics, writing, animation, and beyond.

Listen on Spotify: ⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/5AfPfPQ...

Listen on Apple Podcasts: ⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast...

Listen on Audible: ⁠https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/a85...

Find us on:

Instagram: ⁠ / inherwords_...⁠

Facebook: ⁠ / inherwordspodcast ⁠

Twitter: ⁠ / inherwords_wie ⁠

Tiktok: ⁠ / inherwords_wie

#IsabellaEsler #BeetlejuiceMusical #LydiaDeetz #WomenInEntertainment #InHerWordsPodcast #Broadway #ActingJourney #TheaterKids #SanJoseArts #BroadwayLife