Podcast Episodes

Eddie Mujica: Strapped in the rocket, ready to go

Eddie Mujica is the kind of person who makes you want to take a deep breath and also… open fifteen tabs. He’s a Cuban-American actor, writer, directo…

8 months, 1 week ago

Chloe Mikala: Risk-averse but on stage anyway

Chloe Mikala is the kind of person who can destroy a stand-up set, headline a comedy variety show, play an EMT on Chicago P.D., co-captain a travel f…

8 months, 2 weeks ago

George Ellzey Jr: What comes from the heart reaches the heart

A Walgreens parking lot. A father and son. A whole lot of stuff they never say out loud. That’s the kind of quiet, devastating power George Ellzey Jr…

8 months, 3 weeks ago

Erick Juarez: Stop waiting for permission

This episode starts messy, stays honest, and lands somewhere unexpectedly grounding.

Ilse sits down with Erick Juarez, a Guatemala-born, Chicago-raise…

9 months ago

Elizabeth Austin: Operas and features and distribution, oh my!

If you’ve ever finished a film and immediately whispered “cool… but what now?” this one is for you.

Ilse sits down with Elizabeth Butler Austin, VP o…

9 months, 1 week ago

Mishu Hilmy: This episode will make you smarter

Ilse sits down with comedian, writer, filmmaker, and professional vocabulary flexer Mishu Hilmy for a conversation that starts in comedy craft and so…

9 months, 2 weeks ago

Brittani Ward: Real Ones Only

Ilse sits down with filmmaker (and beloved casting powerhouse) Brittani Ward for a conversation that feels like a warm pep talk… with teeth.

They get …

9 months, 3 weeks ago

Jacob Cagle: A Christmas episode for soft boys

This one feels like a late-December exhale. Cozy, funny, a little tender, and unexpectedly grounding.

Ilse sits down with filmmaker, editor, and all-a…

10 months, 2 weeks ago

Jessie Komitor: If Ben Affleck can do it, so can you

Ilse sits down with actor, writer, and director Jessie Komitor, whose debut film Chasing the Party premiered at Tribeca and somehow manages to be nos…

10 months, 3 weeks ago

Marissa Lichwick: The woman who turned her life into a movie

When an artist has lived ten creative lives and still shows up curious, brilliant, and fully human — you listen. Marissa Lichwick joins Ilse for a co…

11 months ago