Women in Entertainment

For Ming-Na Wen, storytelling has always been about connection, whether she’s bringing a groundbreaking character to life onscreen or sharing the recipes that have fed her family for generations.

In this episode of Women in Entertainment, the celebrated actor and Disney Legend opens up about creating her cookbook, a project inspired by fans who spent years asking for the recipes behind the food she shared online. Ming-Na reflects on growing up as the daughter of restaurateurs, carefully testing and measuring every recipe herself, and overcoming the doubts that made her wonder whether she had the credentials to write a cookbook at all.

She also looks back on the extraordinary impact of The Joy Luck Club, the experience of finally entering a room filled with other Asian actors, and the lifelong friendships that followed. From ER and Mulan to Agent May and Fennec Shand, Ming-Na shares how her childhood love of science fiction eventually led to a career filled with heroes, action, and “nerd dreams” come true. Plus, she reveals the genre she still hopes to conquer: the romantic comedy.

Listen to learn:
Why Ming-Na initially doubted she could write a cookbook
How food became a way to preserve family history and connection
What The Joy Luck Club meant to her as a Chinese American actor
Why playing action heroes became unexpectedly addictive
The kind of role she would still love to take on next

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..

#MingNaWen #WomenInEntertainment #WomenInEntertainmentPodcast #TheJoyLuckClub #Mulan #DisneyLegend #StarWars #Marvel #AgentsOfSHIELD #FennecShand #AsianAmericanRepresentation #ChineseAmerican #Cookbook #FoodAndFamily #WomenInHollywood

Tiffani Thiessen has spent more than 40 years growing up, evolving, and reinventing herself in front of audiences around the world.

In this episode of the Women in Entertainment podcast, Tiffani looks back on a career that began when she was just eight years old and led to culture-defining roles on Saved by the Bell, Beverly Hills, 90210, White Collar, and beyond. She shares what it was like navigating fame before social media, breaking away from the expectations surrounding Kelly Kapowski, and embracing the very different Valerie Malone.

Tiffani also opens up about the life behind the roles: raising two children, protecting family boundaries online, balancing work with motherhood, and staying grounded through gratitude, empathy, and the support of the women who shaped her life. She also takes us inside Coven Academy, where she plays the head of a school for witches and warlocks in a story centered on sisterhood, found family, and discovering the strength that comes from finding your people.

Listen to learn:
How Tiffani navigated more than four decades in Hollywood
Why Valerie Malone was an important career shift after Kelly Kapowski
How she approaches social media and protects her children’s privacy
The family values and mentors that have kept her grounded
Why Coven Academy’s message of sisterhood and found family resonates with her

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.

#TiffaniThiessen #WomenInEntertainment #WomenInEntertainmentPodcast #SavedByTheBell #BeverlyHills90210 #WhiteCollar #CovenAcademy #WomenSupportingWomen #Sisterhood #Hollywood #Acting #WorkingMoms #EntertainmentIndustry

For Kelli Giddish, a lasting career is built by continuing to do the work.

On this episode of the Women in Entertainment Podcast, Kelli joins us to reflect on her remarkable journey as Amanda Rollins on Law & Order: SVU, where she is entering her 16th season. She shares why the series continues to connect across generations, how she handles the emotional weight of its most difficult storylines, and what it means to be working under the show’s first female showrunner.

Kelli also looks back at the unexpected path that brought her to acting, from nearly studying physics or astronomy to training in theater, appearing on All My Children, and learning firsthand that there is no single instruction manual for building a creative career.

She also shares what she has learned simply by watching Mariska Hargitay lead, why age can be approached as possibility rather than limitation, her hopes to create more stories families can experience together, and what audiences can look forward to as SVU approaches its milestone 600th episode.

Listen to learn:
Why Kelli believes SVU has become a multigenerational “comfort show”
How she decompresses after emotionally difficult storylines
What soap operas taught her about discipline and preparation
The career lesson behind her mantra, “work begets work”
What Mariska Hargitay has taught her about longevity, leadership, and embracing what comes next
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..

#KelliGiddish #LawAndOrderSVU #SVU #AmandaRollins #MariskaHargitay #WomenInEntertainment #WomenInEntertainmentPodcast #Acting #WomenInTelevision #CareerAdvice #EntertainmentIndustry #NBC

Jill Wagner didn’t wait for Hollywood to hand her the role she wanted; she helped create it.

The actress and producer joins the Women in Entertainment Podcast to trace the remarkable path from her small-town North Carolina roots to Punk’d, family-friendly films, and eventually Taylor Sheridan’s high-stakes world of Lioness. Jill shares how fear of being pigeonholed pushed her to keep evolving, and how a conversation around a backyard bonfire with her husband became the spark for a story about women serving in the military.

She also takes us inside the physical and emotional transformation required to become Bobby, from years of training to the haircut that finally helped her see the character in the mirror. Jill reflects on the military women who inspired her performance, the personal details she brought to Bobby, and the relentless mindset that carried her through exhaustion: “You asked for this.”

Along the way, she opens up about Taylor Sheridan’s creative process, her admiration for co-star Zoe Saldaña, and the importance of surrounding yourself with people who can see possibilities in you before you can see them yourself.

Listen to learn:
How Jill unexpectedly launched her acting career on Punk’d
Why she refused to stay in one Hollywood lane
How the original idea for Lioness began
What it took physically and mentally to become Bobby
Why creating your own opportunities can change the trajectory of your career
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..

#JillWagner #Lioness #WomenInEntertainment #WomenInEntertainmentPodcast #TaylorSheridan #ZoeSaldana #WomenInFilm #WomenInTelevision #Acting #FemaleCreators #Hollywood #CareerReinvention #WomenInTheMilitary

Heather McMahan may be selling out iconic venues, but she still approaches her career with the same mix of hustle, humor, honesty, and relentless ambition that got her there.

In this episode of Women in Entertainment, Heather looks back on the long road from working restaurant shifts near Radio City Music Hall to eventually selling out the legendary venue herself. She shares how transparency helped her build an intensely loyal audience, why relatability sits at the heart of her comedy, and how stand-up gives her the creative freedom to keep moving even while television projects can take years to develop.

Heather also takes us inside her writing process for a new comedy special, her experience developing a show with Hulu, and the challenge of constantly creating new material while touring and promoting what came before. Along the way, she talks about social media, comedy culture, dream collaborators, staying grounded in Atlanta, and why there is still so much she wants to accomplish.

Listen to learn:
How Heather built a loyal audience through honesty and relatability
What selling out Radio City meant after years of grinding
How she writes, tests, and edits material for a stand-up special
Why she believes emerging comedians need to embrace social media
The television, acting, and comedy goals still on her wish list
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..

#HeatherMcMahan #WomenInEntertainment #WomenInEntertainmentPodcast #Comedy #StandUpComedy #FemaleComedians #RadioCityMusicHall #Hulu #EntertainmentIndustry #WomenInComedy