Feeling Seen

If you're wondering what connective tissue could possibly exist between Final Destination Bloodlines and The Muppet Movie ,  consider this: Jordan's talking with the former film's directors, who are feeling seen by Kermit the Frog . Since this conversation, those directors have seen their first ever studio feature film become #1 at the box office, have the best ever opening in the FD franchise (by...

Jordan spoke to director Eli Craig a few days before his new (third) feature made an outsized impact at the indie box office, becoming IFC's best-ever opening. They speak about the genesis of that film, 'Clown in a Cornfield,' and about the surprising actor/writer turn Bill Murray took in 1984's 'The Razor's Edge,' as a man on the quest for a better way to live in difficult times. Then Jordan has...

With the recent premier of Shadow Force (starring Kerry Washington and Omar Sy), writer Leon Chills has seen one of the most daunting choices of his life payoff.  That choice echoed the inciting incident of one of Leon's favorite films, The Matrix . As he delves into this modern classic with Jordan, Leon shares his experience of finally realizing his creative dreams and looking toward the challeng...

If you were alive when Fried Green Tomatoes came out -- first Fannie Flagg's book , then the movie -- you may recall it was a phenomenon . To a (very) young Ali Clayton, it was a bit of a personal phenomenon, its only-kinda-coded queerness calling out to her before she even knew why. But beyond that, it was a movie about Southern women in a South that Ali recognized -- one where bad things can hap...

Long before becoming an award-winning educator, public speaker, and podcaster (of BFF: Black, Fat, Femme ), Dr. Jonathan P. Higgins (aka Doctor Jon Paul) was just a kid sneaking movies while mom was at work. One of those films, 1993's This Boy's Life , became one of their favorites. That was in large part thanks to the aspirational friendship of main character Tobias "Jack" Wolff (Leonardo DiCapri...

Lex Scott Davis is currently starring as Erica alongside Stephen Amell on NBC's Sunday night drama, Suits LA - which, as the name suggests brings the concept of the hugely popular show Suits to Los Angeles. Lex herself made the journey to Los Angeles as a risky, dream-chasing step in her performing arts career. And that career arguably started at a dance studio in Baltimore when Lex was just a kid...

From booking her first audition (as a kid, for beloved cult classic DONNIE DARKO) to being Kevin Bacon's literal boss-from-hell in the new Amazon series THE BONDSMAN , Jolene Purdy has had a full career on screens of all sizes. She talks with Jordan about the challenges of being an "outside the box" casting choice, the importance of staying true to yourself, and the unlikely allure of the most cha...

This episode originally aired in September of 2024. Comedian and actor Chris Grace has starred in NBC's Superstore, PEN15 , and Broad City . Now he takes to the stage as one of the world's most famous actresses in his new comedy special on Dropout, Chris Grace as Scarlett Johansson. Chris graces our mics to talk about the special AND how he felt seen in the 1993 ensemble-driven drama, THE JOY LUCK...

Peppermint is a multifaceted artist, all-around entertainer, and a self-proclaimed horror movie buff. She is no stranger to the stage or screen, having appeared in the Go-Go’s-inspired Broadway musical Head Over Heels and as a frontrunner on RuPaul’s Drag Race. Peppermint is back on your TV screen starring alongside Michelle Buteau, Tasha Smith, and Garcelle Beauvais in Survival of the Thickest ,...

Margaret Cho is an undeniable legend: a comedian with over three decades in the game, a trailblazing Emmy-nominated actor, a badass Grammy-nominated musician, and an LGBTQ+ icon. Margaret is out on her Live & Livid standup comedy tour and just released a new studio album Lucky Gift . It's an awesome album influenced by sounds from the 60s and 90s that you can stream right now.  Margaret joins Feel...

It's MaxFunDrive and we are giving you a peak behind the curtain. We're serving you up a bonus episode with one of the producers of this show: Daniel Huecias. Jordan and Daniel discuss two of the gayest films in cinematic history: X-Men and X-2 . Our first entries into the Canonically Queer Foyer! Mutants, the Master of Magnetism, and a teleporting blue devil in the form of an insanely handsome Al...

For the past ten years, Dan Berk and Bobby Olsen have teamed up to bring you some amazing films. You may have seen their directorial debut Body, their black comedy horror Villains, or the science fiction thriller Significant Other.  Their most recent collaboration is Novocaine , starring Jack Quaid as Nathan Caine, a mild-mannered introvert with a rare disorder, congenital insensitivity to pain (C...

Paul W.S. Anderson has directed some of the most iconic films in genre cinema: Mortal Kombat , the infinitely terrifying Event Horizon, and the British crime drama Shopping, a "reckless orgy of destruction" on screen. Paul has also directed and produced the Resident Evil series with six films spanning nearly 15 years alongside his wife and frequent collaborator Milla Jovovich.   Paul’s most recent...

Shea Whigham is an all-star actor with more credits to his name than we can mention. You may have seen him in Take Shelter, Silver Linings Playbook, American Hustle, Boardwalk Empire, Lake George, The Righteous Gemstones, or Mission: Impossible–Dead Reckoning. Shea recently starred in the western miniseries American Primeval, alongside the incredible Betty Gilpin and Taylor Kitsch. The miniseries...

RaMell Ross is a multi time Academy-Award nominee in documentary and narrative, a filmmaker, photographer, academic, and writer. You may have seen his directorial debut Hale County This Morning, This Evening , an experimental documentary about black life in Hale County, Alabama.  RaMell's most recent directorial work is the historical drama Nickel Boys , based on the novel of the same name by Cols...

Sophie Thatcher is a multifaceted star on the rise. You may have seen her last year in Heretic , opposite Hugh Grant and Chloe East, or in the Disney+ miniseries The Book of Boba Fett . Sophie also plays “Natalie” in the delicious TV series Yellowjackets on SHOWTIME. Its third season premieres on Valentine’s Day. Most recently, Sophie stars in Companion alongside Jack Quaid. It’s a science fiction...

This week, we're throwing it back to one of our favorite interviews! When writer/director Justin Simien ( Dear White People , Haunted Mansion ) first saw William Greaves' groundbreaking 1968 film, Symbiopsychotaxiplasm: Take One . He was mad. Not about the film's avant-garde style (part fiction, part documentary, part  performance art) but about the fact that he hadn't seen it sooner -- it might'v...

Traci Thomas is the creator and host of the critically acclaimed literary podcast The Stacks , where Traci chats with an array of guests about the books we love and loathe, the impact reading has on our lives, and the way the written word shapes culture. This week, creative mediums collide and find common ground. Traci joins Feeling Seen to talk historical fictions, unlikeable female characters, a...

Chris Sullivan is veteran actor of the stage and screen. You may know him as Toby Damon from the Emmy-nominated NBC drama This Is Us, Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy, or the Cinemax medical drama The Knick, directed by Steven Soderbergh.  Chris reunites with Soderbergh in his newest project Presence. It’s a supernatural horror film centered on a family who moves into a new home BUT they aren’t al...

Shea Serrano’s writing credits run deep. He’s written for publications like The Ringer and Grantland . He’s also penned several books: The Rap Year Book , Basketball (and Other Things) and Movies (and Other Things) . He’s also written, created, and directed projects like the film Miguel Wants to Fight , the Freevee sitcom Primo , and the Netflix series Neon .  His most recent project is a book tit...

Kate Gersten has written for numerous award-winning series including Prime Video’s Mozart in the Jungle , NBC’s The Good Place , and Apple TV+’s Schmigadoon!. She just made her feature debut with The Last Showgirl , a film whose screenplay she adapted from her original play Body of Work .  The film stars Pamela Anderson as Shelly, a glamorous showgirl who must plan for her future when her show abr...

As we all emerge from our holiday slumber, we are turning back the clock to one of our favorite interviews from 2024. Whether he’s starring in major movies like ELEMENTAL or JURASSIC WORLD DOMINION, or sinking his teeth into roles like Yorgos Lanthimos’ KINDS OF KINDNESS, actor Mamoudou Athie follows his gut and ignores the algorithms. When Dev Patel’s directorial debut, MONKEY MAN hit theaters, M...

You may have seen Boyd Holbrook in Logan , Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny , or The Bikeriders . Most recently, Boyd stars in the new film A Complete Unknown , a biographical drama centering the legendary singer-songwriter Bob Dylan portrayed by Timothee Chalamet.  Boyd plays the “Man in Black” himself, the iconic country singer Johnny Cash. It's in theaters just in time for the holiday! Boy...

Dan Rubinstein is a decorated journalist and editor with over 20 years in the world of design, having contributed to The New York Times , The Wall Street Journal , Air Mail , Architectural Digest , and L’Officiel . Dan currently hosts ‘The Grand Tourist’ podcast, a journey through the worlds of fashion, interior design, art, food, and travel with interviews from some of its leading tastemakers lik...

Dana Ledoux Miller has written on television shows like Netflix’s Narcos and Thai Cave Rescue , ABC’s Designated Survivor, and Kevin Can F*** Himself. Dana is also the co-founder of Pasifika Entertainment Advancement Komiti ( PEAK ), an initiative aiming to redefine and expand Pasifika entertainment. More recently, Dana has co-written/directed one of the biggest films of the year: Moana 2 . She jo...