Crushing On with Caryn

It’s the biggest movie of the year and we rounded up a group of Barbie girls together to talk about what we loved and what we didn’t enjoy about Greta Gerwig’s blockbuster film. The film has been divisive in many communities but it also has been lauded by critics and audience members. We approach the many controversies such as whether the monologue is trite, whether children have been allowed to w...

This week on the podcast, we spoke to Gabe Gabriel, the writer and star of the new film Runs in the Family. Gabe has been working in the industry for many years as a writer, actor and director. We spoke to him about his experiences, his relationship with his father who directs the film, and the experiences of queer people in the film industry.  Currently screening at the Durban International Film...

There is a large selection of top blockbusters currently in cinemas and choosing what to watch can be a chore. We spoke to editor and journalist Theolin Tembo who has seen every film that is currently on the circuit.  Whether you want to watch something with the kids, feel like an action movie, or are ready for your next superhero fix, there is something for everyone. We discuss The Little Mermaid...

The Afrikaans romantic comedy is a film favourite in South Africa. We have seen as countless couples have fallen in love despite the odds. The genre is so popular that it consistently tops the most-watched local films list. However, the genre has also been mostly white.  But things are changing, especially in the new KykNet and Showmax film, Strooi. Featuring an Asian-African leading man played by...

Never Have I Ever has consistently been one of the most popular series on Netflix. This week on the episode we delve into the fourth and final season of the series. Returning to the podcast are Faatimah Essack and Leanne Phillipson to talk about what worked, what didn’t work, our favourite character arcs, and why we love this show so much.  Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IemUKB4kCWM In s...

In this week’s episode, we are exploring the Star Wars universe with Nadia Darries, the co-writer and co-director of Aau’s Song, the final episode of season 2 of Star Wars Visions.  We spoke about navigating the world of animation as a woman of colour, how Aau’s Song represents a generation of South Africans finding the courage to use their voice, and the path they took to work with Lucasfilm and...

Many of us struggle with anxiety and it permeates through every part of our lives. Ari Aster’s new film Beau is Afraid tells the story of one man’s journey through the darkest recesses of his mind. We were joined by filmmakers Stephen Nagel and Dean Ravell from BTG Productions to discuss the film, the themes and what emotions it brought up in us.  Please note that this episode contains spoilers fo...

Modeling is one of the most sought out-of careers and the one that tends to be fictionalized most often. Today we are chatting to South African model Lisa-Marie Jaftha, who went from local campaigns to living in New York City and being a Sports Illustrated swimsuit model.  We spoke about her journey, the highlights, the tough times, and what she misses most about home.  You can follow along with L...

Society often dictates that, as women, we need to act a certain way, and do certain things in order to remain ‘respectable’. However, most of us don’t fit into that particular mold and this hinders our own personal journeys. This week on the podcast, we are discussing this with actor Kate Liquorish and director Samantha Nell from the comedy Do Your Worst!  Do Your Worst tells the story of Sondra (...

Sex has almost become a taboo subject in many communities and this week on the show we are going to be talking about why it is such a tricky subject to talk about. We are joined by Romantha Botha and Kim Windvogel, the creators of Showmax’s new series, Sex and Pleasure to talk about the show, sex and why South Africans often skirt around the issue.  Sex and Pleasure is an eight-part docu-series wh...

Being, what is considered an ‘invisible woman’ can be seen as a superpower or a hindrance. And there is a lot to consider about how society interprets who deserves to be seen and who does not. In this episode we explore this and how women of colour, especially those who live in poverty, are often relegated to being invisible or unseen. We spoke to the stars of the new Netflix series Unseen, Gail M...

This week episode was all about season 5 of The Crown. We joined by Mvelase Peppetta and Ayesha Kaprey to talk about what we enjoyed and didn’t enjoy about this season of The Crown. We chatted about the characterisation of Princess Diana, the controversial casting of Dominic West as Prince Charles and the fact that they made John Major hot. Watch The Crown season 5 on Netflix: https://www.netflix....

This week on the podcast we were joined by Trix Vivier from the new KykNet series Fraksie as well as Legacy and Trackers to talk about her new series, making risky decisions and why you should be watching Fraksie. We also chatted about the craziest things that happened in pop culture from Matthew and Sonia Booth’s cheesecake saga to Johnny Depp walking in Rihanna’s fashion show and Chris Evans bei...

This week on the podcast we discussed the Netflix docuseries The Real Bling Ring: Hollywood Heist with returning guests Sloan and Lebo Sibisi. We spoke about one of the biggest pop culture scandals. From the motives behind the characters to the toxic nature of celebrity culture and more. The Real Bling Ring: Hollywood Heist: In 2009, teenagers get arrested for stealing from celebrity homes; now, t...

This week on the podcast we honour late South African actor Charlbi Dean as her final film, Triangle of Sadness premieres in SA cinemas. We spoke to the writer and director of the film Ruben Östlund as well as the lead actor Harris Dickinson about the memories of Charlbi, their experiences making the film, the concept of gender roles and pretty privilege. Triangle of Sadness: In Ruben Östlund’s wi...

This week on the podcast we are focusing on Showmax’s new epic fantasy series Blood Psalms. We chat to creator Jahmil X. T. Qhubeka about his inspiration behind the series and his thoughts on African mythology, fantasy and history. We also spoke to Bokang Phelane, who plays the protagonist Princess Zazi about the role, being a strong female character and more. Blood Psalms: Eleven thousand years a...

This week, comedian and actor Riaad Moosa returns to the show to chat about his new tour, adjusting to the virtual world, how his comedy has changed during the pandemic and the Will Smith vs Chris Rock debacle. He also let us in on some exciting new projects that he has coming up. Website: https://riaadmoosa.co.za/ Follow us on Twitter , Instagram , Facebook and YouTube , find out more at crushing...

This week on the podcast we chatted to the renowned director and actor Akin Omotoso about the new Netflix series he created called The Brave Ones. We also spoke about the death of Queen Elizabeth II and all the complicated emotions around that, SpitGate, and what we are looking forward to from this year’s D23 presentation. And, of course, we had to chat about our favourite fictional queens. The Br...

This week on the podcast we chatted to one of South Africa’s most iconic influencers Nadia Jaftha about her starring role in her debut film, Who’s My Daddy. We talked about the film, what it was like transitioning from skit comedy to film acting and more. We also chat about the SAFTA award winners, Britney Spear’s current debacle with her children, and who our favourite celeb father and son duos a...

This week on the podcast we were joined by Too Hot to Handle alum Carly Lawrence (season 2) who chats to us about her experience on the groundbreaking reality show, her marriage to Love Island USA alum Bennett Sipes, and what she’s up to now. We also chatted to Michael Porter, the executive producer at The Home Channel about their new series, Afrimaxx. The series showcases artists, architects, jew...

This week on the podcast we were joined by the cast and crew of Netflix’s first Afrikaans series, Ludik. We spoke to actors Arnold Vosloo, Rob van Vuuren, Diaan Lawrence, Sean Cameron Michael, Inge Beckman, Tina Redman, Zane Meas, Tshamano Sebe and Jandre LeRoux; as well as producers Paul Buys, Anele Mdoda and Frankie du Toit. We spoke about the series, representing strong Afrikaans women, conserv...

This week on the show we were joined by content curator and tastemaker Misa Narrates to talk about what local music is worth tuning in for, the death of Olivia Newton-John, our favourite dance songs and more. Crushing On: Leanne: Not Okay (Disney+), Wedding Season (Netflix) Misa: Primo9teen on TikTok Caryn: The Card Counter (Showmax) Follow us on Twitter , Instagram , Facebook and YouTube , find o...

Welcome to season 5! In our first episode we welcomed back to the pod, author Shameez Patel Papathanasiou to chat about her latest book, The Last Feather. We also chatted about Bennifer’s wedding, Pete Davidson and Kim Kardashian’s breakup, the Unofficial Bridgerton Musical drama, Bullet Train, Dune and Beyonce’s Renaissance. The Last Feather: Twenty-two-year-old Cassia's sister is dying, and she...

We have a bumper season coming to you soon!

We’re celebrating our 2 year Anniversary at Crushing On! We’re so glad that you’ve been listening to and supporting us for the past two years. We brought you celeb news roundtables and in-depth discussions about your favourite shows like Euphoria and Bridgerton and countless unscripted … uncensored moments.