Making Space with Hoda Kotb

Academy Award-winning actress Viola Davis has built a career defined by purpose, strength, and honesty, but her journey began with a childhood shaped by bullying and feeling different. In this conversation from April 2022, Davis sits down with Hoda to talk about overcoming adversity, learning to love herself, and understanding how her past helped shape the woman she is today. Plus, she reflects on...

For nearly three decades, Alicia Keys has used her voice to move the world, but she says the most powerful lesson she has learned is how to listen to herself. In this conversation from October 2025, the 17-time Grammy Award winner joins Hoda at Making Space Wellness Day at Brooklyn’s Wythe Hotel to talk about trusting intuition, unlearning old habits, and finding stillness in a world that rarely s...

After Hoda departed TODAY in January 2025, Jenna Bush Hager spent a year sitting side by side with a rotating group of friends, but as it turns out, her permanent partner was someone who had been part of the TODAY family all along: Sheinelle Jones. On the heels of the launch of TODAY with Jenna and Sheinelle , Hoda sat down with Jenna and Sheinelle for a SiriusXM Front Row Conversation at SiriusXM...

Grammy Award-winning and multi-platinum singer-songwriter Lainey Wilson is one of country music’s biggest breakout stars, with chart-topping hits like “Heart Like a Truck,” “Watermelon Moonshine” and this year’s Grammy-nominated “Somewhere Over Laredo.” But long before the awards and sold-out shows, Wilson spent years knocking on doors in Nashville, facing rejection, uncertainty, and moments that...

Kathie Lee Gifford has spent decades connecting with audiences as a television host, author, producer and storyteller whose faith and optimism have shaped her work. In her first-ever appearance on Making Space , Kathie Lee reunites with Hoda for a conversation about the bond they built working side by side, navigating grief and loss while celebrating new beginnings, and finding purpose through eve...

Dr. Mindy Pelz is a New York Times bestselling author and clinician focused on women’s health, hormones, menopause, and aging. She sits down with Hoda to talk about her latest book, Age Like a Girl, and how studying menopause changed the way she views the female body’s evolution through midlife. Plus, she shares why challenges later in life offer an opportunity to live more intentionally. Listener...

Mel Robbins is a New York Times bestselling author, entrepreneur, and Golden Globe-nominated podcast host whose work has helped millions navigate change and uncertainty. Robbins sits down with Hoda to reflect on how life-changing moments in marriage and motherhood, including financial collapse and her son’s medical crisis, pushed her into survival mode and forced her to confront who she really wan...

From growing up in a famous family to raising one of her own, Katherine Schwarzenegger Pratt has found calm through intention. In this conversation from November 2025, the New York Times bestselling author, wife, mother, and animal advocate joins Hoda to reflect on her latest book, Kat and Brandy , and how faith, presence, and daily routines help her stay grounded. Plus, she shares how her lifelon...

Brad Paisley is a Grammy winning artist and one of country music’s most respected storytellers, known for his masterful guitar work and deeply personal songwriting. Brad sits down with Hoda Kotb to reflect on growing up in West Virginia, the grandfather who gave him his first guitar for Christmas, and why giving back has always been part of his life. Plus, he shares the inspiration behind his late...

Laura Day is a New York Times bestselling author and renowned intuitive who has spent more than four decades teaching people how to use intuition as a practical, evidence-based tool for change. Laura opens up to Hoda Kotb about the pain that shaped her purpose, how science and intuition helped her navigate profound loss, and the actionable framework behind her book The Prism: Seven Steps to Heal Y...

Charlie Mackesy is the bestselling author and illustrator behind the global phenomenon The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse and its follow up Always Remember: The Boy, the Mole, the Fox, the Horse and the Storm . Charlie opens up to Hoda about the overwhelming experience of meeting readers whose lives were changed by his words, processing the grief of losing his mother and his dog, and the mom...

Jane Lynch is an Emmy and Golden Globe-winning actress, comedian, and host whose quick wit and unmistakable charm have made her one of Hollywood’s most beloved figures. From her iconic role as Sue Sylvester on Glee to her unforgettable performances in Best in Show and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel , she has built a career on making people laugh. But behind the humor is a woman who has found peace thro...

Jay Leno is one of the most recognizable figures in comedy and late night, hosting The Tonight Show for a combined two decades. But in recent years, his life has shifted into a quieter, more intimate chapter as he cares for his wife Mavis, who was diagnosed with dementia in 2024. Jay opens up to Hoda about what it means to support the woman who stood beside him throughout his career and her small...

Melinda French Gates is a philanthropist, business leader, and New York Times bestselling author who has spent decades transforming lives around the world. Melinda opens up to Hoda about why her latest chapter is more personal than ever, how she learned to let go of perfection, and what it means to lead with empathy. She reflects on her lifelong advocacy for women and families, the faith and frien...

From growing up in a famous family to creating one of her own, Katherine Schwarzenegger Pratt has learned that true peace begins with presence. The New York Times bestselling author, wife, mother, and animal advocate joins Hoda to talk about her new book Kat and Brandy , the lessons she’s teaching her kids, and how her lifelong love of animals remains a source of calm, courage, and healing. Plus,...

Naomi Watts is an Academy Award-nominated actress, producer, and entrepreneur who’s learned that some of life’s greatest roles come with age. She joins Hoda for an honest conversation about resilience, reinvention, and embracing womanhood in all its seasons… from navigating loss and rejection to finding her voice as an advocate for menopause awareness. Naomi opens up about launching her wellness b...

Alicia Keys has spent nearly three decades using her voice to move the world, but the most powerful thing she’s learned is how to listen to her own. The seventeen-time Grammy Award winner joins Hoda for a soulful conversation at Making Space Wellness Day at Brooklyn’s Wythe Hotel about trusting your intuition, unlearning old habits, and finding stillness in a world that rarely slows down. Alicia a...

From building a billion-dollar beauty empire to starting over at 60, Bobbi Brown’s story is one of grit, grace, and growth…but behind her success lies a deep journey of reinvention. Bobbi opens up to Hoda about her mother’s struggle with mental illness, her unlikely path to becoming a world-renowned makeup artist, and the moment she walked away from the brand that bore her name. She shares how she...

Sheryl Lee Ralph is an Emmy-winning actress, singer, and advocate whose radiant spirit and decades-long career, from Dreamgirls to Abbott Elementary , have inspired generations. Sheryl opens up to Hoda about choosing joy as her “strong suit,” the resilience that carried her through rejection and reinvention, and how she learned to believe in herself even when others didn’t. She reflects on lessons...

Selma Blair is an actress, author, and advocate whose career has spanned film, television and stage, with standout performances in  Legally Blonde ,  Cruel Intentions , and  Hellboy . After publicly revealing her diagnosis with multiple sclerosis (MS), she has become a powerful voice for chronic illness awareness, inspiring others through her honesty, resilience, and vulnerability. Selma sits down...

Clea Shearer is the co-founder of  The Home Edit,  star of the hit Netflix series,  Get Organized with The Home Edit , and a New York Times bestselling author who’s sharing the lessons she’s learned in her cancer journey in her new book, C ancer Is Complicated and Other Unexpected Lessons I’ve Learned . Clea opens up to Hoda about how she learned to advocate more for herself amidst her cancer jour...

Matthew McConaughey is an Academy Award-winning actor, bestselling author, and now the writer of Poems and Prayers , a deeply personal collection of poetry and reflections spanning 30 years that explores faith, hope, and purpose. Though he is one of Hollywood’s most recognizable stars, McConaughey admits he’s never felt the “ah, I did it” feeling, leading him on a search for deeper meaning through...

Linda Cliatt-Wayman spent 20 years teaching special education before rising to oversee all high schools in The School District of Philadelphia, but her defining moment came when she stepped up to lead Strawberry Mansion High School: a school that no one wanted to run. With fierce love, high expectations, and unshakable hope, Wayman and her team turned despair into possibility. In this conversation...

Chart-topping rapper Big Sean has spent nearly 15 years in the spotlight, but his path to success wasn’t always easy. The Detroit native joins Hoda Kotb to reflect on his evolving relationship with fame, from believing he was destined for stardom at a young age to how he views notoriety today. In this revealing conversation from April 2025, he also shares lessons from his new book, Go Higher: Five...

Bestselling author, acclaimed public speaker, and Harvard Business School professor Arthur C. Brooks joins Hoda Kotb for an inspiring conversation on the science and practice of happiness. They discuss how to cultivate joy in everyday life, get unstuck during challenging times, and why happiness is not a final destination but a direction you can intentionally choose. In this conversation from Marc...