Modern Love

Tan France ("Queer Eye," "Next in Fashion") reads an essay by Evan James, about a man finding his role within his family.

Love is about trust. But have you ever been tempted to breach that trust? To read someone's diary, check their text messages, or read their emails? Jessalyn Gilsig reads an essay by Joyce Maynard about facing that temptation.

Rebecca Hall who stars in the upcoming movie "The Night House," reads a story about dating -- while manic. This is an encore presentation.

Jenny Slate ("Stage Fright," "Little Weirds") reads an essay by Catherine Down about the family you find when living far from home.

Director Judd Apatow reads an essay about a date that goes very wrong. This is an encore presentation.

Singer-songwriter Mary Chapin Carpenter reads a story by Eve Pell, about finding new love later in life. This is an encore presentation.

Jake Gyllenhaal ("Stronger") tells the story of a man recovering from heartbreak in a pediatrics wing.

Renée Elise Goldsberry ("Waves") reads an essay about a woman and her husband navigating the aftermath of his traumatic brain injury.

"Never tell our business to strangers." That's what Jennifer Mascia was told growing up. But it wasn't until she was an adult that she learned the reason why. Ruth Wilson (HBO's "His Dark Materials") reads Jennifer's essay about discovering a dark family secret.

"I’ve noticed that there is a strange hierarchy of handholding that dictates who gets to express physical affection without repercussions," Nicole Dennis-Benn writes in this week's Modern Love story. It's read by 15-time Grammy Award winning artist Alicia Keys, whose new single is called "Show Me Love."

Greta Gerwig ("Little Women") reads Julia Anne Miller's essay, about sharing an unusual cab ride in New York City. This is an encore presentation.

We want to introduce you to another podcast we think you might love, called Kind World. It features stories of life-changing acts of kindness. And this week's story features a story from the US/ Mexico border.

Kelly McCreary ("Grey's Anatomy") reads an essay about a chance meeting on a bus that leads to a decades-long relationship.

We make decisions every day that shape our lives in small ways. But it's rare to face a real crossroads — a choice between living one life, and living another that's entirely different. Zawe Ashton ("Betrayal") reads an essay by Ingrid Maitland, who writes about making a choice like that.

Regina King (HBO's "Watchmen") reads an essay by a woman who thinks she's met the right person for her — several years too early.

When he was working in Nevada, Justin Race met a woman he thought was perfect for him. The only problem? They had only ever talked to each other through Words With Friends. Justin's essay is read by Tony-winning actor Ben Platt, who stars in the new show "The Politician" on Netflix.

Marisa Tomei ("The Rose Tattoo") reads an essay by Judith Newman about a woman fulfilling her husband's unusual dying wish.

In 2013, Ann Leary wrote an essay about a rough patch in her marriage. We turned it into an episode of the Modern Love Podcast. And now, Ann's story been adapted for television. In this episode, we revisit actress Connie Nielsen's performance of Ann's essay. Then, we'll hear a live conversation between Ann, Modern Love editor Daniel Jones, and podcast producer Caitlin O'Keefe. They talk about what...

Peter Sarsgaard ("The Sound of Silence") reads an essay about the relationship between a man with spinal muscular atrophy and his wife of more than 30 years.

When Aaron Long donated sperm twenty-five years ago, he didn't realize that one day he would discover that he had ten biological children. But that's what happened when he signed up for 23andMe. Kal Penn stars in the NBC comedy "Sunnyside". He reads Aaron's essay.

Issa Rae reads an essay about the intimacy and distance synonymous with online dating.

Andrew Rannells has been nominated for two Tony Awards. He starred in HBO's "Girls." But before any of that, he was just like a lot of 20-somethings — trying to make his career happen, and dreaming about his perfect boyfriend.

"Don't Let Go" star David Oyelowo reads an essay about a blind man navigating his marriage. This is an encore presentation.

This week's essay is about a deep, enduring friendship that starts in an unlikely place. Jeannie Vanasco writes about her relationship with a woman named Anita in her essay, "My Platonic Romance on the Psych Ward." It's read by actress and director Miriam Shor, who stars in TV Land’s “Younger" and the upcoming Netflix film "Lost Girls."

When people first come into our lives, it's impossible to know how important they'll become. Leah Keith writes about a man who came to matter a great deal to her in her essay, which is read by Marsha Stephanie Blake ("When They See Us")