Reclaiming with Monica Lewinsky

This week on Reclaiming, we sit down with Michael Urie—actor, producer, and director whose career has been shaped by sharp comedy, emotional range, and a deep love of the stage and screen. In this conversation, Michael reflects on the lasting impact of Ugly Betty, what it meant to play a character who resonated so deeply with audiences, and how those early television years helped define his voice...

This week on Reclaiming, Monica sits down with author Elise Loehnen and coach Courtney Smith for a conversation about goodness, desire, and the new "workbook" they co-authored "Choosing Wholeness Over Goodness" . Elise reflects on the ideas behind her other book “On Our Best Behavior” and the cultural pressure for women to be selfless, disciplined, and “good,” while Courtney explains how those inh...

This week on Reclaiming, Monica sits down with bestselling author Harlan Coben for a conversation about risk, and the emotional heart that anchors every twist he writes. Harlan reflects on the fear and curiosity that led him to co-author a book with Reese Witherspoon, the childhood losses that shaped his most beloved characters, and the belief that pressure is a privilege for any creative life. He...

This week on Reclaiming, Monica sits down with the authors of ALL THE COOL GIRLS GET FIRED, Laura Brown and Kristina O’Neill, for a conversation about identity, resilience, and rebuilding after everything shifts. Laura and Kristina share the story of being fired from their dream jobs, how they moved through shock and uncertainty, and why that moment became the spark for their next chapter. Togethe...

This week on Reclaiming, Monica sits down with artist and author Charlie Mackesy for a warm conversation about softness, grief, and what it means to stay human in a world that urges you to harden. Charlie opens up about the unexpected impact of The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse, the emotional weight of meeting readers in their most tender moments, and how creating gentle work requires its o...

This week on Reclaiming, we sit down with Malala Yousafzai—activist, author, and Nobel Peace Prize laureate whose courage and conviction have inspired a global movement for girls’ education. In this conversation, Malala reflects on growing into herself—beyond the headlines and history—and learning to see her life through her own lens. She speaks candidly about her feminist father, whose belief in...

This week on Reclaiming, we sit down with Adam Scott—actor, producer, and storyteller whose career has spanned cult classics, beloved comedies, and boundary-pushing drama. In this conversation, Adam reflects on the years of struggle before his “big break,” the self-doubt that came with them, and how Parks and Recreation didn’t just change his career—it reshaped his sense of belonging. He shares ho...

This week on Reclaiming, we sit down with Lili Reinhart—actor, producer, and author who’s redefining what it means to live honestly in the spotlight. In this conversation, Lili opens up about her ongoing battle with anxiety, PMDD, and cystic acne, and how learning to be present has become the foundation of her healing. We chat about her relationship to the characters she’s played, from Riverdale’s...

This week on Reclaiming, Monica sits down with actor Grace Van Patten, whose fearless performances have made her one of Hollywood’s most intriguing young talents. Grace opens up about the challenge and responsibility of portraying Amanda Knox (The Twisted Tale of Amanda Knox on Hulu), and how she approached the role not as a tabloid figure, but as a complex human being caught in an impossible situ...

This week on Reclaiming, Monica sits down with Sarah Paulson for a conversation about ambition, empathy, and what it means to be seen. Sarah reflects on the roles that changed her life, from American Horror Story to Impeachment, and the complicated art of portraying someone like Linda Tripp with both honesty and compassion. Together, they unpack how childhood survival skills can turn into creative...

This week on Reclaiming, Monica sits down with Dr. Mary Claire Haver, OB-GYN and author of The New Menopause. Together they explore what it really means to navigate perimenopause and menopause with clarity and compassion. Dr. Haver explains the physical and emotional changes of this stage, the gaps in medical training on women’s health, and the cultural silence that leaves so many unprepared. She...

This week on Reclaiming, Monica sits down with Flamingo Estate founder, Richard Christiansen, for a conversation about wonder, reinvention, and slowing down. Richard shares how the collapse of his old life gave way to the garden at Flamingo Estate, reflecting on childhood shame, creative awakening, and the quiet work of softening into love. Together, they explore how convenience erodes meaning, wh...

This week on Reclaiming, we sit down with the incomparable Allison Janney—Oscar, Emmy, and Tony-winning actress whose depth, humor, and humanity have made her one of Hollywood’s most beloved performers. In this conversation, Allison opens up about the silver screen legends who shaped her early career—Joanne Woodward and Paul Newman—and how their mentorship changed everything. She reflects on her o...

This week on Reclaiming, Monica sits down with Gabrielle Union for a conversation that is both deeply personal and profoundly expansive. Gabrielle opens up about her journey through trauma and survival, the ways disassociation shaped her life, and her ongoing work to reclaim peace in her body and spirit. She reflects on the cultural legacy of Bring It On twenty-five years later, her pilgrimage to...

This week on Reclaiming, Monica is joined by award-winning actor Jurnee Smollett for a conversation about ancestry, resilience, and the radical act of finding joy in the present. Jurnee reflects on the “blood memory” carried through generations, the lessons of her mother and grandmother, and the responsibility of bringing truth to the screen without succumbing to trauma. She shares the spiritual p...

This week on Reclaiming, we sit down with Nicole Byer—comedian, actress, writer, and unapologetic force of nature whose humor has reshaped the boundaries of what comedy can hold. In this conversation, Nicole opens up about the loss of her parents and the lasting ways their absence continues to shape her outlook on life and love.   She reflects on her honest, refreshingly relatable relationship wit...

This week on Reclaiming, we sit down with Jamie Kern Lima—entrepreneur, author, and trailblazing founder of IT Cosmetics, the billion-dollar beauty brand built on authenticity and inclusion. In this conversation, Jamie opens up about what she calls “doubting yourself out of your destiny,” and her “season of setbacks." She reflects on how persevering through countless “no’s” taught her the power of...

This week on Reclaiming, we sit down with Mark Duplass—actor, filmmaker, writer, and creative force whose career has stretched across indie film, television, and music. In this conversation, Mark opens up about his personal journey with anxiety and depression, and how he works to keep what he calls “the woog” at bay. He reflects on the tools that help him navigate those darker stretches, the impor...

This week on Reclaiming, Monica is joined by Liz Gilbert, bestselling author of Eat, Pray, Love and City of Girls, for a deeply personal conversation about solitude, self-compassion, and the courage to live outside expectation. Liz opens up about the liberation she’s found in celibacy, the radical practice of befriending herself, and the cost of female over giving. She and Monica talk about loneli...

This week on Reclaiming, we sit down with Julia Fox—actress, artist, author, and unabashed cultural provocateur who has turned fearlessness into a full-blown art form. In this conversation, Julia opens up about the importance of having a positive male role model for her son, the determination not to let the demons of her past overshadow the blessings of her future, and how she manifested—yes—a sug...

This week on Reclaiming, Monica is joined by Pulitzer Prize winning journalist Ronan Farrow for a conversation that’s as vulnerable as it is incisive. From growing up under relentless scrutiny to reporting on some of the most powerful men in the world, Ronan opens up about the emotional toll of telling the truth and the unexpected ways trauma can shape ambition. They talk, disinformation, misplace...

This week on Reclaiming, Monica is joined by Amanda Knox—advocate, writer, and executive producer of the new Hulu series The Twisted Tale of Amanda Knox—for an unflinching and deeply personal conversation about identity, injustice, and the long tail of trauma. From being wrongly imprisoned for her roommate’s murder at 20 years old to reclaiming authorship over her own story, Amanda reflects on the...

This week on Reclaiming, we sit down with comedian, writer, and host John Oliver for a candid and thoughtful conversation about comedy, shame, and the power of laughter. John reflects on his interview with Monica in 2019 for Last Week Tonight and how that moment became part of her reclaiming journey. They explore the ethical tightrope of making jokes in a world full of gray areas and how humor can...

This week on Reclaiming, we talked to, beauty mogul, author, advocate, and all-around force, Victoria Jackson,. She built a multi-million-dollar makeup empire out of her garage, TRADEMARKED the no makeup - makeup look, and later helped bring three life-saving drugs to market after her daughter was diagnosed with a rare disease. We talked about reclaiming self-worth, purpose, and joy, and what it m...

This week on Reclaiming, we’re joined by the hilarious Sarah Silverman, whose career has been built on saying the unsayable—and making us laugh through the discomfort. In this intimate conversation, Sarah opens up about the quiet heartbreak of losing both her parents, the shame and humor of wetting the bed well into her teens, and the evolving landscape of comedy in a culture that’s constantly red...