Women in Entertainment

In this episode of In Her Words, listeners will dive into the professional journey and insights of Elsa Ramo, founder of Ramo Law. Established in 2005 by first-generation Syrian Elsa Ramo, Ramo Law is a pioneering, female-owned, bi-coastal firm representing prominent producers, content creators, financiers, and studios in the film and television industry. With a focus on empowering clients to reta...

Shachar has built and scaled global brands like Meta Reality Labs, Bumble, Snapchat, and Apple over her 20-year career. After graduating from UMass Amherst, she advocated for women’s rights with Planned Parenthood and shaped the brand for NCJW, a historic women’s organization. She later earned her Master’s in Strategic Communications from Columbia University, leading digital strategy for top New Y...

In this spotlight episode, we sit down with Debora Cahn, an esteemed American writer and producer whose work has significantly shaped contemporary television drama. Known for her roles on acclaimed series like Homeland, where she served as writer and executive producer, and FX’s Fosse/Verdon, which earned her a Writers Guild of America Award, Cahn has continually demonstrated her skill for craftin...

In this inspiring episode of In Her Words, we sit down with powerhouse producers Jessamine Burgum and Kara Durrett to delve into their journey in shaping impactful films and building female-led partnerships in the entertainment industry.  Jessamine, founder and CEO of Pinky Promise, has led the company to premiere standout features like HONK FOR JESUS. SAVE YOUR SOUL at Sundance, collaborating wit...

Claire Mundell is a BAFTA and Royal Television Society (RTS) award-winning film and television producer, known for her work on high-profile projects like The Cry and The Tattooist of Auschwitz. She is the founder and creative director of Synchronicity Films, a Glasgow-based independent production company. Mundell has built a strong reputation in the UK and internationally for producing critically...

Annie Potts is a renowned American actress whose career spans over four decades in film, television, and stage. Best known for her roles in iconic '80s films like Ghostbusters (1984) and Pretty in Pink (1986), Potts solidified her place in Hollywood with her portrayal of the witty Mary Jo Shively in the hit sitcom Designing Women (1986-1993). She later lent her voice to the beloved character Bo Pe...

Layne Eskridge is a producer and the president of POV Entertainment. Under the POV Entertainment title, Layne oversees many projects, most recently producing LADY IN THE LAKE, starring Natalie Portman for Apple TV+. Layne most recently was an Executive Producer on the Apple TV+ period drama series based on the acclaimed book, MANHUNT, starring Tobias Menzies, Anthony Boyle, Lovie Simone, Will Harr...

Heather Graham is an actress, writer, and director. Her next film is an American Western titled Place of Bones, directed by Audrey Cummings and also starring Tom Hopper, and will be in select theaters and on digital/demand on August 23rd.  The film is about a mother and daughter who fight for survival after a gang of outlaws descend on their ranch following a botched bank robbery. Heather has made...

Sara DeWitt is the Senior Vice President and General Manager of PBS KIDS, where she oversees the strategic direction of the nation’s leading educational media service for children. She manages a cross-disciplinary team that produces content, develops digital platforms, distributes assets, and creates educational products aimed at fostering learning. Under her leadership, PBS KIDS has established i...

Attica Locke is a New York Times bestselling author, screenwriter, and producer, celebrated for her gripping narratives in both literature and television. She is best known for her Highway 59 trilogy , which includes Bluebird, Bluebird, Heaven, My Home , and the latest release, Guide Me Home, all praised for their deep exploration of race, justice, and identity in the American South. Locke has won...

Chai Vasarhelyi is an award-winning filmmaker known for her compelling documentaries and narrative films. She co-directed the Academy Award-winning documentary Free Solo, which captured the breathtaking journey of rock climber Alex Honnold. Vasarhelyi's body of work often explores themes of resilience, risk, and the human spirit, as seen in films like The Rescue and Nyad, a narrative feature s...

Writer, Director, Producer Veena Sud is no stranger to dark crime and mystery dramas and continues to break barriers as a cutting-edge filmmaker with a knack for “dark, flawed and complicated” women. Currently, Sud is adapting Stieg Larsson’s The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo as a TV series for Amazon Prime Video with Left Bank Pictures executive producing. Sud is most known for creating, writing, a...

Melanie Marnich is a Golden Globe-winning writer, internationally acclaimed playwright, and seasoned television showrunner known for her masterful storytelling. With a career spanning both stage and screen, Melanie has garnered critical acclaim for her work, including her standout episode of Big Love , "Come, Ye Saints," which earned her a Writers' Guild nomination and was named one...

Sharon Lawrence grew up in North Carolina (Charlotte and Raleigh), graduated from UNC-Chapel Hill with a degree in Journalism and spent her college summers doing musicals in summer stock. She became an Actors Equity Member in 1984 and a SAG-AFTRA member in 1987. She may be best known for her multiply Emmy Award-nominated and SAG Award-winning portrayal of ADA Sylvia Costas Sipowicz in NYPD Blue. S...

Kara Talve is an Emmy-nominated composer and multi-instrumentalist renowned for her work in film and television. As a leading composer at Bleeding Fingers Music, she has significantly contributed to numerous projects with her exceptional talent and collaborative spirit. Most recently, Kara co-scored Peacock & SkyTV’s series “The Tattooist of Auschwitz” with Hans Zimmer, starring Harvey Keitel...

Leah McKendrick is a Latina American multi-hyphenate filmmaker and actress from San Francisco. Her directorial debut, SCRAMBLED, which she also wrote and stars in, premiered at SXSW 2023 and is based on Leah’s real journey through egg freezing and 30-something singledom. McKendrick has multiple projects in various stages of development including the Paramount romantic comedy BETTER LATE THAN NEVER...

This week on In Her Words as part of our Summer Stories Series, we sit down with the amazing writer, actor, producer and podcast host, Tembi Locke.  Tembi’s memoir, “From Scratch: A Memoir of Love, Sicily, and Finding Home,” a NYT bestseller, was adapted as a limited series - From Scratch - for Netflix in partnership with Hello Sunshine. Serving as co-creator and executive producer, the adaptation...

Emily Henry is a bestselling author known for her contemporary romance novels that have captivated readers around the world. She gained widespread acclaim with her debut adult novel, Beach Read , released in 2020, which quickly became a sensation for its witty banter, emotional depth, and engaging characters. Since then, she has continued to dominate the romance genre with a new novel each year, i...

This week on In Her Words as part of our Summer Stories Series, we sit down with the amazing Jessica Knoll!  Jessica Knoll is a literary sensation, known for her gripping and thought-provoking novels. Luckiest Girl Alive and The Favorite Sister have both been bestsellers, captivating readers with their sharp insights into the complexities of modern womanhood. Not content with just writing, Knoll h...

This week on In Her Words as part of our Summer Stories Series, we sit down with the amazing Rachel Yoder!  Rachel Yoder is the author of Nightbitch (2021), her debut novel. A film adaptation of her novel, written & directed by Marielle Heller and starring Amy Adams, will be released in 2024. She is an Assistant Professor of Screenwriting and Cinema Arts at the University of Iowa. Selected as...

This week on In Her Words as part of our Summer Stories Series, we sit down with the amazing Nancy Thayer!  Dive into the enchanting world of the brilliant author Nancy Thayer, behind 36 novels, including beloved titles like "All the Days of Summer," "Summer Love," "Family Reunion," "A Nantucket Wedding," and many more. Discover the magic of her storytelling...

Anna Todd is the New York Times best-selling author of the After series, the Brightest Stars trilogy, The Spring Girls, and the After Graphic novels. The After series has been released in 35 languages and has sold over twelve million copies worldwide—becoming a #1 best-seller in several countries. Always an avid reader, Todd began writing stories on her phone through Wattpad, with After becoming t...

In this week's bonus episode for our Summer Stories series, we are featuring Elle Cosimano, a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, an International Thriller Award winner, a Bram Stoker Award finalist, and an Edgar® Award nominee. Last October, we sat down with Elle Cosimano to discuss her latest book, 'Finlay Donovan, Rolls the Dice,' which became a New York Times bestselle...

Lucy Score is a distinguished author known for her romantic comedies and contemporary romance novels. A Wall Street Journal and #1 Amazon Kindle Store bestseller, Lucy grew up in rural Pennsylvania, where a book-obsessed household nurtured her passion for writing. She discovered her love for storytelling at the age of five and has been writing ever since. Her breakout novel, "Pretend You'...

This week on "In Her Words," we sit down with the delightful Eli Rallo, who joins us as part of our Summer Stories series!  Back in December, we met Eli just as her book I Didn't Know I Needed This was hitting the shelves. It became a national bestseller, and after you meet Eli, you'll know why. She's a social media star with huge followings on TikTok and Instagram, and she i...