Life’s too short for small talk. Rachel gets right to the questions that matter most. Once a week, famous guests pull questions from a deck of cards and open up about the kind of stuff we all think about but rarely say out loud. Actors, authors, and thinkers are prompted to talk about everything from their insecurities and dreams to grief and God. Named one of the 10 best podcasts of 2024 by The New York Times, Wild Card stands out among celebrity interview podcasts. When modern life feels chaotic or overwhelming, listen to Wild Card for a joyful, grounding reminder of our shared humanity. Want to listen to Wild Card sponsor-free? Support NPR by subscribing to Wild Card+. Learn more at plus.npr.org/wildcard.
105 episodes transcribedJesse Eisenberg plays characters who spend a lot of time in their heads grappling with anxiety, fear and insecurity. You can see it in "The Squid and...
Michael Shannon grew up a kid of divorced parents, shuttling between Kentucky and Illinois and never quite fitting in. In his conversation with Rachel...
David Lynch, the visionary filmmaker behind "Mulholland Drive," "Eraserhead" and "Twin Peaks" has died. We're remembering him with a listen back to hi...
We're listening back this week to our conversation with actor Ted Danson. Ted seems like he's everywhere these days. He's the host of the podcast, "Wh...
Duke professor Kate Bowler was 35 years old when she was diagnosed with Stage IV cancer. Her memoir about the experience, "Everything Happens for a Re...
When you see Michelle Buteau perform, she gives off a blended vibe of, "Oh my god, I can't believe I'm here!" and also, "Of course I am here!" Last ye...
Usually for this show, Rachel is in the NPR studio in Washington, D.C., and the guests are famous people in another studio. But Rachel recently brough...
As 2024 winds down, we're sharing some of our favorite answers from the earliest Wild Card episodes.To listen sponsor-free, access bonus episodes and...
Barry Jenkins is best known for indie films like "If Beale Street Could Talk" and "Moonlight." Now he's helming Disney's "Mufasa: The Lion King." He t...
2024 has been a big year for Ilana Glazer. First they co-wrote and co-starred in "Babes." Now, they have a new stand-up special coming out on Hulu, ca...
Comedian Ilana Glazer talks about being prepared at a young age for grown-up responsibilities and John Lithgow discusses a belief he had to let go of....
Everyone has their own role that made them fall in love with John Lithgow. It could be "Footloose" or "Shrek" or "3rd Rock from the Sun." And as he ap...
In the world of podcasts and radio, Ira Glass is a legend. But he tells Rachel that he doesn't think about his legacy. He makes his show, "This Americ...
Sandra Cisneros is best known for her debut novel, The House on Mango Street, which follows a year in the life of a young Chincana girl. For the 40th...
Jimmy O. Yang finds his own success unlikely. He says as an Asian-American immigrant, he "snuck in" to show business. He's worked his way from bit par...
Erykah Badu is best known for her music career, but her resume is much more diverse than that. She's an actor, who can be seen now in The Piano Lesson...
Ann Patchett's 2001 novel Bel Canto was a huge hit. She's continued to have success with her later work, including The Dutch House, which was a Pulitz...
Kathryn Hahn can turn a supporting role into the most memorable part of a movie or TV show. In everything from Step Brothers to Parks and Recreation t...
When Seth Meyers started at Saturday Night Live, he saw pictures of famous former cast members on the wall and was convinced he had to become an actor...
Mark Duplass is known for his roles in The Morning Show and The League, as well as for writing, directing and producing indie hits with his brother Ja...
