*All Episodes*

In The Heights

As you look at the fireworks light up the night sky this Fourth of July weekend, enjoy this special bonus episode on In The Heights! Ned and Caroline take a break from their usual actor-focus to indulge their deepest theater kid impulses. And they're thrilled to be joined by their friend Alejandro Tey to take a deep dive into what works and what doesn't about Jon M. Chu's 2021 big screen adaption of Lin-Manuel Miranda's 2008 Broadway musical.
Just a heads up that this episode includes a discussion of colorism and racism from 1:08:30-1:32:00. To learn more about that issue, you can read Jasmine Haywood's "In the Heights exemplified the ugly colorism I’ve experienced in Latinx communities" (https://www.vox.com/first-person/2021/6/18/22537351/in-the-heights-lin-manuel-miranda-colorism) and The New York Times' roundtable "In the Heights and Colorism: What Is Lost When Afro-Latinos Are Erased" (https://www.nytimes.com/2021/06/21/movies/in-the-heights-colorism.html).
We also highly encourage you to hire Alejandro Tey for all of your gaming needs via Tabletale Games (https://www.tabletalegames.com/)!
Our theme music was created by Patrick Budde, and our logo was designed by Nick Wanserski. You can get in touch on Twitter (twitter.com/rolecalling) or email us at rolecalling@gmail.com.

Edge of Tomorrow: Emily Blunt, Part 5

Whether you call it Edge of Tomorrow or Live Die Repeat, either way this sci-fi action flick rules! And Ned and Caroline are thrilled to be joined by special guest Emily Marso to breakdown why. The trio chat time loops, Tom Cruise, and the throwback feminism of 2014. Plus they wrap up Role Calling's Emily Blunt retrospective series with some final thoughts on her curiously hard-to-pin-down career.
You can follow Emily Marso on Instagram (instagram.com/missmarso) and Twitter (twitter.com/missmarso), and watch her short film "Swipe Up, Vivian" (omeleto.com/255586/)
Our theme music was created by Patrick Budde, and our logo was designed by Nick Wanserski. You can get in touch on Twitter (twitter.com/rolecalling) or email us at rolecalling@gmail.com.

Mary Poppins Returns: Emily Blunt, Part 4

Mary Poppins Returns was fairly swiftly forgotten after its 2018 release, but what this podcast presupposes is... maybe it's kind of great? But don't just take Ned and Caroline's word for it! Midway through this episode, Ned phones up his 5- and 8-year-old cousins to get their take on this modern Disney musical. Beyond that, Ned and Caroline discuss how this 54-years-later sequel compares to the original, try not to cry over Ben Whishaw's performance, and dig into the Lin-Manuel Miranda of it all. Plus, of course, they look at what Emily Blunt brings to the iconic role of Mary Poppins herself.
Our theme music was created by Patrick Budde, and our logo was designed by Nick Wanserski. You can get in touch on Twitter (twitter.com/rolecalling) or email us at rolecalling@gmail.com.

Sicario: Emily Blunt, Part 3

Things take a turn for the morally ambiguous this week, as Ned and Caroline wade into the dark waters of Sicario. The 2015 Denis Villeneuve thriller stars Emily Blunt as a principled FBI agent who gets roped into some shady dealings for the U.S. government. It's easily the heaviest film the podcast has covered yet, and Ned and Caroline parse what to make of its suspenseful look at the Mexican drug war. Plus they sing the praises of Blunt's impressively restrained performance, and debate what makes a B-movie a B-movie.
Our theme music was created by Patrick Budde, and our logo was designed by Nick Wanserski. You can get in touch on Twitter (twitter.com/rolecalling) or email us at rolecalling@gmail.com.

A Quiet Place & A Quiet Place Part II: Emily Blunt, Part 2

This week on Role Calling, it's A Quiet Place two-fer! In the first half of the episode, Ned and Caroline chat all about Emily Blunt's excellent performance alongside her real-life husband John Krasinski in 2018's A Quiet Place. And then in the second half, the hosts share the special in-person conversation they recorded right after seeing A Quiet Place Part II together. That's right, movie theaters are back, baby! But is it worth going to see A Quiet Place Part II in one? Or are you better just sticking to the original? Ned and Caroline weigh in on all that and more. Plus they give some unique nicknames to the Abbott family.
 
**The conversation about A Quiet Place Part II starts at 50:45 with some general spoiler-free chat about the film**
 
Check out YouTuber Jessica Kellgren-Fozard's sign language story (youtu.be/Nd3iKEtd0wA) and her discussion of mask wearing and deafness (youtu.be/IBlRf77D0bc).
 
Our theme music was created by Patrick Budde, and our logo was designed by Nick Wanserski. You can get in touch on Twitter (twitter.com/rolecalling) or email us at rolecalling@gmail.com.

The Devil Wears Prada: Emily Blunt, Part 1

Gird your loins, it's a brand new era for Role Calling! Ned is in the hosting chair this week as Role Calling kicks off our Emily Blunt retrospective series. The beloved British actress memorably burst onto the scene in the iconic 2006 workplace comedy, The Devil Wears Prada. So Ned and Caroline take a look at what makes her scene-stealing performance so good, as well as how this movie holds up today. Plus they chat about what role Emily was originally auditioning for when she got Devil Wears Prada, how Hollywood treats women in general, and whether or not Nate is the worst.
Our theme music was created by Patrick Budde, and our logo was designed by Nick Wanserski. You can get in touch on Twitter (twitter.com/rolecalling) or email us at rolecalling@gmail.com.

The Prestige: Christian Bale, Part 5

Are you watching closely? In the final episode of their Christian Bale retrospective series, Caroline and Ned dive into one of their favorites: Christopher Nolan's 2006 dueling magician drama, The Prestige. A movie that might just inadvertently sum up Christian Bale's entire movie star persona. But what makes The Prestige so great? How do its many twists hold up on a rewatch? And how did Christian prepare for a role that has a whole lot going on beneath the surface? Ned and Caroline dive into all that and more, with just the bare minimum of terrible British accent impressions. Plus they introduce the star of their next retrospective series!
Our theme music was created by Patrick Budde, and our logo was designed by Nick Wanserski. You can get in touch on Twitter (twitter.com/rolecalling) or email us at rolecalling@gmail.com.

The Fighter: Christian Bale, Part 4

From Batman to BAFTAs, Christian Bale has grown into one of our most acclaimed actors. And this week, Ned and Caroline look at the movie that won him his Oscar: The 2010 David O. Russell boxing drama, The Fighter. But the hosts don't actually have that much to say about the movie itself, so they mostly try to dig into Christian's acting process instead! Just what does it mean to be a method actor? And is Christian actually one? Plus some thoughts on how Christian's movie star persona has changed over the years, his penchant for quirky awards speeches, and a really weird Esquire interview (esquire.com/entertainment/a8920/christian-bale-interview-1210/). And always remember: "Head, body, head, body."
Our theme music was created by Patrick Budde, and our logo was designed by Nick Wanserski. You can get in touch on Twitter (twitter.com/rolecalling) or email us at rolecalling@gmail.com.

Batman Begins: Christian Bale, Part 3

This week, Caroline and Ned tackle the movie that made Christian Bale a household name: His starring turn as Bruce Wayne in Christopher Nolan's 2005 dark and gritty reboot, Batman Begins. The hosts explore the long history of the Batman franchise, try to figure out why Nolan's re-imagining hit so big, and dig into what Bale brings to the role. How does his Bruce Wayne stack up to previous incarnations? What do the hosts think of Bale's infamous Batman voice? And just where were the other drugs going? All that plus some general chat about Christian's strange early aughts career, from fighting dragons with Matthew McConaughey to losing 60 pounds for The Machinist. Also, Caroline accidentally spoils the most dramatic scene in Equilibrium, but she figures no one will really care.
Our theme music was created by Patrick Budde, and our logo was designed by Nick Wanserski. You can get in touch on Twitter (twitter.com/rolecalling) or email us at rolecalling@gmail.com.

Little Women (1994): Christian Bale, Part 2

It's the big one! Caroline and Ned dive into Christian Bale's early career, and dig into where Caroline's obsession actually started. That's right, it's time to talk about thespian club movie nights, Newsies dance numbers, and DVD bootlegs of "Blood Drips Heavily on Newsies Square." All that plus more Little Women chat than you could ever want or need from a movie podcast! Which March sisters do the hosts relate to most? Why was Ned in a secret book club? And just how many versions of Little Women can Caroline manage to discuss in a single episode? Listen to find out, as Role Calling examines Christian Bale's performance as Laurie in Gillian Armstrong's 1994 adaptation of Louisa May Alcott's iconic novel.
Our theme music was created by Patrick Budde, and our logo was designed by Nick Wanserski. You can get in touch on Twitter (twitter.com/rolecalling) or email us at rolecalling@gmail.com.