*Our Favorite Episodes*

When Harry Met Sally: Meg Ryan, Part 1

What happens when a single film immediately makes you America's sweetheart? That's what Caroline and Ned plan to find out as they kick off 2022 by diving into the career of the rom-com queen herself, Meg Ryan. Not only did 1989's When Harry Met Sally make Ryan a star, it also inspired an entire renaissance in rom-com filmmaking. Ned and Caroline dig into what makes this timeless classic so good, sing the praises of Ryan's comedic timing, and try not to just quote every single iconic line from this all-timer romance.
Read Caroline's column about When Harry Met Sally (avclub.com/after-when-harry-met-sally-almost-every-rom-com-tried-1823690771)
Watch Rob Reiner and Nora Ephron discuss making the film (youtu.be/q5-j7K8Mbzk)
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.

No Time To Die: Jeffrey Wright, Part 1

The name's Wright, Jeffrey Wright. And even if you don't recognize him by that moniker, you almost certainly know his face. This week, Ned and Caroline kick off their new miniseries on one of the best character actors around. And they're joined by special guest Joe Cunningham of the Cinematic Universe podcast to look at Wright's brand new big screen project: No Time To Die.
Wright's small but memorable role as Felix Leiter is one of the cornerstones of the Daniel Craig era of Bond. And Ned, Caroline, and Joe pay tribute to what makes Wright such a great bit player, while diving deep into all things 007.
You can follow Joe on Twitter (twitter.com/JoeCunningham14) and find Cinematic Universe (twitter.com/cine_verse) wherever you listen to podcasts.
Here's the short IMDb video essay on Jeffrey Wright's unusual career path: youtu.be/nWG8RBhnXf0
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.

Giant: James Dean, Part 3

James Dean may have only starred in three films, but one of them was a full-on epic. This week Caroline and Ned welcome pop culture critic Roxana Hadadi to talk about Giant, the last (and longest) film Dean ever made. The trio discuss what makes this iconic 1956 American epic so special, how it looks from the eyes of 2021, and what it's like to watch the teen idol age into an old man onscreen. Plus they chat about some behind-the-scenes gossip and share their parting thoughts on Dean's place as a Hollywood legend.
You can follow Roxana on Twitter (twitter.com/roxana_hadadi) for all her great pop culture takes.
As referenced in the episode, here's the photo of James Dean and Elizabeth Taylor practicing ballet on the set of Giant (i.pinimg.com/originals/d2/94/ee/d294ee3f8f728708c37e9a20678f23c5.jpg)
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.

Rebel Without A Cause: James Dean, Part 1

Role Calling takes a swerve into the 1950s this week, as Caroline and Ned kick off their brand new series on James Dean. The Hollywood legend and famed method actor only made three movies before his untimely death at the age of 24. And this series will cover them all, starting with his iconic turn as Jim Stark in 1955's Rebel Without A Cause. It's a conversation for fans and novices alike as the hosts dig into Dean's biography, talk through the film's unique plot structure, and share their favorite moments of Dean's stellar performance.
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.

Freaky Friday: Jamie Lee Curtis, Part 4

For those who came of age in the early 2000s, Freaky Friday was *the* introduction to Jamie Lee Curtis. And Ned and Caroline are thrilled to welcome special guest Pernell Vandyke Myers to take a nostalgic walk down memory lane to the era of pop punk and Chad Michael Murray. From Jamie's stellar performance as a teenager to the Lindsay Lohan of it all, the trio take a look at what holds up and what doesn't about this 2003 classic.
You can follow Pernell on Twitter (twitter.com/PernellVan) for all his "hornery" takes.
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 Fish Called Wanda: Jamie Lee Curtis, Part 2

After bursting onto the scene as a 1970s Scream Queen, Jamie Lee Curtis remade herself as a 1980s comedy star. And this week, Ned and Caroline welcome special guest Walls Trimble to discuss the beloved 1988 slapstick heist, A Fish Called Wanda. The trio chat pink mohair sweaters, Kevin Kline's fearless performance, and how Jamie might just steal this movie from her co-stars.
You can follow Walls on Instagram (instagram.com/trimblenator) and listen to her podcast I Have A Question With Rachel And Walls (anchor.fm/withrachelandwalls). You can also check out her vintage resale shop Honeybell Vintage (instagram.com/honeybellvintage) and hire her for all your photography needs (wallslikebuildings.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.

The Green Knight: Dev Patel, Part 5

The Summer of Dev is finally here! This week, Caroline and Ned try to make sense of David Lowery's transfixingly ambiguous medieval epic The Green Knight. Plus they share some final thoughts on Dev's career, introduce the star of their next retrospective series, and ponder "What does the fox say?"
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.

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.

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.

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.