Rom-Coms

Hairspray: Zac Efron, Part 2

Hey there, teenage Baltimore! Don't change that channel, 'cause it's time for the Role Calling podcast, brought to you by Ultra Clutch Hairspray!
After bursting onto the scene as an aughts teen heartthrob in High School Musical, Zac Efron got a chance to put his spin on a 1960s teen heartthrob too — in the 2007 movie musical Hairspray. How does his work as Link Larkin hold up today? And how does this movie as a whole hold up today? Caroline and Ned get into the good, the bad, and the John Travolta of it all in the latest installment of their "Zac Efron: Oops, All Musicals" series.
Watch Seth Rudetsky break down James Marsden's performance of "It's Hairspray" 
Our theme music was created by Patrick Budde, and our logo was designed by Nick Wanserski. You can also follow us on Twitter or Instagram (both @rolecalling) or email us at rolecalling@gmail.com.

High School Musical: Zac Efron, Part 1

It's the start of something new! This week, Caroline and Ned launch their brand new series on the one and only mid-aughts icon, Zac Efron. And to help them revisit his breakout turn as Troy Bolton in High School Musical, they're joined by special guest and HSM aficionado Zoë Maltby.
Together the trio dig into all things East High, from the highs and lows of the trilogy to the irresistible appeal of Troy Bolton to the high-camp of Ryan and Sharpay. Plus they share their nostalgic memories of the franchise, discuss the cinematic brilliance of "Bet On It" and just generally have one of the most in-depth discussions of a Disney Channel Original Movie series ever recorded.
What team?!? Wildcats!
You can follow Zoë on Twitter and Instagram (both @captainmaltby), as well as on Letterboxd. And donate to her short film via Venmo: @zoemaltby
Our theme music was created by Patrick Budde, and our logo was designed by Nick Wanserski. You can also follow us on Twitter or Instagram (both @rolecalling) or email us at rolecalling@gmail.com.

Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down!: Antonio Banderas, Part 2

Before Antonio Banderas was a Hollywood icon, he was an early muse for Spanish director Pedro Almodóvar. And this week, Ned and Caroline look at all five of their 1980s collaborations, anchored by Antonio's sexy/scary turn as a kidnapper in 1989's Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down! And since the hosts are very much novices when it comes to these films, there was only one person they could ask to guest on this episode: Noted Almodóvar expert and enthusiast Manish Mathur!
Together, the trio chat through films like Matador, Law of Desire and Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown. Plus they hash out what makes Almodóvar such a special filmmaker and how he sees Antonio Banderas in a different way than Hollywood does.
You can follow Manish on Twitter (@vertigay314) and Letterboxd. And listen to his podcasts It Pod To Be You and Queer And Now — especially the episodes on Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down! and Pain and Glory.
Our theme music was created by Patrick Budde, and our logo was designed by Nick Wanserski. You can also follow us on Twitter or Instagram (both @rolecalling) or email us at rolecalling@gmail.com.

The Mask of Zorro: Antonio Banderas, Part 1

Don your masks and saddle your horses, it's time to tackle the classic (and maybe unfairly forgotten) 1990s swashbuckling adventure, The Mask of Zorro! This week, Ned and Caroline kick off their brand new Antonio Banderas series with arguably his most iconic big screen performance to date. And they enlist their friend and fellow Zorro fan Jon Harrison to help them do it.
From playful performances to smokin' hot romances, the trio go deep on what makes this film so special. And Ned should know, he's spent a lifetime championing this former childhood fav. 
Also, we forgot to mention it in the episode, but we have a brand new Instagram account! Follow us there, where we're @rolecalling.
Our theme music was created by Patrick Budde, and our logo was designed by Nick Wanserski. You can also follow us on Twitter (@rolecalling) or email us at rolecalling@gmail.com.

You’ve Got Mail: Meg Ryan, Part 5

"I turn on my computer. I wait impatiently as it connects. I go online, and my breath catches in my chest until I hear three little words: You've got podcast."
This week, Caroline and Ned bring their Meg Ryan series to a close with the 1998 rom-com classic, You've Got Mail. The last in Ryan's trilogy of romances with both Tom Hanks and Nora Ephron, this one adapts a decades-old story for the AOL age. So how does it hold up today? And what happened to Meg Ryan after her '90s heyday? Ned and Caroline break it all down while raising one last toast to the rom-com queen herself.
Stuff we reference in this episode:
Caroline's column about You've Got Mail
Meg Ryan's 2019 interview with The New York Times
Meg Ryan's 2006 interview with Oprah
The 1990 People Magazine article about the Dennis/Meg breakup
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.

Anastasia: Meg Ryan, Part 4

Once upon a December, Caroline and Ned were strangers, starting out on a journey, never dreaming how their dreams would come true. Now here they are, podcasting about Meg Ryan's voice performance in the much-loved (non-Disney) princess animated fairy tale, Anastasia.
To help them take this journey to the past, they enlist the expertise of Dr. Sam Summers (@samsummers0), animation academic and co-host of the excellent podcast Disniversity. The trio chat about the wild, weird career of director Don Bluth; the unique animation style of Anastasia; and, of course, the "cultural semiotics" of Meg Ryan's casting!
Listen to Disniversity wherever you get your podcasts (https://linktr.ee/disniversity), follow the show on Twitter (@Disniversity), and buy Sam's book, DreamWorks Animation: Intertextuality and Aesthetics in Shrek and Beyond.
Our theme music was created by Patrick Budde, and our logo was designed by Nick Wanserski. You can get in touch on Twitter (@rolecalling) or email us at rolecalling@gmail.com.

Sleepless In Seattle: Meg Ryan, Part 3

Volcano cult classics aside, Sleepless In Seattle is really the movie that made Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks an iconic rom-com duo — which is funny considering they only share one scene together! This week, Caroline and Ned look back on the feel-good '90s favorite that is low-key pretty high-concept. Plus they reveal how they've personally crossed paths with the Hanks family.
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.

Joe Versus the Volcano: Meg Ryan, Part 2

Before Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks became a beloved rom-com couple in Sleepless In Seattle and You've Got Mail, they starred in the kooky adventure romance, Joe Versus the Volcano — a cult classic if there ever was one. This week, Caroline and Ned delve into this wackadoo little John Patrick Shanley movie, and sing the praises of not one but three separate Meg Ryan performances.
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.

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.

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.