Elizabeth Day

I'm aware that we're coming to the end, but there's a piece that you wrote which is sort of connected to what happened after this, after you acquired all of this knowledge through this process of failure.

And then you wrote these hit movies.

Yes.

But then you became a director and a showrunner and you wrote this terrific piece that even if no one wants to become a director listening to this, is so relatable for so many women in particular.

And it's about having the power to ask.

I regret a few things in my life, you wrote, but I should have directed sooner.

When I think about how challenging it was for me after a lot of success in the business to stick my hand up, I think how hard it is when you feel like you're too young or too female or too quiet or too non-white guy or too lacking a college education or film degree, whatever is preventing others from seeing you as a director."

You wrote a tweet about this.

In the tweet, when I say men ask, I'm painting with a crude brush.

A finer point on it would be to say there are people who feel entitled to do the job of directing because of their background or education or position in the socioeconomic hierarchy or because their parents put all their finger painting up on the fridge.

And so they ask and you got to ask.

It's so brilliant, that piece.

Thank you.

Where did you find the courage finally to ask and to show up as the powerhouse that you are now?

What an empowering and brilliant note to end on.

That idea of a wish also being fear, like repackaging fear as a dream, a signal towards your dream.

And that bracing advice that she gave you and the bracing advice that you're passing on.

I very much enjoyed my hour at the Brosh McKenna finishing school.

I cannot thank you enough for coming on How to Fail.

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