#13: How a Hollywood Legend Got Fit at 60 | Brian Koppelman
episodePreviously titled “How a Hollywood Writer Got Fit at 60, Beat Anxiety & Outworked Resistance” — renamed by the publisher on Sep 15, 2026
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What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
Hey guys, it's us, the Jonas Brothers. I'm Joe. I'm Kevin. And I'm Nick. And guess what? We created our own podcast called Hey Jonas. We invented a podcast? Well, we didn't invent it. We just contributed to it. We're the first people to do podcasts. We get to ask other people questions because we're sick and tired of being asked questions. Well, sick and tired is a strong way to put it, but you know. Tired and sick. Tired and sick. Listen to Hey Jonas on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Just listen. We don't care where you hear it.
Another podcast from some SNL late night comedy guy. Not quite. On Humor Me with Robert Smigel and Friends, me and hilarious guests from Bob Odenkirk to David Letterman help make you funnier. This week, my guests, SNL's Mikey Day and head writer Streeter Seidel, help an acapella band with their between songs banter. Where does your group perform? We do some retirement homes. Those people are starving for banter. Listen to Humor Me with Robert Smigel and friends on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
The story I told myself can then shape my behavior, and that can lead me to sabotage the possibility of connection.
This Mental Health Awareness Month, tune into the podcast Deeply Well with Debbie Brown. If you've been searching for a soft place to land while doing the work to become whole, this podcast is for you. To hear more, listen to Deeply Well with Debbie Brown from the Black Effect Podcast Network on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. This is Saigon, the story of my family and of the country that shaped us. From iHeart Podcasts, Saigon. You don't think I'm serious about a free Vietnam? One city, a divided country, and the war that tore America apart. This is for Vietnam. They're pouring petrol all over here. Freedom for Vietnam! There's a fire coming to this country and it's going to burn out everything.
Listen to Saigon on the iHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Welcome to 2%, I'm your host, Michael Easter. Now, let me say something. It is one thing to get fit and healthy when you're in your 20s, you have a low stress job, you have no kids, but it is a completely other thing when you are in your 50s, you have kids, and you have one of the most high profile and demanding jobs in the world. But it turns out today's guest was able to do just that. I'm going to be talking to Brian Koppelman. Brian is probably best known for his work in the film industry. So he wrote the movie Rounders. He also wrote Ocean's 13. And he also wrote the television show Billions, which ran for seven seasons. But when he was in his 50s, he had this moment on a tennis court in New York that
It changed everything. A really scary moment. And it kickstarted him to make some really hard changes. He's completely fixed his health. He's one of the strongest 60-year-olds I know. And I know this for a fact because we recently met up in New York City. We went to the gym. We trained. And this guy is fit, and I love him for it. So we're gonna talk to Brian about a lot of things, about getting fit in his 50s, about what he's learned in the weight room. We're also gonna talk to him about creativity and writing, how to overcome writer's block, and why talking to people that you don't know, that you may not necessarily agree with, can be a path to learn more and think differently. Really, this is just a big episode about how to live a better life from a really insightful human being that I love.
So with all that said, we're gonna bring in Brian right now. Well, Brian, my man, welcome to the show. I'm psyched we're doing this.
I'm so happy to talk to you, man. I really am. It's getting warmer than when you and I took our walk in Manhattan a few months ago.
Yes, it is. So you just turned 60 on Monday. And in honor of that, you posted a video of yourself with a heavy pack walking upstairs, which I absolutely approve of. Now, I feel like maybe five years ago, this is something you, one, wouldn't have done.
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Chapters
8 chapters
1
What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
0:00–10:32
2
What sparked Brian Koppelman's health transformation at 60?
10:32–14:48
3
How did Brian Koppelman overcome resistance in his fitness journey?
14:48–15:11
4
What lessons did Brian learn about creativity and writer's block?
15:11–16:40
5
How does Brian Koppelman view the relationship between fitness and creativity?
16:40–25:08
6
How did Brian Koppelman integrate meditation into his routine?
25:08–25:39
7
What role did anxiety play in Brian's life and work?
25:39–40:05
8
What insights does Brian share about the importance of community?
40:05–1:36:55
Speakers
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#43: Avoiding Anxiety Makes it Stronger & Relationship Rules | Dr. John Delony