Wild Card with Rachel Martin
Episodes
Jamie Lee Curtis
11 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Jamie Lee Curtis never wanted to be an actor. She tells Rachel, despite having famous show business parents, she originally thought she’d become a p...
Mel Robbins
04 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Mel Robbins tells Rachel that she was plagued by anxiety, trauma and “relentless self-hatred” when she was younger. Now she has a bestselling book...
Jason Reynolds (Update)
27 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
One of Apple’s top 10 podcast episodes of 2025. Jason Reynolds returns for another Wild Card question about the challenge of setting an example for ...
Suleika Jaouad
20 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Suleika Jaouad has written extensively about what it means to live in the in-between – the space between sick and healthy. She’s dealt on-and-off ...
Malala Yousafzai
13 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
When Malala Yousafzai went to college, the last thing she wanted to talk about was her Nobel Prize or the Taliban attack that put her on the world sta...
Padma Lakshmi says she wouldn’t go back to her 20s
06 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Padma Lakshmi has always been deeply curious about food, and how it serves as a vehicle for celebrating the cultural diversity of America. In her new ...
Brandi Carlile
30 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Brandi Carlile sought out some alone time to work on her newest album, “Returning to Myself,” but she came out of the experience realizing she nee...
Shonda Rhimes
23 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Shonda Rhimes has created some of the most successful TV shows of the 21st century, but she says the secret to her success is not caring whether or no...
Nick Offerman
16 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Nick Offerman is an Emmy-winning actor, but that’s a small part of his identity. He’s also a woodworker, an author, and a devoted acolyte of the n...
Jeff Hiller
09 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Jeff Hiller never expected to win an Emmy. He was used to side roles like “Mexican restaurant waiter” and “frazzled salesman,” and then his bi...
Brené Brown
02 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
As a researcher and professor, Brené Brown has always sought to understand and navigate the emotions that make us human – vulnerability, shame, cou...
Matthew McConaughey
25 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Matthew McConaughey likes finding the rhythm in every role he takes – whether it’s delivering a monologue in “The Wolf of Wall Street” or a te...
Bobbi Brown doesn’t listen to men in suits about makeup
18 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
At 68 years old, Bobby Brown still has a competitive edge. She lives by the words “watch me,” which has led to her success as a makeup artist, bus...
Raphael Bob-Waksberg doesn’t forgive, but he forgets
11 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Raphael Bob-Waksberg says working in animation lets him get away with things. He’s able to dive into heavy topics, like grief and faith, without his...
Elizabeth Gilbert no longer believes she’s a bad person
04 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Elizabeth Gilbert's 2006 memoir “Eat, Pray, Love” was about her journey of self-discovery in the aftermath of a painful divorce. It was a massive ...
Ocean Vuong doesn’t erase pain from beauty
28 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The more Ocean Vuong writes, the more he sees his craft as less of a skill and more a condition. He feels compelled to pay attention to the small deta...
Harrison Ford knows how weird his life is
21 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Despite being decades into a career that can only be described as iconic, Harrison Ford is still experiencing firsts – like his first Emmy nominatio...
Our favorite Memory Time Machine trips
14 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
At the end of each Wild Card episode, Rachel invites guests to take a trip in our Memory Time Machine and revisit a moment they wouldn’t like to cha...
LeVar Burton is learning to embrace the chaos (encore)
07 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
LeVar Burton has three roles he'll forever be known for: Kunta Kinte on the TV series Roots, Geordi La Forge on Star Trek: The Next Generation and hos...
Father James Martin is okay with not being liked
31 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Father James Martin has become one of the most well-known Catholic priests in the U.S, in part due to his appearances on "The Late Show with Stephen C...
Aparna Nancherla doesn't know why she's here
24 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Anxiety has always played a major role in Aparna Nancherla's comedy — whether she's joking about her internal preoccupations, or fighting stage frig...
Congress has voted to eliminate government funding for public media
18 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Act now to ensure public media remains free and accessible to all. Your donation will help this essential American service survive and thrive. Visit d...
Marc Maron would still like some validation
17 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Marc Maron can project cynical misanthrope, but those who have spent countless hours listening to him know that his secret weapon is his vulnerability...
Celine Song is troubled by love
10 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Celine Song's films, "Past Lives" and "Materialists," invite the viewer to just slow down. To take in the silence, a gaze, the moments in between word...
Jenny Han insists on hope
03 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Jenny Han feels like the same person as her teenage self – which might explain why her books and their adaptations connect so strongly with teen aud...
Michelle Obama doesn't regret saying 'no'
26 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Michelle Obama says she's never truly been able to realize her own ambition. But now she's changing that. She's saying "no" to what's expected of her ...
What Kyle MacLachlan learned from his friend David Lynch
22 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Kyle MacLachlan says he wouldn't have a career without his friend and longtime collaborator David Lynch, who died earlier this year. His first gig was...
Kyle MacLachlan daydreams about the future
19 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Kyle MacLachlan is known for his iconic roles in David Lynch classics like "Blue Velvet" and "Twin Peaks," but he's reinvented himself again and again...
Jason Reynolds loves being a "crybaby"
12 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Jason Reynolds writes stories that don't talk down to kids. In young adult books like "Long Way Down," "Ghost" and two Miles Morales Spider-Man novels...
Orville Peck killed his impostor syndrome
05 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Orville Peck is full of apparent contradictions. As a kid in South Africa, he went from dancing ballet to playing drums in a punk band. He loves music...
Ramy Youssef wants to make it weird
29 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Ramy Youssef's creative pursuits range from stand-up to his semi-biographical Hulu show, "Ramy," to his new animated series, "#1 Happy Family USA." In...
Mike Birbiglia doesn't think every setup needs a punchline
22 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
When Mike Birbiglia tells a story, he tries to make it relatable to everyone in the audience – whether it's tapping into his childhood anxiety, rela...
Jonathan Groff lost his faith while spelunking
15 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Jonathan Groff has brought his killer vocals and Disney-hero charm to Broadway hits like "Spring Awakening," "Hamilton" and "Merrily We Roll Along." H...
Wanda Sykes is looking for higher stakes
08 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Wanda Sykes life has been defined by one act of courage after another. Leaving a safe career for comedy, getting divorced, coming out and surviving br...
'Weird Al' Yankovic is the most normal person in show business
01 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
When Weird Al's debut single, "My Bologna," came out, there wasn't really a model for how a parody artist could have any longevity in their career. Ye...
Joy Harjo thinks writing can heal regret
24 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Joy Harjo is one of the most revered poets in the United States, but she took a winding path to get there. The former U.S. poet laureate spoke with Ra...
Brett Goldstein avoids emotions at all costs
17 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Don't be fooled by Brett Goldstein's grumpy exterior – he can't resist a big, open-hearted story. You see it in the TV shows he's acted in and helpe...
Julianne Nicholson just wants everyone to take a beat
10 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Anyone who has seen Julianne Nicholson in "Mare of Easttown" or "Janet Planet" knows she is really good at portraying grief. In her new show "Paradise...
Elizabeth Olsen idolizes idleness
03 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Elizabeth Olsen is most famous for her role as Wanda Maximoff in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. But she says her own taste is reflected in indie films...
John Green still has hope
27 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
John Green keeps busy – from authoring blockbuster young adult novels like "The Fault in Our Stars," to running a YouTube empire with his brother H...
Uzo Aduba can do anything... except for the butterfly stroke
20 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
From a young age, Uzo Aduba's parents taught her that she could do anything. That confidence has led to some iconic performances – from Suzanne "Cra...
For Natasha Rothwell improv is like prayer
13 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Natasha Rothwell can't help but collaborate. She honed her improv skills at the Tokyo Comedy Store which led her to roles in memorable ensemble casts ...
Zadie Smith lives more in the world than on the page
06 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
London today is very different from the one Zadie Smith grew up in and the one she wrote about in her debut novel "White Teeth." That is just one of t...
Bowen Yang thinks being present is overrated (encore)
27 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This week we're revisiting our episode with comedian Bowen Yang. The "SNL" cast member and "Las Culturistas" podcast co-host had a big year between be...
Natalie Morales is trying to shake the "should"
20 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
When Natalie Morales was a kid growing up in Miami, she didn't just have a mango stand, she ran an entire mango monopoly. She's dreamed big ever since...
Ronny Chieng is still chasing the perfect joke
13 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Comedian Ronny Chieng's original path wasn't to become a correspondent on "The Daily Show." Plan A was to be a lawyer in Australia. But when he couldn...
Ke Huy Quan is still proving he's good enough
06 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Ke Huy Quan was born in Vietnam, but his family fled the country and eventually settled in the U.S. as refugees. Not long after arriving, Quan was cas...
Jesse Eisenberg sprinkles trouble throughout his day
30 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Jesse Eisenberg plays characters who spend a lot of time in their heads grappling with anxiety, fear and insecurity. You can see it in "The Squid and ...
Michael Shannon thinks you look ridiculous when you shout
23 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Michael Shannon grew up a kid of divorced parents, shuttling between Kentucky and Illinois and never quite fitting in. In his conversation with Rachel...
Remembering David Lynch — Producer's Cut
16 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
David Lynch, the visionary filmmaker behind "Mulholland Drive," "Eraserhead" and "Twin Peaks" has died. We're remembering him with a listen back to hi...
The light and dark of Ted Danson (encore)
16 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
We're listening back this week to our conversation with actor Ted Danson. Ted seems like he's everywhere these days. He's the host of the podcast, "Wh...
Kate Bowler wants to tame her inner efficiency monster
09 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Duke professor Kate Bowler was 35 years old when she was diagnosed with Stage IV cancer. Her memoir about the experience, "Everything Happens for a Re...
Michelle Buteau thought she was too happy for stand-up
02 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
When you see Michelle Buteau perform, she gives off a blended vibe of, "Oh my god, I can't believe I'm here!" and also, "Of course I am here!" Last ye...
BONUS - Wild Card in the Wild
26 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Usually for this show, Rachel is in the NPR studio in Washington, D.C., and the guests are famous people in another studio. But Rachel recently brough...
Wild Card: Best of the deck
26 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
As 2024 winds down, we're sharing some of our favorite answers from the earliest Wild Card episodes.To listen sponsor-free, access bonus episodes and ...
Barry Jenkins chooses to believe in chaos
19 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Barry Jenkins is best known for indie films like "If Beale Street Could Talk" and "Moonlight." Now he's helming Disney's "Mufasa: The Lion King." He t...
Ilana Glazer is connecting with their inner animal
12 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
2024 has been a big year for Ilana Glazer. First they co-wrote and co-starred in "Babes." Now, they have a new stand-up special coming out on Hulu, ca...
Ilana Glazer on responsibility and a belief John Lithgow let go of
12 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Comedian Ilana Glazer talks about being prepared at a young age for grown-up responsibilities and John Lithgow discusses a belief he had to let go of....
John Lithgow just wants a good ending
05 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Everyone has their own role that made them fall in love with John Lithgow. It could be "Footloose" or "Shrek" or "3rd Rock from the Sun." And as he ap...
Ira Glass plays a nicer version of himself on the radio
28 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In the world of podcasts and radio, Ira Glass is a legend. But he tells Rachel that he doesn't think about his legacy. He makes his show, "This Americ...
BONUS - Sandra Cisneros is in her 'magical mystery period'
26 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Sandra Cisneros is best known for her debut novel, The House on Mango Street, which follows a year in the life of a young Chincana girl. For the 40th ...
Jimmy O. Yang can't take a compliment
21 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Jimmy O. Yang finds his own success unlikely. He says as an Asian-American immigrant, he "snuck in" to show business. He's worked his way from bit par...
Erykah Badu's goals are intentionally unreachable
14 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Erykah Badu is best known for her music career, but her resume is much more diverse than that. She's an actor, who can be seen now in The Piano Lesson...
Ann Patchett wants to be wrong
07 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Ann Patchett's 2001 novel Bel Canto was a huge hit. She's continued to have success with her later work, including The Dutch House, which was a Pulitz...
Kathryn Hahn feels more powerful than ever
31 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Kathryn Hahn can turn a supporting role into the most memorable part of a movie or TV show. In everything from Step Brothers to Parks and Recreation t...
Seth Meyers likes being the punchline
24 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
When Seth Meyers started at Saturday Night Live, he saw pictures of famous former cast members on the wall and was convinced he had to become an actor...
Mark Duplass is greedy for the little moments
17 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Mark Duplass is known for his roles in The Morning Show and The League, as well as for writing, directing and producing indie hits with his brother Ja...
Gael García Bernal rejects certainty
10 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Gael García Bernal was basically fated to be an actor. His mom and dad were both in show business and his first starring role was in a Mexican teleno...
Margaret Atwood isn't surprised people find her scary
03 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Margaret Atwood knows that she scares people. She says that's been the case since the beginning of her career, long before her dystopian novel The Han...
Terry Crews likes feeling small in the universe
26 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Terry Crews went to college on an art scholarship, played football in the NFL, and now stars in movies and hosts America's Got Talent. The key to his ...
Sterlin Harjo gets irrationally angry in Whole Foods
19 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
When Sterlin Harjo was growing up, he didn't see many Native Americans in mainstream media. But Sterlin's TV show, Reservation Dogs, changed that, dep...
Hanif Abdurraqib is a 'genius.' His friends aren't impressed
12 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Hanif Abdurraqib's writing has earned him a MacArthur "genius" grant. His most recent book, There's Always This Year: On Basketball and Ascension, lan...
Kacey Musgraves is trying to get right with time
05 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
From the beginning of her career, Grammy-winning musician Kacey Musgraves has been doing what feels authentic to herself. She sings about familiar cou...
Jeff Goldblum invites the surprise
29 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Jeff Goldblum has a special brand of charisma — the kind that seeps its way into all of his roles. Whether it's in The Fly or Independence Day or Ju...
Rob Delaney loves to fail
22 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Rob Delaney has experienced great success as a comedian and actor. He created and starred in the acclaimed TV series Catastrophe and he's been feature...
Jenny Slate turns fear inside out (encore)
15 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Jenny Slate is known for her roles in Obvious Child, Marcel the Shell with Shoes On and Parks and Recreation. Jenny opens up to Rachel about whether f...
Taffy Brodesser-Akner is finally home
08 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Taffy Brodesser-Akner built her journalism career with her incisive celebrity profiles and then found additional success with two novels that examine ...
Abby Wambach wants to be forgotten
01 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
As the U.S. women's national soccer team's all time top goal scorer, Abby Wambach knows what it feels like to win. She's brought home a World Cup and ...
Ani DiFranco found power in scaring people
25 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Musician Ani DiFranco has never stopped growing as an artist. In the last year alone, she starred in the Broadway production of Hadestown, was feature...
LeVar Burton is learning to embrace the chaos
18 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
LeVar Burton has three roles he'll forever be known for: Kunta Kinte on the TV series Roots, Geordi La Forge on Star Trek: The Next Generation and hos...
Nikki Giovanni doesn't think about her legacy
11 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
At 81, Nikki Giovanni isn't afraid of getting older. And the legendary poet also isn't spending any time thinking about her legacy. She's mostly focus...
The light and dark of Ted Danson
04 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Ted Danson has mastered the role of the happy-go-lucky guy with a quick wit and a quicker smile – who nevertheless has a few cracks in his sunny dem...
Lena Waithe's religion is 'The Wizard of Oz'
27 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
At 40, Lena Waithe already has an impressive legacy, with dozens of writing, acting and production credits. She was the first Black woman to win an Em...
Taylor Tomlinson is fine with being 'perpetually afraid'
20 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Taylor Tomlinson has found the kind of success many comedians dream about, with multiple Netflix specials and a late-night hosting gig — After Midni...
A rare dive into David Lynch's mind
13 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
David Lynch doesn't do a lot of interviews. The Twin Peaks and Mulholland Drive creator usually just lets his work speak for itself. But he was excite...
Bowen Yang thinks being present is overrated
06 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Bowen Yang has had some iconic Saturday Night Live roles — the iceberg that sank the Titanic, the Chinese spy balloon, the Tiny Desk intern. And he'...
Jack Antonoff doesn't believe in 'no regrets'
30 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Jack Antonoff has seemingly cracked the code for producing hit albums, winning multiple Grammys for his work with artists like Lorde, Lana Del Rey and...
Ada Limón doesn't want all the answers
23 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
As U.S. Poet Laureate, Ada Limón has focused her attention on the natural world, most recently editing a collection of nature poems, titled You Are H...
Why Chris Pine gave up on being perfect
16 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Chris Pine says his directorial debut, Poolman, got "obliterated" by critics. But the Star Trek and Wonder Woman star tells Rachel that the experience...
Issa Rae thinks a little delusion goes a long way
09 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Last year, Issa Rae was in three Oscar-nominated movies (Barbie, American Fiction and Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse) and she also won a Peabody....
Jenny Slate turns fear inside out
01 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome to Wild Card with Rachel Martin. In this first episode, Rachel talks to Jenny Slate, known for her roles in Obvious Child, Marcel the Shell wi...
Welcome to Wild Card with Rachel Martin
24 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Part-interview, part-existential game show – this is Wild Card with Rachel Martin from NPR. Host Rachel Martin rips up the typical interview script ...