“Podcasting” has becoming a popular hobby in the entertainment industry. For those not familiar, a podcast is a program made available in digital format for download over the Internet. The most popular platforms include Spotify and Apple, but there are plenty of others across the web. A podcast series usually features one or more recurring hosts engaged in a discussion about a particular topic or current event. Discussion and content within a podcast can range from scripted to improvised. There are also the rare occurrences where famous actors voice characters in podcasts that are narrative fiction. Oscar Isaac, for example, starred in Homecoming and then Case 63, which also featured Oscar-winner Julianne Moore.
But a more common podcast trend in Hollywood is actors hosting their own ongoing series featuring general discussions about particular topics. Numerous A-listers have broadened their reach with the exciting new(ish) audio platform over the years. Read below for a closer look at some of the best we’ve seen. As you’ll notice, the podcasts on our list cover a broad range of styles and content.
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6 The Lohdown with Lindsay Lohan (2022-)
Studio71
Before her big comeback with the new Netflix film Falling for Christmas, Lindsay Lohan was all over podcast platforms. Having kicked off earlier this year, The Lohdown offers “the ultimate guide to living fully,” with Lohan on air and sharing the things, people, places, and ideas that she loves. Topics range from undiscovered music to global causes that need our attention. Each week is filled with stories that span the world of entertainment to everyday makeup and beauty tips. With The Lohdown, the Mean Girls star is seemingly living her best life and wants to bring us along for the ride. In a recent episode from September, Lohan chats it up with George Young, her scene-stealing Falling for Chistmas co-star. Talk about a Lohan comeback — remember that epic Super Bowl commercial she did earlier this year?
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
5 SmartLess with Jason Bateman, Sean Hayes, and Will Arnett (2020-)
Wondery
Ozark star Jason Bateman, Will & Grace scene-stealer Sean Hayes, and Lego Batman himself Will Arnett came together a couple years ago for something special they call SmartLess. The podcast connects and unites people from all walks of life to learn about shared experiences through thoughtful dialogue and organic hilarity. In each episode, one of the hosts reveals his mystery guest to the other two. What ensues is a genuinely improvised and authentic conversation filled with laughter and newfound knowledge. Past guests include Sigourney Weaver, Keke Palmer, and Kumail Nanjiani.
4 The Left Ear with Dakota Johnson (2019)
MRC
Sexual assault is a difficult subject to speak about, but media platforms over the years have created an outlet for people to share their stories with hopes of ensuring the rights of everyone (women and girls, in particular, who are disproportionately affected) are no longer violated. Hosted by Dakota Johnson, The Left Ear was short-lived a few years ago, but that doesn’t mean the content left its mark on the platform. The podcast features stories of assault, abuse, and harassment from survivors around the globe.
“I asked women and girls around the world to call me and leave a voicemail telling their stories of sexual violence, harassment, and gender based inequalities," Johnson once wrote on Instagram in a post that went viral. “I didn’t want to speak on their behalf, I wanted to listen to them. This is The Left Ear. A podcast where you will find the voicemails I listened to.”
3 Bunny Ears with Macaulay Culkin (2018-19)
Google
Join Home Alone star Macaulay Culkin and a cavalcade of special guests, friends, and sworn enemies as they chat about whatever. Comedy sketches, frank discussions, music, and more. In one episode of Bunny Ears, legendary skateboarder Tony Hawk opens up about his battle scars and those iconic video games we still talk about. In another, comedian Jeff Ross does yoga and sings to Culkin. The late, great Bob Saget is even interviewed on this podcast in 2019 — check it out!
2 Oprah’s Super Soul with Oprah Winfrey
OWN
Oscar-nominated actor and producer Oprah Winfrey’s hit podcast Oprah’s Super Soul invites you to “awaken, discover and connect to the deeper meaning of the world around you.” Hear her personal selection of interviews with best-selling authors, spiritual luminaries, and health experts. They’re designed to guide you through life’s big questions and help bring you one step closer to your best self. One highlight episode aired in January 2020, right before the COVID-19 pandemic struck, where Black Adam himself, Dwayne Johnson, sits down with Winfrey and opens up about the sudden loss of his father, his childhood, mental health, fatherhood, and fame.
1 Here’s the Thing with Alec Baldwin
Broadway Video
Between the fatal on-set Rust tragedy and his recent interview with controversial filmmaker Woody Allen, award-winning actor Alec Baldwin has been in the news this year, to say the least. In his Here’s the Thing podcast, the 30 Rock scene-stealer takes listeners into the lives of artists, policy-makers, and performers. He even goes inside the dressing rooms, apartments, and offices of people we want to understand better. Past guests include Lena Dunham, David Letterman, Barbra Streisand, and Chris Rock.
