This week, Tommy is joined by Tom Daley, one of the greatest divers in the world. Tom’s remarkable journey to becoming a five-time Olympic medalist is captured in the new documentary, TOM DALEY: 1.6 SECONDS. In this doc, he gives us an intimate look at the challenges of growing up in the public eye, facing physical and mental pressures of being his countries big medal hope, tragically losing his father Robert to cancer, coming out in the media, the decision to retire from the competition at the age of 30, and glimpses into his home and family life. Tom is not only a sporting legend, but he is also a champion for important social issues. Today, Tom opens up about that photo from the Olympics that went viral, the pressure that comes with nailing those 1.6 seconds of a dive, who he is without a professional diving career, one of the biggest misconceptions about him, what his relationship with grief is like today, how growing up gay caused him to put other people’s feelings before his own, how one wink face changed the course of his love life, why one misquoted headline led him to create his coming out video on YouTube, the fear his former management placed in him about being an out athlete, his advice for anyone struggling with their identity or sexuality, the struggles he faced with his body image over the course of his career, why he can’t escape the question of if he is really retired, if coaching every interests him in the future, a parenting struggle that he has never shared before, and so much more.
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This week, Tommy is joined by Nick Jonas and Adrienne Warren who are currently starring in the beloved Broadway show, THE LAST FIVE YEARS. Nick’s story as one-third of the iconic Jonas Brothers has remained very well documented given the band’s massive global success. He’s also a wildly popular solo artist, has starred in blockbuster hit movies and TV shows, and is no stranger to the stage. Adrienne is a fierce singer, actress and dancer who is perhaps best known for her Tony Award-winning performance as Tina Turner in Broadway’s TINA: THE TINA TURNER MUSICAL. She is also leaving her mark in Hollywood, appearing in RUSTIN with Colman Domingo and THE WOMAN KING with Viola Davis. Together, they are making magic in THE LAST FIVE YEARS. Today, Nick and Adrienne open up about why they absolutely had to be a part of this production, the deeply personal connection Adrienne has to her character Cathy, how being a part of The Jonas Brothers influences and affects the work Nick does on a Broadway stage, if it’s hard for them to remain present given the fast-pace nature of their lives, the moments of the show they treasure, how they established trust in one another in and out of work, what Nick said early on to Adrienne that set the tone for their friendship, if they have any goofy pre-show rituals, if they felt the pressure to prove themselves with stepping into roles that fans have loved since the show’s inception, if they pull from their real lives in their performances, and so much more. This is a special edition episode of my podcast because this interview is from an event I moderated, presented by the prestigious 92nd Street Y New York. The 92nd Street Y New York is a world class center for arts and innovation. They offer extensive in-person and online classes and events, including live talks, concerts, and dance performances.
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This week, Tommy is joined by actress Melissa O’Neil who plays Sergeant Lucy Chen in ABC’s THE ROOKIE. Melissa has been a fan-favorite character over the course of seven seasons of this smash hit series, and she will be returning for a highly anticipated eighth season. You may also know and love Melissa from playing the lead role in the Syfy Channel series, DARK MATTER. At 16, Melissa was the youngest and first female winner of Canadian Idol and went on to become a platinum selling recording artist. She also has performed on Broadway in both Les Miserables and Jesus Christ Superstar. Today, Melissa opens up about that cliffhanger in the season seven finale, what she thinks might happen for Lucy and Tim next season, what it’s been like creating a beloved on-screen relationship with co-star Eric Winter, what she has most learned about herself since starting on THE ROOKIE, if there was ever a time in her career when she was uncomfortable with a scene, how she learned to communicate her concerns, the parts of playing Lucy that are both easy and harder for her, some of her favorite moments for Lucy, her reaction to Lucy being promoted to Sergeant, if she ever tries to give the writers ideas about her character, what she would want Lucy’s endgame to be, if she has the itch to do Broadway again, some of her dream roles, what her perfect day off is, how she maintains a positive outlook, something powerful she has never said before, and so much more.

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