This week on Reclaiming, we sit down with Michael Urie—actor, producer, and director whose career has been shaped by sharp comedy, emotional range, and a deep love of the stage and screen. In this conversation, Michael reflects on the lasting impact of Ugly Betty, what it meant to play a character who resonated so deeply with audiences, and how those early television years helped define his voice as a performer. He opens up about his unconventional path into acting—the power of the ACT after bombing the SATs—and how that second chance ultimately led him to Juilliard, along with the expectations and stereotypes that often come with elite training.

We also explore his annual festival Pride Plays and why creating intentional space for LGBTQ+ artists feels increasingly vital in a media landscape dominated by algorithms and influencers. And just in case things get too serious, Michael also gives Monica permission to call him “Mikey,” finishes the rest of her banana, and proves once and for all that Mikey will eat anything.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week on Reclaiming, Monica sits down with author Elise Loehnen and coach Courtney Smith for a conversation about goodness, desire, and the new "workbook" they co-authored "Choosing Wholeness Over Goodness" . Elise reflects on the ideas behind her other book “On Our Best Behavior” and the cultural pressure for women to be selfless, disciplined, and “good,” while Courtney explains how those inherited beliefs settle into the body and quietly steer our choices. Together they explore Enneagram types and how understanding our dominant type and wing can illuminate the fears driving our behavior, the drama triangle and the roles we slip into without noticing, and the surprising insight within envy and wanting. They talk about the fear of losing approval when we step out of line, the shame that gathers around desire, and the courage it takes to name what we truly need.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week on Reclaiming, Monica sits down with bestselling author Harlan Coben for a conversation about risk, and the emotional heart that anchors every twist he writes. Harlan reflects on the fear and curiosity that led him to co-author a book with Reese Witherspoon, the childhood losses that shaped his most beloved characters, and the belief that pressure is a privilege for any creative life. He opens up about the hotel key he still keeps from his father, why thrillers only work when readers care deeply, and how boredom, insecurity, and paying attention to human behavior quietly fuel his work. Together, they explore grief, humor, the lives we imagine, and the stories that keep us tethered to one another.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.