Talkhouse Podcast Nobody's Ever Asked Me That: Desiree Akhavan
12 snips
Jul 7, 2026 Desiree Akhavan, writer, director, actor and memoirist behind Appropriate Behavior and You're Embarrassing Yourself, talks about returning to Japan for inspiration and the formative Osaka exchange. She recalls her first memory learning to swim, how collaborations reshaped her work, coping with uncertainty through writing and routines, and discovering joy beyond validation during creative transition.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
A Partnership That Reshaped Her Career
- Meeting Cecilia Frugiole in London was a creative dividing line that changed Desiree's life because it was the first equal, non-hierarchical collaboration she experienced.
- That partnership produced her first short film and shifted her from feeling invisible to feeling seen.
Writing As a Mirror For Grief
- Writing the Farsi-language film acted as a mirror to Desiree's and her mother's grief, guiding her emotional development rather than 'healing' it.
- Extended years of rewriting let the project take on a life of its own and usher her into a new stage.
Daily Routines To Manage Creative Uncertainty
- To cope with uncertainty, Desiree journals and writes daily while engaging body and mind through swimming, walking, or other routines.
- She emphasizes small daily practices that provide structure when work and external validation are absent.
