Work in Progress with Sophia Bush

With polarization on the rise, some may start feeling helpless and hopeless, but there's a beacon of hope on the horizon...an international organization actively working towards global peace. Shamil Idriss, CEO of Search for Common Ground, a non-profit that works to stabilize conflict zones and heal communities, joins Sophia to talk about the mission of the organization, the impact of their work, transforming conflict into cooperation, the five vital pillars to determine a healthy society, the power of using your voice to push for change, and what is essential for peacebuilding. For more information on Search for Common Ground and how you can contribute to their mission, visit sfcg.orgSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Academy Award-winning actress Natalie Portman has displayed her versatility on the big screen, tackling a wide range of roles in films like May December, Thor, Black Swan, and the Star Wars franchise. Now, she is taking her talents to the small screen! Natalie joins Sophia to discuss her role in the Apple TV+ miniseries "Lady in the Lake," including why now was the right time to make her TV debut, admitting one of her biggest fears, using 'dream work' as a preparation tool for the project, her role behind the scenes and the impetus for starting her own production company. Natalie and Sophia also chat about the importance of celebrating other people's accomplishments, their 'work in progress,' and the exciting projects on the horizon!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

"Younger" and "The Walking Dead: World Beyond" star Nico Tortorella grew up in a hockey family but was bit by the acting bug at the age of nine and never looked back. The actor, musician, and author joins Sophia for a candid chat about his struggles with fame and alcoholism, using creativity as an outlet, his new music, and his children's book inspired by fatherhood. Plus, he shares how his latest film, "The Mattachine Family," helped him cope with his family's own fertility struggles. Sophia and Nico find common ground together as they open up about their respective journeys of self-discovery and coming out, and how each of them believes in using their platforms to advocate for others.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Actor Amit Rahav has been making waves in Hollywood with high-profile projects, including a World War II drama close to his heart. The actor joins Sophia to chat about his journey to becoming an actor, the pressure he felt playing the first LGBTQ+ character to come out on a TV show in Israel, finding success in Netflix's critically praised miniseries, "Unorthodox," starring in Hulu's limited series, "We Were the Lucky Ones," and why the WWII drama is very personal to him and very relevant today. Plus, Amit reveals the type of project he would like to do next!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Power couple Tig Notaro and Stephanie Allynne are talented multi-hyphenates who can do it all! Comedy, acting, writing, producing, and now directing! The duo joins Sophia to chat about co-directing their first feature film, "Am I OK?" starring Dakota Johnson. The film follows the journey of a woman who doesn't realize until her 30s that she is gay, a story that Sophia and Stephanie admit they can relate to. Stephanie and Tig also discuss how the project came to them, what it was like working together and calling the shots, and the story of how they met and fell in love! It's a meet-cute involving a Canadian wool sweater -- that coincidentally Sophia also has in her wardrobe!  "Am I OK" is streaming now on Max.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Comedian Alex Edelman is having a moment in the spotlight. Yet, he admits his 8-year-old self would never believe he works in an industry that requires talking in front of so many people. The writer, producer, and comic joins Sophia to talk about how he got his start in comedy and the journey from open mic nights to Broadway with his highly acclaimed show "Just For Us". He dives into the valuable lessons he learned while crafting the show and how he felt receiving a Special Tony Award for his work.   The comedian also discusses his criteria for choosing jobs, his distinct pet peeve, and what he's looking for in his next relationship! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

He lit up the small screen as Kurt Hummel in the mega-hit show "Glee," and now he's lighting up the literary world with his diverse young adult novels! Actor, singer, and best-selling author Chris Colfer joins Sophia to talk about the grueling and challenging process of being on Glee, what terrified him about playing Kurt, and his struggles with perfectionism. He shares how writing became his escape, and how it kept him sane throughout his time on Glee! Chris also reveals he would love to tackle Broadway someday, offers advice for those who want to break into the industry, and discusses the inspiration behind his new sci-fi book, "Roswell Johnson Saves the World!" available in bookstores now!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's Q&A time! Sophia is back, answering listener questions, including how she deals with stress, the women in her life who inspire her, the show she had the most fun on (you might be surprised), life lessons she learned from some of her jobs, and why she's happier than she's ever been! Plus, we learn Sophia's biggest pet peeve of all time, preferred self-care treatment, her favorite song on Cowboy Carter, who her one call from jail would be, and whether she's yay or nay on a One Tree Hill reunion!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For over three decades, Grammy and Oscar-winning rockstar Melissa Etheridge has dazzled audiences across the globe. Now, she is lighting up the Broadway stage with her one-woman act.  The rock icon joins Sophia to talk about her journey from a kid in the midwest with a guitar to a globe-trotting hitmaker, how her critically acclaimed stage show came about, the decision to open up about her son's passing in her memoir, and growing up in the '60s and '70s, and the consequences of coming out then versus now.  Plus, Melissa is going on tour again this spring! How she feels about hitting the road again, and details about her upcoming special coming to Paramount+ soon. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.