Black Girl Nerds

In this week's episode we're back with our recaps of The Handmaid's Tale. In its final season, we will recap each and every episode. Based on the best-selling novel by Margaret Atwood, this series is set in Gilead, a totalitarian society in what used to be part of the United States. Gilead is ruled by a fundamentalist regime that treats women as property of the state, and is faced with environmental disasters and a plummeting birth rate. In a desperate attempt to repopulate a devastated world, the few remaining fertile women are forced into sexual servitude. One of these women, Offred, is determined to survive the terrifying world she lives in, and find the daughter that was taken from her. Now in its 6th and final season, BGN breaks down in weekly recaps, our thoughts behind this provocative series. Hosts: Angelica Monk and Stacey Yvonne  Music by: Sammus Edited by: Jamie Broadnax

In this week's episode of the Black Girl Nerds podcast, we chat with Genneya Walton, who plays BB Urich in Daredevil: Born Again. Genneya starred as a series regular on Kenya Barris and Rashida Jones’ Netflix series #BlackAF and was a series regular on Netflix’s Project Mc². She also had the lead role in the Storm Reid produced feature film Darby and the Dead for Disney/Hulu, and had major recurring guest star appearances on Netflix’s Never Have I Ever, Steven Spielberg’s Extant with Halle Berry, and 9-1-1 opposite Angela Bassett. Most recently, she starred in Amazon’s holiday comedy film Candy Cane Lane alongside Eddie Murphy and Tracee Ellis Ross. Host: Jamie Music by: Sammus Edited by: Jamie Broadnax

In this week's episode of the Black Girl Nerds podcast, we speak with renowned psychologist and New York Times best-selling author Dr. Thema Bryant. Dr. Thema made history in 2023 as the first Black female President of the American Psychological Association. She has a new book, 'Matters of the Heart: Healing Your Relationship with Yourself and Those You Love’, out now.  Matters of the Heart combines the wisdom of science, spirituality, and real-life experience to help readers tend to their emotional well-being and build meaningful connections. Dr. Thema provides evidence-based practices, essential relationship skills, and strategies to address common relational struggles. Host: Jamie Music by: Sammus Edited by: Jamie Broadnax

In this week's episode of the Black Girl Nerds podcast, we welcome actor Aja Naomi King of the NBC series Grosse Pointe Garden Society. Grosse Pointe Garden Society centers a wealthy suburb where everything appears to be perfect on the surface, four members of the local garden club get entangled in a scandalous murder. Teacher and aspiring writer Alice, real estate agent Catherine, father of two Brett and socialite Birdie come together on the night of the garden club's annual gala to bury the body in their own garden -- and get rid of the evidence. But with mysteries, drama and deceit growing like weeds in each of their personal lives, this secret may not stay undiscovered for long. Aja Naomi King plays Catherine on the new NBC drama. King co-starred for six seasons on the hit ABC drama How to Get Away with Murder and received a nomination for Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Series at the NAACP Image Awards. King recently received an Emmy Award nomination for her role in the limited series Lessons in Che

In this week's episode of the Black Girl Nerds podcast, we chat with Marissa Thomas. Marissa Thomas is a patient advocate and breast cancer thriver who was diagnosed in 2015 at the age of 35 with stage II breast cancer. She is the CoFounder and CEO of For the Breast of Us, an inclusive community for Women of Color impacted by breast cancer. As a woman of color diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer, Marissa co- founded 'For the Breast of Us' to provide women of color with a resource tailored to us and personal accounts expressed by us. Marissa's passion is to educate women on how to navigate the healthcare system to make it work for them.  She also wants women to know they can continue living their best life, regardless of the circumstance by advocating for themselves, embracing their community and expanding their education on the disease. Marissa holds a BS in Healthcare Administration, serves on the board of Living Beyond Breast Cancer, is a certified Living Beyond Breast Cancer Young Advocate and NBCC

In this week's episode of the Black Girl Nerds podcast, we chat with actor Carl Lumbly of 'Captain America: Brave New World'. Carl has also appeared in such notable TV and film projects as Cagney & Lacey, Justice League, Supergirl, Doctor Sleep, This Is Us, Alias and The Fall of the House of Usher. He was the first Black superhero on prime-time TV, as the titular character in the short-lived 90s Fox series M.A.N.T.I.S. Host: Jamie Music by: Sammus Edited by: Jamie Broadnax

In this week's episode of the Black Girl Nerds podcast,  we have a 2-part episode about all things Sundance 2025. Segment 1: We chat with directors: Anas Saeed, Rawia Alhag, Ibrahim Snoopy and Timeea M. Ahmed about their documentary film Khartoum that screened at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival. Forced to leave Sudan for East Africa following the outbreak of war, five citizens of Khartoum — a civil servant, a tea lady, a resistance committee volunteer, and two young bottle collectors — reenact their stories of survival and freedom through dreams, revolution, and civil war. Segment 2: Travis Hopson, of Punch Drunk Critics, joins us to chat about the films we loved and didn't love at Sundance 2025. This was recorded during the middle of festival, so not all films were screened at the time of the discussion. Music by: Sammus Edited by: Jamie Broadnax

In this week's episode of the Black Girl Nerds podcast, we welcome Oscar-nominated actor Margaret Avery. 'A Man on the Inside' which premiered on November 21st features Margaret Avery, a Hollywood mainstay with decades of screen and stage experience. She brings an unforgettable warmth to the show.  Known for her Oscar-nominated performance in The Color Purple, Avery now charms as Florence, a spirited, poetry-loving resident in a retirement community that’s anything but typical. Avery’s portrayal highlights her enduring talent, blending humor and depth. This role not only reaffirms her versatility but positions her as a powerful presence in comedy. Host: Jamie  Edited by: Jamie Broadnax Music by: Sammus

In this week's episode of the Black Girl Nerds podcast, we have a 2-part episode welcoming comic book creators Denys Cowan and Michael Stradford and cast members from Dune: Prophecy.  The featured cast are: Jessica Barden, Aoife Hinds, Edward Davis and Mark Addy. Segment 1: Graphic Samurai: The Art of Denys Cowan is the first comprehensive celebration of the work of this groundbreaking comic book artist. Cowan has left an indelible mark on characters like Batman, The Question, Black Panther, and Deathlok, and co-founded Milestone Media, introducing  Hardware, Icon, Rocket and the comic and character that inspired the hit television show he would produce; Static Shock. These beloved characters would eventually find their way back into the DC Universe. Author and Gizmoe co-founder Michael Stradford joins us on the podcast. Host: Jamie Segment 2: Interviews featuring: Aoife Hinds (“Sister Emeline”), Jessica Barden (“Young Valya Harkonnen”), Edward Davis (“Harrow Harkonnen”) and Mark Addy (“Evgeny Harkonnen”)

In this week's episode of the Black Girl Nerds podcast, we welcome in this 2-part segment filmmaker Raoul Peck of Ernest Cole: Lost and Found and actor Emma Canning of Dune: Prophecy. Segment 1: Oscar-nominated filmmaker Raoul Peck’s Ernest Cole: Lost and Found  is a new documentary chronicling the life and work of Ernest Cole, one of the first Black freelance photographers in South Africa, whose early pictures, shocking at the time of their first publication, revealed to the world Black life under apartheid. Host: Jamie Segment 2: Emma Canning plays the young Tula Harkonnen in the HBO series Dune: Prophecy. Following a tragedy, young Valya Harkonnen flees her home planet to join the Sisterhood, but struggles with the decision to take her vows. Her younger sister Tula is carving out a new life for herself, but worries about being accepted for her family name. Host: Jamie Music by: Sammus Edited by: Jamie Broadnax

BGN interviews actor Rhenzy Feliz of the HBO series The Penguin. Rhenzy Feliz is best known for playing Alex Wilder in the Marvel Cinematic Universe television series Runaways, voicing Camilo Madrigal in Disney's 2021 animated feature film Encanto and playing Victor Aguilar in the HBO series The Penguin. Host: Jamie  Edited by: Jamie Broadnax

In this week's episode of the Black Girl Nerds podcast, we welcome co-creator and showrunner of the Netflix series 'Arcane' Christian Linke. Christian Linke  is the Head of Animation Studio at Riot Games, where he fuels animation development with the company’s Emmy-winning Netflix series Arcane and beyond. Linke co-created Arcane, which marked Riot’s first animated series, with Alex Yee and currently serves as its showrunner. He was also part of the League of Legends team that originally created Vi and Jinx, the beloved League champions who are the protagonists of Arcane. The show’s second season will debut in November 2024. Host: Jamie Music by: Sammus Edited by: Jamie Broadnax

In this 2-part episode, we chat with Niecy Nash Betts and Nick Cannon about TV specific episodes in two series they are starring in: FX's Grotesquerie and Fox's Accused. Segment 1: Niecy Nash-Betts is an actress, comedian, and television host. Nash received two Primetime Emmy Awards nominations for starring as Denise "Didi" Ortley in the comedy-drama series Getting On (2013–2015). She has also portrayed Denise Hemphill in the horror-comedy series Scream Queens (2015–2016).  From 2017 to 2022, she played Desna Simms in the crime comedy-drama Claws (2017–2022). She currently stars as Detective Lois Tryon in the horror drama series Grotesquerie. Host: Jamie Segment 2: Nick Cannon is a comedian, television host, actor, and rapper. In television, he began as a teenager on All That before going on to host The Nick Cannon Show, Wild 'n Out, America's Got Talent, Lip Sync Battle Shorties, and The Masked Singer. He acted in the films Drumline, Love Don't Cost a Thing, and Roll Bounce. He is currently starring in se

In this week's episode of the Black Girl Nerds podcast, we welcome director Brandon Espy and actor Elvis Nolasco of the new Hulu film Mr. Crocket. In 1993, a mysterious children's show host, Mr. Crocket, magically emerges from television sets to kidnap young children, brutally slaying their parents in the process. After Mr. Crocket snatches her son, one determined mother embarks on a perilous quest to track down the demonic entertainer and rescue her boy. Host: Jamie Broadnax Music by: Sammus Edited by: Jamie Broadnax

In this week's episode of the Black Girl Nerds podcast, we welcome filmmaker Sean Baker. Sean Baker is an American film director, cinematographer, producer, screenwriter and editor. He has directed six feature films over the past two decades, including 2015’s Tangerine and 2017’s The Florida Project which premiered in the Directors’ Fortnight section of the Cannes Film Festival and was distributed by A24 in the US and Altitude in the UK. His latest film Anora premieres Oct 18th. A young sex worker from Brooklyn, gets her chance at a Cinderella story when she meets and impulsively marries the son of an oligarch. Once the news reaches Russia, her fairytale is threatened as the parents set out for New York to get the marriage annulled. Host: Jamie Music by: Sammus Edited by: Jamie Broadnax

In this week's episode of the Black Girl Nerds podcast, we welcome actor Artrece Johnson. Johnson's latest role in Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heist (Peacock on September 5) sees her co-starring alongside the likes of industry heavyweights Kevin Hart, Taraji P. Henson, Don Cheadle, Terrence Howard, and Samuel L. Jackson. Her journey is marked by faith, resilience, and an unshakeable self-belief. Her incredible personal and professional journey reflects resilience, determination, and an unyielding passion for her craft. From racing to auditions in the middle of scheduled shifts at her survival jobs to now acting alongside some of Hollywood's biggest names, Johnson is a force on and off the screen, building an incredible legacy for herself, her family, and those around her. Host: Jamie Music by: Sammus Edited by: Jamie Broadnax

In this week's episode of the Black Girl Nerds podcast, we welcome movie directors Karen Chapman and Samir Oliveros, both had films to premiere out of the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival.  Chapman's 'Village Keeper' and Oliveros' 'The Luckiest Man In America'. Segment 1: Born to a Guyanese family that nurtured her instinctive creative problem solving skills, award-winning artist Karen Chapman has always been acquainted with versatility. Her steep background in documentary storytelling developed a voice and style that is compassionate, compelling and brave. Preparing her for an expansive repertoire of films that includes documentaries, narratives, animation, interactive-virtual reality and installation. At the service of every story, Chapman always strives to center work that is grounded in impact. Chapman, a graduate of Norman Jewison’s Canadian Film Center, had her earlier short film Measure debut at the Toronto Film Festival in 2019 and win the International Hollywood Foreign Press and Residency A

In this week's episode of the Black Girl Nerds podcast, we welcome back the team behind Truthteller Productions.  We have Miriam A. Hyman aka Robyn Hood and  East-O aka Chris Herbie Holland joining us.  In our second segment, we breakdown a recap of the films we screened at TIFF 2024! Segment 1: Miriam A. Hyman aka Robyn Hood (Philly native) is a classically trained actress and a Hip Hop Recording Artist. Hood is the CEO of independent music/production label Truth Teller Productions. She’s executive all of her solo music projects under her label and has collaborated on songs as a writer and or performer with multiple artists such as Daveed Diggs, Common, Ciara, Lupita Nyong’o, LaLa Anthony, and Junius Bervine. She is also an actor and can be seen in the new film The Lost Holliday premiering this month. The East Oakland California native East-O aka Chris Herbie Holland is an actor,music producer, songwriter and creative. He recently starred in the off-Broadway Pulitzer Prize winning play Fat Ham at the Publi

In this week's episode of the Black Girl Nerds podcast, we welcome actor of film, TV and gaming Laya DeLeon Hayes. Laya is best known for her role in CBS’s The Equalizer where she plays 'Delilah,' the boundary pushing teen daughter of Robyn McCall played by the incomparable Queen Latifah. Laya is also known for voicing the titular role in the BAFTA, Emmy, and Peabody Award nominated animated series, Doc McStuffins, in which she won her first individual NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Character Voice-Over Performance (Television). Laya also recentlystarred as the lead of IFC Films The Angry Black Girl and Her Monster for which she garnered her 3rd NAACP Image Award nomination in addition to the film’s nomination with the prestigious award show. She also voiced the character ‘Angrboda’ in the extraordinarily popular video game “God Of War: Ragnarök,"for which she won a BAFTA Game Award in 2023 for “Best Supporting Actor.” Host: Jamie Music by: Sammus Edited by: Jamie Broadnax

In this week's episode of the Black Girl Nerds podcast, we chat with executive producer and author Attica Locke. A renowned TV writer, one of Hollywood’s most sought-after executive producers (Little Fires Everywhere, Empire) and showrunner (Netflix’s From Scratch), the Edgar Award-winning and New York Times-bestselling author Attica Locke is releasing the final novel in her “timely and evocative” (NPR) Highway 59 trilogy, “Guide Me Home,” in the US on September 3rd and on September 26th in the UK. Host: Ryanne Music by: Sammus Edited by: Jamie Broadnax