Podcasts · Society & Culture

Wild Card with Rachel Martin

NPR

137 episodes

Life’s too short for small talk. Rachel gets right to the questions that matter most. Once a week, famous guests pull questions from a deck of cards and open up about the kind of stuff we all think about but rarely say out loud. Actors, authors, and thinkers are prompted to talk about everything from their insecurities and dreams to grief and God. Named one of the 10 best podcasts of 2024 by The New York Times, Wild Card stands out among celebrity interview podcasts. When modern life feels chaotic or overwhelming, listen to Wild Card for a joyful, grounding reminder of our shared humanity.

Episodes page 1 of 3

  1. Zadie Smith (Encore)

    · 32 min

    London today is very different from the one Zadie Smith grew up in and the one she wrote about in her debut novel “White Teeth.” That is just one of the things Smith is grappling with 26 years after her best-selling…

  2. Jesse Eisenberg (Encore)

    · 33 min

    Jesse Eisenberg plays characters who spend a lot of time in their heads grappling with anxiety, fear and insecurity. You can see it in “The Squid and the Whale,” “Zombieland” and “A Real Pain,” which he wrote directed,…

  3. Pádraig Ó Tuama

    · 1 h 02 min

    “I think joy and melancholy have a lot to say to each other,” Pádraig Ó Tuama tells Rachel. In his poetry, he allows that conversation between joy and melancholy to play out as he explores love, grief, and faith.…

  4. Trixie Mattel

    · 50 min

    Trixie Mattel is so many things: a musician, entrepreneur, TV host, and one of the most beloved drag queens out there. But it all began with a deep love of music; her latest EP, "Till Death Do Us Part" is out this…

  5. Willem Dafoe

    · 49 min · Explicit

    Willem Dafoe sees acting as a form of service – both to the audience and to his coworkers making a movie. That selfless approach means he’s also on guard for anything that can inflate his ego, including, he tells…

  6. John Dickerson

    · 41 min

    John Dickerson made a name for himself as an anchor at CBS News. Last year, he left the world of broadcast news to pursue stories that put his values of generosity, curiosity and integrity at the core of his work. He…

  7. Gillian Anderson

    · 46 min

    “How am I complicit in not getting what I say that I want?” This is the question Gillian Anderson wants you to ask yourself. She has read many accounts from women detailing their sexual desires and disappointments, and…

  8. Sara Bareilles

    · 51 min · Explicit

    “Being a human is so complicated for so many reasons,” Sara Bareilles tells Rachel. That’s why she’s trying to show more grace for both herself and others these days. In Sara’s new album and documentary, both titled…

  9. Brittany Howard

    · 37 min

    “We’re all gentler and we’re more sensitive,” Brittany Howard tells Rachel about reuniting with her band, Alabama Shakes. The band is back with their first studio album in over a decade, “I Must Be Dreaming.” Brittany…

  10. John Leguizamo

    · 48 min

    “Being so vulnerable was really difficult,” John Leguizamo says of his role as Eumaeus in The Odyssey. It’s an opportunity he relishes, though, having come up in a Hollywood that wasn’t interested in casting Latin…

  11. Suleika Jaouad (Encore)

    · 49 min

    Suleika Jaouad has written extensively about what it means to live in the in-between — the space between sick and healthy. She’s dealt on and off with cancer since her early 20s. Her latest book, "The Book of Alchemy,"…

  12. Brett Goldstein (Encore)

    · 37 min · Explicit

    Don't be fooled by Brett Goldstein's grumpy exterior – he can't resist a big, open-hearted story. You see it in the TV shows he's acted in and helped create, "Ted Lasso" and "Shrinking." He's about to release a new HBO…

  13. Shania Twain

    · 50 min

    “You cannot rely on somebody else to push you out of the plane — you have to jump,” Shania Twain tells Rachel. For someone who has lived a life marked by so much loss and profound success, she has a lot to reflect on…

  14. Hrishikesh Hirway

    · 44 min

    “I still feel like I'm wondering what I'm gonna be when I grow up,” Hrishikesh Hirway tells Rachel. That might be because he’s drawn to so many things: he’s an accomplished musician, host of several successful podcasts…

  15. Tracee Ellis Ross (Live)

    · 56 min

    "Are you willing to be responsible for your own happiness?" Tracee Ellis Ross asks in this episode, recorded with a live audience at LAist. Tracee is all about actively choosing the life you want to lead. She talks to…

  16. Terry Tempest Williams

    · 44 min

    Terry Tempest Williams often writes about what is easy to overlook – the “holy ordinary” as she calls it. Whether it's the beauty and plight of the natural world, or the silence and struggle of a loved one. She talks…

  17. Danny McBride

    · 45 min

    For Danny McBride, success in Hollywood has taken patience, hard work, and a little bit of delusion. That sense of delusion is also present in the characters he writes, who embody the hilarious extremes of masculinity.…

  18. John Cena

    · 49 min

    John Cena didn’t become a WWE megastar and Hollywood leading man by accident, he worked at it, and he takes none of his big breaks for granted. He tells Rachel that a secret to his success is jumping into a challenge…

  19. David Sedaris

    · 54 min

    Writer David Sedaris tells Rachel he doesn’t mind being humiliated, because he knows it will wind up as great material. David’s new book, “The Land and Its People,” is full of such material. In their conversation,…

  20. Dave Eggers

    · 47 min

    Dave Eggers isn’t about rushing creativity. His latest novel, "Contrapposto," has been on his mind for about two decades. And he tells Rachel he believes many artists do their best work in their 80s and 90s. Eggers…

  21. Maya Hawke

    · 52 min

    Maya Hawke is such a natural fit for Wild Card that she had several answers for many of the questions. The self-described “verbose” musician/actor talks to Rachel about her new album “Maitreya Corso,” and reflects on…

  22. John C. Reilly

    · 51 min · Explicit

    From "Step Brothers" to “Chicago,” John C. Reilly imbues every one of his roles with humor, empathy, and heart. In his latest project, a vaudeville stage show called "Mister Romantic," he searches for connection in a…

  23. Noah Kahan

    · 51 min · Explicit

    Noah Kahan's breakthrough album, Stick Season, made him known to millions of fans. But he tells Rachel that experience left him feeling like he knew himself even less than before. Noah talks about finding his way back…

  24. Rita Wilson

    · 42 min

    Rita Wilson tells Rachel that she was tired of always being cast in the same kind of “nurturing” roles. And so she decided to explore a totally different career – one in music. Her latest album is “Sound of a Woman.”…

  25. Anne Lamott

    · 42 min

    Anne Lamott says she felt drawn to writing almost like it was a call to become a monk. She has also felt called to teach others how to write, to help them organize their thoughts on the page and to keep their…

  26. Amy Grant

    · 39 min

    After decades of releasing new albums every few years, Amy Grant went mostly quiet for the past decade. In the time since her last album of original songs in 2013, she’s survived several harrowing medical emergencies.…

  27. Lena Dunham

    · 50 min

    Get your tickets for Wild Card live in Los Angeles with special guest Tracee Ellis Ross on May 7! Lena Dunham tells Rachel that for much of her 20s and 30s, she took a vacation from who she was as a child. These days,…

  28. Bob Odenkirk

    · 37 min

    Bob Odenkirk says he was never supposed to be an action hero, but he’s grateful for the way his career has turned out. Starting out as a sketch comedian, he never could have foreseen roles like Saul Goodman in “Better…

  29. Tim Blake Nelson

    · 44 min

    From "O Brother, Where Art Thou" to "Watchmen" to "Poker Face,” Tim Blake Nelson is the actor you call when you want a character’s face to tell a lifetime of stories. But Nelson’s storytelling isn't limited to acting;…

  30. George Saunders

    · 57 min · Explicit

    George Saunders isn’t sure what he believes about the afterlife, but he knows it’s fertile soil for a good story. In his latest novel “Vigil,” he explores questions of judgement, redemption and our ability to change.…

  31. Julio Torres

    · 38 min

    In his stand-up, films and TV shows, Julio Torres considers the beauty and absurdity of the structures that make up the world around him, and tries to make sense of them. In his latest HBO special, "Color Theories," he…

  32. Christina Applegate

    · 41 min

    Christina Applegate doesn't need anyone's pity or approval. That’s the takeaway from her new memoir, "You With the Sad Eyes." She looks back at some of the toughest moments in her life, from abusive relationships to…

  33. Chris Fleming

    · 52 min · Explicit

    Chris Fleming takes his unique observations about the weirdness of everyday life and runs (and catapults and crawls and prances) with them. In his latest HBO special, "Live at the Palace," his manic physicality and…

  34. Lena Waithe (Encore)

    · 29 min

    At 41, Lena Waithe already has an impressive legacy, with dozens of writing, acting and production credits. She was the first Black woman to win an Emmy for comedy writing (for "Master of None"). And she’s also the…

  35. 'Weird Al' Yankovic (Encore)

    · 35 min

    When Weird Al’s debut single, “My Bologna,” came out, there wasn’t really a model for how a parody artist could have any longevity in their career. Yet Al's figured out how to stay popular for over four decades. Ahead…

  36. Dan Harris

    · 51 min

    In an ever-growing world of mindfulness teachers and wellness influencers, Dan Harris has remained grounded with modest goals. One of those goals is baked into the name of his best-selling book and podcast, “10%…

  37. Wagner Moura

    · 44 min

    Wagner Moura doesn’t compromise when it comes to doing work that feels meaningful and aligned with his values. That much is clear in the politically-charged Brazilian film, "The Secret Agent," for which he's earned a…

  38. Melinda French Gates

    · 43 min

    Melinda French Gates has been through some painful and public transitions — ending her marriage of 27 years, stepping away from the foundation she built with her ex-husband Bill Gates and turning her professional focus…

  39. Oprah

    · 1 h 02 min

    Oprah could never just ignore her weight. Everyone else was always talking about it – from tabloids to late-night shows. She talks to Rachel about her weight journey and her new embrace of GLP-1s, the topic of her new…

  40. Jennette McCurdy

    · 48 min · Explicit

    In her early 20s, Jennette McCurdy left her childhood acting career and turned to writing. In both her memoir, “I’m Glad My Mom Died,” and her debut novel, “Half His Age,” she confronts the kinds of abuse and power…

  41. Tig Notaro

    · 54 min

    Tig Notaro knows all about how humor and grief can coexist. She's explored those topics in her stand-up comedy, TV shows, and podcasts. Her latest project is "Come See Me in the Good Light," a documentary about her…

  42. Jonathan Goldstein

    · 40 min · Explicit

    When Jonathan Goldstein sets out to help a guest on his podcast “Heavyweight,” he always hopes he can help them feel unburdened by the end. But it’s often on the path to finding closure for a regret or deep-seated…

  43. John Green (Encore)

    · 45 min

    John Green keeps busy – from authoring blockbuster young adult novels like "The Fault in Our Stars," to running a YouTube empire with his brother Hank, to publishing his latest nonfiction book, "Everything Is…

  44. Ann Patchett (Encore)

    · 33 min

    Ann Patchett's 2001 novel Bel Canto was a huge hit. She's continued to have success with her later work, including The Dutch House, which was a Pulitzer Prize finalist. But she recently returned to Bel Canto with a new…

  45. Kumail Nanjiani

    · 50 min

    Kumail Nanjiani is learning to embrace big feelings, he tells Rachel. Kumail’s projects are all about how we feel our way through living, including his new Hulu stand-up special, “Night Thoughts.” Kumail talks to…

  46. Jamie Lee Curtis

    · 54 min · Explicit

    Jamie Lee Curtis never wanted to be an actor. She tells Rachel, despite having famous show business parents, she originally thought she’d become a police officer. Jamie talks about how she unexpectedly wound up in…

  47. Mel Robbins

    · 39 min · Explicit

    Mel Robbins tells Rachel that she was plagued by anxiety, trauma and “relentless self-hatred” when she was younger. Now she has a bestselling book (“The Let Them Theory”) and a massively successful podcast (“The Mel…

  48. Jason Reynolds (Update)

    · 55 min

    One of Apple’s top 10 podcast episodes of 2025. Jason Reynolds returns for another Wild Card question about the challenge of setting an example for children. He also speaks with Rachel about the value of being a crier…

  49. Suleika Jaouad

    · 50 min

    Suleika Jaouad has written extensively about what it means to live in the in-between – the space between sick and healthy. She’s dealt on-and-off with cancer since her early 20s. Her latest book, "The Book of Alchemy,"…

  50. Malala Yousafzai

    · 42 min

    When Malala Yousafzai went to college, the last thing she wanted to talk about was her Nobel Prize or the Taliban attack that put her on the world stage. She just wanted to be a normal college student – taking risks,…

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