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PODCAST

Ilse Will Say

Intrepida Entertainment

Ilse Will Say is an EVERYTHING podcast with a core focus on the entertainment field. Expect Ilse’s takes on TV shows, pizza, nostalgia, bigfoot, butterbeer, the weird little S we all drew in middle school—literally everything. If it lives in your group chat, it lives here too.

comedy personal journals

All Episodes

35:03

Raven Whisnant: Indie Empire & the porcelain doll...

Ilse Will Say ·

2026/03/03

This episode starts with princess birthday parties and immediately swerves into a staircase ghost and an army of redheaded porcelain dolls living in Raven Whisnant’s basement. So yes, we are thriving.Raven is an actor-writer-director-editor-producer (casual) and the co-founder of New 32 Productions, a woman and queer-owned indie film company that actually cares about set culture and treats people like humans. We talk Sundance buzz, vintage sci-fi, why bad sci-fi can be perfect, and how she

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40:43

Eddie Mujica: Strapped in the rocket, ready to go

Ilse Will Say ·

2026/02/24

Eddie Mujica is the kind of person who makes you want to take a deep breath and also… open fifteen tabs. He’s a Cuban-American actor, writer, director, and Emmy-winning producer who somehow lives in three lanes at once: stepping into the newest Second City Mainstage show with basically one rehearsal (I’m tired for him), premiering his short film LOCO at the San Diego Latino Film Festival, and still finding time to talk mental health, masculinity, identity, and what it means to keep showing up when

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36:52

Chloe Mikala: Risk-averse but on stage anyway

Ilse Will Say ·

2026/02/17

Chloe Mikala is the kind of person who can destroy a stand-up set, headline a comedy variety show, play an EMT on Chicago P.D., co-captain a travel flag football team, and still insist she’s “just sending emails.” We talk about what it actually means to be Type A without being unbearable, why doing your “basic” well already puts you ahead of most people, and how to hustle without losing your mind.Naturally, we also cover astrology charts, Gemini slander, why she refuses to swim in shark territory,

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38:55

George Ellzey Jr.: "What comes from the heart reaches...

Ilse Will Say ·

2026/02/10

A Walgreens parking lot. A father and son. A whole lot of stuff they never say out loud. That’s the kind of quiet, devastating power George Ellzey Jr. brings to filmmaking, and this conversation made my cheeks hurt from laughing and my brain do the full “wait… that’s real” pause.George is a South Side Chicago native and DePaul-trained director whose short film Cottage Grove started as a thesis project and turned into a full-on moment, with a festival run, awards, AMC+’s Future of Film Series, and an

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38:33

Erick Juarez: Stop waiting for permission

Ilse Will Say ·

2026/02/03

This episode starts messy, stays honest, and lands somewhere unexpectedly grounding.Ilse sits down with Erick Juarez, a Guatemala-born, Chicago-raised filmmaker who studied at NIU, trained at the Moscow Art Theatre, spent years in LA, and came back with one clear realization: stop asking for permission and start making the work.They talk about acting vulnerability, learning how to warm down after heavy roles, reggaeton as a nervous system reset, and why everyday life does not need to live at

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53:54

Elizabeth Austin: Operas and features and...

Ilse Will Say ·

2026/01/27

If you’ve ever finished a film and immediately whispered “cool… but what now?” this one is for you. Ilse sits down with Elizabeth Butler Austin, VP of Sales and Licensing at Echelon Studios, for a real-world look at how movies actually find an audience once the creative part is over. Elizabeth breaks down what distributors are thinking the second they watch a screener, why metadata and deliverables can make or break a deal, and the biggest misconceptions filmmakers have about streaming, FAST

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48:05

Mishu Hilmy: This episode will make you smarter

Ilse Will Say ·

2026/01/20

Ilse sits down with comedian, writer, filmmaker, and professional vocabulary flexer Mishu Hilmy for a conversation that starts in comedy craft and somehow ends in ghosts, dreams, and the psychology of “enough.”They talk about why timing and silence are the secret sauce of a joke, why making art in 2026 can feel like chasing relevance across seventeen streaming platforms, and how strategy can turn into a very convincing form of procrastination.Mishu breaks down the economics of film success in a way

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49:34

Brittani Ward: “Real Ones Only”

Ilse Will Say ·

2026/01/13

Ilse sits down with filmmaker (and beloved casting powerhouse) Brittani Ward for a conversation that feels like a warm pep talk… with teeth. They get into the weird in-between space between “I’m still learning” and “I’m ready,” how casting can sweep you up even when writing and directing was always the dream, and the mind game of feeling like you’re emailing into the void while someone on the other side knows your work by heart. Brittani talks about making Single Car Crashes out of real grief,

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44:35

Jacob Cagle: A Christmas episode for 'soft boys'

Ilse Will Say ·

2025/12/16

This one feels like a late-December exhale. Cozy, funny, a little tender, and unexpectedly grounding.Ilse sits down with filmmaker, editor, and all-around creative Swiss Army knife Jacob Cagle for a holiday episode that drifts from Santa Claus lore to sibling dynamics to the quiet weight of showing up for your life and your work. Jacob opens up about belief, doubt, gratitude, and what it means to keep creating even when you’re tired, unsure, or very aware of time passing. They talk Christmas

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44:38

Jessie Komitor: If Ben Affleck can do it, so can you

Ilse Will Say ·

2025/12/09

Ilse sits down with actor, writer, and director Jessie Komitor, whose debut film Chasing the Party premiered at Tribeca and somehow manages to be nostalgic, stylish, and devastating all at once. They dig into the strange magic of saying your dreams out loud, the moment Jessie finally allowed herself to claim the title of “director,” and the way girlhood imagination still sneaks into her work. Jessie talks about building her own DIY film school, choreographing ambitious dance sequences, and making

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45:09

Marissa Lichwick: The woman who turned her life into...

Ilse Will Say ·

2025/12/02

When an artist has lived ten creative lives and still shows up curious, brilliant, and fully human — you listen. Marissa Lichwick joins Ilse for a conversation that feels like a masterclass, a pep talk, and a cosmic hug all at once. They dive into the summer she spent training at UCLA, what making a film really demands, why stories are crafted three different times, and how being adopted shaped her writing, her acting, and her relentless pull toward truth.Marissa talks about the courage to start

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44:06

Gloria Chavez: Leaving the 9-5 and betting on yourself

Ilse Will Say ·

2025/11/25

Ilse sits down with actor Gloria Chavez (Chicago P.D., national commercials, and your favorite person to whisper-set-gossip with) for a conversation that feels like catching up with your comadre between takes. Gloria shares how she left a draining 9–5 in the dental world, trusted her instincts, and rebuilt her life around acting, joy, and community.They talk about the real work behind commercial acting, why advocating for yourself matters, immigrant-kid pressure, burnout, staying curious, haunted

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50:59

Joel Maisonet: Stop playing small in your headshots...

Ilse Will Say ·

2025/11/18

Ilse sits down with Chicago photographer Joel Maisonet, whose headshots have quietly become the city’s best-kept secret... BUT IT'S TIME EVERYONE KNEW! They talk about intention, identity, and why a good photo is less about posing and more about letting yourself be seen. Joel shares how dance taught him to read bodies, how ADHD turned him into a Renaissance man, and why actors should stop thinking of headshots as “smiling vs. serious” and start thinking about them as storytelling tools.They get into

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51:08

Ben Bishop: The accidental cowboy filmmaker

Ilse Will Say ·

2025/11/11

Ilse sits down with filmmaker and multi-hyphenate Ben Bishop (Dogwood, Hold Your Horses, Hamster in My Head) for a conversation that’s equal parts filmmaking pep talk and comedy hour. They talk about growing up in Arkansas, writing without film school, and why creative people need to stop waiting for permission and just make the weird thing.Between talk of cowboy hats, HGTV obsessions, and the occasional haunted hamster, Ben shares how curiosity—not credentials—built his career. From building sets

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51:43

Abby Gilster: Stop shrinking—the world needs your weird

Ilse Will Say ·

2025/11/04

Ilse sits down with Chicago actor Abby Gilster (Chicago Fire, Single Car Crash, Theatre Above the Law*) for a conversation that swings from haunted babies and bad anesthesia stories to imposter syndrome and the art of taking up space. They talk about perfectionism, football rage, Twilight monologues, and why actors need the discipline of athletes but the wonder of kids.Abby opens up about learning to believe in herself, finding community through collaboration, and remembering that joy—not

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55:39

Sadieh Rifai: You’re Not ‘Too Much,’ You’re Finally...

Ilse Will Say ·

2025/10/28

Ilse sits down with Chicago legend Sadieh Rifai (Patriot, Shining Girls, The Humans, Grey House) for a raw and joyful conversation about success, identity, and the quiet power of gratitude. They talk immigrant parents, audition anxiety, the lie of constant productivity, and why sometimes doing nothing is the most creative thing you can do.From family names that carry generations of strength to the art of being “too much,” Sadieh opens up about redefining success beyond fame and finding peace in

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48:43

Patrick Burke: How editing teaches you patience,...

Ilse Will Say ·

2025/10/21

Ilse sits down with editor and former musician Patrick Burke of Method & Madness for a conversation that somehow covers 48-hour film projects, oyster shucking, and the terrifying beauty of a well-timed dissolve. Patrick shares what he’s learned about rhythm—both in editing and in life—and how collaboration, caffeine, and chaos (the good kind) fuel creative work.They talk about the power of pacing, why film sets feel like beehives, and yes… the Mandela Effect, lizard leaders, and other very

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58:17

Tony Bondoc: You don’t need permission to create -...

Ilse Will Say ·

2025/10/14

Ilse sits down with arts programmer, community builder, and fellow South Texan Tony Bondoc, whose resume runs from the Neo-Futurists to the League of Chicago Theaters. They talk about growing up on the Texas border, why “football for theater” (the UIL one-act competitions) shapes unstoppable creatives, and how gratitude and intention fuel his work behind the scenes.Between debates over corn vs potato, barbecue road-trip spreadsheets, and Big Red nostalgia, Tony opens up about building access and

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01:02:27

Steve Berg: paranormal but make it midwest

Ilse Will Say ·

2025/10/07

Ilse sits down with actor, comedian, and podcaster Steve Berg, whose resume spans The Good Place, Bob’s Burgers, Tag, and his own podcast Hi, Strangeness. They dive into the joy of folklore, the spirituality of UFOs, and why curiosity might be the most creative muscle an artist can have.Between burrata rants, Midwest nostalgia, and Bigfoot theories, Steve shares how chasing the “weird” keeps him grounded as an actor—and how moving from LA to Omaha gave him back his sense of wonder. They talk improv

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51:28

Las Locas, Latina Fest & the Business of Being Funny...

Ilse Will Say ·

2025/09/30

Ilse sits down with comedian, producer, and festival founder Janice V. Rodriguez, the woman who turned a New Year’s resolution into one of Chicago’s most vital comedy movements. Janice shares the origin of Las Locas Comedy, how the Latina Comedy Festival grew from a “one-show festival” into a multi-day powerhouse, and why comedy is equal parts spreadsheets and late-night punchlines.They dive into the business side of being an artist, what it’s like balancing loyalty with saying no, and why stand-up

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33 results

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