What’s Really Keeping You From Achieving Your Dreams? | Joan Baker #42

The Hidden Power of Being a Misfit | Lidia Yuknavitch #45

What if the stories you've believed about yourself your entire life are no longer true? In this episode of Ego Was Here, bestselling author and memoirist Lidia Yuknavitch reflects on a life shaped by adversity, resilience, and the transformative power of storytelling. Known for her acclaimed memoir The Chronology of Water, Lidia explores how memory, identity, grief, creativity, and personal reinvention are deeply connected. She shares why writing became more than a craft, how the stories we inherit influence the lives we lead, and what it means to reclaim the parts of ourselves we once had to hide. Together, we explore failure, forgiveness, generational patterns, and the possibility of rewriting our relationship with the past by changing the story we tell ourselves about it. This is a conversation about becoming, belonging, and discovering that our greatest transformations often begin with the stories we are willing to question.

Why William McNamara Turned His Life Into A TV Show #44 - Part 2

Actor William McNamara built a successful Hollywood acting career, working alongside major actors and becoming part of an industry many people dream of joining. In this conversation, he reflects on the experiences that shaped him both on and off the screen. William discusses the real-life inspiration behind *The Trouble with Billy*, the series based on his own experiences, and the challenge of turning that story into a show. He talks about writing a character inspired by himself, the creative risks involved, and the actors and friends who helped bring the project to life. He also shares stories from his years in Hollywood, including an early experience working with Jim Carrey that changed the way he thought about talent, humility, and dedication to the craft. William reflects on the people who helped bring the series to life, what he discovered while writing a character inspired by himself, and the lessons that stayed with him long after the cameras stopped rolling.

The Rise, Fall and Reinvention of William McNamara #43 - Part 1

William McNamara lived the Hollywood life: major films, famous co-stars, and the kind of career most actors dream about. In this episode of Ego Was Here, William reflects on his journey through Hollywood, working with Jodie Foster in Stealing Home, and the experiences that reshaped his idea of success. He shares how animal rescue became a turning point in his life, leading him away from the world of fame and toward a deeper sense of purpose. The conversation also explores the personal story behind the series The Trouble with Billy, inspired by the period when William was living in his car with his beloved dog Boo and trying to rebuild his life. This is a conversation about fame, loyalty, recovery, faith, and reinvention — and what it takes to begin again when life does not go according to plan.

What’s Really Keeping You From Achieving Your Dreams? | Joan Baker #42

What if rejection is not the end of the dream, but the test that proves you want it? In this episode of *Ego Was Here*, voice artist, performer, educator, and SOVAS co-founder Joan Baker shares a deeply personal conversation about rejection, healing, performance, and the strength it takes to keep going. Joan reflects on growing up as the only biracial child in her environment, the loneliness and shame she carried, and how performing became the first place where she felt free. Acting gave her a space to escape pain, express herself, and reconnect with who she truly was. She also talks about her years in New York, the emotional work that helped her heal, and what rejection taught her about creative careers and self-worth. For Joan, voice acting is not just about having a good voice. It is about turning a script into a real moment, with no set, no costume, and often no one else in the booth. Together with her husband Rudy Gaskins, Joan created SOVAS, the Society of Voice Arts and Sciences, a platform dedicated to recognizing voice actors and the wider voiceover industry. SOVAS is also behind the Voice Arts Awards, which celebrate the people behind some of the voices we hear in animation, commercials, narration, audiobooks, and more. At the center of this conversation is Joan’s belief in dreams fulfilled. For her, that means not only pursuing her own dreams, but helping other artists believe that their work, their voice, and their story matter.

The Side of Acting People Never See | Charlotte Stoiber #41

What happens after your first acting role is in an Oscar-nominated film? In this episode of Ego Was Here, actress Charlotte Stoiber opens up about acting, rejection, identity, mental health, and the reality of building an acting career. Charlotte reflects on growing up between Boston, Munich, and Vienna, discovering acting as a child, and being cast in Downfall, one of Germany’s most acclaimed films, at the very beginning of her journey. The conversation explores auditions, self-doubt, being ignored, comparison, and why getting the role is only the beginning of an actor’s career. Charlotte also shares what acting gives her that nothing else does, how creativity helped her heal, and why leaving the industry has never felt like an option. A thoughtful and honest conversation about purpose, resilience, and the emotional reality behind an acting career.