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Blissful Spinster

Cris Graves
Blissful Spinster
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  • Jennifer Clymer - Actor, Director, Producer & Improviser (Part of Podcasthon)
    This episode’s guest is, actor, director, producer, improviser, and all-around wonderful human, Jennifer Clymer.Jen’s journey is a rich tapestry of creativity, resilience, and community building. From founding Chicago’s Playground Improv Theater to producing and directing both indie darlings and major studio projects (Spider-Man, Charlie’s Angels), Jen brings heart and hustle to everything she does.We talk about her early days in Chicago’s theater scene, how she pivoted into producing, and the powerful work she does now at the Motion Picture & Television Fund (MPTF)—where she helps care for aging and retired members of the entertainment industry. 💛This episode is also part of @podcasthon, a global initiative spotlighting charitable organizations—and we’re honored to shine a light on the MPTF and the artists it supports.Whether you’re a filmmaker, a caregiver, a lover of community, or just someone trying to live your next act with purpose—this episode is for you.Chapters:00:00 – Intro: Who is Jennifer Clymer?02:04 – Reconnecting after the pandemic & intro to MPTF07:10 – Jen’s early creative roots and first steps into improv10:00 – Building community through The Playground in Chicago16:00 – How improv shaped her storytelling and career20:00 – Stage vs. screen: vintage vibes and fast fashion22:30 – Moving to LA & falling in love with Stanley Kramer films25:00 – Producing Timecode & working behind the scenes29:00 – Directing with heart: Be Prepared to Stop31:00 – Jen’s full circle moment with MPTF & Stanley Kramer34:00 – From pen pals to LA: a surprise support network39:40 – What the Motion Picture Television Fund actually does45:30 – Supporting Thelma & MPTF’s approach to aging with agency50:30 – Cris shares her journey with Alone Girl52:27 – Jen’s advice on failure, timing, and creative boldness55:26 – On being single, creating joy, and finding your “next act”1:00:00 – Shout-outs, creative chaos, and living blissfullyJen’s Bio:Jennifer Clymer is an award-winning actor who loves singing and being on stage and has since childhood. She performs around Los Angeles with the Harvard Yardbirds a capella group.She is a founding member of The Playground Improv Theater in Chicago and was proud to perform in multiple productions and stages in her career there.Her time in Los Angeles has included being in front of and behind the camera in film and television. Through the pandemic, Jennifer used her improv background to create and host a live, interactive variety show for residents of the MPTF retirement community to keep them engaged and informed.  Also she has created and hosts the annual MPTF Instant Film Festival and has been honored to serve as the executive producer for fundraisers and telethons benefiting MPTF.She is a director/producer who has work on Studio productions, such as Spiderman, Joe Dirt, Adaptation, Charlie’s Angles and independent films  - Be Prepared to Stop, Showfolk and Thelma.Connect with Jen on InstagramTo learn more about MPTF head to their websiteTo learn more about Podcasthon check out their website Links & LoveIf your ears like what they’re snacking on, follow, rate, and drop a review—it helps others find the show too.Want to support the show or get access to extra content—like behind-the-scenes journals, guest deep dives, and updates on getting Alone Girl made? Check out my Substack: The Blissful Spinster. Just $5/month supports this DIY labor of love and gets you a peek behind the scenes (when I find the time to write, lol). Find me and the pod on Instagram, Pinterest, and at blissfulspinster.com—where you can also find some pretty cool merch, if you’re into that sort of thing. Thanks for being on this journey with me—and until next time, go find your happy.💚
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  • Roxana Ortega - Actor, Writer, Voiceover Artist & Improvisor
    This episode’s guest is actor, writer, voiceover artist, and unapologetic improv nerd, Roxana Ortega.Roxana is one of those rare artists whose vulnerability, honesty, and humor hit you all at once – and leave a lasting impression. If her voice sounds familiar, it might be because she’s voiced everything from the passionate Frida Casagrande on The Casagrandes to characters in Call of Duty, Final Fantasy, and Monsters at Work. She’s narrated Pulitzer Prize-winning novels, voiced countless animated characters, and is a master of voice matching (yes, she’s dubbed for Penelope Cruz and Salma Hayek).In our conversation, Roxana takes us through the unexpected path that led her to acting – from growing up in an academic household where creativity wasn’t considered a “real” career, to having a life-changing epiphany while teaching English in Spain. We talk about the internal battle between playing it safe and going after what you truly want—and what it really means to decide to be an artist.We go deep into the power of improv as both a performance tool and a life philosophy, how failure can be a gift, and why community-building and representation matter now more than ever. Roxana shares how she uses her voice – literally and figuratively – to make space for underrepresented stories, and how she’s continued to evolve as a writer, performer, and director.Whether you’re someone who thrives on stage or someone working up the courage to take the leap, Roxana’s journey will remind you that embracing risk, staying curious, and being fiercely yourself is always worth it.Episode Chapters 00:00 – Welcome + Introduction02:00 – Names, Language, and Laughter04:00 – Academic Roots & Artistic Restlessness07:55 – The Epiphany in Spain13:49 – “I Decided to Be an Actor”16:00 – Improv, Joy, and Redefining Failure21:45 – Performing, Directing, and Creating Her Own Work32:00 – Representation, Identity, and Making Space40:00 – The Tapestry of Humanity49:30 – Amazing Race Nerd Out50:50 – Blissful Spinster & Making Art on Your Own Terms54:35 – Final Words of Wisdom55:14 – What’s Next for Roxana58:00 – Wrap-Up & Thank YouRoxana’s Bio:Roxana Ortega is an American actor, writer, and voiceover artist who is known for voicing the ever-emotional Frida Casagrande on Nickelodeon’s Emmy award-winning and Imagen award-winning cartoon The Casagrandes, a spinoff of the acclaimed series The Loud House.On-camera, she recently starred opposite Danny Trejo, Reno Wilson, and a cast of legends including Garrett Morris, Barry Bostwick, and James Hong in the Universal feature Grand-Daddy Day Care. Other film credits include The Flight Before Christmas opposite Mayim Bialik, Miss Congeniality 2 opposite Sandra Bullock, and Larry Crowne opposite Tom Hanks. Her TV guest-star credits include New Girl, Shonda Rhimes’ For The People, The League, Rules of Engagement, NCIS, and the Peabody award-winning satire American Vandal.Behind the mic, she has voiced countless characters in TV, films, trailers, commercials, and some of the biggest video game franchises around, including Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, Final Fantasy, Halo, and Ghost Recon: Wildlands. A two-time AudioFile Earphones Award winner, she has narrated the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel A Visit from the Goon Squad, the National Book Award finalist Sabrina & Corina, and the New York Times’s non-fiction best seller Random Family to name just a few. In addition, her mimicking skills have led her to voice-match the likes of Penelope Cruz, Salma Hayek, and Jennifer Tilly.Born in Los Angeles and raised in Fullerton, CA, Roxana is of mixed Peruvian and Mexican descent. She graduated from U.C. Berkeley Phi Beta Kappa with a degree in Interdisciplinary Studies, then spent a year teaching English in Madrid, Spain. It was there, while she was elaborately acting out English vocabulary to her students, that she realized she wanted to pursue a career in acting. She returned to the Bay Area and immersed herself in theatre and improvisation, then made her way to Los Angeles where she continued her improv and acting training and began writing and performing sketch comedy.Roxana is an alumna of the CBS Diversity Sketch Comedy Showcase, Upright Citizen’s Brigade, and the Groundlings Sunday Company. She has written and produced her own shorts and performed storytelling all over Los Angeles, including at The Moth GrandSLAM.She is also the creator and co-host of the live storytelling show Minority Retorts, which spotlights stories from the under-represented, and The Risking Space, a podcast about art and risk. Connect with Roxana on: InstagramLearn more about Latina’s Act Up on: InstagramCheck out The Groundlings on: Instagram Links & LoveIf your ears like what they’re snacking on, follow, rate, and drop a review—it helps others find the show too.Want to support the show or get access to extra content—like behind-the-scenes journals, guest deep dives, and updates on getting Alone Girl made? Check out my Substack: The Blissful Spinster. Just $5/month supports this DIY labor of love and gets you a peek behind the scenes (when I find the time to write, lol). Find me and the pod on Instagram, Pinterest, and at blissfulspinster.com—where you can also find some pretty cool merch, if you’re into that sort of thing. Thanks for being on this journey with me—and until next time, go find your happy.💚
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  • Blissful Spinster Relaunch Trailer
    Welcome to the Relaunch of Blissful Spinster! 🎙️🐈‍⬛After a long pause (thank you, menopause, ADHD, and burnout!), Blissful Spinster is officially back—and I couldn’t be more excited to share this next chapter with you.In this short trailer, I talk about what pulled me away from the mic, what brought me back, and what you can expect in the new season.Here’s a snack bite of what’s coming to your ears in upcoming episodes:— Conversations with indie filmmakers like Annapurna Sriram (Fucktoys, SXSW winner), Josh Margolin (Thelma, Sundance darling), Sav Rogers (Chasing Chasing Amy), and Nico Casavecchia (Boarder Hopper).— Vintage episodes with creative powerhouses like DP Lawrence Sher (The Hangover, Joker, Dan in Real Life), producer Julie Ansell (Spanglish, Edge of Seventeen, Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret), and more.— And a few surprises—including voices from my unexpected and welcome new adventure in accidental organizing and conversations around activism, truth-telling, and creating art in a noisy world.Whether you’re here for the filmmaking, the unfiltered honesty, the creative inspiration, or the spinster pride, you’re in the right place.🎧 Hit play and treat your ears to a Spinster snack.📝 If your ears like what they’re snacking on, follow, rate, and drop a review. It helps others find the show too.💌 And if you’d like to support my work or get access to extra content—like behind-the-scenes journals, deep dives on my guests, and updates on all things life, accidental organizing, and of course, getting Alone Girl made—check out my brand new Substack, The Blissful Spinster.For just $5 a month, you’ll get all of that and more… when I find the time to create it, lol!Seriously though—this show is a DIY labor of love, and your support helps keep it going.You can also find me and Blissful Spinster on Instagram, Pinterest, and at blissfulspinster.com, where you can also find some pretty cool merch… if you’re into that sort of thing!Thanks for being on this journey with me—and until next time, go find your happy. Links & LoveIf your ears like what they’re snacking on, follow, rate, and drop a review—it helps others find the show too.Want to support the show or get access to extra content—like behind-the-scenes journals, guest deep dives, and updates on getting Alone Girl made? Check out my Substack: The Blissful Spinster. Just $5/month supports this DIY labor of love and gets you a peek behind the scenes (when I find the time to write, lol). Find me and the pod on Instagram, Pinterest, and at blissfulspinster.com—where you can also find some pretty cool merch, if you’re into that sort of thing. Thanks for being on this journey with me—and until next time, go find your happy.💚
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  • Oren Soffer - Cinematographer - Part 1
    Meet Oren Soffer!  Oren lives in Los Angeles and is an up and coming cinematographer with a bold cinematic eye. Oren’s work includes two feature films; “Fixation” that premiered at TIFF and “Allswell” that premiered at TriBeCa in 2022 as well as Co-Dping the film “The Creator” with cinematographer Greig Fraser. While studying film at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts Oren was nominated for the ASC Gordon Willis Student Heritage Award, and was a finalist for the Arri Volker Bahnemann Award for Cinematography. Oren has also shot multiple award-winning short films, including “Opera of Cruelty,” 'which won a Student Academy Award, and “See You Soon,” which won the audience award at the Palm Springs International Shortsfest.Recently, Oren has started co-hosting his own podcast called Cinematography Salon which has some great in-depth conversations on both the technical aspects of filmmaking as well as what it’s like to navigate the world of film as a career. Oren and I met at a UTA party last September and we had such a great conversation that I asked if he’d be on Blissful Spinster and I was delighted when he said yes!  I have to admit my conversation with Oren is one of my favorites to date. His passion for the art of filmmaking is palpable and he is all at once introspective, humorous and articulate. He loves to share knowledge and is full of wonderful nuggets for filmmakers of any level. Beyond the joy of watching Oren succeed at what he loves, what brings me the most joy is knowing I can now call Oren a friend We had an Amazing chat and I’m so excited to bring you Part 1 of my conversation with Oren!**  Just a couple of fun notes before we get going… this episode was recorded nearly a year ago, last October and you’ll hear Oren and I refer to the film “The Creator” as it’s former name “True Love”, also, this episode will be part 1, as Oren has graciously agreed to come back as a guest to record a bonus episode and talk about what he’s been up to since our last chat and to talk a little bit more in depth on “The Creator” on the eve of the film’s release.Oren’s Bio:Oren recently shot the feature film ‘The Creator,’ directed by Gareth Edwards, along with cinematographer Greig Fraser ASC ACS, slated for release on September 29, 2023. Two of his other recent features premiered at the TIFF and TriBeCa film festivals in 2022. He has also shot multiple award-winning short films, including 'Opera of Cruelty,' which won a Student Academy Award, and ‘See You Soon,’ which won the audience award at the Palm Springs International Shortsfest before subsequently premiering on Short of the Week and receiving a Vimeo Staff Pick. During his studies at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts, Oren was nominated for the ASC Gordon Willis Student Heritage Award, and was a finalist for the Arri Volker Bahnemann Award for Cinematography. Oren has also shot hundreds of commercials and music videos for a variety of clients including Nike, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, HBO, Foot Locker, Grey Goose Vodka, Doritos, Kohler, Wilson Tennis, Marriott Hotels, ACE Hardware, Crest, Viacom, and Universal Studios.Connect with Oren on: InstagramLearn more about Oren’s work on his websiteListen to Oren’s Podcast Cinematographer’s SalonThe Creator is opening in theatres September 29th! - GO SEE IT!Learn more about the Blissful Spinster Podcast and connect with Cris on the website, InstagramIf you’re enjoying Blissful Spinster please consider supporting me by visiting my author page on Amazon - Pawsman Prints and picking up a purrfect gift for yourself or the cat lover in your life with one of my eclectic cat-themed journals! Meow! Links & LoveIf your ears like what they’re snacking on, follow, rate, and drop a review—it helps others find the show too.Want to support the show or get access to extra content—like behind-the-scenes journals, guest deep dives, and updates on getting Alone Girl made? Check out my Substack: The Blissful Spinster. Just $5/month supports this DIY labor of love and gets you a peek behind the scenes (when I find the time to write, lol). Find me and the pod on Instagram, Pinterest, and at blissfulspinster.com—where you can also find some pretty cool merch, if you’re into that sort of thing. Thanks for being on this journey with me—and until next time, go find your happy.💚
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  • RANDALL PARK - Director, Writer, Producer & Actor
    Meet Randall Park, the multi-talented artist who has captivated audiences with his comedic acting, writing, producing, and directing skills. Hailing from Los Angeles, Randall is not only known for his comedic prowess but has also ventured into the realms of producing and directing. His journey in the entertainment industry began during his time at UCLA, where he co-founded the LCC Theatre Company, which has since grown to become the largest Asian American college theater group in the country.I first discovered Randall's talent when a friend shared a link to the hilarious web series, IKEA Heights, from the Comedy 101 web series. If you haven't seen it yet, I highly recommend checking it out at the link I left below! Since then, Randall has left his mark on various shows such as The Office and Veep before landing lead roles in Fresh Off The Boat and Blockbuster. His performances have also extended to both the Marvel and DC franchises, with his portrayal of FBI Agent Jimmy Woo in the WandaVision series generating a significant online campaign for a spin-off series centered around his character.One of Randall's most notable accomplishments, in my opinion, was his co-writing and co-starring role in Netflix's rom-com Always Be My Maybe alongside Ali Wong. His portrayal of the romantic lead showcased his nuanced and hilarious performance, solidifying his talent as both a writer and actor.In addition to his own success, Randall is also committed to amplifying Asian American and underrepresented voices in the industry. This dedication has led him to co-found Imminent Collision, a production company aimed at providing a platform for these voices. Together with his friends from the LCC Theatre Company, Randall is working towards creating meaningful opportunities for marginalized communities.Most recently, Randall ventured into directing with his debut feature film, Shortcomings, a subversive romantic comedy that played in competition at this year's Sundance Film Festival. The film tells a relatable story about messy people who happen to be Asian American, providing a refreshing perspective to the genre. It was at Sundance that I had the incredible opportunity to meet Randall during a panel on directing your first feature film. I was thrilled when he agreed to share his directing journey with me on Blissful Spinster, and our conversation was filled with open dialogue, insightful advice, and inspiring anecdotes. I’m so excited to bring you my conversation with Randall! Follow Randall’s Production Company - Imminent Collision on: InstagramShortcomings is still in theatres this week - GO SEE IT!Learn more about the Blissful Spinster Podcast and connect with Cris on the website, InstagramCheck out IKEA Heights on YouTubeIf you’re enjoying Blissful Spinster please consider supporting me by visiting my author page on Amazon - Pawsman Prints and picking up a purrfect gift for yourself or the cat lover in your life with one of my eclectic cat-themed journals! Meow! Links & LoveIf your ears like what they’re snacking on, follow, rate, and drop a review—it helps others find the show too.Want to support the show or get access to extra content—like behind-the-scenes journals, guest deep dives, and updates on getting Alone Girl made? Check out my Substack: The Blissful Spinster. Just $5/month supports this DIY labor of love and gets you a peek behind the scenes (when I find the time to write, lol). Find me and the pod on Instagram, Pinterest, and at blissfulspinster.com—where you can also find some pretty cool merch, if you’re into that sort of thing. Thanks for being on this journey with me—and until next time, go find your happy.💚
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Über Blissful Spinster

Welcome to Blissful Spinster, a podcast where I’ll explore my place in the world as a happy single woman in her 50s, and how that intersects with my journey as I hustle to get my first narrative feature film, ALONE GIRL off the ground as a writer/director.
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