Award-winning actor Purva Bedi tried to be practical by double-majoring in Economics and Theatre as an undergrad, but with acting and performing running through her bloodlines, a life on stage and screen was inevitable. In the final episode of Season 2, Purva tells Melanie and Katie incredible stories of her family and how she carries that lineage forward. She shares about her early career as a bicoastal actor crashing with her parents, the bold declaration she made on her first date with her future husband, and how her biggest challenge as an actor has been saying No. From her own creative projects poking fun at pregnancy and marriage, to her life as a fixture on the New York theatre scene and her many on-screen performances, to the mothering of her two children, Purva brings her heart, humor, and the ability to pivot fast to everything she does.

More on Purva:

https://www.purvabedi.com

@purvabedi

I'm Having a Baby video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MXdKeBv_cfs&list=RDMXdKeBv_cfs&start_radio=1

https://www.targetmargin.org

https://www.facebook.com/shrinkagetheshow/mentions/?_rdr

As a single gay actor going from out of town job to out of town job, J. Paul Boehmer didn’t think having children was in the realm of possibility for him. Then he met his husband, bought a house and, after a fortuitous conversation, began looking for an egg donor and a surrogate.

In this very special Fathers’ Day episode, Paul shares the fatigue of life on the road and the reality of 8-week friendships, how he grew his audiobook side hustle into a full-time gig, and how he and his husband found their way to parenting twin girls at the start of a global pandemic. Paul describes the prejudices they faced as a same-sex couple wanting to have children, how deeply they bonded with their surrogate, what his daughters think of his work, and why they outsourced potty training.

This is an episode honoring all the amazing dads in the business- hats off to you and all you do.

More on Paul:

a few of his audiobook titles here:

https://www.audiobooksnow.com/search/paul%20boehmer/

For any additional questions about the episode please get in touch with us via DM @actlikeamotherpodcast

Actor, producer, coach, union organizer and mom to a 13-year old boy, Hilary Ward shares with Katie and Melanie her beautiful perspective on life and work. She speaks about acknowledging the “almosts” and the failures as an actor and not just the wins, how her career doesn’t define her worth, and how theatre can be relevant to the community it takes place in. Hilary explains why Primary Trust is the play of the moment and how she negotiated with her family to leave town not once but twice to perform in it.

Hilary has built a thriving career in LA and she speaks to the ups and downs of that including what it was like to get dumped by her agent, how the business is determined to teach her that she’s not in control and how running a theatre company is what actually keeps her sane.

As a military wife with a husband who spent time on active duty overseas, Hilary had plenty of experience with uncertainty. She shares how she cares for and centers herself, what’s important to her as a mother, and how she sorted out who she is rather than who the business expected her to be.

More on Hilary:

https://www.hilarywardofficial.com

@imhilaryward

https://www.chalkrep.com

https://www.sagaftra.org

https://www.sagaftra.org/los-angeles/local-programs/los-angeles-conservatory

https://theatre.ucsd.edu/academics/graduate/acting-mfa.html

https://twhartford.org

https://www.concordtheatricals.com/p/96908/primary-trust

https://www.penguinrandomhouseretail.com/book/?isbn=9780143129257