"Sharon Horgan"

The episode features an in-depth conversation with Irish-British writer, producer, and actress Sharon Horgan. The hosts open with news about a tribute to Jim Burrows and an upcoming SmartLess show at the Hollywood Bowl on October 17th, where Sean and Jason share a story about an aggressive encounter outside Sean's house that led them to contact security.

Sharon discusses her career path, revealing she didn't start making a living from entertainment until her early 30s, having previously worked as an administrative officer in employment services for six and a half years. She was rejected from drama schools twice—both in Dublin and London—before pursuing creative writing at university. She notes that auditioning terrified her early in her career and shares anecdotes about sweating through auditions and physical reactions to performance anxiety, eventually learning breathing techniques and even using beta blockers to manage nerves.

The conversation explores Sharon's creative process and writing philosophy. She emphasizes the joy of sitting in rooms with funny people, laughing together, and developing ideas collaboratively. She discusses her evolution as a writer-performer, admitting she was initially too prescriptive with actors' interpretations of her scripts, wanting them to match her internal vision. She learned from Donald Gleason that hiring talented actors means trusting their contributions rather than dictating exact line readings. She describes the difference between UK and American television models—noting that British TV's shorter seasons allowed writers to create multiple shows and move on, while American shows lock creators into long runs.

Sharon details the contrast between lower-budget British productions (using the example of spending minimal money on craft services—just biscuits and tea) versus American productions with lavish amenities like lobster in craft services. She describes writing Motherland while filming Game Night, juggling both a UK TV production and major Hollywood film simultaneously.

On the creative rewards, she articulates that the writing process itself—particularly creating characters and pitching ideas—provides the deepest satisfaction. She notes that scripts exist with infinite possibilities before budget and actor availability constrain them. She also mentions looking back at old germinal ideas and finding they become relevant again at different life stages.

Regarding her new project Youth, Sharon explains it's an HBO series (8 half-hour episodes) exploring the 'sandwich generation'—someone in their 50s dealing with their child leaving for college and aging parents, while their own life takes a backseat. She shot it across multiple countries including Spain, Germany, and the UK. She reflects that she's glad to tackle this subject matter now rather than earlier, feeling she has more to say about that period in women's lives after the success of Bad Sisters.

She discusses her personal life and preferences, revealing she's lived in the same London house for years and has the same agent for 25 years—she's resistant to change despite her professional life involving constant creative change. She owns a house in Beachwood, California but visits less frequently after COVID disrupted the old model of needing to be in Los Angeles for pitch meetings, as most business is now conducted via video calls. She dislikes LA's industry-focused culture and gossip, preferring London where industry talk isn't omnipresent. She has family nearby in London and Ireland.

The hosts and Sharon also discuss sleep issues (she's been waking at 4:15 AM), sleep hygiene, and coffee consumption. Sean shares his unusual sleep hack of watching facial massage videos to fall asleep. The conversation includes banter about auditioning stories, line reading preferences, and the upcoming technological capability of AI to manipulate actors' facial expressions and dialogue in post-production.