Collider Ladies Night and Collider Forces put the spotlight on the need-to-know voices in Hollywood through entertaining, in-depth conversations. Who’s on the rise? Who’s changing the industry for the better? Collider.com senior producer Perri Nemiroff sits down with these standout artists to cover their journey from early influences, current projects, and beyond. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Karen Rodriguez has appeared on a handful of popular shows, but in just a few years, she’s found herself right smack in the middle of two of the biggest hits as a series regular. First came Netflix’s The Hunting Wives , the series adaptation of May Cobb ’s hugely popular novel. Whereas headliners like Brittany Snow and Malin Akerman are leaning into the extremes of the characters' situation — and to great effect — Rodriguez tackles the task of serving as the show’s grounded heart, Deputy Wanda Salazar. Rodriguez made such a big impression doing that that she was made a series regular for the second season, which is due out in the fall. While you wait for more Hunting Wives , you can catch Rodriguez in one of the most highly anticipated new superhero projects of 2026, Prime Video ’s Spider-Noir . Rodriguez stars opposite Nicolas Cage ’s Ben Reilly as Janet Ruiz, his trusty secretary and fellow investigator. Ben may be the one with the superpowers, fighting crime in New York City as The Spider, but it’s Janet's intuition that helps them connect with clients, often sparking the groundbreaking level of understanding needed to crack a case. With all eight episodes of Spider-Noir now available to stream on Prime Video, in Black & White and also True-Hue color, Rodriguez visited the Collider Ladies Night studio to revisit her journey to Netflix, discuss what it was like scoring her very first series regular role in Spider-Noir , and to dig into how Janet is Reilly Investigations secret weapon. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Seven years and five seasons later, Erin Moriarty ’s run on The Boys has come to a close. Every single step of the way, The Boys kept us on our toes, ensuring we were well aware that the happiness and fate of our favorite characters was constantly in jeopardy. After four seasons of non-stop fights, setbacks with their mission, and growing self-doubt, Moriarty’s Annie teeters into a state of nihilism in the final season. As Moriarty put it, “We see her sort of questioning whether her own existence on Earth is the way that she's able to achieve what she wants to achieve, or is maybe sacrificing herself the way that she makes the world a better place?” With a little help from those around her, like MM ( Laz Alonso ) in Episode 6 and Marie ( Jaz Sinclair ) a few times in the tail end of the season, Annie manages to power through this identity crisis. Not only does she help The Boys finally see their main mission through to fruition, but she lands in a spot where she’s ready and eager to contribute to creating a promising future for others, including her own child. With all of The Boys now available to stream on Prime Video, Moriarty returned to Collider Ladies Night , six years after her first visit , to discuss Annie’s full series arc and why her final scene was especially fitting for the character. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Mikaela Hoover is in the midst of a well-earned banner year. She’s made memorable appearances in a number of projects over the years, including scene-stealing work as Floor in Guardians of The Galaxy Vol. 3 , but her run in 2025 and 2026 is putting her in the spotlight in the way she deserves. Soon after making her debut as Cat Grant in James Gunn ’s Superman , she appeared in the highly anticipated second season of Lee Sung Jin ’s Beef as Ava. As though that project pairing isn’t impressive enough, Hoover also joined the ensemble of one of the most popular series out there right now, Netflix’s live-action One Piece . Even though Hoover appeared on Collider Ladies Night a mere year ago, there was so much more to discuss given all that she’s accomplished in a single calendar year. After discussing her unforgettable key scenes in Beef Season 2, we dug deep into the process of voicing and doing the facial capture performance for one of the most beloved One Piece characters, Tony Tony Chopper. While breaking down how the team brings Chopper to life on screen, Hoover revealed that that process is getting a major overhaul for Season 3. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Editor's Note: The following contains spoilers for the series finale of The Boys. The Boys aired its Season 5 finale, "Blood and Bone," which also marks the series finale of Prime Video 's superhero satire. While most fans either stayed up until midnight or hit theaters to see the showdown between Homelander ( Antony Starr ) and Billy Butcher ( Karl Urban ), "Blood and Bone" also revealed the fate of the rest of the titular band of vigilantes. Chief among them is Kimiko Miyashiro ( Karen Fukuhara ), formerly known as "The Female." Though Kimiko does have a bittersweet ending, it's a far better fate than what happened to her in the comics . While speaking to Collider's Perri Nemiroff for her series, Ladies Night , Fukuhara opened up about the finale, which sees Kimiko play a major part due to gaining the same radioactive abilities that Soldier Boy ( Jensen Ackles ) had; she uses said abilities to strip Homelander and Butcher of their powers, allowing Butcher to finally kill his hated archenemy. To harness her new powers, Kimiko envisions Frenchie ( Tomer Capone ) speaking to her, which Fukuhara said brought her character's arc full circle. Written by Collier Jennings Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Inde Navarrette ’s work in Obsession is shaping up to be the biggest breakout performance of 2026. Curry Barker 's film kicked off its run at the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival where Focus Features was smart enough to act fast and scoop up the distribution rights. From there, buzz continued to build at Fantastic Fest 2025, the movie earned one rave review after the next at early screenings, and now the movie hits theaters nationwide with a significant amount of fanfare at its back. Obsession currently sits at a 94% on the Tomatometer, 95% on the Popcornmeter, has an A- CinemaScore, and is already being dubbed a modern horror classic. Yet another Obsession talking point that’s gaining more and more traction? Navarrette delivers an awards-worthy performance in the film. Michael Johnston leads Obsession as Bear, a guy with a crush on a girl who doesn’t share the same feelings. That girl is Navarrette’s Nikki. In an effort to win her over, Bear buys Nikki a novelty gift to give when he confesses his true feelings for her. Trouble is, he doesn’t have the courage to go through with it and, instead, uses the gift himself. He wishes that Nikki loves him more than anyone in the world and then snaps his One Wish Willow. Much to Bear’s surprise, the Willow works and he gets the girl of his dreams. But, it comes at a cost. What exactly does the One Wish Willow do to Nikki? Navarrette herself broke it down on Collider Ladies Night ! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Kara Young isn’t a breakout star in 2026. She’s been nominated for four Tony Awards and won two of them, one for Best Featured Actress in a Play for Purlie Victorious and then another for her work in Purpose . But, hopes are very high that her new movie, Is God Is , will make her a sought-after talent on screen as well. Young is the Racine to Mallori Johnson ’s Anaia in Aleshea Harris ’ big screen adaptation of her own play, a project that marks her feature directorial debut. Racine and Anaia are twin sisters who suffered severe burns as children. After years in the foster system, now young adults, the twins are summoned by their estranged mother ( Vivica A. Fox ) from her deathbed with a very important mission for them. She wants them to kill the person responsible for their burns, and hers as well. She tells them, “Make your daddy dead.” Is God Is is downright electrifying. It’s a bold and singularly stylish revenge thriller packed to the brim with powerhouse performances, but anchored by a lead duo that’s utter perfection — Young and Johnson. Johnson’s Anaia is dubbed “the quiet one” whereas Young’s Racine is “the rough one,” and Young absolutely soars while portraying Racine’s unbridled determination and ferocity. Young is currently on Broadway yet again, this time sharing the stage with Ayo Edebiri and Don Cheadle in Proof , but if she wants to carve out a bigger space for herself on screen moving forward, I can’t imagine a stronger calling card than her spellbinding work in Is God Is . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
After making seven seasons of the CBBC series, Malory Towers , it’s already abundantly clear that Ella Bright is brimming with talent and experience, but Prime Video ’s Off Campus is bound to send her star soaring in a significant way. Based on the hugely popular book series by Elle Kennedy , Off Campus Season 1 puts the spotlight on the main characters of the first novel, The Deal . Garrett Graham ( Belmont Cameli ) is Briar University’s impossibly popular star hockey player who can get just about any girl he wants. Bright’s Hannah Wells, on the other hand, is a quiet songwriter who tends to keep clear of the college party scene. Not a likely pair. Plus, Hannah has a crush on someone else. When Garrett struggles with his philosophy class, he opts to turn to a top student for help, Hannah, and the two strike up a deal; she’ll help him with his classwork and he’ll help her get who she thinks is the guy of her dreams, Josh Heuston ’s Justin. However, the longer they fake date in an effort to make Justin jealous, the more evident it becomes that they’re actually the perfect fit for one another. In the end, Garrett and Hannah fall for each other, and the viewer falls for them as a couple. The trouble is, Season 2 of Off Campus is based on the second book of Kennedy’s series, and that book, The Mistake , has different main characters. Does that mean we’ll get a lot less Hannah and Garrett in Off Campus Season 2? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Adeline Rudolph just made quite the leap as far as video game adaptations go. While things didn’t pan out well for Netflix’s Resident Evil series, which was canceled after just one season in 2022, Mortal Kombat II is cruising at the box office . In 2021 , director Simon McQuoid kicked off a new iteration of Mortal Kombat feature films with a movie focused on Cole Young ( Lewis Tan ) that also included a slew of other fan-favorite characters like Sonya Blade ( Jessica McNamee ), Kano ( Josh Lawson ), Jax ( Mehcad Brooks ), Liu Kang ( Ludi Lin ), Kung Lao ( Max Huang ), and many more. Rudolph didn’t just join that ensemble via 2026’s Mortal Kombat II . She headlines the film opposite Karl Urban ’s Johnny Cage. While Johnny Cage’s evolution is the focal point of the Earth Realm storyline, Kitana’s experience is the heart and soul of the Outworld material and, ultimately, it’s Kitana who brings the two sides together. In celebration of Mortal Kombat II ’s wide release, Rudolph swung by the Collider Ladies Night studio to discuss her journey as an actor thus far, including making her screen debut via The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina and lessons learned from Netflix's Resident Evil that she was able to apply to Mortal Kombat II . She also offered up some behind-the-scenes insight into all of Kitana’s biggest moments in the movie, which included the film’s final shot — all the main characters joining forces to bring back fallen champions. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
[Editor's Note: The following contains spoilers for The Boys, Season 5, Episode 5, “One-Shots."] Between Homelander’s ( Antony Starr ) wildly impulsive behavior and the frequent extreme violence across the board in The Boys , we were bound to lose a number of key characters in the show’s final season. Season 5 kicked off with an especially surprising one , forcing fans to say goodbye to someone who’s been part of the Prime Video series since day one, Jessie T. Usher as A-Train. Now, Season 5, Episode 5, “One-Shots,” removes yet another major character from the equation. At the end of the episode, Homelander kills Valorie Curry ’s Firecracker . With her run on The Boys wrapping up in spectacular fashion, with quite a few exceptional performance beats, Curry took the time to swing by the Collider Ladies Night studio for an in-depth interview about her journey to The Boys , and her experience digging into the “sad, racist, homophobic piece of shit” that is Firecracker. In addition to discussing Homelander’s declaration that he is God and how that changes everything for her, we also talked about the only moment we get a peek at Misty Tucker Gray at the beginning of Episode 5, and, of course, her demise at the hands of Homelander. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
The Pitt enjoyed an outstanding first season run. It was critically acclaimed, scooped up a number of significant accolades, and also amassed a passionate fan base that came to care deeply for the characters. It’s an undeniably wonderful opportunity to get the chance to join the cast of a proven hit, but it also comes with a significant amount of pressure. Not only are you jumping aboard a fast-moving train on set, but you’re also challenged to craft a character that fans will come to love just as much as their Season 1 favorites. Laëtitia Hollard managed to do just that as nurse Emma in The Pitt Season 2. The Pitt enjoyed an outstanding first season run. It was critically acclaimed, scooped up a number of significant accolades, and also amassed a passionate fan base that came to care deeply for the characters. It’s an undeniably wonderful opportunity to get the chance to join the cast of a proven hit, but it also comes with a significant amount of pressure. Not only are you jumping aboard a fast-moving train on set, but you’re also challenged to craft a character that fans will come to love just as much as their Season 1 favorites. Laëtitia Hollard managed to do just that as nurse Emma in The Pitt Season 2. Emma Nolan (Hollard) is fresh out of nursing school and is assigned to shadow the nurses at Pittsburgh Trauma Medical Center’s Emergency Department. Emma is essentially thrown into the deep end on July 4. Her first day on the job throws a vast array of challenges her way, including the task of preparing Louie ( Ernest Harden Jr. ) to be laid to rest, caring for a sexual assault victim, being attacked by a patient herself, and then some, and Emma navigates it all with a staggering amount of grace and kindness. Hollard turned Emma into an impossibly lovable character, leaving many with fingers crossed tight that she’ll return for Season 3. While attending the 2026 Overlook Film Festival in New Orleans for her feature film debut, Larry Fessenden ’s Trauma or, Monsters All , she took the time to sit down for a Collider Ladies Night interview to discuss the remarkable things she accomplished a mere year after graduating from the Juilliard School, Emma’s biggest moments in The Pitt Season 2, and her hopes for the character’s Season 3 storyline. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
The Pitt Season 2 has come to a close and Sepideh Moafi has delivered a downright brilliant first-season arc as Dr. Baran Al-Hashimi . She kicked off her run in the series by swooping into the Pittsburgh Trauma Medical Center Emergency Department to cover for Dr. Robby ( Noah Wyle ) during his upcoming sabbatical. Rather than wait for Robby to give her the lay of the land, Dr. Al-Hashimi jumps in feet first, immediately inserting herself into the goings-on at the hospital. As Moafi herself put it, “It was set up for her to disrupt the rhythm of this established hospital. Dr. Robby is America's golden boy, or the world's, really, golden boy, so anyone who comes in his path is going to be scrutinized to a certain degree.” In the early episodes of Season 2, she was indeed scrutinized — by Dr. Robby and the colleagues that would eventually have to work under her on the show, and also by The Pitt fans concerned about Dr. Al-Hashimi upending the ED foundation and group dynamic established during the events of Season 1. Over the course of the day, strengths and weaknesses are unearthed, but perhaps more important than anything, so is her purpose: “Delivering and finding ways within this broken system to find creative solutions to deliver the best quality care for patients.” Moafi added another concept inspired by Toni Morrison that she held especially tight to; “If you are free, your job is to free somebody else. If you have some power, then you need to empower somebody else.” Dr. Al-Hashimi abides by those principles every step of the way in The Pitt Season 2, and at the end of the season, it’s revealed that while working toward those goals, she’s also trying to figure out how to live her life and do her work with a seizure disorder. With all of The Pitt Season 2 now available to watch on HBO Max, Moafi carved out the time for a Collider Ladies Night conversation to revisit her journey to the hit medical drama and also her experience making Dr. Al-Hashimi’s Season 2 arc feel especially full. On top of that, Moafi also took a moment to look to the future. While we still don’t know if Moafi will continue on with the show, she certainly has some powerful ideas for where the writers could take her character in Season 3. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Bridgerton is the gift that keeps on giving. With each new season of the show, we’re introduced to more wildly talented rising stars , many of whom have now used their Bridgerton fame as a launchpad for building extensive filmographies, and one of the first to do it was Phoebe Dynevor . The moment Bridgerton kicked off its run on Netflix in December 2020, Dynevor became a household name. When her time on the show came to a close in 2022, she pivoted to feature filmmaking and since, has dished out quite a few winners across a variety of genres. In 2023, Fair Play debuted at the Sundance Film Festival and ultimately helped Dynevor secure a BAFTA Rising Star Award nomination. Soon after that came Anniversary , which features Dynevor in the midst of a stellar ensemble that includes Diane Lane , Kyle Chandler , Zoey Deutch , Dylan O’Brien and more. Now, not only does she have a shark movie, Thrash , hitting Netflix, but she’s also got a number of highly anticipated projects on the horizon, including the Beach Read film adaption and the M. Night Shyamalan and Nicholas Sparks collaboration, Remain . ith Thrash now available to stream on Netflix and hype building for Dynevor’s upcoming films and shows, she took the time to visit the Collider Ladies Night studio to discuss how she’s whipped up such a diverse resume, and how she hopes to expand it even further in the future. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Barbie Ferreira saw her star skyrocket as an actor in extraordinary fashion in 2019 with the debut of the HBO series Euphoria . It quickly became one of the most talked-about shows on the air and, in turn, put an especially intense spotlight on the entire main ensemble, which also included Zendaya , Sydney Sweeney and Jacob Elordi , just to name a few. It was a game-changer for just about everyone involved. About two and a half years later, the second season finally arrived. In most cases, that kind of wait between seasons could extinguish a show’s momentum. Not Euphoria . Yet again, it closed the season as one of the most popular shows on television, and ultimately became an Outstanding Drama Series nominee at the 2022 Emmys. It remained at peak popularity. But, that’s when Ferreira opted to exit. Just as Euphoria Season 3 kicks off , about four years after the Season 2 finale aired, Ferreira is in the midst of a one-two punch in the feature film realm. This weekend she celebrates the big debut of one of the most hotly anticipated genre sequels in recent years, a brand-new Faces of Death . Following in the footsteps of the infamous 1978 original, an especially nasty exploitation film that claimed to be made of far more real footage than it was, Ferreira headlines the 2026 edition as Margot. She works as a content moderator, pinpointing videos that cross the line and demand removal from a platform called Kino. That’s where she comes across a video of a murder. But it has to be staged, right? That’s what Margot suspects, but doubt creeps in when more videos from this particular user start to pour in. On top of that, Ferreira also has a wholly different movie hitting theaters on April 17, Mile End Kicks . In that one, she headlines as a music critic who moves to Montreal to focus on writing a book on Alanis Morissette ’s Jagged Little Pill . However, after falling for a member of a local indie rock band, she overlooks the book in favor of getting closer to the band, in particular, its lead singer, Chevy ( Stanley Simons ). With her especially big month on the big screen now underway, Ferreira took the time to visit the Collider Ladies Night studio to discuss her early success as a model, scoring her role on Euphoria , and what it’s been like carving a path in Hollywood that feels true to her since. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Everyone’s juggling a lot in The Pitt Season 2, but Isa Briones ’ storyline as Trinity Santos feels especially full. Not only is being a second-year resident at Pittsburgh Trauma Medical Center's Emergency Department especially taxing, but on this particular day, she also faces the return of Dr. Langdon ( Patrick Ball ), Dr. Robby’s ( Noah Wyle ) pending exit for his sabbatical, and the realization that she might not get precisely what she wants out of her relationship with Dr. Garcia ( Alexandra Metz ). As is very often the case with The Pitt , the writers do an exceptional job of blending workplace challenges with personal concerns to craft stories about fully realized people giving everything they’ve got to others, while trying to figure out how to care for themselves in the process. With The Pitt closing in on its Season 2 finale , Briones carved out the time to swing by the Collider Ladies Night studio to discuss everything that’s happened through Episode 13, “7:00 PM,” before jetting off to New York City for her run in Just in Time on Broadway . We covered lessons learned from her father, Jon Jon Briones , takeaways from Star Trek: Picard , what it was like joining the cast of The Pitt , and, of course, everything Santos is trying to power through on July 4th. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
2018’s The Haunting of Hill House was a game changer for Netflix, Mike Flanagan , and for genre storytelling. Flanagan already had success in the feature film realm with Oculus , Hush , and Ouija: Origin of Evil , just to name a few, but Hill House was the type of hit that sent his career soaring, and paved the way to four more series with Netflix. Every single one of those shows was a feat in genre storytelling. They made Netflix a go-to destination for high-quality horror, and also amplified the fact that horror is a genre with range and significant substance. Yes, there are jump scares, blood and gore, but you can also tell a deeply human horror story that can be both bone chilling and soulful. After 2023’s The Fall of the House of Usher , Flanagan’s run with Netflix came to an end and off he went to Amazon MGM Studios where he signed an exclusive multi-year TV pact. Three years later, Netflix found a creator capable of filling the Flanagan void. It’s Something Very Bad Is Going to Happen ’s Haley Z. Boston . And the success of her eight-episode limited series isn’t only sending her star soaring. It also confirms that star Camila Morrone is and should continue to be a genre star. With Something Very Bad Is Going to Happen currently enjoying a position in Netflix’s Top 10 TV Shows in the US, Morrone sat down for a Collider Ladies Night interview to discuss her collaboration with Boston, and also to talk about her first go-around in the horror genre. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Collider Ladies Night continues to highlight one of the best ensembles on television right now, the cast of HBO Max's The Pitt . In recent weeks, we’ve had conversations with Shabana Azeez and Katherine LaNasa , and now it’s time to turn to Fiona Dourif to cover what’s happening in Season 2 through Episode 12, “6:00 PM.” During her full Ladies Night chat, we discussed Dourif’s experience deciding to become a professional actor and first starting to make a living pursuing that dream at 34. She also delved into her journey with the Child’s Play franchise (and her potential future in it), before turning to her work playing Dr. McKay in The Pitt . Dourif revealed some of her own personal backstory for the character, spoke about McKay’s Episode 12 conversation with Dr. Robby ( Noah Wyle ) when she senses something’s off with him, and also took a moment to address the show’s ICE storyline. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
It isn’t often you get so many genre icons in one movie, but so is the case with the Ready or Not sequel, Ready or Not 2: Here I Come . The 2019 original sent Samara Weaving ’s star soaring and now, in film two, she’s joined by two other actors who have achieved “scream queen” status. It’s Sarah Michelle Gellar and Kathryn Newton . While in Austin celebrating Ready or Not ’s World Premiere at SXSW 2026, Gellar and Newton visited the Collider interview studio for a Collider Ladies Night conversation to cover their journeys to the Ready or Not franchise, and to tease their hopes for their futures in the genre. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Alona Tal made a huge impression in Cross Season 1 on Prime Video, but Kayla Craig shakes things up to an especially great extent in Season 2, and it’s bound to make her one of the most intriguing characters in the show’s just-announced third season . In Season 1, Kayla makes the invaluable assist. She swoops in when she can to help Alex ( Aldis Craig ) stop Ramsey ( Ed Ramsey ). In Season 2, however, they’re forced to work an entire case side by side. That partnership tests many aspects of their connection, and challenges Kayla to question how far she’s willing to go to get what she wants. While on Collider Ladies Night , Tal looked back on a number of key Season 2 scenes that reveal Kayla’s drive and true intentions. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
A24 has another horror genre winner on their hands, Undertone . Writer-director Ian Tuason whipped up one of the most chilling films of 2026 for a reported $500,000 production budget, and it features a wildly commanding lead performance that should earn the star “scream queen” status. It’s The Handmaid’s Tale ’s Nina Kiri as Evy Babic, one half of the Undertone Podcast duo. While living with and caring for her comatose mother ( Michèle Duquet ), Evy takes breaks in the middle of the night to podcast with Justin ( Adam DiMarco ). The two are used to exploring supernatural occurrences and enjoy leaning into their roles as the skeptic and the believer, respectively, but when they receive an anonymous email containing ten audio files, Evy is forced to consider the fact that they may be the real deal. With Undertone now playing in theaters nationwide, Kiri joined me for a Collider Ladies Night interview to discuss her journey as an actor thus far, including her unforgettable run on The Handmaid’s Tale , before digging into some of Undertone ’s most chilling moments. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
It isn’t easy joining a beloved ensemble in the second season of their show and making enough of an impression to earn a place among them, but Charithra Chandran certainly accomplished just that playing Vivi in One Piece: Into the Grand Line . Soon after making the shift from Baroque Works agent Miss Wednesday to the Princess of Alabasta, Chandran’s Vivi not only feels right among the Straw Hats, but also proves she’s the kind of person who can make them an even stronger pirate crew and found family. With Into the Grand Line now available to stream on Netflix, Chandran visited the Collider Ladies Night studio to look back on her journey to becoming a Netflix star, and to dig into some of Vivi’s biggest scenes in One Piece Season 2, like the moment she shares with Luffy ( Iñaki Godoy ) at the gates of Drum Island in Episode 6, “Nami Deerest.” Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
