First released in January 2016, the Modern Love Podcast selects an essay from the New York Times' archive of Modern Love columns every week. Actors are brought in to bring life to the story, coupled with alluring sound design and editing, and capped off with a follow-up interview with the essayist.
The original format has since curated a beautiful library of recordings, featuring auditory performances by notable actors — Jake Gyllenhaal, Regina King, Sandra Oh, Greta Gerwig, Kristen Bell, Laura Dern, and Sandra Oh, to name a few.
What really drew us to this podcast is the alluring conversations between text, performance, and reality. Each episode is truly an immersive experience, taking you to the different ways of how people communicate and go through the highs and lows of human relationships.
Here are some of our favorite episodes:
1. Nursing A Wound in An Appropriate Setting | With Jake Gyllenhaal
(Brian Red for the New York Times)
"The hospital pediatrics wing is a place of pain and resilience, fear and healing for patients and their families. But at the beginning of Thomas Hooven's residency, the hospital helped him recover from the heartbreak of a breakup that happened three months before he was supposed to be married."
Listen to the episode: Spotify | Apple Podcast
2. Refreshing A Mother's Memory With Love | With Zoe Saldana
(Brian Red for The New York Times)
"Dementia can alter someone's personality and change how how they interact with the world. But sometimes, it can also lead to moments of profound connection. Read by Zoe Saldana, Jenny McPhee writes about one of those moments in her moving piece."
Listen to the episode: Spotify | Apple Podcast
3. A Family Fairytale, Twice Told | With Julia Stiles
(Brian Red for The New York Times)
"Finding true love is hard. But finding the perfect New York City apartment? That's basically impossible. Liz Moore got lucky with the apartment. But then, a crush complicated things. "
Listen to the episode: Spotify | Apple Podcast
