A Christmas Gift, YummiPop Cosmetics & Acting With Nadia Simms

Welcome back to Out Of The Spotlight! After a nearly five-month walkout in the entertainment industry, we are excited to announce that the Writers' Strike has officially come to an end! After 148 days on strike, the writers walked away with an agreement... so we are back! We stood in solidarity with our fellow writers and now we can all return to doing what we enjoy and love.

This week's episode is a really special one. We are highlighting a nonprofit organization that is making a huge difference around the world. Stephanie Gonzalez sits down to chat with Rebecca Welsh, the creator and founder of The HALO Foundation.

HALO has one mission: Helping one more child spend one less day alone. HALO gives homeless kids a home in which hope emerges from hardship, poverty gives way to potential, and where drawings of the past unlock dreams of the future.

Rebecca talks to Steph about how this mission came together, the inspiration behind it, and how we can help to decrease the growing rates of youth homelessness. HALO puts homeless kids on a path to a positive future and together we can all make a difference as well.

With the holidays around the corner, we hope that this episode will inspire everyone to give back, support and love one another.

To learn more about The HALO Foundation you can click here or visit HaloWorldwide.org

You can also follow HALO on Instagram:  HaloEmpowersYouth

Welcome back to Out Of The Spotlight!

The Writers Strike is a movement that's been heard around the world.

On May 2, 2023 the WGA went on strike with one goal in mind - fair pay.

This week, Stephanie Gonzalez sits down with Emmy award winning Writer, Executive Producer, and Director, Mark Blutman.

Mark has been on the picket lines every day and has been joined by many other professional writers like himself who have paved the way for many. Actors have joined Mark each day as well, from former colleagues to familiar faces that we see on our screens. Due to this strike, writing work has come to a halt on many TV shows and numerous jobs are on the line.

Leading and directing isn't foreign to Mark - he has been in the entertainment industry, or showbiz as he says, for a long time now. He is best known for Boy Meets World, Girl Meets World, Ghostwriter, Spy School and of course, So Little Time featuring Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen.

Storytelling is Mark's specialty so get ready to learn, laugh and live through his words. He tells us all about his writing process, favorite episodes he's written, and what he hopes we can accomplish through the Writers Strike.

If you'd like to support the Writers Strike, please visit: https://entertainmentcommunity.org

You can also follow Mark Blutman on Instagram.

Welcome back to Out Of The Spotlight! It's a big week for actor Jesse Garcia but he made time to chat with us. Stephanie and Jesse are bringing the heat this week as they talk about Jesse's new upcoming film, "Flamin Hot"! 

Jesse takes us back to how he got into acting, moving away from his small hometown in order to pursue a dream, booking his first ever role on his own, and being a voice within the Hispanic community. 

He also takes us behind the scenes of his latest movie "The Mother" which recently premiered on Netflix... and shares what it was like getting slapped by Jennifer Lopez. Both in the movie and in real life (don't worry, it was an accident). Jesse also tells us about his friendship to the amazing Eva Longoria and why they can't sit next to each other in serious settings. We all have that friend, right?

Jesse is all about creating equal opportunities, representing the Latino community and going after your wildest dreams. 

"Flamin Hot" is based on a true story and has a phenomenal cast which includes Golden Globe & Tony Award winner Tony Shalhoub. Jesse shares what it was like portraying Richard Montanez and the message he hopes to send across through this film. 

Get ready to laugh, cry and feel inspired after watching "Flamin Hot". 

"Flamin Hot" premieres June 9th on Hulu and Disney+! 

Welcome back! This week, Stephanie sits down with her long time friend who happens to be an Olympic Medalist. Get ready to talk soccer, Olympics, World Cup and life lessons with former Professional Soccer Player and TV/Podcast host, Lauren Sesselmann! 

Lauren started her soccer career at the age of 12, but her first love was basketball. She played both soccer and basketball throughout her life and attended Purdue University for both sports. She set 6 records there and was named First Team All-Big Ten. And by the way - Lauren was recently inducted into the Purdue Hall of Fame.

Lauren shares with Steph intimate moments when she was ready to give up, the negative comments she heard from coaches, and all the lessons she learned throughout her career. But the good news is that her hard work eventually paid off. Lauren went on to represent Canada in the Pan American Games, 2012 Olympics and FIFA World Cup. 

She is a huge mental health advocate and has many upcoming projects. From the big screen to a new line, she is ready for her next chapter. 

Listen to find out what Lauren has coming up as we get closer to the 2023 FIFA World Cup! 

You're killing me, Smalls! This week, Stephanie sits down with the one and only, Marty York!
In case you haven't heard, this year marks the 30th anniversary of the iconic and legendary film, "The Sandlot".
Marty is highly recognized for his role in the film as Alan "Yeah-Yeah" McClennan. From being chased down the mall by fans, to surprising members of the armed forces, Marty has been making people smile for a long time now.
Marty began his acting career at a very young age. He starred in his first film alongside the hilarious John Candy. No big deal. He went on to star in sitcoms such as "Boy Meets World", "Saved By The Bell", "Hey Arnold", and more. In this episode, he shares a few behind the scenes moments which include a few "The Sandlot" secrets... So how long did it take Squints to film the pool kissing scene? Hint: Hours!
Marty was involved in a really bad car accident at the age of 17 and decided to step away from the industry for a few years. But it was during this time that he learned about nutrition, working out, and taking care of his health. This is when his fitness journey and love for working out began.
He gets candid about the ups and downs, and tells us about his younger sister, Nadia, who passed away due to an overdose. Marty is passionate about helping those who are battling addiction and is a huge advocate for addiction recovery.
He also gives advice to aspiring actors and tells us all about his upcoming projects.
Marty and his Sandlot castmates have a very busy year ahead of them. They will be traveling to different cities for meet and greets, panels, Q&A's and more.
Make sure to check out "The Sandlot" schedule and see if they're coming to a city near you! You can also follow Marty York on Instagram, and don't forget to watch his new documentary.

Legends Never Die!

Welcome back to Out Of The Spotlight! This week we are joined by someone who has forever changed the world of soccer. We are talking about the one and only, Meghan Klingenberg! 

Meghan has been a fan favorite since day one. She is a one-time FIFA Women's World Cup champion and recently won her second NWSL Championship... So yes, she is pretty freaking good at playing soccer but there is way more to her story.

Meghan and Stephanie will talk about how her soccer career kicked off, being absolutely nervous when she was called up to the US Women's National Team, winning the 2015 World Cup, and her time in the spotlight during that crazy year.

We also get to hear about her favorite person ever, her brother Drew. Shoutout to Drew!

Meghan also talks about her time on the Houston Dash which eventually led her to her current team, the Portland Thorns. And of course, she takes us back to winning the 2022 NWSL Cup and all the hard work it took getting to that trophy.

Her wish is to leave this beautiful game better than before. Her hope is that all the work she is doing right now will create a level playing field.

In 2019, Meghan joined forces with teammates Megan Rapinoe, Tobin Heath, and Christen Press and together they founded "Re—Inc". She explains why and how their lifestyle brand came together. 

And yes, there will be a rapid fire session - Meghan and Steph will forever be known as the rapid fire masters. 

There are many amazing takeaways from this conversation so get ready to have Meghan take you behind the scenes of her wild ride so far. And this is just the beginning! 

* Reminder: The 2023 NWSL season kicks off Saturday, March 25! 

Welcome back to Out Of The Spotlight! This week, Stephanie is joined by Professional Rugby Player, Christian Dyer.

Christian is making a difference not only on the field but in front of the camera as well.

From an ACL tear to not making the Olympic team, Christian has overcome a lot of obstacles in his career. However, he is thankful for these setbacks and considers them some of the greatest blessings and lessons.

After recovering from his ACL injury, not only was Christian an important key player for USA Rugby, but he eventually joined the Houston SaberCats in his MLR debut. He helped Houston make the playoffs for the very first time in history and is confident that they will have another successful season in 2023.

Christian recently premiered his podcast, "The Chase", where he features different guests who share their life lessons while chasing their dream. 

Get ready to feel inspired and don't forget to also check out "The Chase" on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube. 

Welcome back to Out Of The Spotlight! This week, Stephanie is chatting with Actress, Entrepreneur, & Mental Health Advocate, Nadia Simms. 

Nadia has been modeling and acting for as long as she can remember, and has starred in many TV and film roles. You probably remember her from "Fargo" alongside Chris Rock, or perhaps "Innocent" on FOX. 

Nadia currently stars on "Family Reunion" on Netflix alongside Tia Mowry & Cameron Wright... It's absolutely hilarious! And her upcoming project? A Christmas movie sequel just in time for the holidays. You can catch Nadia on "A Christmas Gift" premiering December 22nd on BET. 

Nadia is also passionate about mental health and spreading the message of self-love. Which is why she created her own cosmetic line YummiPop Cosmetics. Check it out!

Welcome to Out Of The Spotlight. This episode was really tough to record but we really hope it did our amazing friend, Grant Wahl, justice. 

Grant Wahl was an American journalist who paved the way for soccer in America. Many people also know him as the journalist who discovered a 17 year old Lebron James and put him on the cover of Sports Illustrated. 

Grant's love and passion for the beautiful game was unstoppable and contagious. If it involved soccer... Grant was there. He treated each player with kindness and was a truth seeker. His goal was to introduce soccer to everyone while bringing communities together. He also fought for equality in the women's game and in life. 

Grant and Stephanie met back in 2010. Stephanie's best friend and former pro soccer player/reporter, Temryss Lane, was with her that evening and they all quickly became best friends. 

At that time, there weren't many female soccer reporters. But Grant was always willing to include Steph and Temryss in every conversation, in every event. 

So we figured that Temryss would be the perfect guest this week to chat all things Grant and futbol with Steph.

Grant was supposed to be a guest on Out Of The Spotlight next month, so it's super hard to be writing about him in this manner. As a past tense. However, we find some comfort in knowing that he passed away doing what he loved the most - covering a WORLD CUP. His 8th to be exact. 

Grant's legacy will live on forever. The impact he has made will never be replicated. 

He is the definition of kindness. And the true definition of courage.

If anyone ever asks what a journalist should be... just look up Grant Wahl. 

Grant's love for soccer, his many stories, and the people he brought together will live on forever. 

We're sending all of our love to his wife, Dr. Celine Gounder, his brother Eric Wahl, his entire family, and the soccer community he loved so much.

We love you Grant Wahl. THANK YOU.

Welcome back to Out Of The Spotlight! To know Stephanie is to know that "Boy Meets World" is one of her favorite TV shows of all time. And this week, she is joined by Actress, Trina McGee! 

Trina is a sitcom icon who opened the doors for so many important conversations. Her "Boy Meets World" character, Angela, made a lasting impact on the show and for viewers. Angela's relationship with Shawn Hunter was one of the first interracial relationships that we had seen on TV at the time. And who can forget Shawn & Angela? 

Before joining the cast, Trina starred in movies alongside Sylvester Stallone and Robin Williams.

Trina has a lot of knowledge under her belt when it comes to acting, working hard, and enjoying life. She has maintained true to herself over the years and is very open about behind the scenes moments that occurred during her time on the show. 

Why wasn't she on the very last episode of "Boy Meets World"? Trina has no problem with sharing what truly happened.

Dream, Try, Do Good!

You can follow Trina McGee on Instagram and TikTok.