Role Calling's three-part Lord of the Rings holiday special comes to a conclusion, but not before a rousing climax and several emotional endings. This week, actor/producer Mary Kate Wiles joins Ned and Caroline for a conversation all about Peter Jackson's third and final LOTR installment, The Return of the King. And boy is there a lot to discuss! From the Battle of the Pelennor Fields to the showdown on Mount Doom, the trio go deep on what makes Tolkien's world so special, which performers...

The journey to Mordor continues as Ned and Caroline move on to Peter Jackson's action-packed epic, The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers. Special guest Joe Cunningham of the Cinematic Universe podcast joins to break down the debuts of Gollum, Rohan, Treebeard and more — not to mention a little sequence called the Battle of Helm's Deep. The trio also touch on The Rings of Power, analyze the accents across the LOTR ensemble, and get into an unexpectedly heated debate about Faramir. You can...

Golden rings, bearded men, elves in white dresses with blue satin sashes — what are The Lord of the Rings films if not the ultimate holiday classics? So to celebrate the festive season, Ned and Caroline are kicking off a brand new series on Peter Jackson's iconic LOTR trilogy and its stellar ensemble acting. This week, returning guests Zoë Maltby and Emily Marso join for a goofy, earnest, unexpectedly horny celebration of The Fellowship of the Ring. Watch the 2020 Lord of the Rings cast Zoom...

Before Ned and Caroline journey to Middle Earth for their Lord of the Rings specials, they take a look back at the best, worst and most "meh" films they watched in 2022. Welcome to Role Calling's first (maybe annual) Letterboxd Special! From Barbarian to Jurassic World Dominion to Marcel the Shell, enjoy some spoiler-free recs for what to watch and what to avoid as the hosts recount their defining movie-watching experiences of the year — and how they logged them on Letterboxd.  Follow Ned on...

One Halloween Ends fan and two skeptics join forces to chat about the final Laurie Strode vs. Michael Myers showdown in David Gordon Green’s controversial trilogy capper.

Our Zac Efron retrospective series comes to a close with a brand new movie and a brand new jawline! This week, Documentary Now! writer/producer Matt Pacult joins Caroline and Ned to break down Zac's new AppleTV+ Vietnam War comedy, The Greatest Beer Run Ever. The trio also chat about the new look Zac debuted at the Toronto International Film Festival, his role as a brand ambassador for Kodiak Cakes pancake mix, and where they think his career might head next as he celebrates his 35th birthday...

After a brief detour with Neighbors, Caroline and Ned return to "Zac Efron: Oops All Musicals" territory with The Greatest Showman — one of the wildest cinematic endeavors of the past decade. And to break down the circus insanity, they're joined by a very special guest: Caroline's sister, Katie Siede! Together, the trio chat about CGI lions, impressive aerial stunts, and Zac's unique brand of musical theater earnestness. Plus Katie and Caroline reminiscence about trying to learn the "This Is...

Eight years after High School Musical, Zac Efron reinvented himself as the ultimate bro comedy star with 2014's Neighbors. But how did he do it? Caroline and Ned are here to find out as they dive into the era of Frat Efron! From the lows of Baywatch and Dirty Grandpa to the highs of the Neighbors franchise, Caroline and Ned analyze the appeal of these raunchy comedies (and recount some of their best and worst jokes). Plus they try to figure out what these films have to say about Zac's own...

Hey there, teenage Baltimore! Don't change that channel, 'cause it's time for the Role Calling podcast, brought to you by Ultra Clutch Hairspray! After bursting onto the scene as an aughts teen heartthrob in High School Musical, Zac Efron got a chance to put his spin on a 1960s teen heartthrob too — in the 2007 movie musical Hairspray. How does his work as Link Larkin hold up today? And how does this movie as a whole hold up today? Caroline and Ned get into the good, the bad, and the John...

Zac Efron takes center stage in this deep dive into the High School Musical franchise.

After two decades of blockbuster filmmaking, Antonio Banderas put his dramatic chops to tremendous use in 2019's Pain and Glory — earning his first ever Oscar nomination in the process. This week, Ned and Caroline are joined by actor and teacher Will Kazda to break down this stunning Pedro Almodóvar film, which sees Antonio play a fictionalized version of the famed director. The trio also spend a surprising amount of time talking about the Shrek and Puss in Boots franchises, as well as...

In this special bonus episode, Ned and Caroline discuss the latest Marvel Cinematic Universe movie, Thor: Love and Thunder. Because it’s not every day that Christian Bale joins the MCU.

If there's one thing to know about Ned and Caroline, it's that they love musicals. So there was no way they'd miss a chance to talk about Antonio Banderas' turn as the singing and dancing narrator Che in the (slightly forgotten) film adaptation of Evita. The hosts dig into what they think about Andrew Lloyd Webber in general, what the hell this musical is trying to say about its titular character, and the unexpected role Madonna played in launching Antonio's American career. Plus they discuss...

After spending the 1980s making provocative dramedies with Spanish director Pedro Almodóvar, Antonio Banderas made the leap to Hollywood in the 1990s. And the film that really solidified his status as an American leading man is Robert Rodriguez's 1995 neo-Western, Desperado. From onscreen explosions to his explosive chemistry with Salma Hayek, Ned and Caroline chat all about Antonio's iconic turn as a vengeful Mariachi in the second installment of Rodriguez's "Mexico Trilogy." And since...

Before Antonio Banderas was a Hollywood icon, he was an early muse for Spanish director Pedro Almodóvar. And this week, Ned and Caroline look at all five of their 1980s collaborations, anchored by Antonio's sexy/scary turn as a kidnapper in 1989's Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down! And since the hosts are very much novices when it comes to these films, there was only one person they could ask to guest on this episode: Noted Almodóvar expert and enthusiast Manish Mathur! Together, the trio chat through...

Don your masks and saddle your horses, it's time to tackle the classic (and maybe unfairly forgotten) 1990s swashbuckling adventure, The Mask of Zorro! This week, Ned and Caroline kick off their brand new Antonio Banderas series with arguably his most iconic big screen performance to date. And they enlist their friend and fellow Zorro fan Jon Harrison to help them do it. From playful performances to smokin' hot romances, the trio go deep on what makes this film so special. And Ned should...

It's been one year since the pod debuted, and to celebrate, Ned and Caroline decided to throw the first annual Role Calling Awards! So join for some very silly fun as the hosts award best chemistry, biggest surprise, best villain and so much more. (Special thanks to our friends at the Cinematic Universe podcast for inspiring this idea!) In other updates: We have an Instagram! Follow us there (instagram.com/rolecalling/) for even more podcast extras! Our theme music was created by Patrick...

"I turn on my computer. I wait impatiently as it connects. I go online, and my breath catches in my chest until I hear three little words: You've got podcast." This week, Caroline and Ned bring their Meg Ryan series to a close with the 1998 rom-com classic, You've Got Mail. The last in Ryan's trilogy of romances with both Tom Hanks and Nora Ephron, this one adapts a decades-old story for the AOL age. So how does it hold up today? And what happened to Meg Ryan after her '90s heyday? Ned and...

Once upon a December, Caroline and Ned were strangers, starting out on a journey, never dreaming how their dreams would come true. Now here they are, podcasting about Meg Ryan's voice performance in the much-loved (non-Disney) princess animated fairy tale, Anastasia. To help them take this journey to the past, they enlist the expertise of Dr. Sam Summers (@samsummers0), animation academic and co-host of the excellent podcast Disniversity. The trio chat about the wild, weird career of...

Volcano cult classics aside, Sleepless In Seattle is really the movie that made Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks an iconic rom-com duo — which is funny considering they only share one scene together! This week, Caroline and Ned look back on the feel-good '90s favorite that is low-key pretty high-concept. Plus they reveal how they've personally crossed paths with the Hanks family. Our theme music was created by Patrick Budde, and our logo was designed by Nick Wanserski. You can get in touch on Twitter...

Before Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks became a beloved rom-com couple in Sleepless In Seattle and You've Got Mail, they starred in the kooky adventure romance, Joe Versus the Volcano — a cult classic if there ever was one. This week, Caroline and Ned delve into this wackadoo little John Patrick Shanley movie, and sing the praises of not one but three separate Meg Ryan performances. Our theme music was created by Patrick Budde, and our logo was designed by Nick Wanserski. You can get in touch on...

What happens when a single film immediately makes you America's sweetheart? That's what Caroline and Ned plan to find out as they kick off 2022 by diving into the career of the rom-com queen herself, Meg Ryan. Not only did 1989's When Harry Met Sally make Ryan a star, it also inspired an entire renaissance in rom-com filmmaking. Ned and Caroline dig into what makes this timeless classic so good, sing the praises of Ryan's comedic timing, and try not to just quote every single iconic line from...

Have you ever questioned the nature of your reality? For the final installment in their Jeffrey Wright retrospective series, Ned and Caroline do just that by taking a trip into Westworld's first season. Though this show features virtually all of Ned's favorite things, he had never actually seen it before. So he and Caroline welcome Westworld aficionado Rachel Kenney to help them work through the maze. You can follow Rachel on Instagram (instagram.com/rachel.kenney) and Twitter...

Jeffrey Wright once referred to Angels In America as the "epicenter" of his career. After winning a Tony for his performance on Broadway in 1994, he reprised his role in HBO's prestigious 2003 star-studded miniseries adaptation. This week, Ned and Caroline look back on Tony Kushner's masterwork with the help of actor, singer, and queer futurist Will Wilhelm. Let the great work begin! You can follow Will on Instagram (instagram.com/wwilhelm) and find their podcast Teacakes & Tarot...