Nice Talk with Nikki Ogunnaike podcast

78 episodes

Laverne Cox on Why Her Memoir Feels “Divine” in This Political Moment
11/06/2026 | 31 mins.
Laverne Cox is an actress, producer, and LGBTQ+ advocate, and as of June 9, she’s also the author of her memoir, Transcendent. In this episode, Cox discusses how her childhood love of thrifting has evolved into a vintage Mugler obsession, why it feels "divine" for her memoir to come out in this political moment, and what it was like being “broke and fabulous” in New York City before she booked Orange Is the New Black. Plus, Cox shares some of her greatest writing inspirations, including bell hooks and Walt Whitman.
Whitney Leavitt on Unapologetic Ambition, Her Style Evolution, and Being a Breadwinner
04/06/2026 | 28 mins.
Whitney Leavitt first rose to fame as a member of the TikTok group "MomTok" and as a star of the subsequent reality show, The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives. Since then, Leavitt has evolved her entertainment career time and time again, competing on Dancing With the Stars and making her Broadway debut as Roxie Hart in Chicago. Now, she's embarking on yet another new chapter in her career with her production company, Leavitt Media House. On this episode, she candidly discusses her career ambitions, why leaving Secret Lives feels different this time, and what she’s learned about style from her move from the Utah bubble to New York.
Dr. Becky Kennedy on Sturdy Leadership at Home and Work
28/05/2026 | 40 mins.
Becky Kennedy, PhD, is a clinical psychologist, best-selling author, founder of the parenting platform Good Inside, and a social media creator with over 3.5 million followers. Today on the show, she’s bringing us all the methods, strategies, and mindsets people can use to become sturdy leaders in their lives—whether that’s at home with their kids or at work with their teams. She shares how she approaches her calendar, why a “same team” mentality is helpful for navigating challenging situations, and her thoughts on the concept of weaponized incompetence.
Ego Nwodim on Finding Power in a “We Gonna See” Mentality
21/05/2026 | 29 mins.
Ego Nwodim is an actor and comedian known for her seven-year tenure as a cast member on Saturday Night Live, as well as projects like Mr. Throwback and Mindy Kaling’s Not Suitable for Work. On this episode, Nwodim discusses her time at SNL—including the casting process, why it felt like a really cool corporate job, and the deep friendships she formed with colleagues, including Heidi Gardner. Plus, she shares her online shopping method and why her motto when it comes to Solidcore is, “But did you die?”
Poet Cleo Wade on Building Community, Beating Writer’s Block, and Not Caring What Other People Think
14/05/2026 | 36 mins.
Cleo Wade is a poet, artist, and New York Times best-selling author whose latest book, In a World of Sunrises: 365 Days of Heart, Soul, and Hope, debuted this April. On this episode, Wade shares insight on what she's learned from her early career in fashion, the influence growing up in New Orleans had on her style, and how she’s navigated her money anxiety. Plus, she shares the one prompt she always uses when she doesn’t know what to write and her advice for anyone trying to build community and make friends as an adult.

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About Nice Talk with Nikki Ogunnaike

Welcome to Nice Talk, hosted by Marie Claire Editor in Chief Nikki Ogunnaike. Each week, Nikki will sit down with fascinating women—entertainers, entrepreneurs, creators, athletes, and changemakers—to discuss money, power, and style. “Well-behaved” women have long been discouraged from speaking on these topics—style should be effortless, and conversations about money or power aren’t “proper,” “ladylike,” or “nice.” But Nikki’s definition of a Nice Talk is one where all parties walk away feeling empowered. Nikki’s guests are getting candid about how they navigated their come-ups, what makes them feel both powerful and powerless, and of course, how they use personal style to communicate with the world.

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