WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:02.839 Welcome to The Deep Dive, the show where we unearth 00:00:02.839 --> 00:00:05.259 those crucial nuggets of knowledge, surprising 00:00:05.259 --> 00:00:07.740 insights, and compelling stories tailor -made 00:00:07.740 --> 00:00:10.980 just for you. Hello, everyone. Today, we're asking 00:00:10.980 --> 00:00:14.380 a particularly captivating question. What does 00:00:14.380 --> 00:00:18.239 it truly take to shatter expectations and, you 00:00:18.239 --> 00:00:21.000 know, carve out an unconventional path to success 00:00:21.000 --> 00:00:24.379 in the glittering, yet often rigid, world of 00:00:24.379 --> 00:00:27.329 Hollywood? Our subject today is a prime example, 00:00:27.550 --> 00:00:30.649 a true original whose journey justifies easy 00:00:30.649 --> 00:00:33.929 categorization. Indeed. We're talking about Diablo 00:00:33.929 --> 00:00:36.750 Cody, born Brooke Beze, a name that, as you'll 00:00:36.750 --> 00:00:39.210 soon discover, represents a, well, a remarkable 00:00:39.210 --> 00:00:41.090 transformation. Right. Her journey from candid 00:00:41.090 --> 00:00:43.649 blogger, and yes, an unlikely stripper, to an 00:00:43.649 --> 00:00:45.609 Academy Award and Tony Award -winning writer 00:00:45.609 --> 00:00:47.670 and producer is nothing short of extraordinary. 00:00:47.890 --> 00:00:49.770 It really is. It's a narrative that challenges 00:00:49.770 --> 00:00:52.350 almost every preconception about how one makes 00:00:52.350 --> 00:00:54.189 it in the entertainment industry. Absolutely. 00:00:54.320 --> 00:00:56.619 Our mission in this deep dive is to extract the 00:00:56.619 --> 00:00:58.920 most important insights from all the sources 00:00:58.920 --> 00:01:01.340 we've gathered, guiding you through her surprising 00:01:01.340 --> 00:01:04.280 evolution. We'll meticulously explore her truly 00:01:04.280 --> 00:01:07.219 distinctive voice, analyze how her unique life 00:01:07.219 --> 00:01:09.780 experience has profoundly shaped her art, and 00:01:09.780 --> 00:01:12.500 ultimately understand the undeniable impact she's 00:01:12.500 --> 00:01:15.640 had across film, television, and even Broadway. 00:01:15.959 --> 00:01:17.939 Yeah, we're not just listing accomplishments. 00:01:18.180 --> 00:01:20.959 We're dissecting the why and how of her unique 00:01:20.959 --> 00:01:23.599 trajectory. And you, our listener, are in for 00:01:23.599 --> 00:01:26.840 a fascinating exploration. Expect to delve deep 00:01:26.840 --> 00:01:29.640 into her early life, understand the provocative 00:01:29.640 --> 00:01:32.420 genesis of her career that raised eyebrows, but 00:01:32.420 --> 00:01:35.439 also fundamentally defined her and trace her 00:01:35.439 --> 00:01:38.500 meteoric rise, especially with Juno. Such a key 00:01:38.500 --> 00:01:40.799 moment. Totally. We'll then track how she strategically 00:01:40.799 --> 00:01:43.260 diversified her creative ventures, touching on 00:01:43.260 --> 00:01:45.609 her directorial debut and her acclaimed Broadway 00:01:45.609 --> 00:01:48.549 work. Finally, we'll examine how her deeply personal 00:01:48.549 --> 00:01:51.129 beliefs and experiences intricately intersect 00:01:51.129 --> 00:01:53.250 with her public art. Get ready for some surprising 00:01:53.250 --> 00:01:55.390 facts and a profound understanding of what makes 00:01:55.390 --> 00:01:57.950 her such a compelling and enduring figure in 00:01:57.950 --> 00:01:59.510 contemporary storytelling. It's gonna be good. 00:01:59.909 --> 00:02:02.269 Okay, let's unpack this incredible story starting 00:02:02.269 --> 00:02:04.569 right at the very beginning, long before the 00:02:04.569 --> 00:02:07.329 bright lights of Hollywood. Before she was known 00:02:07.329 --> 00:02:10.069 as Diablo Cody, she was Brooke busy. born on 00:02:10.069 --> 00:02:13.689 June 14th, 1978, in Lamont, Illinois. Lamont, 00:02:13.789 --> 00:02:16.210 okay. Now, Lamont is a suburb just southwest 00:02:16.210 --> 00:02:19.229 of Chicago, a classic Midwestern setting. She 00:02:19.229 --> 00:02:21.270 grew up there with her older brother, Mark, under 00:02:21.270 --> 00:02:24.210 the care of her parents, Pam and Greg Busy. And 00:02:24.210 --> 00:02:26.990 it's a small detail, but her mother has Italian 00:02:26.990 --> 00:02:29.689 descent. while her father's ancestry is German, 00:02:30.210 --> 00:02:32.129 hinting at a blend of cultural backgrounds that 00:02:32.129 --> 00:02:34.729 would later inform her global perspective. That's 00:02:34.729 --> 00:02:36.550 interesting. And what's particularly striking 00:02:36.550 --> 00:02:39.770 here and often overlooked is how her early upbringing 00:02:39.770 --> 00:02:42.370 stood in such stark contrast to the fiercely 00:02:42.370 --> 00:02:45.009 independent and often provocative persona she 00:02:45.009 --> 00:02:47.870 would later cultivate. Tell us about that. Well, 00:02:47.909 --> 00:02:50.629 she was raised apostolic Christian, a conservative 00:02:50.629 --> 00:02:53.129 Protestant denomination and attended Roman Catholic 00:02:53.129 --> 00:02:56.340 schools. St. Cyril and Mesodia School and Vanade 00:02:56.340 --> 00:02:58.620 Academy, both situated in those same Chicago 00:02:58.620 --> 00:03:01.560 suburbs. Wow, okay, so very religious, structured 00:03:01.560 --> 00:03:05.280 background. Exactly. This structured religious 00:03:05.280 --> 00:03:07.240 background, where she went by her birth name, 00:03:07.479 --> 00:03:10.319 Brooke, is more than just a biographical detail. 00:03:10.439 --> 00:03:13.319 It's a foundational layer. Think about growing 00:03:13.319 --> 00:03:15.960 up in an environment where certain forms of expression, 00:03:16.280 --> 00:03:18.939 certain life choices, might be seen as outside 00:03:18.939 --> 00:03:21.759 the norm, perhaps even taboo. Yeah, definitely. 00:03:21.840 --> 00:03:24.340 For someone with an inherently strong, questioning 00:03:24.340 --> 00:03:27.080 voice like Cody's, this structured upbringing 00:03:27.080 --> 00:03:29.280 wouldn't just be a backdrop. It could be the 00:03:29.280 --> 00:03:31.939 very pressure that creates the diamond, you know? 00:03:32.479 --> 00:03:35.159 Forcing her to find outlets for that authenticity, 00:03:35.319 --> 00:03:37.560 that challenging spirit, which later explodes 00:03:37.560 --> 00:03:39.879 in her writing. So it's not just a contrast. 00:03:40.099 --> 00:03:42.680 It's like a crucible. That's a great word for 00:03:42.680 --> 00:03:45.319 it. A crucible where her unique voice was forged, 00:03:45.500 --> 00:03:47.780 perhaps through a subtle internal rebellion. 00:03:48.099 --> 00:03:50.099 That's a powerful way to frame it. You can almost 00:03:50.099 --> 00:03:52.620 feel the tension between that structured upbringing 00:03:52.620 --> 00:03:55.219 and the burgeoning authentic voice waiting to 00:03:55.219 --> 00:03:57.539 be unleashed. After high school, she continued 00:03:57.539 --> 00:04:00.039 her education, graduating from the University 00:04:00.039 --> 00:04:03.939 of Iowa in 2000 with a bachelor of arts in media. 00:04:04.169 --> 00:04:07.909 Now, here's a small but telling detail. During 00:04:07.909 --> 00:04:10.110 her time there, she worked in the university 00:04:10.110 --> 00:04:12.370 library's acquisitions department. Oh, okay. 00:04:12.490 --> 00:04:15.229 A library job. Right. This might seem mundane, 00:04:15.310 --> 00:04:18.790 a typical college job, but it hints at an underlying 00:04:18.790 --> 00:04:21.930 intellectual curiosity, a meticulous nature, 00:04:22.269 --> 00:04:24.449 and a willingness to engage with information 00:04:24.449 --> 00:04:27.569 on a deep level, even in less glamorous tasks. 00:04:27.709 --> 00:04:29.769 Yeah, I can see that. These are all qualities 00:04:29.769 --> 00:04:32.029 that feed directly into a writer's observational 00:04:32.029 --> 00:04:34.660 skills and crafts. Absolutely. Those early, seemingly 00:04:34.660 --> 00:04:36.819 conventional experiences, even the quiet work 00:04:36.819 --> 00:04:39.319 in a library, often leave subtle but lasting 00:04:39.319 --> 00:04:42.100 imprints. Her initial steps into the professional 00:04:42.100 --> 00:04:45.439 world followed an equally traditional path. Secretarial 00:04:45.439 --> 00:04:47.920 work at a Chicago law firm, followed by a stint 00:04:47.920 --> 00:04:50.360 -proof reading ad copy for Twin Cities radio 00:04:50.360 --> 00:04:52.899 stations in Minneapolis. Ah, Minneapolis. That 00:04:52.899 --> 00:04:56.259 becomes important. It does. These were quintessential 00:04:56.259 --> 00:04:59.779 nine -to -five jobs routine, practical and certainly 00:04:59.779 --> 00:05:03.120 not glamorous. They offered absolutely no foreshadowing 00:05:02.889 --> 00:05:05.529 of the dramatic headline grabbing shift that 00:05:05.529 --> 00:05:08.269 was about to occur. Not just in her career. No, 00:05:08.329 --> 00:05:10.870 in her entire public identity. It's like watching 00:05:10.870 --> 00:05:13.250 the quiet beginnings of a river before it rushes 00:05:13.250 --> 00:05:15.870 into a waterfall. And what a seismic shift it 00:05:15.870 --> 00:05:19.629 was. This leads us directly into the truly fascinating 00:05:19.629 --> 00:05:24.069 genesis of Diablo Cody, the audacious pen name, 00:05:24.449 --> 00:05:27.149 the groundbreaking blogs, and the completely 00:05:27.149 --> 00:05:29.680 unexpected venture into stripping. Yeah, this 00:05:29.680 --> 00:05:31.720 is where things get really interesting. It all 00:05:31.720 --> 00:05:34.079 started with the power of the pen, or perhaps 00:05:34.079 --> 00:05:36.399 the power of a cleverly chosen nom de plume. 00:05:36.569 --> 00:05:39.009 Long before Juneau and the Oscars, she was already 00:05:39.009 --> 00:05:41.569 building a remarkably unique and compelling online 00:05:41.569 --> 00:05:44.069 presence. That's right. Her early online presence 00:05:44.069 --> 00:05:46.810 kicked off with a parody blog called Red Secretary. 00:05:47.009 --> 00:05:48.709 Red Secretary. I remember hearing about that. 00:05:48.850 --> 00:05:51.189 This blog meticulously detailed the fictional 00:05:51.189 --> 00:05:54.149 exploits of a Belarusian secretary, but savvy 00:05:54.149 --> 00:05:56.410 readers quickly realized the events were thinly 00:05:56.410 --> 00:05:59.129 veiled allegories for actual happenings in Cody's 00:05:59.129 --> 00:06:02.629 own life. Ah, clever. Yeah. It was all told through 00:06:02.629 --> 00:06:05.810 the highly distinct perspective of a disgruntled, 00:06:05.930 --> 00:06:08.949 English idiom -challenged Eastern block girl, 00:06:09.490 --> 00:06:12.329 creating a truly unique narrative force. This 00:06:12.329 --> 00:06:14.569 early foray into online writing was absolutely 00:06:14.569 --> 00:06:17.170 crucial. It provided her a playground to experiment, 00:06:17.850 --> 00:06:20.550 allowing her to hone that distinctive tone laden 00:06:20.550 --> 00:06:23.709 with sarcastic wit and sharp observation, which 00:06:23.709 --> 00:06:26.089 would become her undeniable trademark. So she 00:06:26.089 --> 00:06:28.779 was finding her voice online. Totally. After 00:06:28.779 --> 00:06:31.399 relocating from Chicago to Minneapolis, she continued 00:06:31.399 --> 00:06:33.920 this evolution in self -expression with her first 00:06:33.920 --> 00:06:36.540 bonafide blog, writing under the wonderfully 00:06:36.540 --> 00:06:39.399 evocative nickname, Darling Girl. Darling Girl, 00:06:39.519 --> 00:06:41.639 I like that. So we're seeing her develop this 00:06:41.639 --> 00:06:44.139 incredibly sharp, observational, and irreverent 00:06:44.139 --> 00:06:46.759 voice, all in the relatively nascent world of 00:06:46.759 --> 00:06:49.459 online blogging. Exactly. But then the name itself... 00:06:49.319 --> 00:06:52.300 Diablo Cody has a story just as vibrant and colorful 00:06:52.300 --> 00:06:54.879 as her early content. Oh, yeah, the origin story. 00:06:54.879 --> 00:06:56.920 She officially adopted this pen name in March 00:06:56.920 --> 00:06:59.879 2003, and the origin is quite cinematic, actually. 00:06:59.920 --> 00:07:02.279 She was speeding through Cody, Wyoming, listening 00:07:02.279 --> 00:07:05.620 to Arcadia's atmospheric song El Diablo. It was 00:07:05.620 --> 00:07:08.800 a moment of pure, almost impulsive inspiration 00:07:08.800 --> 00:07:11.600 that perfectly encapsulates the spontaneous, 00:07:12.139 --> 00:07:14.720 audacious spirit that would ultimately define 00:07:14.720 --> 00:07:17.819 her public identity. It was like she found her 00:07:17.819 --> 00:07:20.379 alter ego on the open road. It's more than just 00:07:20.379 --> 00:07:23.259 a name. It's a pivotal moment, truly marking 00:07:23.259 --> 00:07:26.279 the birth of a carefully crafted, yet authentically 00:07:26.279 --> 00:07:29.459 rebellious persona. Right, it signals a shift. 00:07:29.699 --> 00:07:32.240 And that spirit soon translated into an even 00:07:32.240 --> 00:07:35.759 bolder, and for many, shocking life choice. The 00:07:35.759 --> 00:07:37.740 leap into stripping. Yeah, this is the part people 00:07:37.740 --> 00:07:40.000 often focus on. And it wasn't a long planned 00:07:40.000 --> 00:07:42.420 career pivot or a desperate move. It literally 00:07:42.420 --> 00:07:45.610 started on a whim. She spontaneously signed up 00:07:45.610 --> 00:07:48.230 for amateur night at the Skyway Lounge in Minneapolis. 00:07:48.670 --> 00:07:50.829 Just like that. Amateur night. Just like that. 00:07:51.110 --> 00:07:53.189 This single act tells us a tremendous amount 00:07:53.189 --> 00:07:55.350 about her personality, her profound willingness 00:07:55.350 --> 00:07:58.189 to explore, to push conventional boundaries, 00:07:58.709 --> 00:08:01.410 and to embrace experiences far outside the traditional 00:08:01.410 --> 00:08:04.139 norms that had defined her upbringing. It speaks 00:08:04.139 --> 00:08:07.160 to an unyielding curiosity and a need for unfiltered 00:08:07.160 --> 00:08:09.540 experience. And here's where it gets really interesting, 00:08:09.680 --> 00:08:11.139 because this wasn't just a one -off experiment. 00:08:11.660 --> 00:08:14.439 She genuinely enjoyed the experience, apparently. 00:08:14.680 --> 00:08:16.980 Yeah, and the buzz it generated among her blog 00:08:16.980 --> 00:08:19.779 readers was undeniable. The blog connection. 00:08:19.980 --> 00:08:22.540 Right. This enjoyment, combined with the clear 00:08:22.540 --> 00:08:25.000 reader interest, ultimately led her to make an 00:08:25.000 --> 00:08:28.060 incredibly bold decision. She quit her conventional 00:08:28.060 --> 00:08:30.980 day job and became a full -time stripper. Wow. 00:08:31.310 --> 00:08:34.129 That takes guts. It was a choice that was both 00:08:34.129 --> 00:08:37.350 unapologetic and completely central to the memoir 00:08:37.350 --> 00:08:39.649 that would eventually launch her career. Candy 00:08:39.649 --> 00:08:42.490 Girl. Exactly. And to further illustrate the 00:08:42.490 --> 00:08:44.570 depth of her immersion in the adult entertainment 00:08:44.570 --> 00:08:46.909 industry, the sources note she also spent time 00:08:46.909 --> 00:08:49.950 working peep shows at Sex World, an adult novelty 00:08:49.950 --> 00:08:53.830 and DVD store, also in Minneapolis. So this wasn't 00:08:53.830 --> 00:08:56.220 just dipping a toe in. Not at all. This wasn't 00:08:56.220 --> 00:08:58.360 just a brief experiment. It was a significant, 00:08:58.440 --> 00:09:01.220 immersive chapter of her life that she fully 00:09:01.220 --> 00:09:04.600 embraced and meticulously documented. She wasn't 00:09:04.600 --> 00:09:07.220 an observer. She was a participant. And that 00:09:07.220 --> 00:09:09.279 immersion would pay dividends in her writing. 00:09:09.799 --> 00:09:12.620 That deep, visceral immersion, rather than a 00:09:12.620 --> 00:09:15.240 superficial glance, allowed her to gain a unique 00:09:15.240 --> 00:09:18.379 perspective that few writers ever access directly. 00:09:18.740 --> 00:09:20.799 She wasn't reporting from the outside. She was 00:09:20.799 --> 00:09:23.960 living it. Precisely. And crucially, while all 00:09:23.960 --> 00:09:26.159 of this was happening, she also began her early 00:09:26.159 --> 00:09:28.940 forays into professional journalism. She started 00:09:28.940 --> 00:09:31.679 writing for City Pages, an alternative Twin Cities 00:09:31.679 --> 00:09:34.360 weekly newspaper. OK, so bridging that gap. Yeah, 00:09:34.360 --> 00:09:36.840 and later contributed to the now -defunct Jane 00:09:36.840 --> 00:09:40.379 magazine. This was a crucial, almost symbiotic 00:09:40.379 --> 00:09:43.320 step, directly connecting her raw, authentic 00:09:43.320 --> 00:09:46.100 blog voice to professional writing, essentially 00:09:46.100 --> 00:09:48.460 laying the groundwork and developing the discipline 00:09:48.460 --> 00:09:50.580 for the memoir. Which would catapult her. Right. 00:09:50.980 --> 00:09:53.340 By December 2007, just as Juneau was getting 00:09:53.340 --> 00:09:55.850 buzzed, she even began writing a column for Entertainment 00:09:55.850 --> 00:09:58.230 Weekly, showcasing her burgeoning mainstream 00:09:58.230 --> 00:10:00.149 recognition and the industry's acknowledgement 00:10:00.149 --> 00:10:03.269 of her unique voice, even before Juno's full 00:10:03.269 --> 00:10:05.730 cultural impact. So what this truly eliminates 00:10:05.730 --> 00:10:08.769 is how Cody meticulously channeled every single 00:10:08.769 --> 00:10:11.389 part of her experience. The unfiltered blogging, 00:10:11.529 --> 00:10:14.149 the challenging reality of stripping, the critical 00:10:14.149 --> 00:10:16.450 perspective of alternative journalism, all of 00:10:16.450 --> 00:10:19.649 it directly into her craft. Yeah. These weren't 00:10:19.649 --> 00:10:22.190 disparate detours or lost years, were they? They 00:10:22.190 --> 00:10:24.549 were all actively feeding into the development 00:10:24.549 --> 00:10:27.710 of that sharp, observant, and unapologetically 00:10:27.710 --> 00:10:30.210 authentic voice that would ultimately define 00:10:30.210 --> 00:10:32.490 her later success. Exactly right. It's like she 00:10:32.490 --> 00:10:35.440 was accumulating a unique... perhaps unconventional 00:10:35.440 --> 00:10:38.580 toolkit for storytelling, each experience adding 00:10:38.580 --> 00:10:41.100 a new layer of insight and perspective. Each 00:10:41.100 --> 00:10:43.679 phase, no matter how unconventional or controversial, 00:10:44.059 --> 00:10:46.840 was a master class in observation, self -expression, 00:10:47.200 --> 00:10:49.299 and perhaps even sociological study. There were 00:10:49.299 --> 00:10:51.600 the raw foundational building blocks for a voice 00:10:51.600 --> 00:10:53.820 that proved utterly captivating and ultimately 00:10:53.820 --> 00:10:56.120 impossible to ignore. And that voice was about 00:10:56.120 --> 00:10:58.220 to hit Hollywood with the force of a supernova, 00:10:58.779 --> 00:11:01.759 proving that authenticity, even if raw, can be 00:11:01.759 --> 00:11:04.580 incredibly potent. This takes us to part two, 00:11:04.940 --> 00:11:07.059 the breakthrough Juno and beyond, starting with 00:11:07.059 --> 00:11:09.840 her memoir, Candy Girl, a year in the life of 00:11:09.840 --> 00:11:12.919 an unlikely stripper. Right. At the age of 27, 00:11:13.159 --> 00:11:15.480 Cody poured her experiences, her observations, 00:11:15.600 --> 00:11:18.240 and her raw voice into Candy Girl. From blog 00:11:18.240 --> 00:11:20.759 to book. And the genesis of this memoir actually 00:11:20.759 --> 00:11:23.080 highlights a critical moment, an important pivot 00:11:23.080 --> 00:11:26.460 in her career. Mason Novick, who would soon become 00:11:26.460 --> 00:11:28.899 her lifelong manager and producing partner, was 00:11:28.899 --> 00:11:32.129 instrumental. Ah, Novick. Key figure. Absolutely 00:11:32.129 --> 00:11:35.370 key. He discovered her blog, instantly recognized 00:11:35.370 --> 00:11:38.710 her sharp and sarcastic voice, and based on its 00:11:38.710 --> 00:11:41.230 burgeoning popularity, was able to secure her 00:11:41.230 --> 00:11:44.190 a publishing contract with Gotham Books. Wow. 00:11:44.450 --> 00:11:46.789 So the blog directly led to the book deal. Yeah, 00:11:46.789 --> 00:11:50.169 a direct pipeline from her raw, unfiltered online 00:11:50.169 --> 00:11:53.090 presence to a legitimate mainstream publishing 00:11:53.090 --> 00:11:55.429 deal, proving the commercial viability of her 00:11:55.429 --> 00:11:58.009 unique perspective. It really shows the transformative 00:11:58.009 --> 00:12:01.450 power of an authentic voice. even in its earliest 00:12:01.450 --> 00:12:04.970 unpolished forms, to capture attention. And then 00:12:04.970 --> 00:12:07.370 here's the truly instrumental mode, the big pivot 00:12:07.370 --> 00:12:09.830 point that changed everything. After the book 00:12:09.830 --> 00:12:12.750 was completed, Novik, with remarkable foresight, 00:12:13.190 --> 00:12:15.190 encouraged her to try screenwriting. Just like 00:12:15.190 --> 00:12:17.549 that. Hey, try writing a movie. Pretty much. 00:12:17.690 --> 00:12:20.309 Yeah. Just imagine, she hadn't even considered 00:12:20.309 --> 00:12:22.950 it professionally before this gentle push from 00:12:22.950 --> 00:12:25.950 her manager. It was a leap of faith into a completely 00:12:25.950 --> 00:12:28.710 new medium. but one that would perfectly harness 00:12:28.710 --> 00:12:30.789 her distinctive dialogue and character work. 00:12:31.169 --> 00:12:33.990 It's an insightful turn, almost a serendipitous 00:12:33.990 --> 00:12:37.169 suggestion from a keen -eyed manager who clearly 00:12:37.169 --> 00:12:39.190 saw the broader potential of her storytelling 00:12:39.190 --> 00:12:42.330 abilities, recognizing that her voice was inherently 00:12:42.330 --> 00:12:44.649 cinematic. And the result was nothing short of 00:12:44.649 --> 00:12:48.090 phenomenal. Juno. Phenomenal is the word. The 00:12:48.090 --> 00:12:50.830 ascent was incredibly swift, almost unheard of 00:12:50.830 --> 00:12:53.509 in Hollywood. She completed the script in February 00:12:53.509 --> 00:12:56.409 2005. Okay. And it was optioned by a producer 00:12:56.409 --> 00:12:59.190 by that very summer. That fast. That to summer. 00:12:59.450 --> 00:13:02.909 That fast. This rapid tech line really showcases 00:13:02.909 --> 00:13:05.889 the immediate, undeniable impact of her fresh, 00:13:06.210 --> 00:13:09.029 unique voice on an industry constantly searching 00:13:09.029 --> 00:13:10.850 for something original, something that breaks 00:13:10.850 --> 00:13:13.149 through the noise. And Juno truly was fresh, 00:13:13.470 --> 00:13:15.649 truly was original. For those who remember, it's 00:13:15.649 --> 00:13:18.429 a brilliant, often bitingly witty coming of age 00:13:18.429 --> 00:13:20.889 story about a teenager's unplanned pregnancy. 00:13:20.879 --> 00:13:24.480 starring Elliot Page, then known as Ellen Page, 00:13:24.940 --> 00:13:28.000 alongside Michael Cera, both giving career -defining 00:13:28.000 --> 00:13:30.799 performances. Fantastic casting. It was directed 00:13:30.799 --> 00:13:34.080 by the incredibly talented Jason Reitman, who, 00:13:34.220 --> 00:13:37.059 as we'll see, would become a truly frequent and 00:13:37.059 --> 00:13:39.139 fruitful collaborator. That Reitman connection 00:13:39.139 --> 00:13:41.679 is so important. The film itself wasn't just 00:13:41.679 --> 00:13:44.820 a critical darling. It was an absolute awards 00:13:44.820 --> 00:13:47.740 juggernaut, cementing Cody's place on the map. 00:13:48.279 --> 00:13:50.799 Oh, the awards blitz for Juno was truly remarkable, 00:13:51.059 --> 00:13:53.539 especially considering it was a debut screenplay 00:13:53.539 --> 00:13:55.860 from someone without a traditional Hollywood 00:13:55.860 --> 00:13:58.500 entry. Right. The unlikely stripper turned Oscar 00:13:58.500 --> 00:14:01.179 winner. Exactly. It was runner up for the Toronto 00:14:01.179 --> 00:14:03.779 International Film Festival People's Choice Award 00:14:03.779 --> 00:14:06.240 and won second prize at the Rome Film Festival, 00:14:06.360 --> 00:14:08.919 indicating immediate global appeal. OK, strong 00:14:08.919 --> 00:14:11.200 start. But the biggest triumph, of course, came 00:14:11.200 --> 00:14:13.559 at the Academy Awards, where Cody sensationally 00:14:13.559 --> 00:14:15.679 won the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay. The 00:14:15.679 --> 00:14:18.620 big one. For her first script. Incredible. The 00:14:18.620 --> 00:14:21.259 film itself received four Academy Award nominations 00:14:21.259 --> 00:14:24.259 in total, including for Best Picture, a rare 00:14:24.259 --> 00:14:26.899 feat for an indie film. Wow. Best Picture nom 00:14:26.899 --> 00:14:30.740 too. Yeah. Beyond the Oscars, she received broad 00:14:30.740 --> 00:14:33.639 industry recognition, including a BAFTA Award 00:14:33.639 --> 00:14:36.399 for Best Original Screenplay, an Independent 00:14:36.399 --> 00:14:39.500 Spirit Award for Best First Screenplay, a Writers 00:14:39.500 --> 00:14:41.899 Guild of America Award. Okay, the guilds loved 00:14:41.899 --> 00:14:44.419 it, too. A Broadcast Film Critics Association 00:14:44.419 --> 00:14:47.320 Award, a National Board of Review Award, and 00:14:47.320 --> 00:14:49.779 a Satellite Award. She also garnered a Golden 00:14:49.779 --> 00:14:53.039 Globe nomination for Best Screenplay. Phew. Keep 00:14:53.039 --> 00:14:56.080 going. And uniquely shared the 2008 Cinema for 00:14:56.080 --> 00:14:58.659 Peace Award for most valuable work of director, 00:14:58.899 --> 00:15:00.759 producer, and screenwriter with Jason Reitman 00:15:00.759 --> 00:15:03.740 and other distinguished filmmakers. This deluge 00:15:03.740 --> 00:15:06.159 of accolades underscores the profound resonance 00:15:06.159 --> 00:15:08.559 of her debut. Wow, that's an absolutely serious 00:15:08.559 --> 00:15:11.320 hall of accolades for a debut film. Yeah. Especially 00:15:11.320 --> 00:15:14.360 from someone who just a few years prior was working 00:15:14.360 --> 00:15:17.039 peep shows and writing blogs. It truly speaks 00:15:17.039 --> 00:15:19.840 volumes about the raw talent and genuinely unique 00:15:19.840 --> 00:15:21.539 perspective she brought to the table. It really 00:15:21.539 --> 00:15:24.679 does. This raises a critical question. How does 00:15:24.679 --> 00:15:27.399 such a distinctive, fresh voice break through 00:15:27.399 --> 00:15:30.240 so effectively and so swiftly in a notoriously 00:15:30.240 --> 00:15:32.500 challenging and often formulaic industry like 00:15:32.500 --> 00:15:35.419 Hollywood? It felt like she burst onto the scene 00:15:35.419 --> 00:15:37.799 fully formed with a language entirely her own. 00:15:37.950 --> 00:15:40.870 It often comes down to a perfect storm of authenticity, 00:15:41.250 --> 00:15:44.129 impeccable timing, and undeniable talent. Her 00:15:44.129 --> 00:15:46.970 voice in Juno was genuinely unlike anything else 00:15:46.970 --> 00:15:49.769 circulating at the time. It was hyper realistic, 00:15:49.990 --> 00:15:53.110 yet stylized, witty, deeply sincere, a little 00:15:53.110 --> 00:15:55.950 punk rock, and profoundly empathetic. That's 00:15:55.950 --> 00:15:58.129 a great description. She dared to make a teen 00:15:58.129 --> 00:16:00.110 pregnancy story that was neither preachy nor 00:16:00.110 --> 00:16:02.850 dismissive, offering agency and complexity to 00:16:02.850 --> 00:16:05.429 its young protagonists. Which is so needed. Absolutely. 00:16:05.850 --> 00:16:08.259 The dialogue in particular was praised for its 00:16:08.259 --> 00:16:10.960 rapid -fire cadence and idiosyncratic vocabulary, 00:16:11.399 --> 00:16:13.620 creating a unique sound that critics and audiences 00:16:13.620 --> 00:16:16.419 alike found captivating. The industry, it seems, 00:16:16.500 --> 00:16:19.200 was not just ready for it, but actively craving 00:16:19.200 --> 00:16:22.139 it. Timing is everything. And Juna's script circulated 00:16:22.139 --> 00:16:24.679 widely and was read by many in Hollywood even 00:16:24.679 --> 00:16:27.159 before the film's release, creating instant and 00:16:27.159 --> 00:16:29.860 undeniable demand for her talent almost overnight. 00:16:30.139 --> 00:16:32.279 That's the dream, isn't it? To have your first 00:16:32.279 --> 00:16:35.299 major work open so many doors so rapidly. Completely. 00:16:35.500 --> 00:16:38.220 She wasted absolutely no time in seizing that 00:16:38.220 --> 00:16:40.840 incredible momentum and exploring new opportunities 00:16:40.840 --> 00:16:44.019 across a variety of different mediums. One significant 00:16:44.019 --> 00:16:46.240 venture was the creation of the television series 00:16:46.240 --> 00:16:49.659 United States of Tara. Ah, yes, Tara. In July 00:16:49.659 --> 00:16:53.700 2007, Showtime announced a pilot for this DreamWorks 00:16:53.700 --> 00:16:56.200 series. It was actually based on an intriguing 00:16:56.200 --> 00:16:58.940 idea by none other than Steven Spielberg himself. 00:16:59.379 --> 00:17:01.820 Spielberg, wow. And it started the phenomenal 00:17:02.029 --> 00:17:05.509 Toni Collette as a mother with dissociative identity 00:17:05.509 --> 00:17:08.130 disorder, navigating the complexities of multiple 00:17:08.130 --> 00:17:10.390 personalities. Such a great premise. And Collette 00:17:10.390 --> 00:17:13.170 was just brilliant. The series premiered in January 00:17:13.170 --> 00:17:15.930 2009, demonstrating Cody's remarkable ability 00:17:15.930 --> 00:17:18.109 to translate her distinctive voice and storytelling 00:17:18.109 --> 00:17:21.369 style to the episodic television medium and into 00:17:21.369 --> 00:17:24.349 a genre that blended comedy, drama, and complex 00:17:24.349 --> 00:17:26.740 psychology. It's truly impressive how quickly 00:17:26.740 --> 00:17:28.640 and successfully she diversified her creative 00:17:28.640 --> 00:17:31.220 canvas. Her film projects also showed a rapid 00:17:31.220 --> 00:17:34.099 and bold genre expansion immediately after Juno. 00:17:34.339 --> 00:17:36.059 Right, she didn't just do Juno -esque stuff. 00:17:36.480 --> 00:17:39.960 No way. She sold a script titled Girlie Style 00:17:39.960 --> 00:17:42.559 to Universal Studios, indicating an interest 00:17:42.559 --> 00:17:45.339 in more mainstream comedy, and perhaps even more 00:17:45.339 --> 00:17:48.480 notably, a horror script, Jennifer's Body, to 00:17:48.480 --> 00:17:51.799 Fox Atomic. Jennifer's Body. Now that film has 00:17:51.799 --> 00:17:54.339 had a journey. It really has. Released in September 00:17:54.339 --> 00:17:56.980 2009 starring Megan Fox and Amanda Seyfried. 00:17:57.210 --> 00:18:00.069 Now, this film is a fascinating case study in 00:18:00.069 --> 00:18:03.250 itself, initially met with a lukewarm critical 00:18:03.250 --> 00:18:05.109 and commercial reception. Yeah, I remember that. 00:18:05.390 --> 00:18:08.490 It has since been widely reevaluated as a prescient, 00:18:08.630 --> 00:18:12.089 biting piece of feminist horror, earning a significant 00:18:12.089 --> 00:18:14.069 cult following. It really found its audience 00:18:14.069 --> 00:18:16.509 later, didn't it? Totally. What was she exploring 00:18:16.509 --> 00:18:19.470 there beyond the surface -level scares? It truly 00:18:19.470 --> 00:18:21.710 dove into themes of female friendship, envy, 00:18:22.009 --> 00:18:24.269 body image, and predatory behavior, but with 00:18:24.269 --> 00:18:26.670 that signature, Cody Witt, and a very specific 00:18:26.539 --> 00:18:29.380 stylized language that resonated with a later 00:18:29.380 --> 00:18:31.539 audience. So it proves she wasn't just a one 00:18:31.539 --> 00:18:33.660 -hit wonder with teen pregnancy stories. Not 00:18:33.660 --> 00:18:36.220 at all. It shows she could infuse genre films 00:18:36.220 --> 00:18:38.940 with sharp social commentary and a distinct voice. 00:18:39.420 --> 00:18:41.599 She also undertook script revisions for Stephen 00:18:41.599 --> 00:18:44.180 Anton's musical film Burlesque. Okay, musicals 00:18:44.180 --> 00:18:47.539 too. Showcasing her flexibility. And in a wonderfully 00:18:47.539 --> 00:18:50.700 meta Hollywood moment, she even made a small 00:18:50.700 --> 00:18:54.279 cameo appearance as herself in a 2008 episode 00:18:54.279 --> 00:18:58.279 of the iconic television series 90210, appearing 00:18:58.279 --> 00:19:02.599 alongside Tori Spelling. A cameo in 90210. That's 00:19:02.599 --> 00:19:04.680 peak 2000s Hollywood right there. Pretty much 00:19:04.680 --> 00:19:07.940 sums it up. Looking further ahead in 2009, she 00:19:07.940 --> 00:19:10.460 also signed on to script and produce a film adaptation 00:19:10.460 --> 00:19:12.960 of the beloved Sweet Valley High Young Adult 00:19:12.960 --> 00:19:15.680 Book Series. Oh, wow. Sweet Valley High. This 00:19:15.680 --> 00:19:17.940 project shows an interesting willingness and 00:19:17.940 --> 00:19:20.579 indeed an ability to work with established intellectual 00:19:20.579 --> 00:19:23.660 property alongside her entirely original stories. 00:19:23.940 --> 00:19:26.859 It's not just about her unique voice, but her 00:19:26.859 --> 00:19:29.259 profound adaptability as a storyteller. That's 00:19:29.259 --> 00:19:31.160 a great point. She's not content to stay in one 00:19:31.160 --> 00:19:34.509 lane. She seeks to master many. Absolutely. It 00:19:34.509 --> 00:19:36.730 speaks to a writer who understands how to apply 00:19:36.730 --> 00:19:39.410 her distinctive perspective and her ear for dialogue 00:19:39.410 --> 00:19:41.829 to vastly different narrative frameworks, whether 00:19:41.829 --> 00:19:44.509 it's an original deeply personal concept or a 00:19:44.509 --> 00:19:46.490 well -known established property. She's not a 00:19:46.490 --> 00:19:49.329 one -trick pony. Far from it. A genuine craftswoman 00:19:49.329 --> 00:19:51.809 capable of shaping stories across diverse forms 00:19:51.809 --> 00:19:54.250 and genres. Which gracefully brings us to part 00:19:54.250 --> 00:19:57.170 three. Career expansion and critical reflection. 00:19:57.589 --> 00:19:59.690 Covering the period from 2011 to the present. 00:19:59.960 --> 00:20:03.160 She continued to diversify her portfolio, stepping 00:20:03.160 --> 00:20:05.579 into directing, expanding her television work, 00:20:06.000 --> 00:20:08.480 and fostering important, lasting collaborations. 00:20:08.839 --> 00:20:12.140 Indeed. In 2011, she was brought in to revise 00:20:12.140 --> 00:20:14.960 Fede Alvarez's script for the remake of Sam Raimi's 00:20:14.960 --> 00:20:18.039 iconic 1980s horror film, The Evil Dead. More 00:20:18.039 --> 00:20:20.559 horror. consistent interest there. Yeah, this 00:20:20.559 --> 00:20:23.059 continued engagement with genre work, especially 00:20:23.059 --> 00:20:26.140 horror, further solidifies her versatility. She 00:20:26.140 --> 00:20:28.519 also boldly ventured into a different kind of 00:20:28.519 --> 00:20:31.960 media as a host. In October 2011, she began hosting 00:20:31.960 --> 00:20:34.579 Red Band Trailer, an online celebrity interview 00:20:34.579 --> 00:20:37.140 program on Elle Studio. Oh yeah, I remember that. 00:20:37.309 --> 00:20:39.509 On YouTube first. Right, it originally launched 00:20:39.509 --> 00:20:42.009 on YouTube in the summer of 2010. This project 00:20:42.009 --> 00:20:44.710 clearly highlights her media savvy and the undeniable 00:20:44.710 --> 00:20:47.250 fact that her engaging personality extends far 00:20:47.250 --> 00:20:49.250 beyond just her written word. Yeah, she's got 00:20:49.250 --> 00:20:51.390 charisma. She's a performer in her own right, 00:20:51.690 --> 00:20:53.809 with a natural charisma that translated well 00:20:53.809 --> 00:20:56.210 to interviews. That's a great example of her 00:20:56.210 --> 00:20:59.509 embracing new platforms and showcasing that on 00:20:59.509 --> 00:21:02.640 -screen presence. Her film career continued with 00:21:02.640 --> 00:21:05.200 significant success during this period, notably 00:21:05.200 --> 00:21:08.539 with the 2011 comedy drama Young Adult. Another 00:21:08.539 --> 00:21:11.160 great one, reuniting with Reitman and Theron. 00:21:11.680 --> 00:21:14.660 Exactly. She not only wrote, but also produced 00:21:14.660 --> 00:21:17.039 this critically acclaimed film, which garnered 00:21:17.039 --> 00:21:19.559 her nominations from prestigious associations 00:21:19.559 --> 00:21:22.619 like the Broadcast Film Critics Association and 00:21:22.619 --> 00:21:25.140 the Writers Guild of America, underscoring her 00:21:25.140 --> 00:21:27.460 continued excellence. Still getting those nominations. 00:21:27.579 --> 00:21:29.990 Yep. She also shared the Chairman's Vanguard 00:21:29.990 --> 00:21:32.190 Award at the Palm Springs International Film 00:21:32.190 --> 00:21:35.130 Festival with her frequent collaborators, director 00:21:35.130 --> 00:21:38.150 Jason Reitman and star Charlize Theron, along 00:21:38.150 --> 00:21:41.069 with Patton Oswalt, solidifying those incredibly 00:21:41.069 --> 00:21:43.130 fruitful creative partnerships we mentioned earlier. 00:21:43.230 --> 00:21:45.349 That team really clicked. This wasn't just a 00:21:45.349 --> 00:21:48.670 project. It was a reunion of a winning team diving 00:21:48.670 --> 00:21:50.910 into darker, more complex character studies. 00:21:51.160 --> 00:21:53.759 And those collaborations, as you point out, extended 00:21:53.759 --> 00:21:57.960 beyond just one or two films. In 2012, a truly 00:21:57.960 --> 00:22:00.319 significant group of writers, including Cody, 00:22:00.839 --> 00:22:04.220 Dana Fox, Liz Meriwether, and Laurene Scafaria, 00:22:04.539 --> 00:22:07.279 collectively known as the Fumpire, received the 00:22:07.279 --> 00:22:09.900 Creativity and Sisterhood Award from the Athena 00:22:09.900 --> 00:22:12.990 Film Festival. The Fumpire. Love that name. Right. 00:22:13.150 --> 00:22:15.589 This award recognized their mutual support and 00:22:15.589 --> 00:22:18.269 collaboration within the often fiercely competitive 00:22:18.269 --> 00:22:20.509 film industry. That's really cool. If we connect 00:22:20.509 --> 00:22:22.829 this to the bigger picture, it speaks volumes 00:22:22.829 --> 00:22:25.470 about the importance of community and collaboration, 00:22:25.670 --> 00:22:28.609 especially for women, in creative fields that 00:22:28.609 --> 00:22:31.450 are too often perceived as solitary or cutthroat. 00:22:31.670 --> 00:22:33.950 Yeah, that support network seems vital. It shows 00:22:33.950 --> 00:22:36.869 that even the most individualistic creators thrive 00:22:36.869 --> 00:22:39.410 within a network of support and shared experience. 00:22:39.529 --> 00:22:41.670 That's such an insightful point about the of 00:22:41.670 --> 00:22:43.509 collective support, particularly in an industry 00:22:43.509 --> 00:22:46.589 that can be isolating. Then, in a significant 00:22:46.589 --> 00:22:49.630 and natural career milestone, she announced her 00:22:49.630 --> 00:22:52.869 first directorial project in 2012. Directorial 00:22:52.869 --> 00:22:55.890 debut, yeah. The film, initially titled Lamb 00:22:55.890 --> 00:22:59.210 of God and later released as Paradise, was about 00:22:59.210 --> 00:23:01.849 a young woman who, after surviving a plane crash, 00:23:02.549 --> 00:23:05.589 abandons her strict religious upbringing to explore 00:23:05.589 --> 00:23:09.130 the secular world of Las Vegas. Ooh, okay. That 00:23:09.130 --> 00:23:11.250 theme again. This project draws a particularly 00:23:11.250 --> 00:23:14.109 fascinating and very direct link back to her 00:23:14.109 --> 00:23:16.970 own apostolic Christian upbringing, suggesting 00:23:16.970 --> 00:23:19.450 a deeply personal and cathartic connection to 00:23:19.450 --> 00:23:21.130 the material. Almost like she was working something 00:23:21.130 --> 00:23:23.329 out. Exactly. Almost as if she was exploring 00:23:23.329 --> 00:23:26.549 a parallel universe to her own past. It starred 00:23:26.549 --> 00:23:29.410 Julianne Hooke, Holly Hunter, Octavia Spencer, 00:23:29.769 --> 00:23:32.259 and Russell Brand. It was produced by Mandate 00:23:32.259 --> 00:23:35.299 Pictures and eventually released in October 2013. 00:23:35.559 --> 00:23:37.940 It's a compelling thematic thread, her own background 00:23:37.940 --> 00:23:40.440 directly influencing her artistic choices in 00:23:40.440 --> 00:23:42.839 a very public way, almost an artistic full circle. 00:23:43.000 --> 00:23:45.799 Directing is tough. How did it go? Well, it didn't 00:23:45.799 --> 00:23:48.180 quite land like her writing hits, but, you know, 00:23:48.339 --> 00:23:49.940 it's also important to acknowledge the often 00:23:49.940 --> 00:23:52.299 harsh reality of Hollywood development. Like 00:23:52.299 --> 00:23:54.619 many prolific writers, even those as successful 00:23:54.619 --> 00:23:57.900 as Cody, she has had numerous projects that didn't 00:23:57.900 --> 00:24:00.940 materialize or got stuck in what's known as development 00:24:00.940 --> 00:24:04.519 hell. Ah, development hell. The screenwriter's 00:24:04.519 --> 00:24:07.420 nightmare. Exactly. For those unfamiliar, that's 00:24:07.420 --> 00:24:09.599 the industry term for projects that languish 00:24:09.599 --> 00:24:12.500 for years, sometimes decades, in various stages 00:24:12.500 --> 00:24:15.859 of pre -production, endlessly rewritten, recast, 00:24:15.980 --> 00:24:18.539 or searching for funding, often never seeing 00:24:18.539 --> 00:24:20.900 the light of day. It's brutal. It's a brutal 00:24:20.900 --> 00:24:23.140 reality even for the most successful writers, 00:24:23.779 --> 00:24:26.839 and Cody's experiences are no exception. These 00:24:26.839 --> 00:24:29.920 unrealized projects include a planned TBS talk 00:24:29.920 --> 00:24:33.250 show pilot, Me Time with Diablo Cody, which was 00:24:33.250 --> 00:24:35.730 to feature Steve Agee. Oh, I would watch that. 00:24:36.130 --> 00:24:38.509 There was also Time and a Half, which Julianne 00:24:38.509 --> 00:24:41.690 Hu was set to star in. A teen drama series for 00:24:41.690 --> 00:24:44.789 Fox called Prodigy, developed with Josh Schwartz 00:24:44.789 --> 00:24:47.329 about a 16 -year -old genius. With Josh Schwartz. 00:24:47.569 --> 00:24:50.049 Interesting combo. And Alex plus Amy, a romantic 00:24:50.049 --> 00:24:52.470 comedy pilot for Warner Bros. television. This 00:24:52.470 --> 00:24:54.609 truly raises an important question about the 00:24:54.609 --> 00:24:57.230 sheer volume of creative endeavors that never 00:24:57.230 --> 00:24:59.750 make it to screens, even from established talent. 00:25:00.079 --> 00:25:03.039 For every hit, there are often dozens of unrealized 00:25:03.039 --> 00:25:04.660 projects. It's just the nature of the business. 00:25:04.839 --> 00:25:07.000 It's a testament not just to the sheer volume 00:25:07.000 --> 00:25:09.779 of work and ideas that even successful writers 00:25:09.779 --> 00:25:12.539 put out there, but also to the unpredictable 00:25:12.539 --> 00:25:15.259 and often challenging nature of the industry 00:25:15.259 --> 00:25:18.319 itself. Absolutely. Beyond her creative projects, 00:25:18.420 --> 00:25:20.920 she also consciously stepped into an advocacy 00:25:20.920 --> 00:25:24.200 role, becoming a spokesperson for Barnard College's 00:25:24.200 --> 00:25:27.000 Athena Film Festival. Right, aligning with female 00:25:27.000 --> 00:25:29.970 empowerment. This further aligns her public persona 00:25:29.970 --> 00:25:33.309 with themes of female empowerment in film, underscoring 00:25:33.309 --> 00:25:35.789 her commitment to not just telling stories, but 00:25:35.789 --> 00:25:37.650 shaping the environment in which those stories 00:25:37.650 --> 00:25:40.089 are told. It adds another crucial dimension to 00:25:40.089 --> 00:25:42.549 her public presence, demonstrating a tangible 00:25:42.549 --> 00:25:45.150 commitment to the broader impact of storytelling, 00:25:45.650 --> 00:25:48.390 especially through a distinctly female lens. 00:25:48.630 --> 00:25:51.009 Moving into her more recent high profile ventures, 00:25:51.250 --> 00:25:52.970 we see her grappling with some of the biggest 00:25:52.970 --> 00:25:56.349 intellectual properties. In 2015, Cody was hired 00:25:56.349 --> 00:25:59.069 to write a new screen play for the much anticipated 00:25:59.069 --> 00:26:01.609 Barbie movie. The Barbie movie before the Gerwig 00:26:01.609 --> 00:26:03.809 version obviously. Alright this was an earlier 00:26:03.809 --> 00:26:07.200 attempt with Amy Schumer eyed for the lead. However, 00:26:07.539 --> 00:26:09.519 she eventually made the difficult decision to 00:26:09.519 --> 00:26:13.019 leave the project in 2018, candidly citing struggles 00:26:13.019 --> 00:26:16.039 to produce a draft she was truly proud of. Interesting. 00:26:16.400 --> 00:26:18.740 This offers valuable insight into the profound 00:26:18.740 --> 00:26:21.880 challenges of creative adaptation, especially 00:26:21.880 --> 00:26:24.039 with a globally recognized brand like Barbie 00:26:24.039 --> 00:26:26.539 and the difficulty of finding the right creative 00:26:26.539 --> 00:26:29.660 fit, even for a writer as acclaimed and versatile 00:26:29.660 --> 00:26:32.160 as she is. Yeah, not every project, no matter 00:26:32.160 --> 00:26:34.680 how high profile, is a perfect match for every 00:26:34.680 --> 00:26:36.980 artist's voice. And that's a crucial lesson in 00:26:36.980 --> 00:26:39.819 any creative field, knowing when a project isn't 00:26:39.819 --> 00:26:42.220 aligning with your vision, even if it carries 00:26:42.220 --> 00:26:44.680 immense prestige or financial incentive. For 00:26:44.680 --> 00:26:47.680 sure. But her output remained incredibly consistent 00:26:47.680 --> 00:26:50.319 and high quality. She wrote and produced the 00:26:50.319 --> 00:26:53.200 2015 musical comedy, Ricky and the Flash, which 00:26:53.200 --> 00:26:55.579 starred the legendary Meryl Streep. Meryl. And 00:26:55.579 --> 00:26:57.960 was directed by the late, great Jonathan Demme, 00:26:58.079 --> 00:27:00.660 marking his last feature film. Wow, Demme's last 00:27:00.660 --> 00:27:04.500 film. That's significant. And in 2018, she gloriously 00:27:04.500 --> 00:27:07.200 reunited with Charlize Theron and director Jason 00:27:07.200 --> 00:27:09.559 Reitman for the thought provoking comedy drama 00:27:09.559 --> 00:27:12.380 Tully, which she also wrote and produced. Tully, 00:27:12.880 --> 00:27:15.460 another powerful one. This film delved deep into 00:27:15.460 --> 00:27:18.380 the often unseen struggles of motherhood, further 00:27:18.380 --> 00:27:21.240 cementing that incredibly successful and critically 00:27:21.240 --> 00:27:23.680 lauded creative partnership. It's clear that 00:27:23.680 --> 00:27:26.200 those relationships with Reitman and Theron have 00:27:26.200 --> 00:27:28.740 been incredibly fruitful, yielding some of her 00:27:28.740 --> 00:27:31.240 most acclaimed work. Definitely a magic combination 00:27:31.240 --> 00:27:34.430 there. But her versatility truly hit another 00:27:34.430 --> 00:27:37.430 remarkable peak with her Broadway debut. She 00:27:37.430 --> 00:27:39.849 wrote the book, or the script, for the musical 00:27:39.849 --> 00:27:43.049 Jagged Little Pill, based on Alanis Morissette's 00:27:43.049 --> 00:27:45.430 iconic angst -ridden album. Jagged Little Pill 00:27:45.430 --> 00:27:48.329 on Broadway. Amazing idea. The musical premiered 00:27:48.329 --> 00:27:51.349 in November 2019 and was a huge critical and 00:27:51.349 --> 00:27:53.789 commercial success, earning her the prestigious 00:27:53.789 --> 00:27:56.289 Tony Award for Best Book of a Musical in 2020. 00:27:56.430 --> 00:27:59.500 A Tony Award. Oscar and a Tony. That's rarefied 00:27:59.500 --> 00:28:02.240 air. This accomplishment unequivocally showcases 00:28:02.240 --> 00:28:04.799 her profound ability to master vastly different 00:28:04.799 --> 00:28:07.279 storytelling mediums, seamlessly transitioning 00:28:07.279 --> 00:28:09.900 from screenplays for film and television to the 00:28:09.900 --> 00:28:12.900 unique demands of the live stage. Winning a Tony 00:28:12.900 --> 00:28:15.339 for a Broadway musical is not just another award. 00:28:15.740 --> 00:28:18.519 It's a significant marker of her incredible range, 00:28:18.880 --> 00:28:21.180 adaptability and the sheer strength of her narrative 00:28:21.180 --> 00:28:24.460 voice across various platforms. Absolutely. And 00:28:24.460 --> 00:28:27.450 yet. Even with this kind of success, she continued 00:28:27.450 --> 00:28:29.990 to face the complexities inherent in high -profile 00:28:29.990 --> 00:28:33.589 biographical projects. In August 2020, she began 00:28:33.589 --> 00:28:36.130 working with the legendary Madonna on a screenplay 00:28:36.130 --> 00:28:38.549 of the singer's extraordinary life. The Madonna 00:28:38.549 --> 00:28:41.349 biopic? That was huge news. Huge news. However, 00:28:41.490 --> 00:28:43.130 she ultimately stepped away from the project 00:28:43.130 --> 00:28:46.230 in May 2022 after turning in a final draft, and 00:28:46.230 --> 00:28:48.130 the project itself was later scrapped in January 00:28:48.130 --> 00:28:51.549 2023. Oh, it got scrapped entirely. This illustrates 00:28:51.549 --> 00:28:54.109 how even with iconic subjects and immense talent 00:28:54.109 --> 00:28:56.990 involved, biographical projects can be notoriously 00:28:56.990 --> 00:28:59.109 intricate, fraught with creative differences, 00:28:59.509 --> 00:29:01.609 and often unfortunately fall apart before reaching 00:29:01.609 --> 00:29:04.710 the screen. Absolutely. It's a notoriously tough 00:29:04.710 --> 00:29:07.289 genre to crack, even for the most seasoned writers. 00:29:07.809 --> 00:29:10.490 It's a shame that one didn't happen. It is. But 00:29:10.490 --> 00:29:13.009 her continuous output and distinct vision remain 00:29:13.009 --> 00:29:15.730 impressive. Her original screenplay for Lisa 00:29:15.730 --> 00:29:17.920 Frankenstein, produced alongside her longtime 00:29:17.920 --> 00:29:20.859 manager Mason Novick, served as Zelda Williams' 00:29:21.420 --> 00:29:23.140 directorial debut. Zelda Williams directing. 00:29:23.660 --> 00:29:26.160 Cool. Released in February 2024, it received 00:29:26.160 --> 00:29:28.700 mixed reviews, which is common in genre filmmaking, 00:29:29.319 --> 00:29:31.660 but it quickly developed a small cult following. 00:29:32.119 --> 00:29:34.039 Ah, the cult following again, like Jennifer's 00:29:34.039 --> 00:29:37.099 body. Exactly. This highlights her ongoing presence 00:29:37.099 --> 00:29:39.859 in the industry, her consistent output of original 00:29:39.859 --> 00:29:42.519 material, and her knack for creating content 00:29:42.519 --> 00:29:45.569 that... even if not universally lauded, finds 00:29:45.569 --> 00:29:48.470 its dedicated audience and carves out its own 00:29:48.470 --> 00:29:51.279 unique niche appeal. It speaks to the power of 00:29:51.279 --> 00:29:54.279 a truly unique artistic voice. That cult following 00:29:54.279 --> 00:29:56.839 in particular indicates a distinct vision that 00:29:56.839 --> 00:29:59.119 resonates deeply with a specific segment of the 00:29:59.119 --> 00:30:01.400 audience, which in many ways is a significant 00:30:01.400 --> 00:30:04.299 success in itself. Totally agree. Now beyond 00:30:04.299 --> 00:30:07.220 her impressive professional endeavors, Diablo 00:30:07.220 --> 00:30:10.059 Cody's personal life offers additional insights 00:30:10.059 --> 00:30:13.240 into the person behind the often outspoken pen 00:30:13.240 --> 00:30:15.680 name. Right, the person behind the persona. She 00:30:15.680 --> 00:30:18.700 married Dan Murillo in 2009, and they have three 00:30:18.700 --> 00:30:22.440 sons, born in 2010, 2012, and 2015, bringing 00:30:22.440 --> 00:30:24.900 a sense of grounding and family life to her busy 00:30:24.900 --> 00:30:27.759 career. Three boys, wow. She was previously married 00:30:27.759 --> 00:30:31.519 to John Hunt from 2004 to 2007. Interestingly, 00:30:32.039 --> 00:30:34.500 Dan Murillo also worked on Chelsea lately. A 00:30:34.500 --> 00:30:37.900 show on which Cody frequently appeared as a roundtable 00:30:37.900 --> 00:30:40.279 guest. Oh, that's a fun connection. Connecting 00:30:40.279 --> 00:30:42.880 her personal and public fears in a very integrated 00:30:42.880 --> 00:30:45.779 way. That's neat. Shows how interwoven her personal 00:30:45.779 --> 00:30:48.000 and professional worlds often become. It also 00:30:48.000 --> 00:30:50.000 seems that collaboration isn't just limited to 00:30:50.000 --> 00:30:52.180 professional projects for her. Her close friendship 00:30:52.180 --> 00:30:54.339 with fellow screenwriters Dana Fox and Lorene 00:30:54.339 --> 00:30:57.180 Scafaria is particularly notable. Part of the 00:30:57.180 --> 00:30:59.460 vampire. Exactly. They have a known practice 00:30:59.460 --> 00:31:01.279 of writing their screenplays together, offering 00:31:01.279 --> 00:31:03.740 each other candid advice, critical feedback, 00:31:04.119 --> 00:31:06.180 and unwavering support. That's awesome, like 00:31:06.180 --> 00:31:08.160 a writing group, but, you know, super successful. 00:31:08.539 --> 00:31:10.779 This truly highlights the collaborative spirit 00:31:10.779 --> 00:31:14.619 that can exist even in individual creative pursuits, 00:31:14.779 --> 00:31:17.980 demonstrating that even solo writers often benefit 00:31:17.980 --> 00:31:20.880 immensely from a strong, trusted creative network. 00:31:21.859 --> 00:31:24.539 It's a testament to the idea that art, while 00:31:24.539 --> 00:31:28.220 often solitary in creation, thrives in community. 00:31:28.380 --> 00:31:31.000 It absolutely underscores the idea that creation 00:31:31.000 --> 00:31:33.619 isn't always a solitary act and peer support 00:31:33.619 --> 00:31:35.940 can be invaluable, especially for navigating 00:31:35.940 --> 00:31:38.019 the complexities of Hollywood. Couldn't agree 00:31:38.019 --> 00:31:40.819 more. This leads us to a crucial point of critical 00:31:40.819 --> 00:31:43.180 reflection regarding her work, particularly Juno 00:31:43.180 --> 00:31:45.779 and her public stance on sensitive issues. OK, 00:31:45.859 --> 00:31:48.259 this is important. In light of Georgia's 2019 00:31:48.259 --> 00:31:51.400 anti -abortion law, Cody made a powerful and 00:31:51.400 --> 00:31:54.319 very public statement saying that she would not 00:31:54.319 --> 00:31:57.440 have written Juno in today's reality. Wow. Why 00:31:57.440 --> 00:31:59.680 did she say that? This was due to how critics 00:31:59.680 --> 00:32:02.400 and segments of the public had increasingly perceived 00:32:02.400 --> 00:32:05.220 it as an anti -abortion film, despite her original 00:32:05.220 --> 00:32:08.039 intentions. Ah, the interpretation shifted. Exactly. 00:32:08.359 --> 00:32:10.500 It's important to understand that our role here 00:32:10.500 --> 00:32:13.740 is to impartially convey Cody's statement and 00:32:13.740 --> 00:32:15.779 the critic's perception as presented in the source, 00:32:16.240 --> 00:32:18.519 clarifying that we are not endorsing any political 00:32:18.519 --> 00:32:21.460 viewpoint, but simply relaying the content of 00:32:21.460 --> 00:32:24.099 the source material and its profound implications 00:32:24.099 --> 00:32:26.869 for an artist's work. That's a very important 00:32:26.869 --> 00:32:28.970 distinction to make, especially when discussing 00:32:28.970 --> 00:32:31.990 such a politically charged topic. We're reporting 00:32:31.990 --> 00:32:34.930 on her reflection and the reception. Precisely. 00:32:35.130 --> 00:32:37.789 This raises a profoundly important question for 00:32:37.789 --> 00:32:41.309 any artist. How does one navigate the evolving 00:32:41.309 --> 00:32:44.390 interpretation of their work in a changing social 00:32:44.390 --> 00:32:47.190 and political landscape? Juno was released in 00:32:47.190 --> 00:32:50.569 2007, a very different era, and by 2019, the 00:32:50.569 --> 00:32:52.210 conversation around abortion rights had become 00:32:52.210 --> 00:32:54.869 even more polarized, causing Cody herself to 00:32:54.869 --> 00:32:57.910 reflect on how her art might be co -opted, misinterpreted, 00:32:58.069 --> 00:33:00.009 or simply viewed through a drastically different 00:33:00.009 --> 00:33:02.190 lens than she originally intended. It speaks 00:33:02.190 --> 00:33:04.609 to the loss of authorial control once a piece 00:33:04.609 --> 00:33:06.950 of art is released into the public sphere. Yeah, 00:33:06.970 --> 00:33:09.490 it really does. It profoundly highlights the 00:33:09.490 --> 00:33:11.789 dynamic and often unpredictable relationship 00:33:11.789 --> 00:33:15.730 between art, audience and societal context. An 00:33:15.730 --> 00:33:18.190 artist's intent can diverge significantly from 00:33:18.190 --> 00:33:20.210 public interpretation, especially over time. 00:33:20.549 --> 00:33:23.190 And this divergence can force creators to reevaluate 00:33:23.190 --> 00:33:25.769 their own past work in light of new realities. 00:33:25.950 --> 00:33:28.250 Fascinating and kind of sobering for creators. 00:33:28.369 --> 00:33:31.849 Yeah. Finally, to paint a more complete and relatable 00:33:31.849 --> 00:33:34.130 picture for distinct personality, it's worth 00:33:34.130 --> 00:33:36.990 noting some charming personal quirks. Diablo 00:33:36.990 --> 00:33:39.930 Cody is a lifelong roller coaster enthusiast. 00:33:39.970 --> 00:33:43.829 Ah. A detail that speaks volumes about her adventurous 00:33:43.829 --> 00:33:47.230 spirit, and she even has a tattoo of the iconic 00:33:47.230 --> 00:33:49.970 Giant Dipper roller coaster at San Diego's Belmont 00:33:49.970 --> 00:33:52.170 Park on her right arm. The roller coaster tattoo, 00:33:52.349 --> 00:33:54.490 that's perfect. It's a small detail, but it speaks 00:33:54.490 --> 00:33:56.690 volumes about her playful adventurousness and 00:33:56.690 --> 00:33:58.730 her willingness to embrace the thrill of the 00:33:58.730 --> 00:34:01.329 ride, both literally and figuratively, throughout 00:34:01.329 --> 00:34:04.039 her life and career. That's a fantastic touch, 00:34:04.319 --> 00:34:06.720 a vivid hint of the individual behind the fiercely 00:34:06.720 --> 00:34:09.360 intelligent and often provocative public persona. 00:34:09.940 --> 00:34:11.980 So what an incredible deep dive this has been 00:34:11.980 --> 00:34:14.980 into the multifaceted world of Diablo Cody. It 00:34:14.980 --> 00:34:17.619 really has covered a lot of ground. We've traced 00:34:17.619 --> 00:34:20.619 her extraordinary journey from a unique personal 00:34:20.619 --> 00:34:23.380 background in the Illinois suburbs through her 00:34:23.380 --> 00:34:26.340 candid blogging and challenging unlikely stripper 00:34:26.340 --> 00:34:29.019 years in Minneapolis, all the way to becoming 00:34:29.019 --> 00:34:31.840 a celebrated multi award winning creative force 00:34:31.840 --> 00:34:35.230 across film, television and Broadway. It's a 00:34:35.230 --> 00:34:37.949 testament to a life lived on her own terms. We've 00:34:37.949 --> 00:34:41.289 truly seen how her unwavering authenticity, her 00:34:41.289 --> 00:34:44.010 genuinely distinct voice, and her courageous 00:34:44.010 --> 00:34:47.170 willingness to explore unconventional and often 00:34:47.170 --> 00:34:50.050 uncomfortable topics have been consistent themes 00:34:50.050 --> 00:34:52.929 throughout her entire career. Absolutely. From 00:34:52.929 --> 00:34:55.530 her earliest blogs that captured her sharp wit 00:34:55.530 --> 00:34:58.610 to her triumphant Tony Award on Broadway, her 00:34:58.610 --> 00:35:01.170 trajectory is a powerful testament to the transformative 00:35:01.170 --> 00:35:03.829 power of unique experience and an unvarnished 00:35:03.829 --> 00:35:06.530 perspective. So what does this all mean for us, 00:35:06.650 --> 00:35:09.050 the audience, and perhaps even more significantly 00:35:09.050 --> 00:35:12.670 for aspiring storytellers out there dreaming 00:35:12.670 --> 00:35:15.030 of making their mark? That's the big takeaway 00:35:15.030 --> 00:35:17.010 question, isn't it? It really makes you pause 00:35:17.010 --> 00:35:19.690 and reflect, doesn't it? As we wrap up this deep 00:35:19.690 --> 00:35:22.809 dive, consider Diablo Cody's career as a profound 00:35:22.809 --> 00:35:25.429 testament to the power of leveraging one's truly 00:35:25.429 --> 00:35:28.610 unique lived experiences, no matter how unconventional, 00:35:28.769 --> 00:35:31.010 provocative, or seemingly disparate they might 00:35:31.010 --> 00:35:34.369 seem, directly into compelling, authentic art. 00:35:34.630 --> 00:35:37.289 Use what you have, what you've lived. Exactly. 00:35:37.630 --> 00:35:39.989 How does her journey fundamentally challenge 00:35:39.989 --> 00:35:42.210 our assumptions about where creative genius truly 00:35:42.210 --> 00:35:44.449 comes from, and what does it reveal about the 00:35:44.449 --> 00:35:46.849 enduring power and vital importance of an authentic, 00:35:47.230 --> 00:35:49.949 unfiltered voice in an industry that often favors 00:35:49.949 --> 00:35:52.369 polish, conformity, and well -trodden paths? 00:35:52.489 --> 00:35:54.510 Hmm, something to think about. It's something 00:35:54.510 --> 00:35:56.789 worth mulling over until our next deep dive.