Amber Tamblyn (actor/author: Joan of Arcadia / Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants / Y: The Last Man)

Welcome to 5AM StoryTalk! I'm joined by the brilliant AMBER TAMBLYN ("Joan of Arcadia", Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, "House", Paint It Black). Amber is an actress, writer-director, author and poet, Substacker, and activist who doesn’t sleep. You can learn more about her and her work at her website, but you can also find links to what we discuss in the links list below.

Oh, and be sure to listen to my bonus episode with Amber, in which we discuss a seminal piece of art from here life - Ridley Scott's LEGEND (1985) - here.

5AM StoryTalk would like to acknowledge the Traditional Owners of the land on which this podcast is recorded, the Djarra people of the Kulin Nation and pay respects to Elders past and present.

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In this conversation, we discuss (amongst so many other things):

·      Amber’s perspective on the self-doubt and anxiety that racks all artists

·      How her uniquely bohemian childhood shaped her into the artist — and person — she is today

·      The complicated dissonance between the hope of her 2019’s non-fiction Era of Ignition Coming of Age in a Time of Rage and Revolution and the explosive culture war that has taken over the United States since Donald Trump’s re-election

·      The role of persistence and perseverance in allowing your art to become its most authentic self — including Amber’s feature directorial debut Paint It Black (2016) and her concept book of poetry Dark Sparkler (2015) — but also as we fight for social change

·      Nostalgia as both a form of solace and a way of mourning the loss of communal experiences

Bonus episode:

In this follow-up conversation, exclusive to 5AM StoryTalk’s wonderful paid subscribers, Amber and I dive into a seminal film in her life — Ridley Scott's LEGEND (1985). Listen here.

Additional links:

·      5AM StoryTalk newsletter (become a paid subscriber here to gain access to both the 5AM StoryTalk newsletter and podcast

·      Amber Tamblyn’s website (includes info on all books and articles discussed)

·      Amber’s Listening in the Dark Substack

·      Trailer for Paint It Black (currently available to stream on Amazon and Apple in the U.S.; consult your platforms outside of the States)

·      Trailer for Legend