Once We Were Spacemen, Ep #2: "Once We Were beJeweled"

Release Date: November 12, 2025
Host(s): Nathan Fillion & Alan Tudyk
Guest: Jewel Staite

Episode Overview

This episode welcomes Jewel Staite, known by many as Kaylee from "Firefly," onto the podcast for a warm, funny, and insight-packed conversation with her former castmates Nathan Fillion and Alan Tudyk. The trio reminisces about their shared sci-fi roots, explores Jewel's journey from Canadian child actor to working mom and series lead, and dives deep into the realities of the entertainment industry, fame, family, and the magic—and grind—behind television success. The episode is filled with affection, wit, and industry wisdom, making it a treasure trove for both fans and creatives.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Opening Banter & Firefly Nostalgia

• Playful Introductions: The hosts call Jewel Staite "the heart of our maiden space journey together" on the Serenity, poking fun at their own roles as other "organs" of the ship (Pancreas, uvula, etc.) (01:05–01:40).
• On Meeting Jewel: Both Nathan and Alan recall Jewel’s early competence and humor, reflecting on how rare it is to find someone so young with intrinsic acting talent and industry experience (02:41–04:01, 04:18–04:31).
  • "There’s people who have a knack, and then there’s people who have an intrinsic understanding of what it is they’re doing… That’s where I put our next guest." – Nathan (02:51)
• Child Actors & Staying Grounded: Discussion about how early industry exposure can "warp" people – but Jewel avoided those pitfalls, staying "fun" rather than "warped" (04:01–04:31).

2. Canadian Identity & Heritage

• Canadian Stereotypes & Culture: Discussion on whether people are surprised Jewel’s Canadian and what being Canadian means in the industry—Nathan and Alan note Canadians’ patience, generosity, and subtle cultural markers (04:57–09:02).
• On Métis Heritage: Jewel explains her background—her great-grandmother was Métis, leading to a conversation about the darker side of Canadian history, including her grandfather being taken away as a child due to heritage policies (05:18–07:04).
  • "It was one of those very sad stories… where he was taken from her when he was a small child… he was separated from her at the age of six, I believe." – Jewel (06:17)
• Tattoo Discussion: Jewel doesn’t have a commemorative tattoo, feeling it’s “not quite her place” due to personal distance from that part of her heritage (06:12–06:17).

3. Family, Motherhood & Work-Life Balance

• Home Life: Jewel talks about living near water in BC, spending time on Galliano Island at her mother-in-law’s beach house, and being a "water person" (09:43–10:14).
• Husband & Son: Playful confusion as Alan jokes about Jewel’s "other husband" (her son, Wilder); discussion of Wilder’s personality and whether he’ll follow his mom into acting (10:36–12:48).
  • "He has my sense of humor… It's like arguing into a mirror." – Jewel (11:27)
• Navigating Child Acting: Jewel would support her son if he wanted to perform, but is wary of him missing out on regular childhood experiences. She values her own childhood acting path but recognizes its sacrifices (12:53–20:28).
  • "There are things that he would want to do as a regular kid that would be disrupted if he were to start working." – Jewel (19:28)

4. Early Acting Career & Life Lessons

• Discovery Story: Jewel was discovered at age five in a shopping mall and quickly booked work in commercials and TV movies, leveraging her ability to cry on cue (14:33–15:33).
  • "I was walking with my mom, and an agent… came up and said, 'Would your daughter be interested in auditioning'… I just kept booking work." – Jewel (14:46)
• School and Working: Explanation of juggling traditional school with tutors on set, longing for a regular high school experience, and missing out on typical rites of passage (16:49–17:56).
• Industry Sacrifice: How her career shaped relationships and her ability to maintain friendships (17:56–18:55).

5. The Realities of Sustained Acting Careers

• Navigating Downtime: Jewel reflects on the importance of learning to cope with industry “down time,” the emotional challenges of the business, and shares industry stories about divas and “problematic” stars (21:05–23:43).
  • "I think if anything, I would want to educate people... how you keep your confidence up and how you get through the hard parts." – Jewel (21:16)
• Typecasting and Breakthroughs: Jewel discusses moments when she felt she "made it"—early with "Flash Forward" as a teen, but especially after "Firefly" started to open opportunities in sci-fi, including "Stargate" (27:33–28:43).
• Fan Demographics: Jewel distinguishes between sci-fi convention fans and her more recent audience for "Family Law" (29:08–30:43).
  • "A Family Law fan comes up, kind of frightened, doesn’t know what I’m going to say. Hands up, for defense." – Jewel (30:33)

6. Parenthood and Industry Realities

• Hard Lessons with Kids: Jewel shares an anecdote about her son helping her process not getting a job—sometimes a little too honestly:
  • "I’m sorry you didn’t book that job, mama... but to be fair, you haven’t booked a lot of jobs." – Wilder (her son), relayed by Jewel (32:29–32:40)
• Job Selection with Family in Mind: Jewel prioritized jobs close to home after becoming a mom, eventually landing "Family Law," and shares the emotional process of really caring about (and fighting for) a role (34:11–36:09).

7. Leadership on Set: Learning from the Best

• Stepping into a Lead Role: Comparison between leadership on Firefly and Family Law — what makes a good "number one" on a production, building strong cast community, being inclusive, and setting a no-drama precedent (38:49–42:24).
  • "If you have everybody there feeling comfortable enough to do their best, that's when the magic happens." – Nathan, recalled by Jewel (39:02–40:09)
• Balancing Motherhood & Work: Navigating exhaustion, learning to ask for time off, and finding work-life equilibrium over several seasons (43:31–44:36).
  • "So basically every other week I would have one day off. And I knew that was coming… my day with my family or… sleeping… I had to learn to listen to myself and figure out what it is that I needed and not feel guilty about it." – Jewel (44:12)

8. Writing, Creativity, and On-Set Culture

• Interaction with Scripts: Jewel notes that "Family Law" was so well-written she never had to push back on storylines (50:57–51:23). She describes leaning into her comedic instincts in auditions and how the writers, recognizing it, began to write her character funnier (51:23–51:58).
• Comedic Set Pieces: Jewel describes making scenes memorable with unexpected food props—like eating a whole pizza or hot dog at serious moments—delighting the cast and the audience alike (52:39–53:44).

9. Notable Moments & Quotes

• Alan on "Firefly" Set Vibes: "Every picture that Nathan took, the people were like, ah, there you are. Hey, there's my guy." – Alan (46:03)
• Nathan on Set Leadership: "Whoever learns the entire crew's names first wins. And I'm already winning." (46:21)
• On Victor Garber’s Professionalism: "If you are not there on time, you're, you know, 10 minutes late, essentially. He is on the ball at all times and you better be as well." – Jewel (55:22)
• Parenting and Perspective: "You can’t be all of the things... That’ll slow down with age." – Jewel (19:13–19:28)

10. Jewel Staite’s “Amateur Kitchen” YouTube Channel

• Cooking as Self-Expression: Jewel details how her husband encouraged her to film her cooking, leading to her popular, self-shot, self-edited, humorous “Amateur Kitchen” videos on YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok (57:04–58:26).
  • "It's all easy. That's the whole [point]." – Jewel (58:54)
• Humor and Relatability: Nathan admits her cooking videos crack him up and inspire him to cook (58:08–59:02).

Notable Quotes & Timestamp Highlights

| Time (MM:SS) | Speaker | Quote | |------------------|-------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 01:05 | Alan Tudyk | "I would say the heart of our maiden space journey together is this person." | | 02:51 | Nathan | "There's people who have a knack... intrinsic understanding... that's where I put our next guest."| | 06:17 | Jewel Staite| "[My grandfather] was taken from her when he was a small child..." | | 11:27 | Jewel Staite| "He has my sense of humor...It's like arguing into a mirror." | | 14:46 | Jewel Staite| "I was walking with my mom and an agent was there...came up and said, would your daughter be interested in auditioning..."| | 21:16 | Jewel Staite| "I would want to educate people on what it feels like to have downtime and how you get through having downtime..."| | 28:43 | Jewel Staite| "Firefly did something for me that to this day...still lingers." | | 30:33 | Jewel Staite| "A Family Law fan comes up, kind of frightened, doesn't know what I'm going to say. Yes. Hands up, for defense." | | 32:40 | Jewel Staite| "But to be fair, you haven't booked a lot of jobs." (her son, Wilder) | | 39:02 | Jewel Staite| "[Nathan] You said, 'If you have everybody there feeling comfortable enough to do their best, that's when the magic happens...'"| | 44:12 | Jewel Staite| "...every other week I would have one day off. And I knew that was coming...my day with my family or...sleeping..."| | 51:57 | Jewel Staite| "She [showrunner] started writing her funnier, for sure...she uses humor to cover up all of her insecurities..."| | 55:22 | Jewel Staite| "He [Victor Garber] is on the ball at all times and you better be as well." | | 58:54 | Jewel Staite| "It's all easy. That's the whole [point]." |

Memorable & Humorous Moments

• Pancreas & Sub(super)numerary Nipples: The episode opens with banter about which body organ their characters would be on the “Firefly,” striking the show’s signature nerdy-humorous tone (01:05–02:09).
• “Firefly Fan in Grocery Store” Skit: Jewel humorously acts out how different fans approach her based on what show they know her from (00:00, 30:31).
• Her son’s brutal honesty about acting rejections (“to be fair, you haven’t booked a lot of jobs”) (32:40).
• Pizza & Hot Dog Scenes: Jewel’s inventive use of food props during somber law scenes (52:39–53:44).
• Camera Culture on "Firefly": Alan and Nathan reminisce about how taking photos on set helped foster camaraderie (45:48–46:22).
• Nathan’s “I once didn’t get a job where they were looking for a Nathan Fillion type.” (33:34)

Guest Takeaways & Podcast Chemistry

• Warmth & Longstanding Friendships: The episode is a masterclass in camaraderie, with all three remembering shared industry experiences, supporting each other’s evolutions, and bringing in self-deprecating humor throughout.
• Industry Realism: Jewel’s perspective on sustaining a career underscores the joys and challenges of fame, motherhood, and artistry—not shying from the less-glamorous aspects.
• Practical Advice: Know your strengths, appreciate the value of downtime, foster community, and don’t be afraid to set boundaries for well-being.

Recommended Listening

This episode is essential for "Firefly" fans, working creatives, anyone curious about the realities of TV acting, or those seeking genuine, laugh-out-loud conversation with leaders in their craft. Plus: check out Jewel’s "Amateur Kitchen" on YouTube for that extra slice of her real-life humor.