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Mina Suvari
This is an I Heart podcast.
Will Friedle
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Rider Strong
Fascinating.
Will Friedle
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Rider Strong
High key.
Will Friedle
Listen to High Key, a new weekly podcast. You better listen. Speaking of tanning, I was sunning my nether regions because I read that you're supposed to, like, get sun not only in your mouth, but also in your other orifices. Wait, are you talking about you put your hole into the sun? I did. That's crazy. Downward dog mooning the sun. I was gonna say. Is it cheeks open?
Rider Strong
It's cheeks open all the way wide.
Will Friedle
Is it cheeks open?
Mina Suvari
Uh huh.
Will Friedle
Who's holding them? Enough of that nonsense. Now listen to High Key on the Iheartra radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. This is Bo Nang from Las Culturistas. And I'm Matt Rogers, also a host of Las Culturistas. Big news to share. Do you know what the perfect thing to bring to any party is? Bowen, we talked about this. I'm a person, not a thing. Oh, I didn't mean you. I meant Casamigos. Okay, chic and honestly, the only other correct answer. A Casamigos margarita. That's a sleigh. Ah, Casamigos. Anything is a sleigh. Because anything goes with my Casamigos. Anything goes with my Casamigos. Beau, you're a poet. Please drink respons Responsibly. Imported by Casamiga Spirits Company, White Plains, New York. Casamigos Tequila, 40% alcohol by volume. I'm Scott Hanson, host of NFL Red Zone. Lowe's knows Sundays are for football. That's why we're here to help you get your next diy. Project done. Even when the clock isn't on your side, whether that's a new Filtreat filter or Bosch and Cobalt power tools, Lowe's has everything you need to feel like the MVP of diy. So get it done and earn your Sunday shop now in store and online. Lowe's official partner of the NFL.
Rider Strong
So I've been going into production on a project which I will be able to tell you all about in a couple of months. But. So we've been, you know, doing days at my house, mostly with very small crew, mostly just my producers and whatnot. But day one, we, like. I made sure we got, like, great bagels, had them all laid out, and then we break for lunch and we're like, oh, what are we going to order for lunch? By day three, we're like, just sandwiches. What am I. You know? And I just realized, like, this is the way production goes, right? Like, the quality of food just gets steadily worse as you just get into production. And it made me think of some of the worst food that I've had on sets because they can go so extreme. There are. There have been sets where you go there and, like, they have, you know, sushi and catered lunches, and it's just like, the budget is insane. And then there are other sets where that's really not the case. And for me, like, the best example, and this is, I might have actually told a version of the story. I know it's out there in the world because I think it's even, like a trivia fact on IMDb. But I did this movie, My Giant, which I know we've talked about, right. So I went to. I went to Prague to shoot this movie. And the food was subpar.
Will Friedle
Okay.
Danielle Fishel
Left a lot to be desired.
Rider Strong
And there is a scene where I get puked on by the giant. And in order to make it, you know, believable, they took some potatoes and carrots and food dye and made this giant vat because I had to be covered in vomit. It was one of those classic kid actor scenes where it's just cover the kid and stuff.
Danielle Fishel
Yeah.
Rider Strong
So they had this giant vat sitting on the set. And the extras. There were about, like 100 extras that day. Thought it was lunch.
Will Friedle
Oh, no, they ate out of vomit bag.
Rider Strong
They had to stop them from eating. Like, they were like, no, no, no, no. That's production.
Danielle Fishel
That's production vomit.
Rider Strong
They're there with bowls and spoons.
Will Friedle
You've got catered vomit. Production vomit.
Rider Strong
Catered vomit. So I don't know have you guys ever had like a. A truly great or truly horrible on set food experience?
Danielle Fishel
Well, I'll tell you right now, the movie I directed for to be.
Rider Strong
No Food Budget.
Danielle Fishel
First of all, we ran out of craft service on like day three.
Will Friedle
What?
Danielle Fishel
It was just.
Will Friedle
There's not even a Red vine to be had.
Danielle Fishel
There was there. There was a. Not a Red vine. And I, I all of a sudden noticed it. I was like, what. Why is there. Why is there nothing to eat here? And they were like. We ran out and so I paid out of pocket to have a massive Costco run where we could just bring all the stuff. That movie had some of the worst craft service I've ever had. Cut to. Now I'm doing Dancing with the Stars. Oh, and on tape. First of all, the little craft service thing on Magical.
Will Friedle
Magical.
Danielle Fishel
Magical. They have a section that's very clearly geared toward kids. So it's like all the different types of fruit snacks, all the different types of granola. Granola bars, a candy section, jelly beans, like, you name it. I get a writer for in my room. Anything I want and need in my writer the minute you arrive.
Rider Strong
Stinky broccoli.
Will Friedle
Yeah, of course, immediately.
Danielle Fishel
It wouldn't be. It wouldn't be a tape day without writer. Stinky. Stinky broccoli.
Will Friedle
Why is it mine? Just because I opened it, it was yours.
Mina Suvari
I'll tell you why.
Danielle Fishel
Because you're the one who wanted vegetables.
Will Friedle
Yeah. You guys just want a whole plate.
Rider Strong
Peanut butter cups.
Danielle Fishel
And all I care about is water.
Mina Suvari
And peanut butter cups.
Will Friedle
I had water. That was it. I had bubbly water. That was bubbly water. Yeah, yeah.
Danielle Fishel
So no, but like the minute we get there, we. We tape next door to an Erewhon. Whatever I want avocado toast, two eggs.
Rider Strong
Oh, my God.
Will Friedle
So they're moving money around from Switzerland so they can go to Erewhon.
Danielle Fishel
Yes.
Will Friedle
Nice.
Danielle Fishel
A cup. A cup of coffee from a very specific coffee place called Andante. Yeah, they bring. I mean. I mean, an energy shot. Nope. Yeah, they just all day long do, what do you want for lunch? It's glorious, magical. Yeah, it's pretty great. So I have definitely. I have been on both sides of the spectrum.
Rider Strong
Yeah.
Will Friedle
Yeah.
Danielle Fishel
Well.
Will Friedle
So, yeah, I mean, I have to. Obviously you go. You do smaller productions where there's nothing. I was just at a convention where the green room was just a room. Like a small closet room. No water, no napkins, no anything. Literally nothing. Literally nothing. It was just. It was three chairs that if you wanted to sit down and get some food you could, but I was.
Rider Strong
Do you remember? It was just like, oh, there's a whole bunch of sandwiches. There's turkey or Turkey or Turkey. Turkey. Yeah. That was it.
Will Friedle
No, but one of the best shows I was ever on. Every day they just brought the In N Out truck.
Danielle Fishel
Oh, my gosh. Every day.
Will Friedle
Magical.
Rider Strong
Yeah.
Will Friedle
The days that I was there.
Danielle Fishel
Excessive. That's the excessive red meat.
Will Friedle
It was. It was magical.
Danielle Fishel
Every day, huh?
Will Friedle
No, actually, the more red, the more burgers you eat, the healthier they get. People don't know that there's a. There's a.
Danielle Fishel
There's a threshold.
Will Friedle
You hit a threshold where then it becomes diet food. So that's just science. That's. Everybody knows that.
Danielle Fishel
So I had a burger last night. I. You know.
Will Friedle
It was dropped off to you, wasn't it, at your home?
Mina Suvari
Was.
Danielle Fishel
Yeah.
Rider Strong
By producer Tara.
Danielle Fishel
Producer Box. Yeah. I'm so hungry. By the time our tape nights are.
Will Friedle
Over, I couldn't imagine.
Rider Strong
Because I'm getting hungry now.
Danielle Fishel
Yeah. Should we move forward into this episode?
Rider Strong
Yeah.
Will Friedle
Are we going to have a vat. A puke for lunch? Is that the plan?
Mina Suvari
What are we doing?
Danielle Fishel
Somebody chop up the carrots and bring out the tomatoes. It's time for puke lunch.
Will Friedle
It's puke lunch. Awesome. Please don't eat that. Please don't eat that. That's.
Danielle Fishel
Please put the puke down. Welcome to Pod Meats World. Oh, I say my name.
Will Friedle
You'Re officially doing too much. Danielle. You're officially doing too much.
Rider Strong
She's going to start tangoing while we're doing this.
Will Friedle
Seriously.
Mina Suvari
Welcome to Pod meets World.
Danielle Fishel
I'm Danielle Fishel.
Rider Strong
I'm Ryder Strong.
Will Friedle
And I'm Will Friedle.
Danielle Fishel
Anyone else ever get that nagging feeling your dog is bored? Like, my brunchie just stares at me sometimes with that really? Again? Look. And I instantly feel guilty.
Will Friedle
Yeah, same here. Sammy has mastered the art of the disappointed sigh. Like she has bills. So mealtime needs to be more than just a pit stop. It needs to be an event.
Danielle Fishel
That's why we're obsessed with Nom Nom. They make gently cooked recipes that actually engage your pup's senses. We're talking tantalizing smells, textures, and vibrant ingredients.
Will Friedle
And Nom Nom offers six delicious and unique pork potluck, chicken cuisine, turkey fare, beef mash, lamb pilaf, and turkey and chicken cookout.
Danielle Fishel
These recipes are crafted by vet nutritionists with premium proteins and vibrant veggies cooked in small batches to lock in nutrients. Meat looks like meat. Veggies look like veggies So I feel good knowing it's designed with my dog's health and happiness in mind.
Will Friedle
You can serve Nom Nom as your dog's complete meal or as a topper to spice up their current diet. Cause honestly, would you want to eat the same thing every single day?
Danielle Fishel
No thanks. And look, our dog is our little prince, which is why I'm committed to giving him the best. I serve Nom Nom, and you should too.
Will Friedle
Keep mealtime exciting with Nom Nom available at your local Pet Smart store or at Chewy.
Danielle Fishel
Learn more@trynom.com world. That's spelled try n o m.com world. You ever find a dusty old VHS tape labeled Spring Break 98 and think, wow, do I even own something that plays this anymore? Because last time I tried, I put it in a toaster. Don't recommend it. Look, our family spent years recording everything. Birthdays, dance recitals, that one Thanksgiving where Uncle Jerry deep fried his eyebrows. But now it's all just sitting in boxes forever sent to memory jail. That's why I use Legacy Box. I just ship them a bunch of my old tapes, film reels, and even photos. It is super easy. You get a box, you toss everything in it, and their team hand digitizes it right here in the US it's like magic. Now I've got my family memories on a thumb drive and in the cloud so I can text my friends footage of their embarrassing 1994 bangs whenever I want. And don't forget about my interpretive dance to Mambo Number five. You're welcome. Group Chat. Over a million families have used Legacy Box, and honestly, it feels good to finally preserve your precious memories. Don't let your family's story fade away on outdated formats. Preserve it. Share it. Pass it on. Go to legacybox.com meetsworld to get 50% off today. That's legacybox.com meets world.
Rider Strong
This show is sponsored by Liquid IV.
Danielle Fishel
Okay, is anyone else still in an endless summer mode? My brain is still barbecuing hot dogs and riding a pool noodle. Yet my calendar is about as full as your grandma's purse with loose cough drops.
Will Friedle
Same. I mean, apparently fall means focus, discipline and adulting.
Rider Strong
Who approved this?
Will Friedle
I'd like to see their manager going.
Rider Strong
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Will Friedle
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Danielle Fishel
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Will Friedle
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Rider Strong
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Will Friedle
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Rider Strong
These are deals so extra that they absolutely cannot be missed. And every two weeks there's gonna be more.
Danielle Fishel
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Will Friedle
And speaking of saving, Extra care is the way to save at cvs. So use your Extra Care card to unlock savings every time you shop.
Rider Strong
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Danielle Fishel
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Will Friedle
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Rider Strong
Visit your local CVS store or cvs.com extra big deals to shop this week's deals and stock up on your favorite products.
Will Friedle
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Danielle Fishel
When it comes to the legacy of Boy Meets World, there is a lot we leave behind. The effortless, family friendly mix of comedy and drama that TV still has problems perfecting the comfort of its characters. Corey, Eric, Topanga Shawn, Angela, I mean, Bill Daniels. It seems like no matter how many Emmys he won before he took the role of Mr. Feeny, it's now the character that will define an incredible career in Hollywood. But one other very cool aspect about Boy Meets World that seems even more relevant in 2025, the careers that started right there. On an ABC Friday night, we've talked to Adam Scott, whose first real TV set was that of John Adams High, Ethan Suplee, early career, Linda Cardellini and Brittany Murphy. We had future superstars just driving by saying hi on their way to much bigger projects. Yet it seems like our show is still one of the things they're constantly reminded of now, three decades later. And our guest this week is a perfect example of this trajectory. She was a two timer, appearing in two Boy Meets World episodes, season two's Danger Boy and season three's the Grass is Always Greener, playing Laura and Hillary, respectively. But she'd break through in 1999 with two films that helped define an entire era of cinema. The gross out slapstick of American Pie, creating a revolution in theaters for the R rated teen comedy and American Beauty, a best picture winner that set the standard for black comedy and is constantly listed as one of the century's best. She'd become Hollywood's it girl at a speed that's rarely seen on the screen. She'd follow up with movies like Sugar and Spice, Domino and Spun, and let's not forget about the American Pie sequels, a franchise that appears to be getting another installment soon. And she's made endless TV appearances from Psych to Six Feet under to Chicago Hope. But today we are talking to her about the start of her career. The time she played two different flirty girls on the TGIF sitcom Boy Meets World and helped our legacy live forever. Welcome to POD Meets World. Someone we have hoped to interview for a while. It's Mina Suvari.
Rider Strong
She's kind of there.
Danielle Fishel
Does this feel so weird to be back all in the room together 30 years later?
Mina Suvari
This is wild. This is wild. I don't know if I have enough words, you know, guys, I was, I was looking up the, the episodes that I was in, which is like a whole other conversation of. I was in two of them, but it's my first credit on imt.
Rider Strong
Wow. Was it actually your first job then?
Mina Suvari
Well, I had done some commercials. Yeah, I had done a couple of commercials. I did a Rice, a Roni commercial, which, which I always joke that I was like the other girl. I didn't even get to eat the rice. A Roni. And I got my SAG card.
Danielle Fishel
Okay. Doing that. Did they let you eat it at lunch at least, or.
Mina Suvari
No, it's funny. You know the actress Vanessa Shaw?
Danielle Fishel
Yeah, sure.
Mina Suvari
So it was her sister, Natalie Shaw, and it was like a joke where it's like, you know, we're at high school, we run into each other, we're wearing, like, the same outfit, and then she was, like, talking about it over the rice. Roni at the end. So I was like, the other girl.
Danielle Fishel
Can I have a bite? Anything.
Mina Suvari
Yeah, but this was. But so I did. I did that. I did, like, a Pizza Hut commercial. I did a Kodak commercial. And then. Yeah, I was like, doing these kind of, like, guest spots, you know?
Rider Strong
Yeah.
Mina Suvari
Chicago Hope. I was always, like, the rebellious teenager or, like, totally 90s, like, slightly naughty, salacious teammates.
Danielle Fishel
Yeah, you were a little.
Rider Strong
You were.
Danielle Fishel
You played some flirty girls in your two episodes of Boy Meets World. We first saw you in season two in Danger Boy, and we just talked about in your intro that there are quite a few people. Boy Meets World was their first credit. Adam Scott, Ethan Suplee. You had you ever seen Boy Meets World before you auditioned for it?
Mina Suvari
No, but it's not. It has nothing to do with that. I just sort of. No, I. I mean, I still kind of live under a rock. Like, I wasn't. I. What. I was kind of living in this space of being in LA and it Being new and adapting to. I came from South Carolina, so, like, adapting to high school and auditioning after school, and now I was sort of, like, in this weird grind of, you know, it took me a long time to really understand, like, the business aspect of things or kind of being a part of it. I was. It's. It's so hard to describe, but I was really just kind of living in this place of, like, you know, doing. Doing this, doing that, like, not thinking too much about it, going on the auditions. I do remember, though, with the show and the first episode for me, going over that line, he drinks water, like, over and over and over again.
Will Friedle
I don't remember your first episode.
Rider Strong
I remember your second one. You played like, a bouncer, like, letting people into the club. Yeah.
Will Friedle
Where.
Rider Strong
I think it's where, Danielle, you were pretending to be the French girl.
Danielle Fishel
The French girl. Yeah.
Rider Strong
Right. But what was your first episode? Something about drinking water.
Will Friedle
No, I remember your. I don't know why, but your exact line and performance sticks in my head. I don't know why it is. He spits water. Why does he spit Water. It's just in my head when he's.
Danielle Fishel
Pretending to be the fountain.
Mina Suvari
Remember when he's like, well, I just watched it again. Another girl, I assume my friend. And Ryder, you're like, the girls are here. Or like the girls are coming, which is always. And then we kind of show up and she mentions that, yeah, he spits water. And then I'm like, he spits water. And then it's something like, oh, I want to see that. Can you do it for me? It was funny watching it again now because I remember doing it like a lot more. I don't know, with like more pizzazz or more like you thought you were really acting. They used like the one that was like the middle of the road, like kind of like interested, but like, not too.
Rider Strong
You've been doing it all week. By the time we got to tape night, you were probably just like, eh.
Mina Suvari
No, I mean, my mom would talk about it too and I would run it with her. He drinks water. He drinks water. Like, no, because it was like my line. Yes, there was. Right?
Rider Strong
Your first big job. Your first drinks water.
Will Friedle
He drinks water.
Danielle Fishel
He drinks. He spits.
Mina Suvari
Yeah, yeah, exactly. Funny too, because that was such a. I mean, I only did it really with this show. And then there was another show.
Rider Strong
That.
Mina Suvari
I guess start on, but that whole experience. And I know you guys were so used to this, but it was like a totally different entity and like, so nerve wracking being there in front of an audience and like, because I haven't. I don't have like a lot of theater experience. So it was pretty, pretty, like exciting, but also terrifying at the moment. You couldn't mess up. You couldn't. There was a lot of that, you know, those, those nerves around it for me.
Danielle Fishel
Yeah. Do you remember your audition at all?
Mina Suvari
I don't. Can we talk about why I was in two episodes?
Rider Strong
Yes.
Mina Suvari
Characters. Because it always makes me laugh. And when you talk about other people coming from the show. Did they ever do that?
Danielle Fishel
Yes.
Will Friedle
Yeah.
Rider Strong
It was a boy meets world tradition.
Will Friedle
Yep.
Mina Suvari
Really interesting to me because it blows my mind that I don't know how much that would happen nowadays. Like, probably not.
Will Friedle
No, no, because there's. There was no streaming at the time, so you couldn't binge.
Danielle Fishel
Yeah.
Will Friedle
So it's like if you show up here and then, hey, you show up six months later, nobody's going to put the two together. Now it's like, wait a minute.
Rider Strong
Our producers also just really, if they liked somebody, especially a kid, you know, because the pickings were slim. They'd be like, oh, we'll just bring so and so back, you know, But I don't know. Did you have to aud for the second one or do you remember?
Mina Suvari
I'm pretty sure I did, guys, for sure. But I don't remember the audition, per se. And I do know, but that's just me because again, I'm horrible. But I. I do have a lot of photos as well.
Danielle Fishel
Oh, really?
Mina Suvari
Both of us? I have photos and I'm so bad. Damn it. I'd have to come back on.
Rider Strong
Oh, my God. I want to see those.
Danielle Fishel
If you can just take pictures of them or scan them and email them to us. We would love to see them. We'd love to post them on our socials.
Mina Suvari
Yes, I do have them. And I have some of me, like, in the makeup chair.
Rider Strong
Yes.
Mina Suvari
Getting ready. And then I have some of us, like, outside the studio. That's so cute. Outside the studio door.
Rider Strong
Yep.
Mina Suvari
You know, being kids.
Danielle Fishel
Do you remember the wardrobe? It is very 90s and we just loved it. You're wearing a tight green sweater over a pink polka dot top.
Mina Suvari
Yes.
Danielle Fishel
And you were actually one of two girls to wear that polka dot top on the show.
Mina Suvari
Oh, really? We saw it a few episodes. Yeah, we saw it a few episodes.
Danielle Fishel
Later, and I was like, hey, that's.
Mina Suvari
A pink polka dot top. How dare they?
Danielle Fishel
That's what I'm saying.
Mina Suvari
So they had this kind of theme, like, we'll have them back. We like the polka dot bodysuit or whatever. Maybe we'll change it up and put a green sweater over it. I did see. Which I thought was really cute. Somebody commenting that they. They watched that episode because they thought my outfit was so cool.
Danielle Fishel
Oh, yeah, okay. It is. It's very cool. You looked so cool in it.
Mina Suvari
And. And then the second episode with, like, the. What was it, like, Doc Martens and, like the dress. Yeah. Very 90s. It's all back.
Danielle Fishel
Oh, yeah, it's all back. I know, I know. Do you remember any specific. I mean, I want to see these pictures of you with Ryder. I think that sounds so cute. Like, do you remember any specific interactions with. With any of us?
Mina Suvari
I just remember everybody being, like, really nice and friendly and, you know, just welcoming. And again, I think I was really caught up with a lot of nerves and, like, just feeling kind of not, like, fully overwhelmed, but, like, starstruck to all of it. You know, you and I hung out a bunch.
Rider Strong
I had such a crush on you, and I spent you. Yes. I spent the entire week trying to hang out with you as much as I could. You don't remember this. Maybe I wasn't that obvious, but like, I remember you and I spending a lot of time together and, like hanging out in the classroom and school room and then walk. And you were just the coolest girl I had ever met. I was, like, obsessed with you.
Mina Suvari
Well, that just shows, like, how kind of dumb I am because I just thought you were really nice.
Danielle Fishel
He's like, this is so friendly.
Mina Suvari
Yeah, no, but it was. Yeah. I do remember us, like, you know, like hitting it off and feeling more connected and.
Rider Strong
Yeah.
Mina Suvari
And that meant everything, you know, because, I mean, it's, you know, a bit like later in my career I was. I was able to do an arc on Six Feet under and it was kind of like that same thing. Like you're going into this, you know, this world, this entity that's already been completely set up and it's a family and it's like so hard to fit into that. And especially when you're just doing like, you know, a couple lines.
Rider Strong
Right.
Danielle Fishel
Yeah.
Rider Strong
Right.
Danielle Fishel
So you're back for season three for the Grass is Always Greener. You play another flirty girl, this time named Hilary. And I think it's so interesting that every time we ask somebody who did more than one episode and we say, do you remember having to audition again? Most of the time the answer is is no. And it really does make me think. I find it hard to believe they would make her audition again. Especially Michael, who loved working with actors he just liked working with and like, regularly would bring back actors. Michael was always really good about that. Like, if he liked somebody, he'd bring him back on another show.
Rider Strong
We had the same casting director, Sally, for all six, all seven seasons. So I feel like, yeah, I feel like you were just on the roster. You know, they'd be like, oh, I'd love to know.
Mina Suvari
I mean, that was the biggest compliment. I don't. I wouldn't put money on that. But that sounds nice. It's like, I mean, because, you know, it's. That was just part of it.
Danielle Fishel
Yeah.
Mina Suvari
And I mean, it's wild just to see how much of it has changed. Like, that was such a. Just again, a big part of it. Going into a room with like, I don't know, 12 plus people and kind of like do it one shot. And you know, nowadays it's like you can self shape, you know, comfort wherever and do it as many times as you want. You don't have that part of it. So.
Danielle Fishel
Yeah. Do you remember getting any specific Direction on either of your two episodes. Do you remember working with the directors?
Mina Suvari
I don't. That's horrible to say. It's, It's. No, I, I don't. But it's, it's not just that part of it. I think it's also. I wasn't like, tuned to that in a way. Like, it's so hard to describe. I sort of, I, I wrote about my life a little while ago and sort of talked about a lot of my younger years and like, what that was like for me and what perspective I had. I was so used to. I mean, the best way I've been able to kind of put it is that I was so used to kind of like doing the do, like doing the, the grind kind of going in as long as I completed what I had to do. Like, I, I felt very separate from a lot of. Maybe this is why I didn't pick up on things with the writer, but like, I felt very separate from.
Danielle Fishel
The.
Mina Suvari
Rest of like the crew or the cast. I had to learn later in the industry, like, how I really was able to hold apart with that. And so, yeah, I didn't have that perspective of like understanding what I was doing and working with the director to kind of like complete this, this thing that we're all in together.
Danielle Fishel
Right. The collaborative nature of how it comes together. Yeah, yeah.
Mina Suvari
So I think I might have been more caught up in just sort of, I mean, taking the direction, but not like remembering those collaborative, like cohesive moments.
Rider Strong
Right, yeah. You're also 15 or whatever, you know, like.
Mina Suvari
Yeah, 15, 16.
Danielle Fishel
Yeah. Did you have a crew of young actors that you hung around with in LA around this time? Did you go to traditional school? Who were your friends?
Mina Suvari
Oh, gosh. I mean, I, I came out to LA and I, I went the first two years to Notre Dame.
Danielle Fishel
Okay.
Mina Suvari
In the Valley. And I had come from an all girls school, so I was going into a co ed private Catholic, not Catholic. That was very interesting. And no, I didn't, I didn't. I had to start all over in a way. So I, I did have a best friend that I hung out with the most, Nicole. But I didn't have like a slew of friends. Like, I totally like the nerd. Very much made fun of. It was hard for me to do work or, you know, like, I was given a hard time from the school or like having to do makeup work, the teachers, things like that. So I, I joke, like, you know, working on American Pie later, that it kind of gave me my high school experience because it was opposite. And then I went to Providence in Burbank for the last two years. So, okay, I transferred over. I was very much into, like, academics, getting my work done, but I was, like, ready to.
Will Friedle
Ready to bounce.
Danielle Fishel
Yeah, you're ready to get out of there. You're originally from Rhode island, right? But you ended up in New York to model?
Mina Suvari
I was. No, I was born in Rhode island, and then I lived there until I was about. Well, we. I lived somewhere else just for one year. When I was 8, I came back to Rhode island and had 4th and 5th grade. During that time, when I was younger, we would drive to Boston and I was part of Cameo Kids, which was a modeling agency in Boston. I believe they let me go when I lost my two front teeth. You can't model anymore. Take a break. And then after Rhode island for middle school, transferred for middle school to Charleston, South Carolina. And then by that time, there was, like, a local modeling agency. It was called Millie Lewis. I just went with a friend, kind of like one of those, like, you know, take a class and, like, learn how to put on makeup. Do you remember caboodles?
Danielle Fishel
Oh, are you kidding? My kitten Caboodle was everything.
Mina Suvari
Yeah. Learn how to put on makeup, like, take a photo, this kind of thing. And then it started to snowball. Like, they wanted me to join the agency, and then they wanted me to go to a modeling competition that was nationwide. Long story long. I ended up signing with Wilhelmina, but in their kids division called We Willies, which was in New York. And so then I was 12. 12. I did the summer in New York. 13. They wanted me to come out to LA, still under Wilhelmina. And then I got my Race and Ronnie commercial. But then they're like, you should move out here. And after big discussion, my parents decided to come out. And then I started high school. And so then I was just sort of like, auditioning after school, that kind of thing. I remember even with Rice and. Sorry, Rice and Ronnie leaving the audition thinking the casting director absolutely hated me, like, there was no way I was going to get the job. And I got the job.
Danielle Fishel
Like, wow, my perception's really off.
Mina Suvari
That seems to be the theme. And then. Yeah, and then just started to, like, Boy Meets World, Like, Chicago Hope. ER did an episode of er.
Danielle Fishel
Were your parents in the industry at all? How. What did they do? How did they just. Are you an only child? How did they just decide to pick up and move across the country?
Mina Suvari
Great question. I have three older brothers.
Rider Strong
Wow.
Mina Suvari
The one up from me was a bit caught in the mix. The older two were already in college by then, beginning college. And yeah, I remember a lot of like cross country driving, road trips in my grandmother's Fleetwood Cadillac.
Will Friedle
Nice.
Mina Suvari
Those were the days of the road trips transporting everything over. And my father had me pretty late. He was older than my mom, so he was sort of retired by then. And I can only assume, yeah, they were kind of going with it and.
Danielle Fishel
Yeah.
Mina Suvari
But yeah, we didn't really. I had, I have like two second cousins out here. It's like the only family. So we're able to connect with them. And then, yeah, just started the, the journey. You can look back and see the couple crazy managers I had. And then like, you know, finally from, from. Oh, I was with Gold Marshak. Do you remember Gold Marshak? You were in Burbank. There was, do you remember there was that big brown building off of Olive and there was a restaurant called Dalt's.
Will Friedle
Oh, I remember, I remember, of course.
Mina Suvari
Remember Dalt's, like the Hangout. So around that time of like having the commercials and probably working on this show, I was with Gold Marshak. And then I eventually was introduced to an agent at Gersh and then I was there for a bit. So, yeah, I mean, I've lived here way too long when I think about.
Danielle Fishel
If my kid was deciding to act. And then somebody said to me, listen, Adler's really talented. I think you guys should move to New York. I'd be like, well, we're obviously not going to pick up for the kid, for the six year old. Like, you know, it just.
Rider Strong
Yeah.
Danielle Fishel
And yet so many people we talked to who it totally paid off for that it was the right move that families are just willing to take that, that leap based on, you know, instinct and, and obviously the knowing. It's, it's so, it's so remarkable. Like, thank God your parents were like, yeah, you know what, I'm retired. And you know, did your mom work? Was she able to just get a job out here?
Mina Suvari
No, no, she didn't actually. I mean, I was sort of like supporting the family certain extent then I was also going to throw in there when we came out here. We stayed at the Oakwood.
Will Friedle
Oh, yes.
Mina Suvari
Didn't we all like something else in like they changed the name.
Rider Strong
They should just go back to Oakwood. It's ridiculous.
Will Friedle
Do you remember your building?
Mina Suvari
I don't remember my building, but I do. I remember like the pool area. I remember like rec area where I tried to take an aerobics class and just heavily failed. Like somewhere in the back, I was like, occupy my day. They had, like, a communal, like, a piano in there. I would sort of just like, wander around the oak wood, like, you know, I remember hiking, too. I started hiking. I think I even hiked up, like, that hill that's, like, behind Oakwood.
Rider Strong
Oh, yeah, I used to. I used to do that, too.
Mina Suvari
Oh, man, those were kind of the days, too. I mean, I grew up, like, in the 80s, and it was sort of like, good luck, see you at dinner, you know?
Danielle Fishel
Yeah, exactly.
Mina Suvari
Come home.
Will Friedle
Yeah, come home.
Rider Strong
When the light.
Will Friedle
When the sun starts to go down. That's how it's supposed to be.
Mina Suvari
So I would like, wander around the oak wood. And eventually, as I got older, and then we moved to off of Glen Oaks on the other side of the river by San Fernando. And across the street was a Blockbuster. And I do. My brother, one of my brothers worked there for, like, a summer. Remember Blockbuster?
Danielle Fishel
Oh, yeah, of course. Yeah. I was married because of Blockbuster.
Will Friedle
I'm married because of Blockbuster. So, yeah, it's.
Mina Suvari
Oh, what? Really?
Will Friedle
Yeah. I was returning a tape while my wife and I remit, and then I proposed to her right in front of what used to be the Blockbuster five years later.
Rider Strong
Yeah.
Danielle Fishel
So he still has a Blockbuster card.
Will Friedle
Damn. Right.
Rider Strong
In his wallet.
Danielle Fishel
In his wallet. That he carries around with him for. We don't know. Listen. We don't know.
Mina Suvari
It's amazing how much I have no problems with anything they just said was the best.
Will Friedle
Thank you.
Mina Suvari
Be kind and rewind.
Danielle Fishel
Be kind. Rewind.
Mina Suvari
Yep, exactly.
Danielle Fishel
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Rider Strong
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Will Friedle
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Rider Strong
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Will Friedle
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Mina Suvari
You know what? I can see you as Mr. Darcy. You got a little Colin Firth.
Will Friedle
Okay, that's really sweet. I appreciate that. But are you sure I'm not the dad? I'm not Mr. Bennett here, listen to Irsay the Audible and I Heart Audience Audiobook Club on the iHeartRadio app or wherever you get your podcasts. And Doug, here we have the Limu Emu in its natural habitat, helping people customize their car insurance and save hundreds with Liberty Mutual.
Rider Strong
Fascinating. It's accompanied by his natural ally, Doug Limu.
Will Friedle
Is that guy with the binoculars watching us?
Mina Suvari
Us?
Will Friedle
Cut the camera. They see us. Only pay for what you need@liberty mutual.com savings. Very underwritten by Liberty Mutual Insurance Company affiliates. Excludes Massachusetts.
Danielle Fishel
Well, after Boy Meets World, you were just off to the races, er, Kiss the girls. And soon after American Pie. So much of young Hollywood broke out from this movie while you were filming. Did you know it was special? Did it just feel special?
Mina Suvari
No, I told you, like the worst with these answers. I just had no clue. And Again, I mean, I've recently talked about this, but that point, that period of my life was pretty heavy and pretty dark. So I was saved very much by working on that film and, you know, going to work with like, Chris Klein and people that really made it beautiful and, and positive. It was a, it was a nice rescue from a lot of things. So, no, I did not have that concept. I worked on American Pie and then American Beauty back to back pretty much. And then they came out back to back. And I've mentioned this, I will not lie. I honestly thought that every movie made $100 million. Like, I just, right, lived in a movie place of focusing on the work, doing my job, being a good student, but I didn't have that ability to look at a script and think, like, people are going to love this or this is going to be a hit. And well, if you just stuck with.
Will Friedle
Movies that had American in the title, you were doing fine.
Mina Suvari
And then I put that in my writer, in my deal memo that only works American in the title.
Danielle Fishel
Did you have any reservations about working on something that was like, so obviously pushing the envelope at the time?
Mina Suvari
American Beauty.
Danielle Fishel
Well, both of them.
Rider Strong
Both.
Mina Suvari
Oh, well. But American Pie, I was like, the sweet sweater sets. Yeah, you were right.
Rider Strong
Yeah.
Mina Suvari
I remember them asking me if I sang towards the end of the audition. I was like, yeah. I was in the choir for three years, you know, in middle school. They're like, great, that's good.
Rider Strong
I love that you become Kermit the Frog when you're doing your pressure of yourself.
Mina Suvari
I'm not really a singer, but I do remember going into the studio with Chris and like working on that song. And it's funny because I love it, but like, man, when I hear that song, I'm like. And then in Beauty, I was pretty much like living it to a certain extent, which I only talked about recently. So that was kind of like a no brainer. Yeah, no, definitely wasn't. Like, this is tawdry. I was like, oh, what's different?
Danielle Fishel
Are you writing a memoir? You said you've been writing about this a lot.
Mina Suvari
I did, yeah. It's called the Great Piece. It came out in 2021. And I finally was like, here's my side of the story. So I was. Because it. For a long time I was caught in this place of, I mean, especially back then too, like doing press for American Pie. And I was always trying to come up with like the one liner and make it sound great. And I finally was able to just, you know, reveal that again. It Saved me in a lot of respects. And I wasn't necessarily. I mean, I did a thing with Jason and his wife Jenny. It's called Dinner and a Movie. And I went on and we. With Alison Hannigan, and we watched American Pie and talked about it again. And I just didn't. I didn't. What is it, like, relate with them in the way that I think a lot of them were. I was just living very much in, like, a different space. So I missed out on a lot of that, like, camaraderie and friendship or just understanding what we were making. I would kind of, like, go in, do my job. Even on American Beauty, I remember thinking one day on set, I'm literally. I'm so grateful to have a job and everyone's so nice. Like, it was that simple, right? Yeah.
Danielle Fishel
Do you mind sharing what was going on with you in your personal life? I have not read the memoir. I'm going to read it now.
Mina Suvari
But, yeah, just a lot of, you know, things that I think through childhood led me into feeling very insecure and abandoned. And I ended up, like, a lot of really dark relationships, especially by the time I was right before working on American Pie. And so I was living with someone who was a lot older than me, was, like, taking me to school.
Danielle Fishel
Oh, man.
Mina Suvari
Started doing a lot of, like, different drugs. And so playing someone like Heather was completely opposite to what I was living. It became very, like, abusive and very, like, sexually abusive. So I think that's why I had no, you know, qualms with relating to Angela. I was sort of used to. It's interesting, too, not to get, like, dark around Boy Meets World, but it's interesting, too, how I watch myself with, like, especially the second episode. I'm in season three, and there's just, like, a comfort around that, like, sexuality and showcase. I mean, some things I even worked on, I'm trying to remember right now, but my character, I have a lot of photos from that too. My character was a teenage prostitute, and I'm like, what is happening?
Danielle Fishel
Oh, my gosh.
Mina Suvari
Around, like, you know, some of these things. Are it being kind of normal back then? Like, that's a whole other conversation. Especially, like, the 90s, like, being sexualized young.
Danielle Fishel
Oh, yeah. Yeah.
Mina Suvari
Y. Yeah. And I was like, oh, I was so easily ca. Those things. But it's interesting.
Danielle Fishel
Wow.
Will Friedle
I'm gonna read your memoir. I can't. Yeah, I can't wait to read your memoir.
Mina Suvari
It's. It's heavy. I appreciate it, but it's more about, like, it's Been really rewarding for not just me, but being able to help a lot of.
Danielle Fishel
Yeah.
Mina Suvari
People, you know, just by talking about these things. Because I think I felt like I needed to have it all wrapped up in a bow and be pro back then and for a long time after that. And I was sort of done playing that role.
Danielle Fishel
So.
Mina Suvari
Yeah, this is. Yeah. Because I feel like it does. It's a lot more of a service, just kind of being honest and talking about it and.
Danielle Fishel
Yeah.
Mina Suvari
Talking about how those things kind of can unfold.
Danielle Fishel
Yeah. Ryder and I have talked about how much, like those. That feeling in your 20s where you just feel like you're supposed to be good at all the things. Like, I'm finally here. This is the adulthood I have been waiting for and looking around and somehow feeling like everyone else knows how to do everything. Why do I not know how to do anything? And then you realize, like, no one. No one knew how to do anything. Everyone was figuring it out, but no one was talking about the fact that no one knew they were doing so.
Rider Strong
We didn't want to admit it.
Danielle Fishel
Exactly.
Rider Strong
So now, imposter syndrome.
Will Friedle
But the adults, too. I mean, everybody. No, every week.
Rider Strong
The thing. Yeah.
Will Friedle
The thing we talked about as. As. Especially as child actors, is you assume that all the adults around you know exactly what's going on, and you're following their lead.
Danielle Fishel
They say is right. And truth.
Rider Strong
Yep.
Will Friedle
And that's the way it's got to go. And then you. You become an adult, and you're like, I'm still figuring this. I don't know what the hell's going on. So it's. Yeah, you. It's very interesting to see how just the idea that somebody's older than you obviously means they have it together. It's like, no, that's not the case. So. Yeah.
Mina Suvari
No, it's funny. I still feel like that sometimes. Yeah, of course.
Will Friedle
Everybody does.
Mina Suvari
And I'm like, they have it so together. But yes. I mean, it's kind of comforting in a way, hearing this, because I remember vividly younger thinking that I think. I think it was when you turned 18. I had this concept. Or was it 21? I had this concept that, like, when that happened, you just knew everything.
Danielle Fishel
Right. Because you get a download.
Will Friedle
Yeah. You get a magical pill that all of a sudden you know everything going on. Yeah, exactly.
Mina Suvari
And then that happened. And I was like, oh, gosh, how.
Danielle Fishel
Come I don't know anything?
Will Friedle
Yeah, exactly. And I think, you know, strangely, I think it's actually probably worse for kids now because social media Makes it where everybody's got this incredible life. Look at all these pictures when really nobody does. It's all lies. The whole thing is lies. So it's just. Yeah. I couldn't imagine going through. I mean, what we all went through was tough enough, but now doing it where everybody is in the public eye, it just seems like it would be such a daunting task that I could.
Mina Suvari
I know. I'm sure you've gotten this question before, but, I mean, can you imagine working on the show with God, Ugh, God, be terrible.
Will Friedle
God, no, be awful. I couldn't imagine.
Rider Strong
Nope.
Mina Suvari
Yeah, there was something nice about. About that. Yeah. I mean, a lot of things. Not feeling that pressure. I mean, I also remember, like, being new to LA or just, like, new to the business, and, you know, you'd go to the grocery store and you're in the checkout aisle and there are the magazines. Right. Like, that was our information. And I remember thinking all of that was real, like somebody. And then it wasn't until, like, more experience in the industry and then being. There was one interview I gave that I swear it felt like they must have just mixed up the pages completely because I was reading it and, like, in bold. There were quotes. I was like, I never even said that. Like, not even close to saying, yeah. And I realized, yeah, they couldn't be something like, sex is like. It was something like, along the lines of, like, once you do it more, you get down. I was like, what?
Danielle Fishel
Like, oh, my gosh.
Mina Suvari
I wasn't even the room for these questions. But I. And then I realized, like, oh, none of that is true. But I had this concept that, like, if it was there and they were on the page and that was an interview, like, that was word for word what the person said. I just had no idea that it was constructed or manipulated in that sense.
Danielle Fishel
Right, right.
Rider Strong
So American Beauty is one of those. It's one of my favorite examples in my own life of seeing the difference in perception of a project while it's being made versus when it comes out. Because we were shooting Boys still and an old studio teacher came, who I worked with when I was, like, 11 or 12 and had become friends with my mom. And she came to the set to visit my mom, and we were hanging out and talking, and we were like, oh, so what are you working on? And she's like, ugh, this awful movie. It is so weird. I don't. And I don't know if she was the studio teacher or she was just there for a couple of days, but she was like, it's Kevin Spacey. And I don't know, it's like. It's trying to be funny, but it's just. It doesn't make any sense. And she likes, gave us the worst elevator pitch for this movie that we were like, wow. But it's like a big movie, and she's like, yeah, it's got big actors, but it's gonna be so bad. There's no. They're just gonna bear, you know, and we like. So then when the movie came out, it was like, that's the movie she was talking about.
Mina Suvari
I was like, wow.
Rider Strong
You know, so you just never know. Like, so, you know, here was a crew member, maybe only there for a day or two, but she was reading the script and, like, knew the movie and was like, this is a disaster. There's no way this is gonna go.
Mina Suvari
Oh, that is so fascinating and awesome.
Rider Strong
Yeah, but it's true, right? I mean, half the time we don't know. Like, even when we're acting in a movie, we're like, is this going to be any good? Or is this going to have any cultural value? And then something like that happens. And so what was the transition for you? Like, because you have these two movies come out back to back, and before that, you had sort of been regular actor, just doing the job, and now you're suddenly a star.
Mina Suvari
Yeah, it was really weird. I remember. Well, I wasn't able to go to the premiere for American Pie. I was working on a film called Sugar and Spice at the time in. And we had.
Danielle Fishel
I love that movie, by the way. I auditioned for that movie. I wanted it so bad.
Mina Suvari
Amazing to have you in it.
Danielle Fishel
I love. I want. I read. I read that script, and I was like, this is great.
Mina Suvari
It was originally. Do you remember it was originally called Sugar and Spice and Semi Automatic.
Danielle Fishel
Yes, exactly.
Mina Suvari
Like, why'd you change the title? But I mean, that was awesome, too. Working with Francine McDougall, female director. That was great. But I remember we had a football scene, and so there were a lot of extras because AI didn't exist. Yeah, exactly. There were real people there. And I started hearing people yelling, heather, choir chick. And I was like, oh, geez, what's going on? You know? And then I remember people asking me for a photo with me, and I was like, this is so weird. And it made me feel. It just was really strange, and it made me feel uncomfortable because I felt like I'm no, I'm no better, like, different than you. And so that was kind of like the Beginnings of it. And that was, that was in the summer, late summer. I remember coming back to LA after that and going to the American Beauty premiere and then everybody kind of saying, congratulations, like, this is amazing. And I just remember not being able to understand that or digest it because again, I just, just, I was like, thank you. Like, I just didn't what that meant, you know, and people were trying to kind of like, get my attention into that. Like, this is so great. Congratulations. And I was like, cool, thanks. You know, happy to be a part of it. And yeah, then it kind of became, I guess, the norm of like, doing photo shoots and press and.
Danielle Fishel
Right.
Mina Suvari
Traveling and, and things like that. I do remember, though, having kind of like a midlife crisis in my early 20s after that because I hadn't gone to college and there were a lot of things. Like, you know, when I was younger, I wanted to be an architect. I chose medical research for my career day at school. I never thought of, like, acting. And so I, I, I was like in this phase of, you know, oh, I, I can go to ucla. I looked into it. They were going to let me go, like, years as an extension student, but then I'd have full time, the last two. And I kind of just chose at that moment that I chose, I guess, my career because I felt like I could be in any, you know, sitting to learn. I didn't have to necessarily be there. But yeah, it was like a hard time for me because I kind of felt like I didn't have an identity because I was. Yeah, I remember sort of at that moment feeling like there's the, the, there's this Mina and then there's like the real Mina.
Rider Strong
Right.
Mina Suvari
And I had to kind of like come to terms with that or, or learn how to navigate that because everything was, it just was very strange for me to be, like, recognized and because I never got into this industry for that reason. So weird.
Rider Strong
Yeah.
Mina Suvari
Yeah.
Danielle Fishel
Do you remember any specific directing or working with Alan Ball for American Beauty? Like, do you, do you remember that experience?
Mina Suvari
Yeah, I mean, I remember working with everyone. I remember working a lot with Sam and having a lot of rehearsal, us even working on scenes that didn't make it into the film. I felt, I felt like I was being very, I was given this really great gift and sort of spoiled in a sense because we did so much rehearsal and it was so helpful. Really awesome. I mean, this sort of also feels like a time, for the most part, gone. I mean, I've gotten films where it's like, you're just so in and out, and you don't have that process anymore. And so I'm really grateful that I. That I had that then. But, yeah, I just. I remember because, again, I. I didn't, like, hang out with people then.
Danielle Fishel
Right.
Mina Suvari
Like, so much in survival mode and, like, surviving the horror of, like, my real life. That. And I. And I think it also was coming from a place of just never feeling good enough. So I just do my work and, like, disappear. I was always, like, wanting to kind of, like, be back here and. And. But when I was there, I do remember just feeling so cared for by them, particularly because, you know, and it was so necessary. But. Yeah. Yeah, it was. There was a lot of really wonderful things, a lot of fun things, but sort of. It just all kind of feels like a. I don't know, it was like, so much happening that I. I needed to eventually learn how to, like, pick up on.
Danielle Fishel
Yeah.
Mina Suvari
Yeah. I talked about even. Like, there were so many moments where I felt like my life was happening for me, and I. It took me a while to, like, catch up to that.
Danielle Fishel
Yeah.
Rider Strong
Geez.
Danielle Fishel
Do you think it's a movie that could be made now in 2025?
Mina Suvari
That's a great question. I mean, I don't see why not. I feel like that's what's so wonderful about the film is that, I mean, there's certain topic and subject matter that I feel like is still continuous, very present.
Rider Strong
The.
Mina Suvari
Yes and no.
Danielle Fishel
Yeah.
Mina Suvari
Yes and no. Depends on, you know, what exactly I think you're analyzing, because it also was, I think, a big part of it. A certain place in time. There's a certain. There's a certain amount of subject matter that, yes, I think could. And then there's a certain subject matter that I think it was a perfect showcase and conversation around, like, what is continuously hidden. But, like, that still exists too, so.
Danielle Fishel
Yeah. Yeah.
Will Friedle
I'm just curious because you've had such an interesting career and some of the projects are so different from each other, is there one that you're really proud of? I mean, I know you're probably proud of a lot of them, but is there one that really stands out for you?
Mina Suvari
Gosh, I'm so bad with these questions because, like, they mean something to me in a different way. I. I mean, yes, and I'm proud of all of it, but it all. It's different for me because as I've gotten older, I've felt more and become more connected to all of it, and that's really changed it for me. I think a lot about. Well, I have things that I've done that haven't come out yet. I did a film called Vampires of the Velvet Lounge where it was just a lot of fun, and that's been in post. I did a film called all you need is Blood and that was really, really cool and exciting. I think that one's on Kino. Kino movies, I mean, they've all been, like, different for me. I just finished a project called Death of a Brewer. It's based on a book called Beer Money and I got to play a woman of temperance and it's period. And I've never done anything like that. That's cool. Yeah.
Danielle Fishel
So they're all.
Mina Suvari
And our, Our crew was like. I just didn't want to leave. Everyone was so lovely and our cast and. Yeah. So it's, It's. It depends on, like, what it is. I mean, I think about the. The place that I've been in and being able to appreciate it. I feel like a lot of that came for me a bit later.
Rider Strong
Of course. Of course. That's Water Spot line. It's still.
Mina Suvari
I mean, that to me, that I was so happy seeing that as, like, those, like, going down. And I didn't know if they'd list anything of, like, the commercials, but it's. It's literally like the first thing on my IMDb. It's so awesome. To me, that's like, really, really beautiful and really special. I love that we ask a lot.
Danielle Fishel
Of our guests this question. Were there any roles you auditioned for and almost got that still haunt you? Like, the minute you mentioned sugar and Spice for me, and I was like, is there anything you auditioned for?
Mina Suvari
Yes. You're gonna put me on the hot seat, Tell the story. Yes. I, I mean, the, the one that I auditioned for several times I tested for and was communicated to that it would be mine was Spider Man.
Will Friedle
Oh. And they gave it to Toby Maguire.
Danielle Fishel
How did he do that to you?
Mina Suvari
Yeah. But then, you know, but again, like, I think that's. That's what, like, allows for so much growth and of strength in this industry is like. I mean, I've even had these moments with. Now I've been working more in, like, development, like, pitching and. And it's like people can kind of come at you a certain way, like, yeah. And you're like, yeah. And they're like, no, get out of here. But I thought.
Rider Strong
I thought we were just going to go make something. Yes.
Mina Suvari
I think. I mean, those are. Those are the moments that, like, we all have. I mean, you Talked about, like, with sugar and spice too. It's like those are the moments that you have, and then you're just like, yeah, but you know what? Like, like I still see this and I still love this. And it's not. And you know, it allows you, I think, to build like new muscles that are so important because. Not like that. All right. Exactly. It's not just like, here you go, here you go.
Danielle Fishel
Right?
Will Friedle
Yeah.
Danielle Fishel
Oh, you want this?
Mina Suvari
Okay.
Danielle Fishel
Yeah.
Mina Suvari
You gotta really work for it, you know, and, And I. And it, it. I'm grateful for that because it allows me to just have a completely new perspective that I really str. Try to stay neutral with. Like, it just wasn't meant in some way. You know, there's others, other things that. And I'm, I'm, you know, and you're able to see that, like, in the, in the long run, like, oh, well, life brought me here and I was needed here versus there.
Danielle Fishel
Right.
Rider Strong
In this industry. It's so hard compared to like almost anything else, though, in that those opportunities, when they're presented to you are literally life changing. Right. Like, in terms of like, I mean, when you audition for a TV show, you network for a show, they make you sign a six year contract and you're literally able to see, oh, this could be how much money I'm making. This could be. And something like Spider man. Like. Yeah, like, that's a three picture thing. I mean, that's like. And so it's so hard in the moment. Cause you're like, I don't want to invest too much in this. But you can't help it because it's like, that would change my life in a way that probably you want at that moment. You know, it's really hard to see how to have any sense of reality, you know, Especially when you're younger.
Mina Suvari
Yeah, yeah, no, for sure. I think a lot, like, for me now because I have a son and he's four and a half. Aww. And so many times, like, if I even try to go to that place, then I look back and I understand. Like, but if this didn't happen. Happen and that didn't happen. Yeah, happen. Like, I never would have had my son right in. In the way that I do. I wouldn't, you know, life would have kind of maybe taken me over here. I wouldn't have met that person. So. Yeah, I always try to, like, rein it in. Yeah.
Will Friedle
We're here for a reason. We're here for a reason. Yeah, exactly.
Mina Suvari
Yeah. And then like, and we're here as ourselves individual for that reason, you know, And I think that's sort of like what we were touching upon earlier, like, feeling like, oh, I have to be 20 and, like, be perfect and know it all, like, have that. And that's. I mean, it's still happening. I think even when you brought up social media, like, even to a worser extent, we're really missing that. We're all individual in adding our own thing to it. We don't have to be this, like, yeah, everything. Not everyone has to be that. So I find a lot of, like, comfort in. In that and allowing myself to. To feel that way and, you know, just remember that it's like, this is what I have to bring to it versus someone else. And if that's meant, you know, then that's great. And I've always tried to look for anything that I can learn in my own life through the work that I do, because I've seen this weird, like, symmetry between personal growth that I've needed and then the type of project that might come my way. We try to stay really open to that and work with it.
Danielle Fishel
Big things are happening at your local cvs. Extra big.
Will Friedle
So hurry on over because extra big deals are here.
Rider Strong
These are deals so extra that they absolutely cannot be missed. And every two weeks, there's gonna be more.
Danielle Fishel
So you've gotta keep coming back so you can keep saving on all the brands and products you and your family use. Use every day.
Will Friedle
And speaking of saving, extra care is the way to save at cvs. So use your extra care card to unlock savings every time you shop.
Rider Strong
And if you're not a member yet, now is the time to join.
Danielle Fishel
And the best part, it's completely free. Just sign up online or in store and you'll start saving instantly.
Will Friedle
And always be sure to check the CVS health app for deals and savings.
Rider Strong
Visit your local CVS store or cvs.com extra big deals to shop this week's deals and stock up on your favorite products.
Will Friedle
Hey, it's Ryan Seacrest for Albertsons and Safeway this fall. Take care of the little ones in the family with Baby Club Savings now through November 4th. Spend $25 on select Baby Club products and save $5. Shop for items like Pediasure bottles, Pedialyte powder packs, Huggies baby wipes, Huggies diapers, Gerber puffs and Gerber pouches. And save $5 when you buy $25 or more on participating products. Offer ends November 4th. Restrictions apply. Offers may vary. Visit albertsons or safeway.com for more details.
Danielle Fishel
High Key.
Will Friedle
Listen to High Key, a new weekly podcast. You better listen. That's literally the definition of being an Aries moon. Just one little spicy off comment. That's all it takes. Everyone loves me at the cancer and then the Aries comes out and they said, who the is that?
Rider Strong
No, you.
Will Friedle
You're gonna come for me being an Aries and you have a sag Moon. Get out of here. But I'm a Capricorn Rising, so that honestly balances it out and makes me more likable. Okay, that is your Capricorn talking. Listen to High key on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey, everyone. Ed Helms here. And hi, I'm Kal Penn, and we're the hosts of Irsay, The Audible and iHeart Audiobook Club. This week on the podcast, I am sitting down with Jenny Garth, host of the iHeart podcast. I choose me to discuss the new Audible adaptation of the timeless Jane Austen classic Pride and Prejudice. This is not a trick question. There's no wrong answer. What role winner I play.
Mina Suvari
You know what? I can see you as Mr. Darcy. You got a little Colin Firth.
Will Friedle
Okay, that's really sweet. I appreciate that, but are you sure I'm not the dad? I'm not Mr. Bennet. Here, listen to Earsay the Audible and iHeart Audiobook Club on the iHeartradio app or wherever you get your podcasts. And Doug, here we have the Limu Emu in its natural habitat, helping people customize their car insurance and save hundreds with Liberty Mutual.
Rider Strong
Fascinating.
Will Friedle
It's accompanied by his natural ally, Doug. Limu is that guy with the binoculars watching us. Cut the camera. They see us. Only pay for what you need at libertymutual. Com.
Danielle Fishel
Liberty.
Rider Strong
Liberty.
Mina Suvari
Liberty Savings.
Will Friedle
Very unwritten by Liberty Mutual Insurance Company Affiliates. Excludes Massachusetts.
Danielle Fishel
I have to talk to you about American Pie 5, the funeral. Are you going to be in it? Is this real? Who's dead?
Mina Suvari
This is so wild because everyone's been asking about it. I think it would be awesome. Even, like, when I saw Jason and Jenny and Michelle, like, we don't really know what's going on. Like, there's nothing. There's nothing official. But from. If I can safely say, from what I know, fans have, like, I think on YouTube, they've even created trailers for this. I believe that this is a huge admirer of the film and franchise who has, like, written this script. So there's, like, things lingering, but there's nothing official that I know of. I think it's a great idea. I think it would have to be something like that along, along those lines. And it'd be awesome to come back. I think everybody's, like, really wanting it, but I don't know. I don't.
Danielle Fishel
Right, you don't. There's no official word. You have worked consistently throughout your entire career. How did you avoid burnout?
Mina Suvari
Oh, I did burn out. Okay.
Will Friedle
Didn't avoid it. Red headline, head first into it.
Danielle Fishel
Okay.
Rider Strong
Okay.
Mina Suvari
I, I, Yeah, no, I have. I mean, it depends on, like, what you mean by burnout. I mean, I talk about a lot of, like, just disconnection and drug use, especially, like, early on. And then I got married very young. I was married at, like, right after American Beauty and sort of repeated this strange generational trauma pattern and that out. But, yeah, so again, I was, like, living as a. As like twice my age when I was 20, from, like, 25. And yeah, I mean, I've definitely been. I like to say that I've lived many lives.
Danielle Fishel
Yeah.
Mina Suvari
And then somehow I came out of it. I think I, I've been able to really navigate by being blessed with, you know, the right people around me at the right time. And, and, yeah, I mean, just having. I, I talk a lot about how I feel like being in this industry, being an actor, being able to perform this art, really saved my life to a certain extent because it allowed me to process a lot of things that were so necessary.
Danielle Fishel
Yeah.
Mina Suvari
But, yeah, I mean, it hasn't been easy at times. And, you know, I just kind of keep. I have a lot of friends that are not in the industry. Yeah. So I'm able to ground myself through that.
Will Friedle
And.
Mina Suvari
Yeah. Just somehow. Somehow. I mean, listen, 30 years is a long time, and I feel grateful that I'm even still alive, like certain moments. But, But I'm, I am, I'm very happy now because of, of, like, throughout all that process, it's just given me really the perspective that I want to have. And so I feel really good with all the things that I'm able to move forward with, because just like I said, I finished that film Death of a Brewer, and it was just so. It was like everything that I would have ever wanted it to be. But I think a lot of that came from me allowing myself to be that person and, and, and feel connected to everyone. And it was awesome because it was just an independent film that we were making. But again, our cast and especially our crew, it's beautiful when it lines up like that. We are part of this thing, and it's not about, like, I don't know, any weird, like, hierarchy or.
Danielle Fishel
Right. Or ego.
Mina Suvari
Your ego that you see all the time. And, and in those moments, I realized, like, this is why I do what I did.
Danielle Fishel
You mentioned your son. If your son wanted to become an actor, would you, would you let it?
Mina Suvari
That's such a great question. I don't, I don't have him out there. He has no idea what I do. He just said that I go and I work. And now he's started to say, like, I want to come work too. What a town. But I've, I mean, just personally, this is like, how we do things. Everybody does it differently. But I really, I really care a lot about giving him the opportunity to.
Danielle Fishel
Be.
Mina Suvari
Who he is and not Savari's son. I want him to, you know, just develop, like, the life that he wants and the interests that he wants and not have it be through me at this age. So, yeah, we'll see. I mean, you know, I, I know that I, I would love him to, like, set it up a bit differently. Like, if I had gone to college or have a degree or some sort of, like, thing to fall back on, I, I, I would want to navigate it probably a bit smarter than I did, because I think for me it was sort of, I'm not gonna lie. Like, it felt many times like this is all I know how to do.
Danielle Fishel
Oh, yeah. I, I, yeah.
Mina Suvari
And have to figure that out, because that's just what I do. And so if I could allow him to just feel a bit more choice in the matter, then that would be great. But, but I remember working with, I did a film called Don't Tell a Soul with Jack Grazer, and I was talking to who's awesome and I was talking to his mom on the set. And I remember and getting to know her. And I remember reading an article, article that she was talking about his child acting and fame and all of this stuff and the way that she presented it to him, I'm not quoting it perfectly word for word, but she was trying to communicate to him that she was supportive of him wanting to do these things. But just remember that it should always be fun.
Rider Strong
Yeah.
Mina Suvari
And that the moment that it's not fun, you know, we should, we should readdress that. And I just thought that that was such a great approach to it because it's so, it's so important for that to be part of it, I believe. And not, you know, I remember feeling like, again, I had to get a job at, like, 14 or 15 to, like, support my family or just the right stresses of that. So, yeah, I would want to just kind of be smart about things or. And pay attention and create options or choice for him. But we'll see.
Danielle Fishel
Mina, will you please tell us the name of your book one more time where we can get it? Tell us about some of the projects you have coming up. Okay. You already ordered it. Gosh, you're fast.
Mina Suvari
It's called the Great Piece. I. I had. I was. I talk about it in the book, but I was moving and I had everything. I had a storage unit. And I was like, oh, I want to get rid of this storage unit unit. I don't need it anymore. And I had these bins where I kept a lot of. I have the photos. I got to go through these. The photo. And I had my diary. And I had this binder. It was like a red. You know, those old school binders, three ring binder. And I had. I had a typewriter, so I typed up like 50, 60 loose leaf pages. And a lot of it was like poems. And that again, was like an outlet for me to communicate or a lot of what I was or process what I was experiencing. And I called it the Great Piece. And so when I found it, I had this moment of thinking, like, maybe I can publish my poetry book. Or I was gonna option it as like a series idea. I thought, maybe I can get this out and I can. It can be cathartic for me, but not. Not fully doing it. And then I had a friend sit with me and he read some of it and he said, you should publish this as a memoir. And I remember thinking, like, what? Like, first of all, not even like, at that age to do that.
Danielle Fishel
Yeah.
Mina Suvari
But I thought about it and I thought, you know what? If I'm gonna. If I'm gonna share this at all, then I'll share it, you know, 150%. And so. So I titled it the. The Great Page piece as well.
Danielle Fishel
I love it. And then when are some of the movies coming out that you. You said you had one in post. I can't wait to see these. Where can we see them?
Mina Suvari
Yeah, I don't know where yet. I just know that, well, Vampires of the Velvet Lounge, they were. This is a lot of effects. Okay, so I believe those were just finished. And I'm not quite sure. I did called the Ick with Joseph Kahn that we were in theaters. There's a very limited release here a couple months ago. And Yeah, I don't know like, all of where to see them.
Danielle Fishel
Okay. But we'll keep an eye out.
Mina Suvari
Yeah.
Danielle Fishel
Are you on social media? Can, can people follow you?
Mina Suvari
Yeah, I just, I have just my name. Mina Savari. On Instagram, when you talked about one of those burnout moments, I had this moment where I deleted my face Facebook. I deleted my Twitter. I'm done with social media. And then I was going to delete Instagram, but I forgot my password.
Danielle Fishel
Right, you're stuck.
Mina Suvari
And then one of my reps was like, can you just keep one? Like it's kind of something. And I was like, okay. But I, I definitely was like, I can't take it anymore. But, yeah, I'm on Instagram. And, and I. And I like it. I, I, I, I like to focus on the aspect of how it, like, gives us the opportunity to really share, like, what we're interested in.
Rider Strong
Yes.
Mina Suvari
Thing else being created. So. So I'm on there.
Danielle Fishel
Okay, great. Mina, thank you so much for spending your time with us. We have been so excited about the possibility of interviewing you since the moment you popped on our screen when we were in season two of our recap. And so thank you for finding the time to be with us. We have really enjoyed this conversation. You are truly lovely, and it's been a really beautiful conversation.
Mina Suvari
Thank you for having me. And thanks for just thinking of me and making this possible. Waiting for me to get on. That's like a scheduling thing. But I really appreciate it. It's so nice. It's so special. Like, this is what it's about.
Danielle Fishel
Yeah, agreed. Thank you for being with us.
Rider Strong
Great to see you.
Mina Suvari
And I'll find those photos.
Will Friedle
Yeah, please send us the photos.
Danielle Fishel
You have our email address. And. Yeah, we're going to read the book. Maybe it'll. Maybe I'll switch it out for my next book club.
Will Friedle
Yes.
Mina Suvari
Thank you, Mina. It was good to see you. All right, take care. Bye, guys. Bye.
Will Friedle
Wow, man, I can't. I really can't wait to read that.
Danielle Fishel
I know.
Will Friedle
Yeah. So ordered it up.
Danielle Fishel
Now I have a crush on her.
Rider Strong
Right?
Will Friedle
Yeah, she wouldn't. She wouldn't recognize it anyway.
Danielle Fishel
No, she wouldn't.
Will Friedle
Because when Ryder had a crush back in the day, everybody knew Ryder had a crush.
Mina Suvari
Yeah, she knew.
Rider Strong
She just forgot.
Danielle Fishel
No, she didn't forget. Maybe she did.
Rider Strong
She was playing it cool.
Danielle Fishel
Cool.
Will Friedle
Now, that's right.
Rider Strong
Exactly.
Danielle Fishel
That makes sense. Thank you all for joining us for this episode of Pod Meets World. As always, you can follow us on Instagram Pod Meets World show. You can send us your messages podmeetsworldshowmail.com and we've got merch.
Will Friedle
He spits merch. Why does he spit merch?
Danielle Fishel
Podmeetsworldshow.com will send us out.
Will Friedle
We love you all. Pod Dismissed Pod Meets World is an iHeart podcast produced and hosted by Danielle Fishel, Will Friedle and Rider Strong, executive producers Jensen Karp and Amy Sugarman, executive in charge of production Danielle Romo, producer and editor Tara Sudbaksh, producer Matty Moore, engineer and Boy Meets World superfan Easton Allen. Our theme song is by Kyle Morton of Typhoon, and you can follow us on Instagram @podmeatsworldshow or email us at podmeatsworldshowmail.com.
Mina Suvari
Being a small business owner isn't.
Danielle Fishel
Just a career, it's a calling. Chase for Business knows how much heart and effort go into building something of your own. Manage all your business finances, from banking to payments to credit cards, all in one place with our digital tools. Plus access online resources designed to help your business thrive. Learn more@chase.com business chase for business make more of what's yours the Chase Mobile app is available for select mobile devices. Message and data rates may apply.
Mina Suvari
J.P. morgan Chase Bank NA Member FDIC.
Danielle Fishel
Copyright 2025 J.P. morgan Chase & Co.
Will Friedle
Hey, it's Ryan Seacrest for Albertsons and Safeway this fall. Take care of the little ones in the family with Baby Club Savings now through November 4th. Spend $25 on select Baby Club products and save $5. Shop for items like Pediasure bottles, Pedialyte powder packs, Huggies baby wipes, Huggies diapers, Gerber Puffs and Gerber pouches and save $5 when you buy $25 or more on participating products. Offer ends November 4th. Restrictions apply. Offers may vary. Visit albertsons or safeway.com for more details.
Danielle Fishel
Big things are happening at your local CVS Extra Big.
Will Friedle
You don't want to miss these Extra Big Deals and more are coming every two weeks, so keep coming back.
Rider Strong
Use your Extra Care card to unlock savings every time you shop. Shop Extra Care is the way to save at cvs, so if you're not.
Danielle Fishel
A member yet, join for free online or in store and start saving.
Will Friedle
Visit your local CVS store or cvs.com extra big deals to shop this week's deals.
Danielle Fishel
What kind of man would let this.
Mina Suvari
Happen to his family?
Will Friedle
Inspired by shocking actual events, I'm working.
Mina Suvari
On a story about the Murdochs.
Danielle Fishel
Their abuse uses of power are playing.
Mina Suvari
Out in real time.
Will Friedle
Starring Academy Award winner Patricia Arquette and Jason Clark.
Mina Suvari
It's only cheating if you get caught.
Will Friedle
Hulu original series Murdoch Death in The.
Rider Strong
Family premieres October 15th on Hulu and.
Will Friedle
Hulu on Disney for bundle subscribers. Terms apply. It's CyberSecurity Awareness Month. LifeLock is here with tips to help protect your identity.
Rider Strong
Use strong passwords, set up Multi Factor.
Will Friedle
Authentication, report scams and update your software. And for comprehensive identity protection, Lifelock is your best choice.
Rider Strong
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Will Friedle
Your personal information and fixes identity theft guaranteed or your money back. Start your protection today with a 30 day free trial at lifelock.com use promo code news terms apply.
Mina Suvari
This is an iHeart podcast.
In this heartfelt and revealing episode, Danielle Fishel, Rider Strong, and Will Friedle welcomed actress Mena Suvari to reflect on her earliest days in Hollywood, including her first TV appearance on Boy Meets World, her journey from child actor to breakout stardom in American Pie and American Beauty, and her struggles and triumphs along the way. The conversation is peppered with 90s nostalgia, behind-the-scenes stories, deeply personal reflections on fame and struggle, and candid advice for young actors.
“I was really just kind of living in this place of, like, you know, doing this, doing that... Not thinking too much about it, going on the auditions…”
— Mena Suvari (19:14)
“I had such a crush on you... I spent the entire week trying to hang out with you as much as I could. You were just the coolest girl I had ever met.”
— Rider Strong (25:53)
“I still feel like that sometimes... I think it was when you turned 18, I had this concept that, like, when that happened, you just knew everything.”
— Mena Suvari (49:55)
“I honestly thought that every movie made $100 million... I didn’t have that ability to look at a script and think, like, people are going to love this or this is going to be a hit.”
— Mena Suvari (43:10)
“I talk a lot about how I feel like being in this industry, being an actor, being able to perform this art, really saved my life...”
— Mena Suvari (74:42)
“I couldn’t imagine going through... what we all went through was tough enough, but now doing it where everybody is in the public eye, it just seems like it would be such a daunting task...”
— Will Friedle (50:34)
“Those are the moments that you have, and then you’re just like, yeah, but you know what? I still see this and I still love this... It just wasn’t meant in some way.”
— Mena Suvari (65:31)
“[For my son] I really care a lot about giving him the opportunity to be who he is and not Suvari’s son. I want him to develop...the life that he wants and the interests that he wants...”
— Mena Suvari (77:03)
This episode of Pod Meets World offered more than just fun nostalgia—it delivered a deeply personal journey through childhood acting, breakout fame, struggles behind the spotlight, recovery, and wisdom hard-won. Mena Suvari’s honesty, humor, and perspective made for one of the series’ most moving interviews, showing the complexity of growing up onscreen and the strength it takes to thrive both in and beyond Hollywood. For fans of Boy Meets World, 90s pop culture, or anyone interested in the emotional realities of child stardom, this episode is essential listening.
Follow Mena Suvari on Instagram @menasuvari. Her memoir, "The Great Piece," is available now. Watch for her upcoming films, including "Death of a Brewer" and "Vampires of the Velvet Lounge."