The Nikki & Brie Show — Elevating HER: Mariana van Zeller

Host: Nikki & Brie Garcia (SiriusXM)
Guest: Mariana van Zeller
Release Date: March 5, 2026

Episode Overview

To kick off their Women’s History Month series, Nikki & Brie welcome award-winning investigative journalist Mariana van Zeller. Renowned for her fearless reporting on black markets and the criminal underworld (through Trafficked and the Hidden Third podcast), Mariana shares her journey as a woman breaking barriers in journalism, her signature style of leading with empathy, and hard-earned insights on persistence, risk, motherhood, vulnerability, and human connection—even in the world’s darkest places.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Mariana’s Origin Story & Breaking into Journalism

• Early Passion: Decided she wanted to be a journalist at 12 from watching nightly news growing up in Portugal.
  • “I thought they had, like, this insane memory and knowledge. I had no idea they were reading from a teleprompter...I pretty much early on decided, okay, that’s what I want to do.” (02:22)
• Persistence: Applied to Columbia Journalism School three times; only accepted after flying to NY and personally pleading her case to the dean.
  • “I knocked on the dean’s door and we sat down and spoke for an hour. That year I was accepted.” (02:54)
• Formative Experiences:
  • Covered 9/11 as the only Portuguese journalist in Manhattan (03:25)
  • Realized she wanted to pursue “the who and the why” after seeing global events up close.
  • Began reporting from the Middle East after the Iraq War started (04:00)

Leading with Empathy in Treacherous Environments

• Unflinching Curiosity: Always asked uncomfortable questions, fearless even as a child.
  • “I have the unique privilege of being able to sit down face to face with these people and sort of be a part of their secretive world... it’s my responsibility to ask those hard questions.” (05:01)
• Empathy as a Strength:
  • “I use gender bias to my advantage. As women, we’re underestimated—and that works in my advantage. But also, as women, we have more empathy, we are more willing to see the world through...other people’s shoes.” (06:19)
  • On seeing “bad guys” in a human light: “No one is born wanting to be a criminal. Oftentimes...it’s the circumstances and lack of opportunities that lead people to a life of crime. Understanding that is way more interesting, and will actually help us change the world.” (07:38)

Navigating Danger

• Handling Risk:
  • Never felt strong fear on assignment—curiosity outweighs it.
  • “Plans are great until you get punched in the face.” (Mike Tyson quote, 09:19)
  • Security is taken seriously: “We make all these plans and have a security plan in place, but...shit happens.” (09:18)
• Mental Resilience: “I don’t lead with fear. I lead with curiosity.” (09:19)

Persistence & Career Breakthroughs

• Rejection & Determination:
  • “When I started as a freelance journalist, I would go around and send emails to everybody I knew...more often than not, I would get no’s. I just don’t take no for an answer.” (13:57)
  • “It’s a show and a work based on impossible access. And we keep proving that that access isn’t, in fact, impossible if you’re persistent and determined.” (14:18)

Work-Life Balance, Self-Care, and Family

• Decompression: “I drink a lot of wine...I hang out with my friends. I love shopping. I love eating...having that moment with my crew, where we can all sit around a table and talk and sort of filter it all, is super, super important.” (14:44–15:41)
• Motherhood: Strong, open relationship with son—a priority to be deeply present when together despite travel (32:06–33:57).
• Marriage: Both she and her husband are documentary journalists. Story of negotiating dangerous assignments together, supporting each other’s work (28:49–30:05).

The Transition from TV (Trafficked) to Podcasting (The Hidden Third)

• Differences:
  • TV: “People would see about two, three, four minutes of a person’s interview max...I would actually spend an hour or two talking to most of these people.” (16:00)
  • Podcast: “Trafficked [show] is the map. The podcast is like a diary—where I can have raw, intimate, sometimes difficult conversations with fascinating people.” (16:57)
• Deeper Storytelling: The pod allows for exploration of how and why people end up in criminal worlds, not just the what.

On Empathy & Judgment

• Understanding the Gray: “We all have a little bit of good and a little bit of bad inside us. The work that I do is really in trying to see more of the gray area and to allow for mistakes...Particularly in the days where everything seems so extremist and divisive.” (20:00)
• Impact: “If we’re trying to stop crime, understanding the root causes is the best way.” (21:26)

Inspirations & Role Models

• Family: Her grandmother—source of empathy and giving nature. (23:07)
• Journalism Hero: Christiane Amanpour, though Mariana learned she had to forge her own voice. “It wasn’t authentic...it was my homage...then I realized, yeah, this is not going to work. Not her. I have other attributes and I’m going to focus on what’s more authentic to me.” (24:11)
• Advice: “It’s important for people to find their own path and their own voice when trying to achieve their dreams.” (24:27)

Wish List & Wild Stories

• Dream Interview: El Chapo. Details a near-miss in Sinaloa and being scooped by Sean Penn. (25:57–27:42)
• Dangerous Assignments:
  • Encountered Chapo’s gunmen and had to leave town under threat. (27:13–27:42)
  • Husband’s support: “Just make sure the camera team is filming you when the cartel mask you.” (29:50–30:05)

Balancing Womanhood & Work in a Male-Dominated Space

• Dangerous Players: “Definitely men...the women are often the victims. And women are usually the strongest and bravest in these worlds because they pick up the pieces.” (35:53)
• Message for Listeners: Persistent, empathetic women have the power to open doors and change narratives.

Affirmation & Call to Reflection

• Mariana’s Closing Mantra (37:04):

  “More often than not, it is a lack of opportunities and inequality that exists in the world that leads people to this life of crime. And I hope that that is a great conversation starter, not only about the gigantic inequality that exists today, but about our own lives and the opportunities we’ve been given, and what are we doing...to make the world a better place.”

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Empathy as Power:
  “As women, we’re underestimated, and that works in my advantage. But I also think that as women, we have more empathy, we are more willing to see the world through...other people’s shoes.”
  Mariana van Zeller (06:19)
• On Facing Danger:
  “Plans are great until you get punched in the face.”
  (Quoting Mike Tyson, 09:19)
• On Humanizing the “Bad Guys”:
  “No one is born wanting to be a criminal...I think understanding that is way more interesting, and will actually help us change the world...instead of just judging people.”
  (07:38)
• On Authenticity:
  “It wasn’t authentic...then I realized, yeah, this is not going to work. Not her. I have other attributes and I’m going to focus on what’s more authentic to me.”
  (24:11)
• On Motherhood & Presence:
  “The more you share about yourself, the more than they're willing to share about themselves too.”
  (33:57)
• On Opportunity & Inequality:
  “It is a lack of opportunities and inequality that exists in the world that leads people to this life of crime...what are we doing with our own lives and those opportunities to make the world a better place?”
  (37:04)

Timestamps for Essential Segments

• [01:07] – Introduction to Mariana and her pathbreaking career
• [02:22 - 03:43] – Deciding to become a journalist; persistence in getting into Columbia; 9/11 coverage
• [04:37] – Why she asks uncomfortable questions as a journalist
• [06:11] – Using empathy and gender dynamics in dangerous, male-dominated environments
• [08:11] – Handling fear and risk while reporting from criminal underworlds
• [12:37] – Dealing with setbacks, persistence, and not taking no for an answer
• [14:44] – How Mariana decompresses and supports her team
• [15:41] – Difference between Trafficked and her podcast The Hidden Third
• [20:00] – Wanting to be remembered for connecting humanity, not just bravery
• [23:07] – Family and media inspirations, advice on finding your own voice
• [25:57] – Dream interview with El Chapo, dangerous Sinaloa encounter, Sean Penn “scoop”
• [31:32] – Balancing motherhood, work, and marriage on the front lines
• [35:53] – Who is more dangerous—women or men—in the worlds she covers?
• [37:04] – Mariana’s closing affirmation on opportunity and empathy

Tone & Takeaways

The episode is candid, inspiring, and warm—Nikki & Brie engage Mariana with genuine admiration and curiosity. Mariana’s responses are marked by humility, quiet bravery, and a deep-rooted belief in the power of persistence, empathy, and real connection.

Listeners come away with:

• Concrete lessons on resilience, creative persistence, and the value of “impossible” access
• A powerful reminder to lead with empathy and see the gray in people and situations
• Strategies for staying grounded and present amid a demanding, high-stakes career
• Encouragement to honor your unique path and use your opportunities to make a difference

Follow Mariana:
Instagram, Facebook, TikTok – @MarianaVeezy
Podcast: The Hidden Third (available wherever you get podcasts)

Hosts: @thenikkiandbrieshow

Women uplifting women, leading with empathy, and making history—this episode is a masterclass in courage and connection.