The Who What Wear Podcast – WWW Parents: Cover Star and New Mom Justine Lupe Talks Feeling Primal, Nobody Wants This Season 2, and Motherhood Icks

Host: Kat Collings (Who What Wear Editor in Chief)
Guest: Justine Lupe (Actress, new mom, Nobody Wants This, Succession)
Date: October 22, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode celebrates the debut of Who What Wear's first Parents Issue, with cover star and actress Justine Lupe opening up about her journey through new motherhood. Host Kat Collings (herself a new mom) chats candidly with Justine about filming the hit Netflix show "Nobody Wants This" while pregnant, the realities and surprises of postpartum life, fashion moments on and off screen, evolving friendships, and honest reflections on parenting, identity, and legacy.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Navigating Pregnancy While Filming "Nobody Wants This"

Timestamps: 03:26 – 09:00

• First Trimester Fatigue:
  Justine reveals she got the job during her first trimester and was lucky filming began as she entered the energetic second trimester.

  “I felt like I had mono through my first trimester...I could not get up. It was so, so tiring.” (Justine, 03:49)

• Costume Challenges:
  Weekly fittings were necessary to accommodate her changing body, often opting for bomber jackets and creative wardrobe choices to conceal her pregnancy.

  “Every week was a different episode...they would bring me in, refigure out how to hide this in a different way.” (Justine, 04:41)

• Influence of Sarah Snook:
  Watching fellow actress Sarah Snook film "Succession" while pregnant was empowering and made her feel it was possible.

2. Real Talk on Postpartum Support

Timestamps: 06:07 – 09:57

• Advice from Sarah Snook:
  Sarah sent Justine supportive messages, podcasts, and practical advice, particularly on postpartum and getting her partner involved.

  “You have nine months of pregnancy and...people forget what happens after you give birth...she was just really helpful with...the little nitty gritty questions.” (Justine, 06:15)

• Mom Community on Set:
  Four women in the “Nobody Wants This” cast/crew were pregnant during filming, creating unique camaraderie and support.
• Changing Industry Norms:
  Justine notes the marked shift from the days of Lucille Ball to a generally supportive environment for pregnant actors, while noting there is still progress to be made.

3. Season 2 Sneak Peek and On-Set Dynamics

Timestamps: 09:57 – 12:51

• Leighton Meester Joins the Cast:
  Described as “iconic” and generous, bringing a new energy to the set.
• Set Mom Vibes:
  Actor “KB” (Kristen Bell) is praised for her maternal, supportive presence off-camera.
• Morgan’s Style Evolution:
  The wardrobe team seamlessly integrated Justine's pregnancy into her character’s look—bomber jackets, tights, and maintaining “California cool” vibes.

4. Motherhood and Changing Friendships

Timestamps: 13:05 – 15:19

• Navigating Evolving Relationships:
  Motherhood and life changes can alter old friendships. Justine encourages feeling the feelings and allowing relationships to evolve.

  “Letting yourself mourn the loss of a friendship...there’s such intimacy in female friendships...but you have to evolve through all the changes.” (Justine, 13:32)

• Long-Term Friendships Challenges:
  Maintaining lifelong friends requires understanding and adaptation to each person’s growth.

5. The Appeal of "Nobody Wants This" and the Need for Lightness

Timestamps: 15:19 – 17:00

• Comfort TV:
  Fans and new moms turn to the show for levity during challenging times.

  “It’s so nice to hear when someone just needs a little bit of levity that they turn to the show.” (Justine, 16:29)

• Rom-Com Comeback:
  The show fills a gap for feel-good TV amidst darker trends.

6. Personalities and Relationships

Timestamps: 17:00 – 18:24

• Gemini Energy:
  Justine describes herself as “mercurial, curious, loves conversation,” and details her dynamic with her talkative-yet-introverted husband.

Notable Fashion Moments

7. Emmys Fashion: Carolina Herrera Gown

Timestamps: 21:21 – 24:23

• Choosing THE Dress:
  Justine’s stylist spotted the Wes Gordon-designed Carolina Herrera gown on the runway. The “champagne glass of an outfit” embodied celebration and “bombshell” energy.

  “It feels like a champagne glass of outfit—so fancy and happy and celebratory and sexy.” (Justine, 21:42)

• Wardrobe Practicalities:
  Navigating the dress’s sheerness, underwear, and Emmys excitement.

  “Part of the beauty of the dress is how sheer it is...You want it to be what it is, which is fairly transparent. But also, we were like, ‘Is my butt okay?’” (Justine, 22:28)

• Red Carpet Joy:
  Justine embraced the moment, reminding herself to savor it as a lifelong dream come true.

  “You can be nervous about this...or you can lean into remembering this is something you grew up aspiring to go to.” (Justine, 23:17)

Parenthood: Joys, Gross-Outs, and Realness

8. Ellis: Choosing the Name and Milestones

Timestamps: 24:26 – 26:19

• Name Inspiration:
  Husband picked “Ellis,” connecting to Brett Easton Ellis and the meaning “kind and benevolent.” He tattooed it early, before Ellis was born!
• 13-Month Check-In:
  Ellis’ antics: sassily refusing kisses, mimicking animal sounds, and showing off early learning.

  “She just started going ‘No’...It’s so sassy, but it’s also, like, silly.” (Justine, 25:26)

• Bringing Ellis to Set:
  Set was kid-friendly, with a pack-and-play in Justine’s trailer and the crew excited to have a baby visit.

9. Parenting Icks—Funny and Gross

Timestamps: 27:00 – 30:05

• Loose-Lipped Comments:
  Kat’s “ick:” invasive questions about pregnancy; Justine’s: being judged for having a baby before marriage.
• Primal/Gross Moments:
  Outright honesty about messy parenthood, from the “Windy” device to her baby eating poop in the bath.

  “It was the ickiest thing I’ve ever experienced in my life. I was like, I just saw a human being eat poop!” (Justine, 28:46)

• Primal Maternal Instincts:
  Justine describes a post-birth urge “like a lion” to lick her baby clean.

  “I had this weird, primal sensation...where I was like, I want to lick her head.” (Justine, 29:34)

10. Emotional and Physical Shifts: The Truth About Weaning

Timestamps: 31:36 – 34:03

• Hormonal Rollercoaster:
  The hosts discuss the emotional intensity after weaning from breastfeeding—a period of anxiety and sadness that’s rarely talked about.

  “I didn’t know about it… I had like, crazy anxiety. I felt like a different thing than I’d ever felt.” (Justine, 32:09)

• Need for Awareness:
  Advocates for more open conversation and guidance from doctors and friends.

  “There should be guidance from your doctor, your pediatrician… That’s long enough to feel like, is this my new normal?” (Kat, 33:40)

Parenting Philosophy and Legacy

11. Bringing Up Ellis: Values and Intentions

Timestamps: 34:31 – 39:27

• Parental Role Models:
  Justine’s upbringing was playful, supportive, and maternal, but she wishes to model self-care (date nights, personal time) as well, unlike her parents who gave “every single part of themselves” to parenting.
• Maintaining Connection:
  Therapy and astrology reinforced her goal to balance partnership, parenting, and career.

  “The holistic, realized version of myself is the one that can hold both of these things. Be there when you’re there.” (Justine, 38:37)

12. Modeling for Her Daughter

Timestamps: 39:27 – 40:58

• What She Hopes Ellis Sees:
  A mother who is kind, hardworking, values relationships, playful, and committed to self-improvement.

• Heart-Melting Everyday Moments:
  Justine cherishes when Ellis deliberately hugged her for the first time.

  "She just laid deliberately… I want to hold my mom… It felt like a fully realized moment." (Justine, 40:24)

13. Legacy: Work and Family

Timestamps: 41:30 – 42:45

• Her Hopes:
  To leave behind kindness, levity, connection, and moments of lightness.

  “I just want to have positive impact on people… to bring some sort of an escape or some sort of lightness to people’s lives makes me feel really good.” (Justine, 41:39)

• On Work Legacy:
  She’s focused less on “legacy” in terms of fame and more on small moments of joy—like when her show makes someone’s day a bit brighter.

Memorable Quotes

• On postpartum realness:
  "You’re so unprepared for what happens after you give birth." – Justine, 06:15

• On fashion:
  “It feels like a champagne glass of outfit—so fancy and happy and celebratory and sexy.” – Justine (about her Emmys dress), 21:42

• On primal instincts:
  “I had this weird, primal sensation…where I was like, I want to lick her head.” – Justine, 29:34

• On friendship evolution:
  “Some of the hardest breakups I’ve ever had have been with friends.” – Justine, 14:43

• On motherhood and identity:
  “The holistic, realized version of myself is the one that can hold both of these things.” – Justine, 38:37

• On legacy:
  "I just want to have positive impact on people… and bring some sort of an escape or lightness to people’s lives." – Justine, 41:39

Highlight Timestamps for Reference

• 03:49 – Justine on pregnancy fatigue and filming
• 06:15 – Postpartum support/advice from Sarah Snook
• 13:32 – Handling changing friendships in motherhood
• 21:42 – Emmys dress selection and feelings
• 28:46 – Parenting “ick”: bath time surprise
• 32:09 – The emotional crash after weaning
• 40:24 – First real, chosen hug from Ellis
• 41:39 – Justine on legacy and impact

Tone & Style

Candid, thoughtful, intimate, and humorous—both host and guest let down their guard for a refreshingly real discussion, balancing industry glamour with the unpredictability and messiness of motherhood.

This episode is a must-listen for new parents, fashion enthusiasts, and fans of Justine Lupe's work—offering practical parenting wisdom, behind-the-scenes fashion highlights, insider TV show anecdotes, and a heartfelt look at the transformative power of motherhood.