The Locher Room

Michael Walker and Susan Gomes joined me to talk about The Legend of Juan Jose Mundo, a coming-of-age film drawn from shared memories of suburban New York in 1984.

Director Michael Walker and writer Susan Gomes joined me in The Locher Room to talk about their film The Legend of Juan Jose Mundo.Set in suburban New York in 1984, the film is built from a collection of real experiences Susan and her friends lived through during their high school years. Together, Michael and Susan wove those shared memories into a story centered on a charismatic Spanish exchange student whose arrival disrupts the emotional world of a group of teenage girls and challenges the myths they’ve built about love, friendship, and themselves.In our conversation, we talked about developing the story collaboratively, balancing memory and emotional truth with humor, casting, locations, music, and what it means to look back at youth from the perspective of adulthood. Michael also shared how this project fit into his career as a character-driven filmmaker, while Susan reflected on seeing something deeply personal take on a life of its own.Thank you for listening to this episode of The Locher Room.

Ellery Capshaw (As the World Turns’ Natalie Snyder) and Ron Stempkowski on Grief, Sobriety, Loss, Love and Their Debut Books Three Walled World and The Luck We Carry

In this episode of The Locher Room, Alan spoke with two remarkable debut authors for a thoughtful conversation about love, grief, identity, and the stories that shape our lives.Ellery Capshaw, who daytime fans remember as Natalie Snyder on As the World Turns, discussed her powerful debut poetry collection Three Walled World. In the book, Ellery reflects on growing up on a Brooklyn soundstage, the loss of her father, her struggles with alcohol, and her journey to sobriety while finding her voice through writing.Ron Stempkowski also joined the conversation to talk about his moving new memoir The Luck We Carry: Love, Loss, and the Stories That Shape Us. Through a deeply personal collection of essays, Ron shared reflections on the life he built with his husband Ken, the experience of caregiving, the grief that followed Ken’s death from cancer, and the path toward rebuilding a meaningful life.Three Walled World was released March 24.The Luck We Carry was released March 23, marking the 25th anniversary of the day Ron met his husband Ken.Together, these conversations explored loss, resilience, recovery, and the power of storytelling.

Rodney Wilson & Chris Bruno: 30 Years After All My Children’s Michael Delaney Story, The Pink Triangle Moment, Alicia Coppola’s Push, and Why This Courageous Arc Still Matters Today in The Locher Room

Thirty years after All My Children broke new ground with the Michael Delaney storyline, Rodney Wilson and Chris Bruno come together for the first time to reflect on the moment that changed both of their lives.Rodney shares what it meant to come out to his students in 1994 during a Holocaust lesson, the backlash that followed, and how that classroom moment became part of a much larger national conversation. He also discusses founding LGBTQ History Month and why visibility alongside Black History Month and Women’s History Month still matters today.Chris opens up about screen testing while nearly out of money, being flown to New York overnight, and learning from executive producer Felicia Behr that the show was about to tell a story unlike anything daytime television had done before. He reflects on Alicia Coppola’s encouragement to take the role, the death threats and backlash that followed, the support he received from viewers, and the lasting lessons he learned from his father about integrity and courage.Together, they revisit a story that earned critical acclaim, changed daytime television, and continues to resonate three decades later.

Alan Locher sat down with Beyond the Gates stars Ambyr Michelle and Trisha Mann-Grant to talk about their mother-daughter dynamic, Black History Month, faith, and Ambyr’s new book Built in the Chaos.

On this episode of The Locher Room, Alan Locher sat down with Ambyr Michelle and Trisha Mann-Grant, who star as Eva and Leslie Thomas on CBS’s Beyond the Gates.Fresh from the set, Ambyr and Trisha talked about building their on-screen mother-daughter dynamic, the audition and screen test process, and what it’s been like stepping into a brand-new daytime series led by an all-Black cast with many Black creatives behind the scenes.The conversation also touched on Black History Month and the significance of Beyond the Gates receiving an NAACP Image Award nomination in its first year on the air. Ambyr shared details about her new book, Built in the Chaos, out now, and the creative and spiritual journey that led her to write it. Trisha reflected on her 2018 book, Amazing Testimonies, and spoke openly about faith, family, and the experiences that continue to shape her life and work, including a powerful moment where she shared a message inspired by her son.From gratitude for the fans to purpose-driven storytelling, this was an honest and heartfelt conversation with two artists deeply grounded in their craft.

Alexander Walters, best known as Mark Kasnoff on As the World Turns, reflected on his time on ATWT, life in ’90s daytime, and his journey from acting to a new career beyond the spotlight.

Actor Alexander Walters, best known to daytime fans as Mark Kasnoff on As the World Turns, joined me in The Locher Room for a thoughtful and fun conversation about his unique career journey.Alexander looked back on his time on ATWT, sharing memories from life on set during the ’90s, working with his castmates, and stepping into the fast-paced world of daytime television. He also talked about his early career in modeling, his transition into acting, and the choices that ultimately led him to step away from the spotlight and build a successful second career in construction.Midway through the conversation, Alexander was surprised when his on-screen brother, Shawn Christian, who played Mike Kasnoff, joined us live. The reunion brought laughter, nostalgia, and a genuine moment fans won’t want to miss.This episode was a must-listen for ATWT fans, filled with memories, surprises, and reflections on reinvention, resilience, and finding fulfillment beyond fame.