Kristanna Loken became a global star when she landed the role of the T-X in Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines, but her story began far from Hollywood on an apple farm in upstate New York.

In this episode of Still Here Hollywood, Kristanna joins Steve Kmetko to discuss her unforgettable experience working alongside Arnold Schwarzenegger, the intense physical transformation required for Terminator 3, and how the blockbuster changed her life forever.

She also opens up about growing up with actor and model parents, her journey from modeling to acting, coming out publicly as bisexual, raising her son away from screens, her concerns about AI in Hollywood, and why authenticity matters more now than ever.

Plus, Kristanna shares behind-the-scenes stories from Terminator 3, her friendship with Robert Patrick, advice from Arnold Schwarzenegger, and the surprising reason she still feels her best work is ahead of her.Chapters

00:00 Introduction

00:38 Cubs Fan Origins

01:52 Growing Up on an Apple Farm

03:30 Modeling Misconceptions

04:04 First Acting Jobs

05:21 Landing Terminator 3

07:30 Training for the T-X

08:46 Working with Arnold Schwarzenegger

09:09 Arnold's Prediction for Her Career

10:45 How Fame Changed Her Life

12:06 Coming Out as Bisexual

16:49 What Terminator Means Today

18:11 Creating the T-X Character

19:51 AI and Hollywood

22:07 Female Action Stars Then vs. Now

23:40 Hollywood's Authenticity Problem

25:51 Raising Her Son Thor

29:00 A Screen-Free Household

31:04 Sci-Fi Fans and Comic Cons

31:39 Life on Love Apple Farm

34:22 Aging, Authenticity and Growth

36:31 Lessons Learned From Failure

38:04 Advice From Ben Kingsley and Bruce Dern

41:03 Why She Never Walked Away From Acting

42:33 Why Her Best Work Is Still Ahead

46:10 Women She Admires

50:12 The Role She Wanted But Didn't Get

52:01 What Kristanna Does For Fun

54:02 Closing Thoughts

Show Credits

Host/Producer: Steve Kmetko

All things technical: Justin Zangerle

Executive Producer: Jim Lichtenstein

Music by: Brian Sanyshyn

https://stillherehollywood.com

http://patreon.com/stillherehollywood

Suggest Guests at: stillherehollywood@gmail.com

Advertise on Still Here Hollywood: jim@stillherenetwork.com

Publicist: Maggie Perlich: maggie@numbertwelvemarketing.com

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Kent McCord became a television icon as Officer Jim Reed on Adam-12, one of the most influential police dramas in television history. But long before Adam-12, Kent's life was already taking remarkable turns.

In this episode of Still Here Hollywood, Kent shares never-before-heard stories about working with Jack Webb, the realism behind Adam-12, how the series became a training tool for police departments across America, and the surprising impact the show had on law enforcement.

Kent also recalls his friendship with Rick Nelson, an unforgettable football game between teams organized by Rick Nelson and Elvis Presley, working on Elvis movies, being publicly recognized by Elvis in Las Vegas, and the heartbreaking days surrounding the deaths of both Elvis and Rick.

It's a fascinating conversation about classic television, Hollywood history, friendship, luck, and a career that continues to resonate with audiences decades later.

#Adam12, #KentMcCord, #JackWebb, #ElvisPresley, #RickNelson, #ClassicTV, #StillHereHollywood, #SteveKmetko, #HollywoodHistory, #Dragnet, #PoliceDrama, #TVLegends

00:00 Intro

01:00 Why Everyone Called Him "Bucky"

01:39 Did Kent Know Adam-12 Would Become a Classic?

05:28 The Simple Formula That Made Adam-12 Work

07:04 Jack Webb and the Birth of Adam-12

08:15 Jack Webb's Famous Temper and Directing Style

15:52 Johnny Carson, Jack Webb and Comedy Gold

16:38 The Real Impact Adam-12 Had on Police Officers

18:14 Kent's Real-Life Encounters with Crime

20:13 Making Adam-12 Feel Authentic

23:28 Patreon Break

24:10 Becoming Friends with Rick Nelson

27:50 The Legendary Elvis Presley vs. Rick Nelson Football Game

33:43 What Elvis Presley Was Really Like

35:05 The Night Elvis Introduced Kent McCord in Las Vegas

37:16 Searching for Lost Elvis Footage

38:14 Life with Rick Nelson and Ozzie & Harriet

48:42 Luck, Persistence and Breaking Into Hollywood

50:04 The Day Elvis Presley Died

54:45 The Truth About Rick Nelson's Plane Crash

1:00:18 Did Adam-12 Show the Real Reality of Policing?

1:00:55 The Miranda Warning Story

1:02:20 Why Adam-12 Was Different From Every Other Cop Show

1:05:25 Looking Back on a Lifetime in Hollywood

1:06:30 The Day Ozzie Nelson Saved Kent's Life

1:08:55 Martin Milner and the Friendship Behind Adam-12

1:10:51 Why Adam-12 Still Airs Today

1:11:25 Closing Credits

Show Credits

Host/Producer: Steve Kmetko

All things technical: Justin Zangerle

Executive Producer: Jim Lichtenstein

Music by: Brian Sanyshyn

https://stillherehollywood.com

http://patreon.com/stillherehollywood

Suggest Guests at: stillherehollywood@gmail.com

Advertise on Still Here Hollywood: jim@stillherenetwork.com

Publicist: Maggie Perlich: maggie@numbertwelvemarketing.com

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Before streaming, before social media, and before reality TV took over, millions of viewers stayed up late watching USA Up All Night.

This week on Still Here Hollywood, Steve Kmetko sits down with television personality, comedian, actress, entrepreneur, and USA Up All Night host Rhonda Shear.

Rhonda shares behind-the-scenes stories from one of cable television's most beloved late-night shows, the challenges of being a woman in Hollywood during the 1980s and 1990s, her experiences with Playboy, Joan Rivers, George Burns, and Johnny Carson, and how she reinvented herself after Hollywood to build the wildly successful Rhonda Shear Intimates brand and the famous Ahh Bra.

She also discusses the reboot of Up All Night, the changing comedy landscape, her thoughts on political correctness, and finding love with her junior high school sweetheart after decades apart.

Subscribe for more conversations with the stars you remember and the stories you've never heard.

#StillHereHollywood #RhondaShear #USAUpAllNight

00:00 Introduction
01:36 The Legacy of USA Up All Night
03:58 Landing the Hosting Job
05:26 Was Rhonda Shear a Trailblazer?
08:21 Why Fans Still Love Her
09:55 Building Rhonda Shear Intimates
12:12 The Story Behind the Ahh Bra
13:52 Returning to Stand-Up Comedy
15:10 Wild HSN Stories
18:36 Creating the Up All Night Character
21:09 Comedy Training and Improv
22:04 Being Told She Could Never Make It
24:19 Becoming an Accidental Feminist
26:09 Creating Opportunities for New Talent
27:29 Female Comics Today
29:20 Finding Material in Real Life
33:06 How Rhonda Sees Herself
34:11 Beauty Queen Beginnings
35:53 Working with Johnny Carson
36:11 Political Correctness and Comedy
37:07 Rebooting Up All Night
39:28 Career Regrets and Reinvention
41:38 Dating Glenn Frey
42:43 What Wouldn't Fly Today
48:24 Advice from Joan Rivers and George Burns
50:07 The Most Important Part of Her Story
52:12 Jewelry, Creativity and Never Retiring
54:23 Up All Night Returns

Show Credits

Host/Producer: Steve Kmetko

All things technical: Justin Zangerle

Executive Producer: Jim Lichtenstein

Music by: Brian Sanyshyn

https://stillherehollywood.com

http://patreon.com/stillherehollywood

Suggest Guests at: stillherehollywood@gmail.com

Advertise on Still Here Hollywood: jim@stillherenetwork.com

Publicist: Maggie Perlich: maggie@numbertwelvemarketing.com

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Monica Potter joins Steve Kmetko for one of the most emotional and revealing conversations yet on STILL HERE HOLLYWOOD.

From starring alongside Robin Williams in Patch Adams, to unforgettable roles in Parenthood, Along Came a Spider, Con Air, and The Last House on the Left, Monica opens up about her remarkable career, motherhood, growing up poor in Cleveland, and the deeply personal lessons she learned from some of Hollywood’s most iconic actors.

She shares emotional memories of Robin Williams, hilarious stories about Nicolas Cage, heartfelt reflections on Philip Seymour Hoffman, working with Morgan Freeman, and how Hollywood once pressured her to choose career over family.

Monica also discusses:

• Why she hated acting classes
• Her father’s incredible inventions
• Raising empathetic children
• Rebuying her childhood home in Cleveland
• Why she says she’s “already canceled”
• The emotional cost of fame
• Her connection to nature, healing, and intuition

This is one of the rawest, funniest, and most unexpectedly touching episodes of STILL HERE HOLLYWOOD.

#StillHereHollywood #MonicaPotter #Parenthood #PatchAdams #RobinWilliams #MorganFreeman #NicolasCage #PhilipSeymourHoffman #SteveKmetko #HollywoodStories #CelebrityInterviews #90sMovies #2000sTV #BehindTheScenes #Cleveland #Hollywood

Transcript source:

00:00 Monica Potter remembers Robin Williams
02:04 Intro
03:39 Working with Robin Williams on Patch Adams
05:52 Nicolas Cage stories and on-set laughs
07:04 Philip Seymour Hoffman memories
09:21 Morgan Freeman and driving stunts
11:26 “I’m already canceled”
14:31 Growing up with an inventor father
17:33 Raising empathetic children
18:59 Her father’s inventions and the Whiptail lure
23:13 The hardest part of Hollywood
25:00 Why Monica shifted from movies to television
27:33 Reflecting on Robin Williams after his death
28:22 Parenthood and playing a character with cancer
29:33 Why she didn’t want her kids acting
32:50 Returning to her Cleveland childhood home
36:33 Buying back the family house
40:00 Renovating her childhood home
41:34 Advice for aspiring actors
45:00 Hollywood pressure and motherhood
47:58 Monica’s “secret talents”
50:11 Why acting classes felt wrong to her
53:42 Beauty, modeling, and self-image
55:40 Why soap operas weren’t for her
57:48 Her home decor and wellness line
1:00:09 Archaeology, crystals, and camping
1:00:40 Final thoughts and emotional goodbye

Show Credits

Host/Producer: Steve Kmetko

All things technical: Justin Zangerle

Executive Producer: Jim Lichtenstein

Music by: Brian Sanyshyn

https://stillherehollywood.com

http://patreon.com/stillherehollywood

Suggest Guests at: stillherehollywood@gmail.com

Advertise on Still Here Hollywood: jim@stillherenetwork.com

Publicist: Maggie Perlich: maggie@numbertwelvemarketing.com

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Actress Marisol Nichols joins Steve Kmetko for one of the most intense and emotional episodes of Still Here Hollywood yet.

Known for her roles on 24 and Riverdale, Marisol reveals the shocking double life she led off-camera, working undercover alongside law enforcement in operations targeting human traffickers around the world.

She opens up about:

• Going undercover in dangerous trafficking operations
• The terrifying mission that made her write a goodbye letter to her daughter
• Working with ex-CIA and military operatives
• How acting helped save lives
• The heartbreaking loss of Luke Perry
• What it was really like working with Kiefer Sutherland on 24
• Growing up in Chicago
• Hollywood struggles as a Latina actress
• The dark side of social media and online predators

This is one of the most powerful conversations we’ve had on Still Here Hollywood.

Subscribe for more legendary guests and untold Hollywood stories.

#MarisolNichols #Riverdale #24 #LukePerry #KieferSutherland #StillHereHollywood #SteveKmetko #Hollywood #TrueCrime #HumanTrafficking #CW #FoxTV #TVLegends #Podcast

00:00 Intro
00:45 Marisol’s Secret Undercover Operations
02:18 Going Undercover For The First Time
04:36 The Most Terrifying Mission Of Her Life
05:50 Why She Got Involved In Fighting Trafficking
08:05 Helping Put Criminals In Prison
10:38 What She Hopes People Learn From Her Work
12:48 The Monsters Behind Trafficking
14:18 Steve Kmetko’s Chilling John Wayne Gacy Story
16:14 How Acting Helped Her Go Undercover
18:15 Discovering Acting In Chicago
20:48 Moving To Hollywood
22:47 Advice To Her Younger Self
23:52 Being Latina In Hollywood
25:02 The Frustration Of Self-Tape Auditions
26:20 Riverdale Becomes A Cultural Phenomenon
27:51 The Role That Challenged Her Most
29:47 What She Learned From Kiefer Sutherland
30:35 Working With Luke Perry
33:31 How Undercover Work Changed Her Acting
35:38 Talking To Her Daughter About Predators
36:44 The Internet And Child Safety
38:51 The Project She Wants To Make Next
39:39 Growing Up In Chicago
41:32 Her Daughter’s Creative Talent
43:01 Dream Actors & Directors To Work With
44:34 Turning Down A Major Movie Role
47:17 The Dark Side Of Hollywood
49:04 Why She Could Never Move Back To Chicago
52:08 Social Media Pressure & Mental Health
53:24 Fashion, Makeup & Being “A Girl”
54:26 Final Thoughts

Show Credits

Host/Producer: Steve Kmetko

All things technical: Justin Zangerle

Executive Producer: Jim Lichtenstein

Music by: Brian Sanyshyn

https://stillherehollywood.com

http://patreon.com/stillherehollywood

Suggest Guests at: stillherehollywood@gmail.com

Advertise on Still Here Hollywood: jim@stillherenetwork.com

Publicist: Maggie Perlich: maggie@numbertwelvemarketing.com

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

What happens when one of the funniest and most outspoken stars from Sex and the City sits down with one of television’s original openly gay entertainment journalists?

In this deeply funny, brutally honest, and surprisingly emotional episode of STILL HERE HOLLYWOOD, Mario Cantone opens up to Steve Kmetko about fame, fear, gay representation in Hollywood, censorship, aging, Broadway, comedy, family, and the legacy of Anthony Marentino from Sex and the City and And Just Like That....

Mario reveals:

Why Johnny Carson canceled his appearance

The truth about working with the cast of Sex and the City

What really happened after Willie Garson passed away

His thoughts on Kim Cattrall not returning

Why he believes AIDS set gay progress back decades

The line from Sex and the City he still gets recognized for

His emotional meeting with Carol Burnett

Why he thinks comedians can’t say what they want anymore

The conversation also dives into growing up gay in the 70s, Broadway, Liza Minnelli, Barbra Streisand, surviving Hollywood, and the cultural impact of Sex and the City.

Funny, raw, emotional, and wildly entertaining, this is Mario Cantone like you’ve never seen him before.

00:00 Intro

00:47 Mario Cantone joins the show

01:44 Johnny Carson canceled Mario over “gay material”

04:52 Becoming Anthony on Sex and the City

06:45 Why And Just Like That ending hurt

07:01 Mario reads every comment online

08:46 The explosion of Sex and the City fame

10:07 Michael Patrick King directing Mario

11:24 Willie Garson’s death changed everything

12:35 Was Mario typecast?

14:49 Fear of being openly gay in comedy clubs

17:47 Anthony & Stanford’s relationship

19:48 Will & Grace vs Sex and the City representation

21:20 Lines Mario couldn’t believe he got to say

24:14 Most iconic Anthony scenes

25:38 Steve Kmetko opens up about coming out

28:52 Being bullied as a kid

30:08 How AIDS changed gay progress

32:06 Steve reveals his father married him to a woman

34:02 Mario says he never hid who he was

35:32 George Clooney reaction to People magazine article

36:40 Straight actors playing gay characters

39:40 Chris Noth controversy

40:38 Kim Cattrall not returning

41:50 Getting in shape for nude scenes

42:35 Willie Garson storyline discussion

45:12 Mario loves cooking and baking bread

47:29 Celebrity Autobiography on Broadway

49:20 Discovering Judy Garland at age 2

50:45 Steve’s Barbra Streisand story

52:54 Mario cries meeting Carol Burnett

54:11 Mario reflects on his cultural impact

55:27 Will Sex and the City ever return?

Show Credits

Host/Producer: Steve Kmetko

All things technical: Justin Zangerle

Executive Producer: Jim Lichtenstein

Music by: Brian Sanyshyn

https://stillherehollywood.com

http://patreon.com/stillherehollywood

Suggest Guests at: stillherehollywood@gmail.com

Advertise on Still Here Hollywood: jim@stillherenetwork.com

Publicist: Maggie Perlich: maggie@numbertwelvemarketing.com

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Some actors play powerful men. Others understand what power actually costs.

On this episode of Still Here Hollywood, Steve Kmetko sits down with legendary actor Eric Braeden, the man behind Victor Newman on The Young and the Restless, a role he’s defined for more than four decades.

But this conversation goes far beyond daytime television.

From growing up in post-war Germany, to arriving in America and confronting its contradictions, to working with icons like Marlon Brando and James Cameron, Eric shares a deeply personal and unfiltered look at the life experiences that shaped both the man and the character.

He opens up about the brutal demands of soap operas, the psychology behind Victor Newman, the reality of Hollywood, and why acting, at its core, is about truth, discipline, and survival.

This is a powerful, honest conversation about legacy, resilience, and what it really means to endure in this business.

THIS IS STILL HERE HOLLYWOOD, I’M STEVE KMETKO. JOIN ME WITH TODAY’S GUEST, FROM THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS, ACTOR ERIC BRAEDEN.

00:00 Opening Tease
00:01 Intro, Eric Braeden
01:25 Seinfeld, Comedy, and Great Casting
03:07 The Brutal Reality of Daytime TV
05:00 Why Acting Still Excites Him
06:16 Growing Up in Post-War Germany
09:51 Loss, Hardship, and Early Life
13:08 Working with Brando, Duvall, Legends
14:21 Hollywood, Cynicism, and Purpose
16:55 Why Acting Became Meaningful
19:27 Could Brando Handle Soap Operas?
21:07 Inside a 100+ Page Workday
22:36 Sports, Discipline, and Competition
24:48 Why He Didn’t Choose Sports
25:25 Life Outside Acting, Staying Sharp
31:49 What Young Actors Get Wrong
35:25 Almost Turning Down Titanic
41:56 Working with James Cameron
42:16 Thoughts on Streaming vs TV
46:43 Eric vs Victor Newman
47:08 The Evolution of Victor Newman
50:09 Breaking Out of “Bad Guy” Roles
51:08 Discovering the Truth About History
55:48 A Life-Changing Moment in America
59:53 His Autobiography
01:01:18 Closing Thoughts

Show Credits

Host/Producer: Steve Kmetko

All things technical: Justin Zangerle

Executive Producer: Jim Lichtenstein

Music by: Brian Sanyshyn

https://stillherehollywood.com

http://patreon.com/stillherehollywood

Suggest Guests at: stillherehollywood@gmail.com

Advertise on Still Here Hollywood: jim@stillherenetwork.com

Publicist: Maggie Perlich: maggie@numbertwelvemarketing.com

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

She was discovered at 15 in a London coffee shop… and within years, she was starring in major Hollywood films alongside legends.

In this episode, Steve Kmetko sits down with actress Vanessa Angel to talk about her unexpected rise from modeling to acting, working with icons like Dan Aykroyd, Bill Murray, and Woody Harrelson, and the reality behind building a career in Hollywood.

From Spies Like Us to Weird Science and Kingpin, Vanessa shares the moments that defined her journey, including the role she almost had that changed TV history, the truth about being a young model alone in the industry, and why she spent decades trying to be taken seriously.

She also opens up about imposter syndrome, personal growth, motherhood, and what success really means now after 40 years in the business.

This is a candid, funny, and surprisingly emotional conversation about fame, resilience, and finding yourself when the spotlight fades.

THIS IS STILL HERE HOLLYWOOD, I’M STEVE KMETKO. JOIN ME WITH TODAY’S GUEST, FROM WEIRD SCIENCE, ACTOR VANESSA ANGEL.

00:00 Intro, From modeling to Hollywood
01:04 Landing Spies Like Us and getting hooked on acting
03:30 “I didn’t know what I was doing” early career struggles
05:01 Training at the Actors Studio
07:13 Trauma, reflection, and emotional depth
09:18 Discovered at 15, navigating modeling alone
11:22 Paris, early industry exposure, and vulnerability
12:25 Arriving in New York, a life-changing moment
16:06 Modeling vs acting, finding her voice
17:51 Wanting more than just being “looked at”
19:00 Early acting work and learning on Baywatch
22:24 When she finally felt confident as an actor
24:47 Working fast, learning lines, and set discipline
27:53 Warren Beatty’s advice that changed everything
30:13 Meeting Hollywood legends early in her career
33:00 The role she lost, originally cast as Xena
35:53 How Kingpin happened through perfect timing
36:59 Working with Woody Harrelson
38:30 Bill Murray on set, total unpredictability
39:38 Learning comedy and finding her rhythm
41:37 Being typecast and not taken seriously
43:50 Advice to young actors and models
46:02 Comic Cons and connecting with fans
47:53 Full circle, life today and finding peace
49:32 Divorce, independence, and rediscovering herself
51:27 Life now, priorities and fulfillment
54:35 Travel, gratitude, and perspective
56:49 What she’s most proud of
59:45 Outro

Show Credits

Host/Producer: Steve Kmetko

All things technical: Justin Zangerle

Executive Producer: Jim Lichtenstein

Music by: Brian Sanyshyn

https://stillherehollywood.com

http://patreon.com/stillherehollywood

Suggest Guests at: stillherehollywood@gmail.com

Advertise on Still Here Hollywood: jim@stillherenetwork.com

Publicist: Maggie Perlich: maggie@numbertwelvemarketing.com

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.