Show Notes
Oscar-nominated actor June Squibb joins Steve Kmetko on Still Here Hollywood for a funny, honest, and deeply inspiring conversation about longevity, craft, and what it really means to keep working at the highest level in your 90s.
June looks back on her early days in theater, including working with the legendary Ethel Merman in Gypsy, learning Broadway discipline, and why she always knew, even as a child, that acting was not just something she wanted to do, it was who she was. She also talks about Law & Order, Nebraska, Thelma, Marjorie Prime, Yellowjackets, and what it feels like to still be headlining films when most people have long stepped away from the spotlight.
The conversation also explores aging in Hollywood, how Scarlett Johansson directed her in Eleanor the Great, what made Jack Nicholson such a generous scene partner, why realism matters so much in her work, and how Nebraska changed the way the industry saw her. June also shares her thoughts on inspiration, criticism, ambition, and the simple wisdom she would send back to her 35-year-old self.
If you love great actors, great stories, and proof that a second act can turn into seven acts, this episode is for you.
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00:01 Intro: June Squibb and a breakout decades in the making 00:37 Why some people still call her Miss Squibb 01:06 Working with Ethel Merman in Gypsy 02:57 Learning to bump and grind on stage 03:37 Knowing she was an actor from the very beginning 04:18 If she had done anything else, it might have been forensics 04:46 Law & Order memories and Jerry Orbach 05:28 Broadway discipline and arriving early to the theater 06:20 Her backstage ritual before curtain 07:17 How June prepares for a role 08:04 Seven decades of acting, and still going strong 08:29 What she looks for in a script now 09:18 Aging in Hollywood and what audiences want to see 10:32 Why older stories matter more than ever 10:53 What has not changed in Hollywood 11:45 How age changes the roles she gets 12:37 Scarlett Johansson, Eleanor the Great, and using the cane 13:19 Working with Scarlett as a director 14:19 Oscar night for Nebraska and sharing it with her son 16:22 Patreon break 17:20 Nebraska cemetery scene and that unforgettable moment 18:16 Why she never thought “why did this take so long?” 18:57 How Nebraska changed the way she saw herself 20:00 Thelma, action comedy, and strength at any age 21:11 The best thing about her life right now 21:48 What roles she still wants to play 22:51 What quality makes people want to work with her 23:56 What performance of hers she recommends people watch 24:49 In & Out, comedy, and Frank Oz 25:19 Working with Woody Allen on Alice 26:15 Can you separate art from artist? 27:25 Who made a big impression on her, Jack Nicholson 28:20 Fame, recognition, and being known for the work 28:31 Marrying her acting teacher 29:07 What makes a director great for actors 30:17 Was she ever typecast? Yes, as a bimbo 31:17 Roles that felt too familiar 31:47 Supporting player vs leading lady 32:26 Seeing her younger self on screen 32:48 How old she feels now, 35 33:16 Does she watch her own performances? 33:44 The one truth that shaped her whole life 34:09 Her secret to looking good and feeling healthy 35:13 Being called inspiring, and that word “icon” 36:09 A June Squibb documentary may be coming 36:44 What she hopes people say about her work 36:59 Still hoping to work with Robert De Niro 37:30 At 96, does she think about mortality? 38:05 What she would tell her 35-year-old self 39:17 Closing thoughts and wrap-up
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