1328. Jennifer Esposito: How Leaving Hollywood FINALLY Calmed Her Nervous System + Why Fresh Kills Helped Her Find Her voice

Hey, Heal Squad! We’re back with Jennifer Esposito, actress, director, New York Times bestselling author of Jennifer's Way, and the writer-director-star of the award-winning film Fresh Kills. Today Jennifer is getting into the full story behind Fresh Kills… where the idea came from, what it cost her to make it, and why the industry did everything it could to make sure you never heard of it. From growing up in Staten Island surrounded by the mafia and the young women trapped inside that world, to betting her house(literally!) on a film she believed in with everything she had, Jennifer takes us through the fight of her creative life. She opens up about members of the industry who didn't show up when she needed them most, the standing ovation at Tribeca that still couldn't get her a distribution deal for an entire year, and the Hollywood machine that tried to bury Fresh Kills. And now that a major studio is positioning their new Godfather film as the "first female mafia story"? Jennifer has something to say about that. Then just when you think the story can't hit any harder, she lands in Paris, and for the first time in her entire life, her nervous system goes quiet. She tells us what life is like in Paris, and how she’s finally transformed her life and health for the better. HEALERS & HEAL LINERS You were never the problem. Jennifer spent years in Hollywood shrinking herself to fit a mold that was never built for her…. told she wasn't the right type, wasn't white enough, wasn't the girl next door. The moment she stopped trying to be what everyone else needed her to be and started making Fresh Kills on her own terms, everything changed. Bet on yourself before you ask anyone else to. Jennifer mortgaged her house because she was done asking people who didn't believe in her to fund something they couldn't understand. When no one would greenlight her vision, she greenlit it herself. That is the Heal Squad mindset. Stop waiting for someone to give you what you already know you deserve, and start moving. You can't heal in the environment that made you sick. Three months in Paris and Jennifer barely recognizes herself. Smiling on the street. In the pool. Playing records. She says she has never in her entire life had a calm nervous system, until now. Join us at our Canyon Ranch 2026 Retreat: https://www.canyonranch.com/lenox/retreats/heal-retreat-maria-menounos HEAL SQUAD SOCIALS IG: https://www.instagram.com/healsquad/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@healsquadxmaria HEAL SQUAD RESOURCES: Heal Squad Website:https://www.healsquad.com/ Heal Squad x Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/HealSquad/membership Maria Menounos Website: https://www.mariamenounos.com My Curated Macy’s Page: https://stylecrew.macys.com/@mariamenounos EMR-Tek Red Light: https://emr-tek.com/discount/Maria30 for 30% off Airbnb: https://www.airbnb.com/host GUEST RESOURCES: Follow & DM Jennifer on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jesposito/ Watch Fresh Kills On Amazon & Hulu: https://www.amazon.com/gp/video/detail/B0F1R6WV33?ref_=atv_dp_share_cu_r https://www.hulu.com/movie/fresh-kills-6dc67f61-efc6-4cf2-8000-06144ef58e9f Check out Jennifer's Way: My Journey with Celiac Disease--What Doctors Don t Tell You and How You Can Learn to Live Again: https://a.co/d/01EQTdB1 Check out Jennifer's Way Kitchen: Easy Allergen-Free, Anti-Inflammatory Recipes for a Delicious Life: https://a.co/d/00PHXToq More About The AIP Diet: https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/aip-diet-autoimmune-protocol-diet ABOUT MARIA MENOUNOS: Emmy Award-winning journalist, TV personality, actress, 2x NYT best-selling author, former pro-wrestler and brain tumor survivor, Maria Menounos’ passion is to see others heal and to get better in all areas of life. ABOUT HEAL SQUAD x MARIA MENOUNOS: A daily digital talk-show that brings you the world's leading healers, experts, and celebrities to share groundbreaking secrets and tips to getting better in all areas of life. DISCLAIMER: This Podcast and all related content (published or distributed by or on behalf of Maria Menounos or http://Mariamenounos.com and http://healsquad.com) is for informational purposes only and may include information that is general in nature and that is not specific to you. Any information or opinions provided by guest experts or hosts featured within website or on Company’s Podcast are their own; not those of Maria Menounos or the Company. Accordingly, Maria Menounos and the Company cannot be responsible for any results or consequences or actions you may take based on such information or opinions. This podcast is presented for exploratory purposes only. Published content is not intended to be used for preventing, diagnosing, or treating a specific illness. If you have, or suspect you may have, a health-care emergency, please contact a qualified health care professional for treatment.