Ep 6: Nava Mau: Baby Reindeer and Trans and Queer Representation in Film

W. Kamau Bell talks with actress and filmmaker Nava Mau about Baby Reindeer, her short films, being a trans woman in Hollywood, and the pull of Oakland. Kamau opens up the show by giving Nava her flowers, praising her performance in Baby Reindeer, her advocacy, and her public presence. He warmly reviews All The Words But The One, a short film she wrote, directed, and acted in, which hit the festival circuit right when she broke out in Baby Reindeer. It's a work that delves deep into past traumas and relationships. Nava discusses growing up in Mexico City and San Antonio, her struggle with body image, and the importance of seeing trans actors of all shapes and sizes on screen. She also reveals her childhood alter ego, the fabulous "Christina Escalante". Kamau and Nava talk about the current state of the entertainment industry and the brief period of time when Hollywood seemed open to trans, queer, and brown representation. They vent about the confusion and cost of streaming consolidations, including convoluted app structures, free‑trial cancellations, and sports fans needing multiple services. They also touch on Dave Chappelle's insistence on writing jokes about trans people. The topic turns to Oakland, a place where Nava feels at home and has experienced some of the best years of her life. Support Level Ground, an artist incubator supporting black, brown, queer, and trans voices at levelground.co, and support the TransLatin@ Coalition at translatinacoalition.org. Chapters: 00:00:00 Flowers for Nava 00:09:44 All the Words But the One 00:21:23 Representation, Identity, and Visibility 00:30:18 Post-Baby Reindeer Entertainment Industry 00:45:42 Dave Chappelle and Accountability 01:00:31 Oakland and Finding Home 01:05:55 Charity Shout Outs Who's With Me is produced by Rabbit Grin Productions. Music by Chris Dowd. Part of the Pushkin Network. ------- ABOUT WHO'S WITH ME? Over his multifaceted career, W. Kamau Bell is known for having conversations about the issues that divide, enrage, and confuse us. Filling these conversations with humor, heart, and intellect, Kamau has shown us that a simple conversation can spark change, not only for the participants but also for an audience. Kamau is bringing all that and more to his new weekly podcast, Who’s With Me? Inspired by Kamau’s bestselling Substack newsletter of the same name, Who’s With Me? is more than just a simple question. It is an invitation to connect, a call to action, and a reassuring pat on the shoulder in these increasingly hectic times. Every episode, Kamau will sit down with someone he admires deeply to give them their flowers, ask his most burning questions, and invite his guest to give him and his audience homework on how to make the world a better place. ABOUT W. KAMAU BELL W. Kamau Bell is a Peabody Award winner, 4X Emmy Award winner, documentary filmmaker, stand-up comedian, Celebrity Jeopardy! champion, Official Ambassador of the band Fishbone, self-proclaimed #1 Bruce Lee Expert (non-Asian division), part-time activist, and full-time family man. Kamau is a 2X New York Times Bestseller with Do The Work! - An Antiracist Activity Book and Who is Government? - The Untold Story of Public Service. Kamau is best known for his CNN docuseries United Shades of America, his four-part docuseries We Need To Talk About Cosby, and for scrawling “HAHA!” over his enemies’ faces on his Instagram account. Kamau is also the ACLU Artist Ambassador for Racial Justice. Kamau is on the Board of Directors for several nonprofit organizations, including DonorsChoose and LiveFree. Kamau has a bestselling Substack called W. Kamau Bell Asks, Who’s With Me? #BabyReindeer #TransStories #QueerCinema #OaklandArtists #FilmMaking #transrightsarehumanrights #transrights