Cleopatra Coleman ("The Last Man On Earth," "White Famous") reads an essay about a woman claiming ownership over her own body. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app.

Kimberly Hébert Gregory ("Kevin (Probably) Saves the World," "Vice Principals") reads an essay about an attempt at dirty talk gone awry. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app.

Ann Dowd ("The Handmaid's Tale") reads Diane Daniel's essay about a woman coming to terms with her spouse's gender transition. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app.

Jake Gyllenhaal ("Stronger") tells the story of a man recovering from heartbreak in a pediatrics wing. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app.

Ali Fazal ("Victoria and Abul") tells the story of an unlikely friendship between a man and his elderly neighbor. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app.

Kerry Bishe ("Halt and Catch Fire," "Narcos") tells the story of one woman's unexpected awakening -- at a flower shop. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app.

The 69th Primetime Emmy Awards are this weekend. To celebrate, we're looking back at two of our favorite episodes featuring nominated actors. Angela Bassett reads Marcia DeSanctis' essay, "What the Psychic Knew" and Jesse Tyler Ferguson reads Jerry Mahoney's essay, "Mom/Not Mom/Aunt." Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app.

Peter Gallagher ("Grace and Frankie," "The O.C.") reads the story of one man's effort to stay with his wife in sickness and in health. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app.

Love, itself, is a leap of faith. But some people take a bigger jump than others. Kyra Sedgwick (TNT's "The Closer") reads a story about a "wild ride" of a marriage. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app.

Nico Tortorella ("Younger") reads an essay about a college student whose ideas about love and sexuality change during the first weeks of his freshman year. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app.

Cynthia Nixon ("The Last Boy in New York," "A Quiet Passion") reads an essay about two grown siblings raised in the Mennonite church and their decision to come out to their 95-year-old father. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app.

Betty Gilpin of Netflix's "G.L.O.W." reads a story about life after abortion. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app.