UNscripted with Jonathan Harounoff: Tovah Feldshuh on Antisemitism, Israel & Nobody Wants This - BUZZFEED INC

Financial Performance:

• No financial performance data (revenue, earnings, margins, cash flow, or debt) is present; the transcript is an entertainment interview, not a corporate earnings call.

Guidance and Future Outlook:

• No forward-looking financial guidance or business growth metrics provided.
• Season 3 of Nobody Wants This is confirmed for release on October 22nd.
• A potential Season 4 is expressed as a hope by the interviewee, contingent on future showrunners' decisions and Netflix terms.
• Personal outlook includes a commitment to raising $12 million for Magen David Adom (ambulance, blood, and milk banks) and supporting other humanitarian causes.

Business Segments and Product Lines:

• The primary "product" discussed is Tova Feldschuh's acting career across Broadway, television, and film.
• Key current projects highlighted: Netflix's Nobody Wants This (Season 3 upcoming) and the film Tuna (starring alongside Dustin Hoffman and Lior Raz).
• Past notable roles mentioned: Golda Meir in the Holocaust miniseries, and roles in Yentl and Armageddon Time.
• No new commercial product launches or corporate market share data discussed.

Market and Competitive Landscape:

• Industry Context: The speaker notes a perceived decline in the "anything goes" acting training era, citing a trend toward "siloing" characters based on ethnicity (e.g., Jews playing Jews), which she views as limiting for actors compared to the past where they could play various roles (including different religions).
• Cultural Landscape: She discusses the rise of global anti-Semitism and the "woke" movement's impact on casting and inclusion.
• Competitive Dynamics: She draws parallels between the "fear of extinction" driving Jewish innovation (Nobel prizes, tech) and current geopolitical threats, referencing the "horseshoe effect" where socialism and anti-Semitism converge.

Risks and Challenges:

• Geopolitical Threats: Identifies radical Islamism as the greatest threat to the US and global stability, citing the October 7th attacks as a "Yom Kippur War on steroids" and warning of a long-term plan to infiltrate Western institutions (universities, city councils).
• Cultural/Ethical Risks: Expresses concern over the erosion of Judeo-Christian values, the imposition of Sharia law in the West, and the "othering" of actors in the entertainment industry.
• Personal/Professional Risks: Mentions the challenge of avoiding mediocrity and the pressure of maintaining high artistic standards while navigating a polarized political environment.

Management Commentary and Tone:

• Tone: The tone is highly confident, personal, and politically passionate. The speaker adopts a "matriarch" persona, emphasizing responsibility, history, and patriotism.
• Philosophy: She advocates for "over-preparing" to "go with the flow," viewing acting as a state of beingness rather than just performance.
• Values: Strong emphasis on Jewish identity, the importance of the State of Israel, and the belief that marriage is a metaphor for world peace requiring commitment and the willingness to "stay on the field of play."
• Confidence: She expresses unwavering pride in her heritage and fearlessness in discussing controversial topics like the origins of radical Islam and the history of anti-Semitism.

Analyst Questions and Answers:

• Note: This is a media interview, not an analyst Q&A session; therefore, no formal investor questions or financial answers exist.
• Interviewer Topics:
  • Career Origins: Shifted from classical piano to theater due to a desire for collaboration and "not being an also-ran."
  • Character Preparation: Discusses the deep emotional excavation required for roles like Bina in Nobody Wants This, linking them to her father's WWII experiences.
  • Casting Trends: Questions the siloing of actors by ethnicity and the impact of the "woke movement."
  • Personal Relationships: Shares keys to a 50-year marriage (commitment, "not leaving the field," handling space issues).
  • Upcoming Content: Asked about Season 3 spoilers (deferred due to NDA) and the potential for Season 4.
  • Industry Peers: Discussed unfulfilled wishes to work with more actors like Meryl Streep or Dame Irene Worth, while praising contemporaries like Dustin Hoffman.

Other Key Points:

• Biographical Details: Feldschuh is fluent in English, German, French, and Spanish; her father was an Army Intelligence officer in WWII who saved her mother's life and earned a Bronze Star.
• Education: Attended Sarah Lawrence (Philosophy) rather than Juilliard initially; classically trained at Guthrie and Stratford.
• Family: Married to Andrew Harris Levy for 50 years; two children, five grandchildren; husband is a detail-oriented lawyer.
• Political Stance: Describes herself as a "virulent patriot," registered Democrat but selective in voting, and a staunch supporter of Israel.
• Humanitarian Work: Actively fundraising for Magen David Adom and other organizations supporting victims of October 7th, including PTSD therapy farms and milk banks.
• Cultural Commentary: Warns against the "fear of extinction" among Jews but views it as a driver of success; contrasts this with the current global threat of radical ideologies.