Shana Stein on Directing The Boys & The Testaments | Women in Entertainment Podcast

Shana Stein knows that bravery isn’t the absence of fear; it’s being afraid and doing it anyway.In this episode of Women in Entertainment, Shana opens up about her path from theater kid to producer to episodic director, sharing how early experiences at William Morris, AFI, and on independent films led her into television, where she found a creative home on Monk. Over seven seasons and hundreds of casting sessions, she developed the actor-first approach that would become central to her directing style.Shana also speaks candidly about the responsibility many women feel when stepping into leadership roles, especially in rooms and on sets where they may be the only woman present. From championing inclusive hiring on 90210 to navigating high-stakes work on The Boys and intimate emotional storytelling on The Testaments, she shares how preparation, humility, collaboration, and trust shape her process. Her perspective is a powerful reminder that leadership is not about control; it’s about creating the conditions for people to do their best work.Listen to learn:- How Shana transitioned from producing to directing- Why Monk became her creative training ground- What it means to lead while carrying fear and responsibility- How she approaches actors, trust, and emotional scenes- Why inclusive hiring starts with who gets invited into the roomThe Women in Entertainment Podcast presents thoughtful conversations with leaders across entertainment from film and television, to media and gaming, and everything in between; as we talk about what it takes to make your mark in the industry, lessons these incredible people have learned along the way, and how they have found their way in an ever-changing environment.With in-depth conversations and pre-submitted listener questions, each episode provides candid advice for navigating today’s entertainment industry, giving listeners an inside look at how key players got their start, and guidance for building the necessary toolkit to bring careers to life in film, TV, music, theater, graphics, writing, animation, and beyond.Listen on Spotify: ⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/5AfPfPQ...Listen on Apple Podcasts: ⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast..Listen on Audible: ⁠https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/a85..#ShanaStein #WomenInEntertainment #WomenInEntertainmentPodcast #TheBoys #TheTestaments #Monk #90210 #WomenDirectors #WomenInTV #WomenInFilm #FemaleFilmmakers #CreativeLeadership