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Single, Female, Mormon, Alone | With Justina Machado

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(Brian Rea for The New York Times)
(Brian Rea for The New York Times)

Single and 35 years old, Nicole Hardy had long struggled with her church's requirement of celibacy before marriage. But struggle is very different from action--and that next step would change her life.

Justina Machado of Six Feet Under and the Netflix series, "One Day At A Time," reads Nicole's essay, "Single, Female, Mormon, Alone."

Voices In This Episode

Justina Machado arrives at the "Audi Celebrates The 68th EMMYS" Pre-Party on Thursday, Sept. 15, 2016, in West Hollywood, Calif.. (Photo by Willy Sanjuan/Invision/AP)
Justina Machado arrives at the "Audi Celebrates The 68th EMMYS" Pre-Party on Thursday, Sept. 15, 2016, in West Hollywood, Calif.. (Photo by Willy Sanjuan/Invision/AP

A talented and versatile actress, Justina Machado continues to endear audiences and earn critical acclaim with each new role.

Machado can currently be seen starring as the lead in Netflix’s critically acclaimed reimagining of Norman Lear’s "One Day At A Time" opposite Rita Moreno. The series follows three generations of a Cuban-American family living under one roof. Machado stars as ‘Penelope’, a newly single war veteran, raising her two children with the help of her mother. Netflix debuted the series worldwide on January 6th.

Additionally this year, Machado can be seen guest starring opposite Gina Rodriguez in the fourth season of the CW comedy series, "Jane The Virgin," as well as lending her voice to ‘Carmen’ in Disney’s animated series, "Elena of Avalor."

Machado is perhaps most well known for her role as ‘Vanessa Diaz’ in HBO’s award-winning series, "Six Feet Under," which ended its five season run in 2005 with an impressive accumulation of award nominations and wins.

On the stage, Machado made her Broadway debut in the Tony Award-winning Best Musical "In The Heights" at the Richard Rodgers Theatre, as well as the world premiere production of "A Free Man of Color" directed by George Wolfe at the Lincoln Center Theater. Machado also starred opposite Marc Feuerstein in Neil Labutte’s "Some Girls" at the Geffen Theater.

Born and raised in Chicago as the eldest of five children in a family of Puerto Rican descent, Machado started her thespian career upon graduating from high school. Her stellar performances on stage at the Latino Chicago Theater paved the way for her now burgeoning career.

Nicole Hardy as shot by Peter Koval (Courtesy)
Nicole Hardy as shot by Peter Koval (Courtesy)

Nicole Hardy's memoir, "Confessions of a Latter-Day Virgin," was a finalist for the 2014 Washington State Book Award. Her other books include the poetry collections This Blonde and Mud Flap Girl’s XX Guide to Facial Profiling–a chapbook of pop-culture inspired sonnets.Her work has appeared in literary journals and newspapers including The New York Times, and has been adapted for radio and stage. Her essay "Single, Female, Mormon, Alone" was noted in 2012’s “Best American Essays." She earned her MFA at the Bennington College Writing Seminars.

Headshot of Jessica Alpert

Jessica Alpert Managing Producer, Program Development
Jessica Alpert is the managing producer for program development at WBUR. In this position, she develops new podcasts and programs while also launching and nurturing WBUR’s newest projects.

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