What does it really mean to live a meaningful life?

In episode 128 of Talk with Schevig, I sit down with American actor, author and speaker Rodger Halston for a deeply personal conversation about Hollywood, ambition, grief, human connection — and the moments that can change the course of a life.

Rodger grew up on a ranch in Oregon with dreams of becoming an actor. When an opportunity took him to Los Angeles, he was willing to sacrifice almost everything to pursue it — even spending five months homeless, sleeping in a two-man tent.

Eventually, that journey took him from the tent to Hollywood productions and a home overlooking the ocean in Malibu. But behind the glamour, Rodger discovered an industry that could be both exhilarating and brutally unforgiving.

We talk about the shallow and transactional side of Hollywood, rejection, ambition, and why achieving success doesn’t necessarily teach you what really matters.

But this conversation goes much deeper than Hollywood.

Rodger shares the devastating story of losing his father after they had stopped speaking — and the extraordinary event that happened exactly one year later, when his daughter Avalon was born on the same date and within the same 15-minute window as his father’s fatal accident.

We also talk about grief and why trying to suppress emotional pain rarely makes it disappear.

Rodger tells stories about strangers who became friends, encounters that changed his perspective, and an 86-year-old woman he met at Niagara Falls who left him with one unforgettable question:

“What are you waiting for?”

At the heart of Rodger’s philosophy is a simple idea:

Spread love and watch the magic happen.

In a world where we increasingly stare at our phones instead of at each other, perhaps some of the most important moments in our lives are waiting in conversations we haven’t had yet.

We talk about:
Chasing the Hollywood dream
• Sleeping homeless in Los Angeles
• The brutal reality behind the entertainment industry
• Why rejection doesn’t necessarily mean failure
• Playing Jesus — and how the role changed Rodger’s life
• Losing his father with words left unsaid
• His daughter’s extraordinary birth one year later
• Suppressed grief and emotional healing
• Post-traumatic growth
• Loneliness and our increasingly disconnected society
• The stranger in Harlem who became one of his closest friends
• The 86-year-old woman who taught him to stop waiting
• Love, forgiveness and human connection
• Why we need to put down our phones and start noticing each other
• And why it may never be too late to pursue the life you really want

This is a conversation about success — but perhaps even more about being alive.

What does it really mean to live a meaningful life?
In episode 128 of Talk with Schevig, I sit down with American actor, author and speaker Rodger Halston for a deeply personal conversation about Hollywood, ambition, grief, human connection &mdash; and the moments that can change the course of a life.
Rodger grew up on a ranch in Oregon with dreams of becoming an actor. When an opportunity took him to Los Angeles, he was willing to sacrifice almost everything to pursue it &mdash; even spending five months homeless, sleeping in a two-man tent.
Eventually, that journey took him from the tent to Hollywood productions and a home overlooking the ocean in Malibu. But behind the glamour, Rodger discovered an industry that could be both exhilarating and brutally unforgiving.
We talk about the shallow and transactional side of Hollywood, rejection, ambition, and why achieving success doesn&rsquo;t necessarily teach you what really matters.
But this conversation goes much deeper than Hollywood.
Rodger shares the devastating story of losing his father after they had stopped speaking &mdash; and the extraordinary event that happened exactly one year later, when his daughter Avalon was born on the same date and within the same 15-minute window as his father&rsquo;s fatal accident.
We also talk about grief and why trying to suppress emotional pain rarely makes it disappear.
Rodger tells stories about strangers who became friends, encounters that changed his perspective, and an 86-year-old woman he met at Niagara Falls who left him with one unforgettable question:
&ldquo;What are you waiting for?&rdquo;
At the heart of Rodger&rsquo;s philosophy is a simple idea:
Spread love and watch the magic happen.
In a world where we increasingly stare at our phones instead of at each other, perhaps some of the most important moments in our lives are waiting in conversations we haven&rsquo;t had yet.
We talk about:
<ul>
<li>Chasing the Hollywood dream &bull; Sleeping homeless in Los Angeles &bull; The brutal reality behind the entertainment industry &bull; Why rejection doesn&rsquo;t necessarily mean failure &bull; Playing Jesus &mdash; and how the role changed Rodger&rsquo;s life &bull; Losing his father with words left unsaid &bull; His daughter&rsquo;s extraordinary birth one year later &bull; Suppressed grief and emotional healing &bull; Post-traumatic growth &bull; Loneliness and our increasingly disconnected society &bull; The stranger in Harlem who became one of his closest friends &bull; The 86-year-old woman who taught him to stop waiting &bull; Love, forgiveness and human connection &bull; Why we need to put down our phones and start noticing each other &bull; And why it may never be too late to pursue the life you really want</li>
</ul>
This is a conversation about success &mdash; but perhaps even more about being alive.

Jeg heter Silje Schevig og inviterer interessante personligheter som jeg ønsker å bli bedre kjent med. I tillegg til at gjestene forteller om sitt interessefelt forteller de også hva som gjør at de engasjerer seg i det de gjør, gjerne også hva i livet deres som har bidratt til at de i dag er opptatt av disse tingene og ikke minst hva de føler og tenker om samfunnet og fremtiden. Noe av målet med podcasten er at vi skal forstå hverandre bedre, bringe folk nærmere hverandre, redusere stigma og bidra til at vi blir litt mindre dømmende. ► STØTT SNAKK MED SILJE Jeg setter enormt stor pris på alle som ønsker å støtte podcasten. Det gjør at jeg kan holde podcasten åpen og tilgjengelig for alle. For å gi donasjoner kan du søke opp “Snakk med Silje” i Vipps eller bruke vippsnummer: 806513 

psykologsilje.substack.com

For annonsering: info@modernemedia.no

Jeg heter Silje Schevig og inviterer interessante personligheter som jeg &oslash;nsker &aring; bli bedre kjent med. I tillegg til at gjestene forteller om sitt interessefelt forteller de ogs&aring; hva som gj&oslash;r at de engasjerer seg i det de gj&oslash;r, gjerne ogs&aring; hva i livet deres som har bidratt til at de i dag er opptatt av disse tingene og ikke minst hva de f&oslash;ler og tenker om samfunnet og fremtiden. Noe av m&aring;let med podcasten er at vi skal forst&aring; hverandre bedre, bringe folk n&aelig;rmere hverandre, redusere stigma og bidra til at vi blir litt mindre d&oslash;mmende. ► ST&Oslash;TT SNAKK MED SILJE Jeg setter enormt stor pris p&aring; alle som &oslash;nsker &aring; st&oslash;tte podcasten. Det gj&oslash;r at jeg kan holde podcasten &aring;pen og tilgjengelig for alle. For &aring; gi donasjoner kan du s&oslash;ke opp &ldquo;Snakk med Silje&rdquo; i Vipps eller bruke vippsnummer: 806513 <a href="https://psykologsilje.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast">psykologsilje.substack.com</a>
For annonsering: <a href="mailto:info@moderne">info@modernemedia.no</a>