I've been obsessed with Olga Meredice since I first watched her perform the role of Abola Claudia and in the Heights on Broadway.

And then again in the film adaptation.

And I am so excited to watch her shine as Connie and Blockbuster on Netflix.

What I did not realize, what I couldn't know,

is that we're catching Olga at an inflection point.

Whereas a workaholic, who is arguably at the heights of her career,

she's now wondering what it all meets and where she goes

from here.

Olga, thank you so much for doing this.

I'm so delighted to be here.

I'm especially excited, Olga, because the last time you and I were together, we were in a room doing an interview for In the Heights, and I asked you a question, you gave me such a beautiful, profound answer that I remember being in that room and being like, no, no, no, no, no,

this is not right for cable. You and I need to sit down and have an entire conversation about this.

Do you remember that exchange? I can't remember it. No. What was it?

I asked you what preparing for the role of Abuela, a role you originated, what it had taught you about

your own mother. And you actually have a really complicated relationship to your own mother,

complicated enough for you to produce an entire documentary about. So I want to start there,

which I know is kind of diving in at the deep end of the pool, but I feel like you and I can do that.

Absolutely. Let's do it.

Which is, you know, your mom, like a lot of moms, is complicated.

Yes. Well, my mom and I were not very close, but I'm so glad that she lived so long.

She died at almost 97 years old, so I was able to...

I became close to her, basically her last years of life.

...