Making Space with Hoda Kotb

Oprah Winfrey and Maria Shriver have shared more than 40 years of friendship, built on loyalty, honesty, and showing up for one another. In this conversation from October 2021, they join Hoda to talk about navigating births, deaths, marriage, divorce, and evolving as people while staying connected through it all. Plus, Winfrey reflects on one of the darkest periods of her life and why learning to cherish the people who stand beside you matters most.

Academy Award-winning actress Viola Davis has built a career defined by purpose, strength, and honesty, but her journey began with a childhood shaped by bullying and feeling different. In this conversation from April 2022, Davis sits down with Hoda to talk about overcoming adversity, learning to love herself, and understanding how her past helped shape the woman she is today. Plus, she reflects on resilience, legacy, and why believing in yourself is often the first step toward shaping your own future.

After Hoda departed TODAY in January 2025, Jenna Bush Hager spent a year sitting side by side with a rotating group of friends, but as it turns out, her permanent partner was someone who had been part of the TODAY family all along: Sheinelle Jones. On the heels of the launch of "TODAY with Jenna and Sheinelle," Hoda sat down with Jenna and Sheinelle for a SiriusXM Front Row Conversation at SiriusXM’s New York City studios to talk about their official beginning as co-hosts, the lessons Sheinelle has learned in the wake of losing her husband, Uche, and how grief and joy can exist side by side. Plus, what having Sheinelle by her side means for Jenna, and reflections on her path to this moment. (Originally broadcast on SiriusXM TODAY Show Radio.)

Kathie Lee Gifford has spent decades connecting with audiences as a television host, author, producer and storyteller whose faith and optimism have shaped her work. In her first-ever appearance on "Making Space," Kathie Lee reunites with Hoda for a conversation about the bond they built working side by side, navigating grief and loss while celebrating new beginnings, and finding purpose through every stage of life. Plus, she opens up about life as a grandmother to five and why she believes we are always still becoming.

Mel Robbins is a New York Times bestselling author, entrepreneur, and Golden Globe-nominated podcast host whose work has helped millions navigate change and uncertainty. Robbins sits down with Hoda to reflect on how life-changing moments in marriage and motherhood, including financial collapse and her son’s medical crisis, pushed her into survival mode and forced her to confront who she really wanted to be. Plus, she shares how choosing presence, kindness, and action helped her rebuild her life one decision at a time.

Brad Paisley is a Grammy winning artist and one of country music’s most respected storytellers, known for his masterful guitar work and deeply personal songwriting. Brad sits down with Hoda Kotb to reflect on growing up in West Virginia, the grandfather who gave him his first guitar for Christmas, and why giving back has always been part of his life. Plus, he shares the inspiration behind his latest album, "Snow Globe Town," and why doing something tangible is how you can create hope, especially during the holiday season.

Charlie Mackesy is the bestselling author and illustrator behind the global phenomenon “The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse” and its follow up “Always Remember: The Boy, the Mole, the Fox, the Horse and the Storm.” Charlie opens up to Hoda about the overwhelming experience of meeting readers whose lives were changed by his words, processing the grief of losing his mother and his dog, and the moments of wonder that keep him grounded, curious, and open to the world. Plus, he reflects on honoring vulnerability and the importance of remembering who we are and how much we matter.