If you ask Owen Thiele where he’s at right now, he’ll probably grin and say, “I feel really lucky to be a part of this new period—I never thought it could happen, but here I am.” Fresh off a flight to Paris (literally—he landed thirty minutes before strolling through the city with his luggage, on the hunt for white gloves for his boyfriend, stylist Jared Ellner), Thiele is riding a very real wave of momentum.

The actor-writer, who you might recognize from Prime Video’s Overcompensating or the FX series Adults, is currently at work on a comedy with Ilana Glazer and Susie Essman, inspired by none other than Broad City. “How can I recreate Broad City? That was the question,” he says. “I wrote the pilot with Susie as my mom, and Ilana and I just sold it.” The project marks a full-circle moment for Thiele, who cut his teeth as many students do, making “pilots at NYU based on ‘90s and 2000s sitcoms”—a rite of passage for a wide slew of today’s comedic stars.

Beyond the screen, you might find the actor at 5:03 a.m., 10:37 p.m., or 11:58 p.m. (as the podcast note’s real timestamps showcase) on a passion project that happens at an hour when most people are fast asleep. Thiele, a publicly (or “admirably” per his podcast’s bio) bad sleeper, has channeled his late-night restlessness into In Your Dreams with Owen Thiele, a podcast recorded in the wee hours of the night or morning, equal parts confessional, comedic monologue, and pop-culture therapy session, perfect fodder for story ideas, new inspiration, and the late-night revelations that can nurture long-term projects.

The show purports to chronicle his obsessive quest for notoriety satirically, but feels more warmly authentic to his bubbly, bright character. Julianne Hough, co-star Jack Innanen, and a slew of peers dip in and out of episodes to laugh, reminisce, and dish with Thiele using the same animated, biting humor that defines his on-screen work.

“We talk about everything and nothing,” he explains of the podcast’s freewheeling format. No topic is off-limits, after all. Thiele’s rising star (across the airwaves and streaming screens) certainly isn’t a solo turn. “I’m so excited for my friends right now,” he says, mentioning Benito Skinner and apologizing (again) to Molly Gordon for missing dinner due to a series of engagements and a locked-in schedule. He talks fast, often overflowing with affection or joy. A prime example is the clever boundary his boyfriend sets between work and play: “My boyfriend won’t share the look with me because he knows I’ll just share it,” he jokes, referencing the latest outfit for Ellner’s star client, “but it’s only because I’m so excited!”

In person, Thiele is exactly who you hope he’d be: funny, articulate, and radiating warmth. Whether he’s talking about pilots, Paris, or friendship, the throughline is clear: he’s all in, and he’s just getting started.

This story appears in the pages of VMAN 55: now available for purchase!

Photography Isaac Anthony 

Fashion Arut Arustamyan

Editor Charles Kolbrener

Interview Sam Falb

Grooming Peter Gray (Home Agency) using Oway USA

Location WSA Studio

Photo Assistants Isaac Schell, Anthony Lorelli

Fashion Assistants Abel Martirosyan, Erika Bennett, Adlet Bermukhamedov