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In Proximity

From Sundance to The Shade Room: How Angelica Nwandu Built a Media Empire

Nov 3, 2025 · 46 min · 13 segments

After a family tragedy landed her in foster care, Angelica “Angie” Nwandu turned to writing and poetry. Her first screenplay, NIGHT COMES ON, co-written with director Jordana Spiro, made her a 2014…

After a family tragedy landed her in foster care, Angelica “Angie” Nwandu turned to writing and poetry. Her first screenplay, NIGHT COMES ON, co-written with director Jordana Spiro, made her a 2014 Sundance Fellow where her mentors included Quentin Tarantino and Kasi Lemmons. The film starred Dominique Fishback and premiered at the festival in 2018 where it won the NEXT Innovator Award. But even as a Sundance darling, she faced setbacks including getting fired from two writing jobs. Today, Angie is the founder and CEO of The Shade Room, a leading media platform covering Black culture, entertainment, and news, with...

After a family tragedy landed her in foster care, Angelica “Angie” Nwandu turned to writing and poetry. Her first screenplay, NIGHT COMES ON, co-written with director Jordana Spiro, made her a 2014…

Speakers: Angelica NwanduGuestPaola MardoHost

Show signals: SuitabilitySafeBiasNot politicalAudience≈130k followers

Spotify Apple Podcasts YouTube Amazon Music Website

Top entities: Jordana Spiro×8 The Shade Room×19 Sundance Institute×18 Instagram×23 Quentin Tarantino×6

A Surprise from Dominique Fishback1:58 – 2:55

Paola MardoHost

1:58

Thank you for having me.

Paola MardoHost

1:59

I have a ton of questions to ask, but before we start, I have sort of a surprise.

Paola MardoHost

2:06

So we asked somebody to send you a question, and you may know this person.

Paola MardoHost

2:12

What? Yes.

D

Dominique FishbackSoundbite Speaker

2:14

Hey, what's up, Angelica? It's Dominique Fishback.

D

Dominique FishbackSoundbite Speaker

2:17

Long time no

Angelica NwanduGuest

2:18

speak.

Angelica NwanduGuest

2:20

I guess my

D

Dominique FishbackSoundbite Speaker

2:20

question is, If you woke up tomorrow and everything you've done over your career for the last 15 or so years was completely wiped away, would you do it all over again from where you are right now? Or would you do something completely different? And if so, what would it be?

Angelica NwanduGuest

2:41

First off, don't have me crying in here.

Angelica NwanduGuest

2:42

Okay.

Angelica NwanduGuest

2:43

Don't do that.

Angelica NwanduGuest

2:45

That was the last person I expected.

Angelica NwanduGuest

2:48

Do you know how we know each other?

Paola MardoHost

2:49

I do.

Paola MardoHost

2:50

Well, your film.

Paola MardoHost

2:51

Can you actually, for our listeners and viewers, can you talk a little bit about that? Oh my

Angelica NwanduGuest

2:54

goodness.

Jordana SpiroPersonAmerican actress and director
99%8 mentions
The Shade RoomCompanyCompany
97%19 mentions
Sundance InstituteEducational OrganizationNon-profit organization
95%18 mentions
InstagramSoftware ApplicationSocial networking service
93%23 mentions
Quentin TarantinoPersonAmerican filmmaker and actor
91%6 mentions
Michelle SatterPersonAmerican artist
89%2 mentions
Dominique FishbackPersonAmerican actress
88%9 mentions
The New York TimesPeriodicalNewspaper
86%5 mentions
San Francisco Bay AreaAdministrative AreaRegion in California
84%2 mentions
Proximity MediaCompanyTelevision company
82%5 mentions
Los AngelesCityCity in California
80%3 mentions
TMZWebsiteWebsite
78%7 mentions
Tupac ShakurPersonAmerican rapper
76%2 mentions
PhiladelphiaCityCity in Pennsylvania
74%1 mention
Night Comes OnMovie2018 film
72%7 mentions
International Association for Suicide PreventionOrganization
70%1 mention
HBOTheater GroupCable television company
68%3 mentions
Paola MardoPersonFilm producer
66%3 mentions
Universal PicturesTheater GroupMotion pictures/entertainment company
64%3 mentions
Kasi LemmonsPersonAmerican film director and screenwriter
63%1 mention
United StatesCountryCountry in North America
61%2 mentions
Edward BurnsPersonAmerican actor and filmmaker
59%1 mention
GodEntitySupreme being
57%3 mentions
George FloydPersonTruck driver
55%2 mentions
OzarkTV SeriesDrama series
53%1 mention
Los Angeles CountyAdministrative AreaCounty in California
51%1 mention
Graduate Management Admission TestEntityAdmissions test
49%1 mention
YouTubeWebsiteVideo sharing company
47%1 mention
PinkberryRestaurantRestaurant company
45%1 mention
Law School Admission TestEntityAdmissions test
43%1 mention
André 3000PersonAmerican rapper
41%1 mention
EnglishEntitySpoken language
39%1 mention
Kuala LumpurEntityCapital of Malaysia
36%1 mention
MalaysiaCountryCountry in Asia
36%1 mention
ManilaCityCapital of the Philippines
36%1 mention
Park CityCityCity in Utah
31%1 mention
UtahAdministrative AreaUS state
31%1 mention
Michael GoldenbergPersonAmerican playwright and screenwriter
28%1 mention
NasPersonAmerican rapper and entrepreneur
26%1 mention
Generation ZEntity
24%1 mention
Kim KardashianPersonAmerican media personality and socialite
22%1 mention
CNNCompanyCompany
20%1 mention
Angelica NwanduPersonCEO of The Shade Room
18%1 mention
Hurricane KatrinaEventCatastrophe
16%1 mention
TikTokSoftware ApplicationWebsite
14%1 mention
PolytetrafluoroethyleneEntityChemical compound
13%1 mention
Sev OhanianPersonAmerican film producer and screenwriter
11%1 mention
The CraftMovie1996 film
9%1 mention
The WireTV SeriesAmerican drama series
7%1 mention
Issa RaePersonAmerican actress and writer
5%1 mention

Social IssuesSociety
Society
Entertainment NewsMedia > Digital Media > Social Media Platforms
The Shade RoomMedia > Digital Media > Social Media Platforms > Entertainment News
Independent FilmFilm > Film Industry > Screenwriting
Sundance Film Festival Jury AwardFilm > Film Industry > Screenwriting > Independent Film
Digital Publishing BusinessesBusiness > Entrepreneurship > Media Entrepreneurship
The Shade Room Founding and GrowthBusiness > Entrepreneurship > Media Entrepreneurship > Digital Publishing Businesses
Childhood Trauma and Family ViolenceSociety > Social Issues > Child Welfare > Foster Care Experiences
Media Industry PressuresPsychology > Mental Health > Occupational Stress
Founder Resilience and TherapyPsychology > Mental Health > Occupational Stress > Media Industry Pressures
Foster Care ExperiencesSociety > Social Issues > Child Welfare
Occupational StressPsychology > Mental Health
Mental HealthPsychology
Child WelfareSociety > Social Issues
Film IndustryFilm
Digital MediaMedia
Psychology
Business
Media
EntrepreneurshipBusiness
Film
Social Media PlatformsMedia > Digital Media
ScreenwritingFilm > Film Industry
Media EntrepreneurshipBusiness > Entrepreneurship

A Surprise from Dominique Fishback1:58 – 2:55

Paola MardoHost

1:58

Thank you for having me.

Paola MardoHost

1:59

I have a ton of questions to ask, but before we start, I have sort of a surprise.

Paola MardoHost

2:06

So we asked somebody to send you a question, and you may know this person.

Paola MardoHost

2:12

What? Yes.

D

Dominique FishbackSoundbite Speaker

2:14

Hey, what's up, Angelica? It's Dominique Fishback.

D

Dominique FishbackSoundbite Speaker

2:17

Long time no

Angelica NwanduGuest

2:18

speak.

Angelica NwanduGuest

2:20

I guess my

D

Dominique FishbackSoundbite Speaker

2:20

question is, If you woke up tomorrow and everything you've done over your career for the last 15 or so years was completely wiped away, would you do it all over again from where you are right now? Or would you do something completely different? And if so, what would it be?

Angelica NwanduGuest

2:41

First off, don't have me crying in here.

Angelica NwanduGuest

2:42

Okay.

Angelica NwanduGuest

2:43

Don't do that.

Angelica NwanduGuest

2:45

That was the last person I expected.

Angelica NwanduGuest

2:48

Do you know how we know each other?

Paola MardoHost

2:49

I do.

Paola MardoHost

2:50

Well, your film.

Paola MardoHost

2:51

Can you actually, for our listeners and viewers, can you talk a little bit about that? Oh my

Angelica NwanduGuest

2:54

goodness.

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