{"version":1,"type":"rich","provider_name":"Libsyn","provider_url":"https:\/\/www.libsyn.com","height":90,"width":600,"title":"From the Creators of 'The Other, Gold': A Deep Dive into Friendship","description":"A dive into the world of friendship with our latest "Friends Like Us" podcast episode! Marina Franklin host special guests Shara\u00e9 Nikai and David Lassiter as they talk about their incredible journey creating "The Other Gold" \u2014 a film about friendships' complexities. Watch it now on Apple TV and Tubi! Shara\u00e9 Nikai - Against industry odds, Jersey City native Shara\u00e9 Nikai wrote, produced, co-directed and starred in her very first feature film, \u201cThe Other, Gold.\u201d It is a heartfelt dramedy that follows a TV writer living in Little Tokyo as she navigates grief, isolation and the rekindling of a former BFF-ship. Out of 13,016 submissions, TOG was invited to world premiere as one of only 10 films in Tribeca\u2019s US Narrative Competition. This acclaim led to Nikai being in consideration for the 2025 Oscars, Spirit Awards and Emmys in the Outstanding Television Movie, Directing & Lead Actress categories. It also makes her the first Black female quadruple threat (sole writer\/producer, director & star) to qualify for the Academy Awards with no studio or major production company backing. As a producer, Shara\u00e9 secured an exclusive Mental Health Awareness partnership for \u201cThe Other, Gold\u201d at FOX-owned Tubi and sponsorship for its launch by Women in Film (WIF) and The Entertainment Community Fund. In March 2026, \u201cThe Other, Gold\u201d was released worldwide in celebration of Women\u2019s History Month exclusively on Apple TV. In addition to TOG, Nikai appears in numerous ad campaigns, films and TV series including Grey\u2019s Anatomy and opposite Alison Brie in Sundance\u2019s \u201cHorse Girl\u201d (The DuPlass Bros\/Netflix). Currently, she is the 2026 international voice of Nordstrom Rack all while developing her dramedy driven TV\/film slate. In her spare time, Shara\u00e9 takes serious pride in the accent mark over her \u201ce\u201d and is the reigning (read: self-proclaimed) trap karaoke queen. David Lassiter is an American filmmaker, actor, writer, and musician from Jersey City, New Jersey. He co-directed and appeared in the feature film The Other, Gold (2024), which premiered at the Tribeca Festival before streaming on Apple TV+ and Tubi. Before transitioning into filmmaking, Lassiter worked as a fashion model and was signed to Wilhelmina Models, appearing in campaigns and editorial work for brands and publications including Giorgio Armani, Dolce & Gabbana, Vogue, GQ, Banana Republic, Swatch, and Levi\u2019s. He later studied acting in New York at HB Studio, Susan Batson Studio, and WB Workshops while appearing in national campaigns for Verizon, Macy\u2019s, and American Eagle. Lassiter also collaborated with Viacom on street-interview segments featured on MTV and MTV2. Always hosted by Marina Franklin - One Hour Comedy Special: Single Black Female ( Amazon Prime, CW Network), TBS\u2019s The Last O.G, Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, Hysterical on FX, The Movie Trainwreck, Louie Season V, The Jim Gaffigan Show, Conan O\u2019Brien, Stephen Colbert, HBO\u2019s Crashing, and The Breaks with Michelle Wolf. Writer for HBO\u2019s \u2018Divorce\u2019 and the new Tracy Morgan show on Paramount Plus: \u2018Crutch     ","author_name":"Friends Like Us","author_url":"https:\/\/marinafranklin.com\/podcast\/","html":"