# Ann Dowd – Returning to Aunt Lydia, late-blooming success & the anxiety of starting again

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/dinner-s-on-me-with-jesse-tyler-ferguson-6325319/ann-dowd-returning-to-aunt-lydia-late-blooming-success-the-anxiety-of-starting-again
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/dinner-s-on-me-with-jesse-tyler-ferguson-6325319/ann-dowd-returning-to-aunt-lydia-late-blooming-success-the-anxiety-of-starting-again.md
Podcast: [Dinner’s on Me with Jesse Tyler Ferguson](https://stenobird.com/podcast/dinner-s-on-me-with-jesse-tyler-ferguson-6325319)
Published: 2026-06-16T07:00:00+00:00
Episode link: https://pdst.fm/e/mgln.ai/e/143/pdrl.fm/5f2827/tracking.swap.fm/track/Vjambo9ifGBwbaCTlDBD/pscrb.fm/rss/p/traffic.megaphone.fm/SONY7461733871.mp3
Audio file: https://pdst.fm/e/mgln.ai/e/143/pdrl.fm/5f2827/tracking.swap.fm/track/Vjambo9ifGBwbaCTlDBD/pscrb.fm/rss/p/traffic.megaphone.fm/SONY7461733871.mp3
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JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/dinner-s-on-me-with-jesse-tyler-ferguson-6325319/episodes/ann-dowd-returning-to-aunt-lydia-late-blooming-success-the-anxiety-of-starting-again
Duration seconds: 2604

## Resource

'The Testaments’ star Ann Dowd joins the show. Over afternoon tea, Ann reflects on returning to Aunt Lydia for ‘The Testaments,’ why she felt unexpectedly nervous stepping back into the role, and how the world has changed since ‘The Handmaid's Tale’ first premiered. She also looks back on her unforgettable work in ‘The Leftovers’ and ‘Mass,’ shares the story of a mysterious prediction that kept her going through years of struggle, and opens up about success arriving later in life. This episode was recorded in The Living Room of The Peninsula Hotel in Beverly Hills, CA. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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## Transcript

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