Movie directors are people too. Just because they have what people think are glamorous jobs, living seemingly glamorous lives, does not mean that they are not susceptible to the same challenges and neuroses that regular people struggle though every day.

One director who is open about his all-too-human qualities is “Dear White People” writer and director Justin Simien. In a recent two-hour interview on the podcast “How Are You Thinking About?” created and hosted by Igor Hiller, Simien covers a wide range of subjects, some of which would be considered off the beaten path in most interviews with film directors.

Of course, he does talk about his film, and the upcoming Netflix series, which is about to go into production; but the main emphasis of the conversation is on Simien’s past self-doubts, and coming to terms with the human being that he is.

He openly talks about his on-going battle with depression, his creative process, eventually coming to terms with his sexuality, his relationship with his partner and how Buddhism has helped him greatly in dealing with his various struggles in life, giving him a clarity of purpose and understanding.

It’s all pretty fascinating stuff and well worth a listen.