In this week’s episode, we’re joined by Willa Bennett: certified media superstar, lifelong magazine obsessive, and current editor-in-chief of both Cosmopolitan and Seventeen. We discuss the delightfully radical legacy of Cosmopolitan, Willa’s heroic full-circle return to Seventeen, how her menswear background shapes her unique point of view, and the tension between editorial authority and audience-led relatability. We also get into her star-studded Blind Date video series, the literary destiny behind her Willa Cather namesake, her advice for aspiring young professionals, and more.
Links:
Cosmopolitan Winter 2026 cover stories: “Meet The Hunger Games’ New Girls on Fire”
Highsnobiety Winter 2022 cover story: Billie Eilish by Willa Bennett
Cosmopolitan Spring 2025 cover story: Brenda Song and Macaulay Culkin
Nymphet Alumni Ep. 130: Magazine Girl
“Is It Just Us? Or Are the Single Cat Ladies Happier?” by Annabel Iwegbue, photographed by Rona Liana Ahdout in Cosmopolitan
Blind Date | Cosmopolitan on YouTube
Is It Just Us? Or Is Everyone Into PDA Again? by Alexandra Whittaker, photographed by Rona Liana Ahdout in Cosmopolitan
Olivia Rodrigo Makes a Vision Board | Manifesting With | Cosmopolitan on YouTube
The Beauty Closet by Cosmo on Substack
“Introducing Cosmopolitan’s 2026 Z-Stars” in Cosmopolitan
Chase Rutherford and Charles Hsu tour the Cosmo offices on Instagram
