Jenny Slate reflects on the impact romance has on her life

Jenny Slate says romance shapes everything in her life, from dinner choices to daily rituals.

The actress was at the 2026 Sundance Film Festival when she described herself as “a big romantic” in nearly every aspect of her daily life.

Slate explained that romance influences even the smallest decisions she makes, from what she eats to what she wears at home. 

“I'm a romantic in what I choose for dinner, what pajamas I wear, not just like, you know, sexy,” Slate explains. “I'm talking, like, there's romance in everything.”

She also insisted that her approach is not limited to traditional ideas of intimacy or attraction, but rather a way of engaging with the world thoughtfully and emotionally. 

“This isn't my original idea, but there's eroticism in everything, you know,” she added. “The writer, Adrienne Maree Brown, you know, that whole theory. Anyway, I am one of these people that wants to find it everywhere, and I hope I do.”

Slate added that this mindset naturally carried into her latest film, Carousel, directed by Rachel Lambert. In the romantic drama, Slate plays Rebecca, the former high school girlfriend of Noah, portrayed by Chris Pine, whose return to their hometown reopens unresolved feelings. 

Slate said she found the role particularly compelling because the story embraces emotional complexity rather than idealised perfection. Playing characters who represent “the one that got away” felt honest and familiar, and she noted that stepping into moments of emotional intensity comes easily to her.

Outside of acting, Slate has focused on family life with her husband, Ben Shattuck, and their young daughter, while also releasing her recent essay collection, Lifeform.