Life, Values & Legacy: Our Chat with Steven Cuoco

We’re looking forward to introducing you to Steven Cuoco. Check out our conversation below.

Steven , it’s always a pleasure to learn from you and your journey. Let’s start with a bit of a warmup: Have any recent moments made you laugh or feel proud?
I’m proud to share that filmmaker, writer, and director Olga Gabris has given me the opportunity to play a significant supporting role in her upcoming project, Code Death—a darkwave industrial thriller exploring the clash between Big Tech and Big Pharma, set to be filmed later this year in San Francisco.

I’m also excited to take on a lead role in Between Places, a powerful new drama by director and writer Amir Jaffer. We’ll be doing a table read this October as the project moves into development.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Thank you for the opportunity to share my story. I’m Steven Cuoco—a two-time award-winning publicist, international best-selling author, and radio host with over 30 years of experience in public relations, media, and broadcasting. I’m the founder of United Angels Dream, EMAGE Magazine International, Power 98.5 Satellite Radio, and Model Me VIP. Each of these platforms was created with a singular mission: to amplify the voices of artists, entrepreneurs, and visionaries who are shaping culture and inspiring change.

My journey has been anything but conventional. I grew up in foster care and survived a traumatic childhood marked by abuse and adversity. But those experiences shaped my purpose. Today, I use my background as a grief counselor and emotional intelligence specialist to create spaces for healing, authenticity, and transformation—especially through my radio show Live On Air with Steven Cuoco, where I host emotionally resonant interviews with celebrities, creatives, and thought leaders from around the world.

What makes my work unique is the people-first approach I bring to everything I do. Whether I’m crafting a media strategy, producing content, or mentoring talent, I focus on building genuine connections and elevating voices that deserve to be heard. I believe in the power of storytelling to heal, unite, and inspire—and that belief drives every project I take on.

Right now, I’m working on several exciting ventures, including new collaborations in film and television, expanding the reach of Power 98.5, and continuing to spotlight extraordinary individuals who are making a difference. My brand is rooted in truth, resilience, and the belief that every story matters.

Appreciate your sharing that. Let’s talk about your life, growing up and some of topics and learnings around that. Who were you before the world told you who you had to be?
Before the world told me who I had to be, I was a deeply intuitive and empathetic soul—curious, creative, and unafraid to feel deeply. I was a child who saw possibility in places others overlooked, who listened more than he spoke, and who believed that kindness could be revolutionary. Even in the midst of chaos and trauma, I held onto a quiet strength and a vivid imagination that helped me survive.

I wasn’t shaped by titles or expectations—I was shaped by experience, by the rawness of life, and by a desire to understand people beyond the surface. I’ve always been someone who values truth, connection, and purpose. The world tried to define me through limitation, but I chose to define myself through transformation.

Today, I carry that original spirit into everything I do. I haven’t forgotten who I was—I’ve simply evolved into someone who can now give that child a voice, a platform, and a legacy.

What did suffering teach you that success never could?
Suffering taught me how to listen—to myself, to silence, to the spaces between words. It taught me the language of resilience, the power of empathy, and the sacredness of authenticity. While success can validate, suffering transforms. It strips away illusion and reveals what truly matters: character, integrity, and the quiet courage to keep going when no one’s watching.

Success never taught me how to sit with pain and still choose love. It never taught me how to rebuild from ashes with grace, or how to find meaning in moments that felt unbearable. Suffering gave me depth, perspective, and a profound understanding of others. It taught me that healing isn’t linear, and that strength isn’t loud—it’s often found in the softest, most vulnerable places.

Without suffering, I wouldn’t have the voice I have today. I wouldn’t be able to hold space for others the way I do. It gave me the kind of wisdom that success alone could never offer

So a lot of these questions go deep, but if you are open to it, we’ve got a few more questions that we’d love to get your take on. What are the biggest lies your industry tells itself?
One of the biggest lies my industry tells itself is that image is everything—and that authenticity is optional. In public relations, media, and entertainment, there’s a tendency to prioritize polish over substance, to chase trends instead of truth, and to treat people as brands before recognizing them as human beings. The industry often sells the illusion that success equals worth, and that vulnerability is a liability rather than a strength.

Another lie is that gatekeepers know best. I’ve seen incredible talent overlooked because they didn’t fit a mold or play by outdated rules. The truth is, innovation comes from the margins—from those who dare to be different, who speak from lived experience, and who refuse to compromise their integrity for visibility.

And perhaps the most damaging lie is that silence is professionalism. In reality, silence often protects dysfunction. I believe in speaking up—for fairness, for inclusivity, for ethical standards. The industry thrives when we challenge its blind spots, not when we pretend they don’t exist.

The future of media isn’t just about who’s seen—it’s about who’s heard, and how deeply they’re understood.

Thank you so much for all of your openness so far. Maybe we can close with a future oriented question. What is the story you hope people tell about you when you’re gone?
I hope people say that I lived with purpose, that I spoke truth even when it was inconvenient, and that I made others feel seen in a world that often overlooks the quiet, the hurting, and the different. I want my story to be one of transformation—not just of personal success, but of how I used my voice to elevate others, to challenge injustice, and to create spaces where authenticity was not only welcomed, but celebrated.

I hope they remember that I didn’t just build platforms—I built bridges. That I turned pain into power, and never let adversity define me. That I stood for integrity when it was easier to conform, and chose empathy when it was easier to judge.

Most of all, I want people to say that I left the world better than I found it. That I gave people permission to be themselves, to speak boldly, and to believe that their story mattered. Because if my life can inspire even one person to rise above their circumstances and live with courage, then that’s the legacy I want to leave behind.

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Image Credits
Thomas Kirk and Ale3x Br3zzy

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