 While at Northwestern, Hodge explored his interests through various internships, including Deloitte Consulting and The Oprah Winfrey Show in Chicago, and casting director Debra Zane in Los Angeles.While interning for Zane in the summer of 1998, Hodge read the screenplay for American Beauty by Alan Ball, which Zane was casting.Hodge has said the script inspired him to want to become a screenwriter.