Awards Chatter

The singer/songwriter and actress, who shot to fame as Hannah Montana and then became a real pop star, reflects on navigating child stardom; the origins of her biggest hits, from "See You Again" to "We Can't Stop" and "Wrecking Ball" to her Grammy-winning "Flowers"; and how she wound up co-writing and perfomring "Dream As One," an original song for the third installment of James Cameron's blockbus...

The English singer/songwriter, who is arguably the most successful male pop star in the world and has been described by Taylor Swift as "the James Taylor to my Carole King," reflects on his path from busking on the streets of London to superstardom; the origin stories of hits like 'The A Team' 'Sing' and 'Thinking Out Loud'; and why he agreed to co-write and perform "Drive" and "Zoo," original son...

In front of an audience at Chapman University, the two-time Emmy nominee reflected on her breakthrough roles on TV's 'Euphoria' and 'The White Lotus' and in the film 'Reality,' getting into producing with 'Anyone But You,' and challenging herself as never before by producing and starring in a new biopic about boxer Christy Martin, for which she is currently garnering Oscar buzz. She also teases he...

In front of an audience at Chapman University, the winner of multiple Emmys, Golden Globes and SAG awards reflects on why he walked away from dancing and towards acting in his teens, what he learned from his 11-season run on 'Shameless,' how he landed his star-making role as chef Carmy Berzatto on 'The Bear' and how, subsequently, his own conflicted feelings about fame helped him to play Bruce Spr...

In front of an audience at the Virginia Film Festival, and a piano, one of the leading film composers of his generation reflects on how he was shaped by both classical and hip-hop music, how his best known scores for TV (the main title theme for 'Succession') and film (Barry Jenkins' 'Moonlight' and 'If Beale Street Could Talk') came to be, and how his score for Noah Baumbach's new film was compos...

In front of an audience at the Newport Beach Film Festival, the writer/director describes his experiences progressing from low-budget ('Brick') to mid-budget ('The Brothers Bloom' and 'Looper') to big-budget ('The Last Jedi') films, directing some of the most celebrated episodes of TV ever ('Breaking Bad') and the origins and appeal of his Benoit Blanc series of murder mysteries, the third and mos...

The veteran actress, who was Oscar-nominated 40 years ago for 'Twice in a Lifetime,' reflects on how her music ambitions gave way to acting, how she met — and her many collaborations with — her husband Ed Harris, her memories of working on classics like 'The Day After,' 'Field of Dreams' and 'Uncle Buck,' and how she wound up giving one of the performances of her career as Gladys, a crazy aunt, in...

In front of an audience at the Newport Beach Film Festival, the Australian actor and heartthrob reflects on almost missing out on his breakout roles in 'The Kissing Booth' and 'Euphoria,' working with female auteurs on 'Saltburn' and 'Priscilla' and venturing into unfamiliar but exciting territory as The Creature in Guillermo del Toro's new adaptation of Mary Shelley's horror novel, which is now t...

In front of an audience at Chapman University, one of most bankable movie stars of all time reflects on what his experiences as a pro wrestler taught him about being an entertainer, why and how he transitioned to acting, and why, after decades of picking projects with the aim of satisfying others, he decided to challenge himself as never before by taking on the role of Mark Kerr, an early MMA figh...

The A-lister returns to the podcast (his last visit was for ep. 278) and reflects on his post-COVID career — highlighted by his portrayal of a movie star experiencing an existential crisis in Noah Baumbach's new Netflix dramedy — as well as stardom, Instagram ("get the fuck off of it"), A.I. and which of today’s young stars most impress him. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adc...

In front of an audience at Chapman University, the iconic New York filmmaker reflects on his 35-year collaboration with Denzel Washington, the role of music in his films and how Akira Kurosawa has influenced his work from his first narrative feature through his 24th and most recent. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Aussie actress reflects on what she learned from her years working alongside Glenn Close on 'Damages'; how she and the industry discovered her comedic side, leading to memorable turns in 'Bridesmaids,' 'Spy' and other projects; and the the unique challenges and rewards of her latest film, in which she plays a woman whose life is literally and figuratively crashing down around her. Learn more a...

The fan favorite reflects on his rollercoaster journey from stripper to movie star; the backstories of 'Step Up,' 'Magic Mike,' 'Foxcatcher' and other hits; and why his experience on Derek Cianfrance's new dramedy, in which he plays a man who escapes from prison and hides out in a Toys 'R Us, reignited his love for acting and eradicated his long-held 'imposter syndrome.' Learn more about your ad c...

In front of an audience at the Burbank International Film Festival, the legendary writer/director reflects on his path from a video store to Sundance to the Oscars, the backstories of each of his nine features and what he's proudest of and thinking about ahead of his 10th and — allegedly — final filmmaking venture. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In front of an audience at the Access Canada Summit in Toronto, the consummate character actor reflects on his fateful crossing of paths in the late '60s with David Mamet, his feelings about often being cast as "losers" (e.g. 'Fargo' and 'The Cooler') and why he was "swept away" by the script for Clint Bentley's new film about the American character. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megapho...

This key figure in the Iranian New Wave, one of only four filmmakers ever awarded the top prize at each of the three biggest European film festivals, reflects on his cinematic critiques of Iranian society, continuing to work even after being jailed by the regime and then banned from making films under the threat of being sent back to jail, and how his own experience with a prison interrogator part...

In front of an audience at Chapman University, the fan favorite reflects on how she stumbled into standup comedy and then into acting, how she landed the part of elementary school principal Ava Coleman on Quinta Brunson's ABC series and why she's prouder of her Emmy-nominated work on its fourth season than any prior. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The "Queen of the Indies," as TIME magazine famously called her, reflects on the rewards and challenges of being so associated with independent film, what eventually led her to begin dabbling in studio films and TV, and how it felt, with the latest season of Mike White's HBO drama series, to finally find herself at the center of a project that found itself at the center of the cultural conversatio...

In front of an audience in the Campari Lounge at the Locarno Film Festival, the trailblazing actress reflects on breaking into the business on TV's 'Ally McBeal,' becoming a movie star via the 'Charlie's Angels' and 'Kill Bill' films, and why her latest project, an indie that she produced and in which she plays a Chinese immigrant trying to protect her troubled American-born son, is so close to he...

One of the most influential comedic talents of his generation reflects on coming from Vancouver to Hollywood as a teenager, the backstories of the crude but heartfelt and largely improvised film comedies that made him a multi-hyphenate star ('Knocked Up' and 'Superbad'), his occasional forays into drama ('Steve Jobs' and 'The Fabelmans') and how his own misadventures in Hollywood ('The Green Horne...

The lovable screen actor reflects on his slow evolution from starving artist to 'Knocked Up' and 'Step Brothers' scene-stealer to TV stalwart, what he learned on 'Party Down' and 'Parks and Recreation,' and how Ben Stiller's 2013 film 'The Secret Life of Walter Mitty' started him on the path to playing Mark — 'Innie' and 'Outie' — on the most Emmy-nominated TV show of the 2024-2025 season. Learn m...

The Oscar- and Emmy-nominated indie darling reflects on her unusual path to prominence, the backstories of some of her more provocative projects (including 'Kids,' 'Boys Don't Cry' and 'The Brown Bunny') and why she has increasingly been drawn to TV projects (from 'Big Love' to numerous Ryan Murphy projects including his latest limited series, in which she plays the Menendez family's murdered matr...

In front of an audience at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival, the veteran Swedish actor reflects on working with everyone from Ingmar Bergman to David Fincher, moving between art house projects (e.g. his five collaborations with Lars von Trier) and studio fare ('Dune,' 'Mamma Mia!,' 'Pirates of the Caribbean' and five MCU installments), and why he's particularly proud of his latest film...

The Oscar and two-time Emmy winner reflects on the bumpy road to her breakthrough in 'Misery,' why she didn't enjoy working on 'Titanic,' how she was convinced to do a nude scene in 'About Schmidt' and why, after nearly quitting the business, her creativity and passion have been reawakened by her hit new CBS drama series. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In front of an audience at the Newport Beach TV Fest, the Oscar-winning and Emmy- and Tony-nominated actor reflects on early milestones ('Box of Moonlight,' 'Confessions of a Dangerous Mind,' 'Choke,' 'Moon' and 'Conviction'), stage and screen collaborations with Martin McDonagh (most famously 'Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri) and his showstopping monologue in the third installment of Mi...