Awards Chatter

One of the most significant figures in the history of the music industry looks back on his rise from studio sweeper to engineer (for John Lennon and Bruce Springsteen) to producer (for Tom Petty and U2) to label founder and chief (Interscope, which made hip hop and gangsta rap mainstream), and his unlikely friendship with Dr. Dre, with whom he founded Beats Electronics (which they sold to Apple fo...

The comedy actor who became famous as Joey Tribbiani on NBC’s 'Friends' dishes on the strange series of events that led him from blue-collar work to acting; why, after the failure of 'Joey' and five years out of the biz, he returned to series TV on Showtime; and how he feels about the prospect of a 'Friends' reboot — and retirement. But first: Aaron Couch, the senior editor of THR's 'Heat Vision'...

The jovial host of late night's most iconic program reflects on his journey from doing childhood impersonations to appearing on 'SNL,' how Lorne Michaels recruited him to 'Late Night' (despite opposition from network suits) and then Johnny Carson's old job and, in an emotional exchange, how his infamous 2016 interview with Donald Trump has — and hasn't — changed him and his show. Credits: Hosted b...

The two-time Emmy winner reflects on child stardom (she burst onto the scene at 14 on 'My So-Called Life'), embarking on a film career (but passing on 'Schindler's List' and 'Titanic') and returning to the small screen and experiencing career rebirth through the TV movie 'Temple Grandin,' followed by seven seasons playing a bipolar CIA officer. But first: Matthew Belloni, THR's editorial director,...

The legendary singer, songwriter, actress, writer, producer and director opens up about her odds-defying career ("I didn’t want to be a singer"), why she fights for creative control over her work ("I am not a diva") and what convinced her to embark on a rare concert tour that was later turned into a Netflix variety special — even though, as she puts it, "I just don’t enjoy singing live." Credits:...

One of the few people who has played multiple iconic TV characters reflects on child stardom as a Mouseketeer, becoming "America's Sweetheart" at 21 on 'Felicity' and then, after almost quitting the biz, re-emerging as a Soviet spy for six seasons on one of the best shows of the Peak TV era. Credits: Hosted by Scott Feinberg, recorded and produced by Matthew Whitehurst. Learn more about your ad ch...

One of the reigning kings of comedy — a standup, writer, producer and director who has been a driving force behind many of the funniest TV series and films of the last 30 years — reflects on the roots of his sense of humor, his decision to move from doing standup to writing to producing/directing and his epic documentary-tribute to one of his mentors and heroes. But first: Lesley Goldberg, THR’s w...

One of the most talented comedy performers in the business looks back on his childhood at Nickelodeon ('All That' and 'Kenan & Kel'), losing his identity thereafter and then finding a new home in Studio 8H (where he is in his 15th season, making him the longest-tenured performer in the variety show’s history). Credits: Hosted by Scott Feinberg, recorded by Ryan Gabos and produced by Matthew Whiteh...

The star of TV’s highest-rated new network drama, whose portrayal of an autistic surgeon has already brought him a Golden Globe nom, looks back on child stardom, re-emerging as an adult on the drama series 'Bates Motel' (he received Critics' Choice noms for three of its five seasons) and then heading right into another, very different show. But first: Borys Kit, a senior staff writer at THR who ov...

The actress-producer discusses how she wound up on '7th Heaven' at 14 (it became TV's longest-running family drama ever), growing up in the biz, making an eclectic mix of films and returning to TV in a limited series she also produced, which became 2017's most-watched new basic-cable show, and for which she received Golden Globe and Critics' Choice noms. But first: Gregg Kilday, THR's film editor,...

One of the most likable — and reliably good — actors in the business reflects on his child stardom, how he then experienced a dark decade before re-emerging as the industry’s go-to straight man in comedies and why it means so much to him to now be able to juggle acting and directing. But first: Booth Moore, THR’s Style & Fashion News Director, joins Scott to discuss the recent Met Gala, the ongoin...

The British actress, best known for playing Daenerys on TV's most acclaimed show, opens up about striking gold with and learning to navigate her first professional role, why she's sick of talking about her nude scenes, what led her to turn down 'Fifty Shades of Grey' but do 'Solo: A Star Wars Story,' plus more. But first: Stephen Galloway, THR's executive editor (features), joins Scott to discuss...

The first woman ever to host a late-night satire show reflects on her 12 years at Comedy Central's 'The Daily Show' (she was the longest-serving and first female correspondent), betting on herself by leaving that job for a show of her own at TBS (which won an Emmy in 2017) and what it's like making that show in the fast-changing and mind-blowing Trump era. But first: Seth Abramovitch, a senior wri...

This powerhouse writer (the first black woman ever to win a comedy writing Emmy), actress ('Master of None' and 'Ready Player One') and creator/producer (Showtime's new series about Chicago's South Side) — who recently appeared on Vanity Fair's cover and was named by Time as one of the world's 100 most influential people — reflects on her upbringing, the importance of mentorship and the kaleidosco...

The six-time Emmy nominee and two-time Critics' Choice Award winner reflects on why her agents fired her after she agreed to play Joan, how she feels about all the attention paid to her figure and why she decided to follow a period drama with a contemporary network dramedy. Credits: Hosted by Scott Feinberg, recorded and produced by Matthew Whitehurst. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megap...

The TV icon opens up about his debilitating dyslexia, overcoming it to land the part of 'The Fonz' on 'Happy Days' (and 'jumping the shark') and following 'Arrested Development' and 'Parks and Rec' with standout work on Bill Hader's new HBO dramedy. But first: David Rooney, THR's chief theatre critic, joins Scott to discuss the two-part shows that are the talk of Broadway, the return of Glenda Jac...

The Golden Globe-nominated British beauty reflects on making her name in period pieces (and on 'Black Mirror'), playing one character in several projects over many years (Agent Peggy Carter of 'Captain America' fame) and the new project for which she's receiving the best reviews of her screen career (a four-part adaptation of E.M. Forster's most famous novel). But first: Rebecca Ford, THR's awards...

The model-turned-actress reflects on her big break ('Breaking Bad'), first starring role ('Don't Trust the B in Apt. 23') and experience playing a complex Marvel superhero on a Peabody Award-winning TV show that began exploring sexual misconduct and its impact on victims long before the Harvey Weinstein exposés. But first: Daniel Fienberg, THR's television critic and the president of the Televisio...

The comic, podcast host and character actor reflects on the complex youth that led him to comedy; his rollercoaster career (he once contemplated suicide in the same garage to which a president later trekked to see him); and the Critics’ Choice and SAG award noms accorded his first major acting gig in which he's not playing a version of himself. But first: Lesley Goldberg, THR’s west coast TV edito...

The creator, showrunner, producer, writer, director and Golden Globe-nominated star of Showtime's acclaimed new comedy series, which was largely inspired by the drama of her own experience as a young single mom, reflects on her blue-collar upbringing, accidental pregnancy at 24, move to Hollywood 11 weeks into it and years of personal and professional struggle that followed — until she took matter...

One of the most colorful characters in Hollywood history — he wrote, directed, produced and starred in what has been called "the 'Citizen Kane' of bad movies," which inspired 'The Disaster Artist' — opens up as never before about his life and work. But first: Matt Belloni, THR's editorial director, joins Scott to recap and dissect Sunday night's 90th Oscars. Credits: Hosted by Scott Feinberg, reco...

The veteran character actor looks back on years of side-jobs and failed auditions, learning to make the most of parts of any size and landing the role of a lifetime — for which he is now favored to win the best supporting actor Oscar — in Martin McDonagh’s acclaimed dramedy. But first: Carolyn Giardina, THR’s tech editor, joins Scott to dissect — and predict — the technical Oscar categories. Credi...

Best known for his work as a director (he was half of the Merchant-Ivory team famous for its high-production-value literary adaptations), but poised to win his first Oscar for a screenplay (at 89, he'd be the oldest winner ever), he reflects on his late partner Ismail Merchant, his love of Italy and his two movies — 30 years apart — about young gay lovers. But first: Rebecca Ford, The Hollywood Re...

One of the most recognizable and admired big screen character actors of the last 30 years reflects on decades of juggling experimental theater and films, his unconventional face and why he so often lands in edgy projects like the one for which he recently received his third Oscar nom. But first: Adam Irving, a filmmaker who received a best first documentary feature Critics' Choice Documentary Awar...

The youngest best actor Oscar nominee in 78 years — who is just 22 — reflects on the importance of his public school arts education, his early work on TV ('Homeland') and in films ('Interstellar') and the making — and crazy aftermath — of three massively acclaimed films released in 2017. But first: Roger Durling, the executive director of the Santa Barbara International Film Festival, joins Scott...