Little Gold Men by Vanity Fair

Michael B. Jordan is so busy right now he'd actually benefit from having a twin to help lighten the workload. The actor, a self-proclaimed workaholic, is nominated for his first Oscar for his performance as twin brothers in Ryan Coogler's Sinners, and he's also in post-production on a project he's both directing and starring in, The Thomas Crown Affair. Rebecca caught up with him after the Academy...

This week, John, Rebecca, and Hillary preview the 5 films nominated for Best International Feature: The Secret Agent (Brazil), It Was Just An Accident (France), Sentimental Value (Norway), Sirāt (Spain), and The Voice of Hind Rajab (Tunisia). They recap their favorites and evaluate each film's chance in the race. Plus, they explain why more and more non-English-language films have been breaking in...

This week, Rebecca and John take a pause from this year's Oscar races to dish about Emerald Fennell's buzzy, divisive, and tongue-forward "Wuthering Heights". Then, VF Staff Writer Chris Murphy joins to break down why sexy TV shows like Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette and Heated Rivalry have captured our imagination and created rabid fan bases for its stars. They also discuss...

The Secret Agent has broken through the Oscar conversation in a big way: the Brazilian film is nominated not only for Best International Feature, but also Best Picture, Best Casting, and, of course, Best Actor, for Wagner Moura's indelible performance. Rebecca caught up with Moura a few weeks after his historic nomination to talk about the film and how he sees himself and his politics in the chara...

John, Rebecca, and Hillary discuss last week's California Post story about an alleged incident on the set of Josh and Benny Safdie's Good Time (2017), and debate whether the news will affect Marty Supreme's Oscar chances. They also look back at Oscars scandals and whisper campaigns of the recent past, from Emilia Perez to Shakespeare in Love, and consider how social media has influenced the race o...

Vanity Fair Style Correspondent José Criales-Unzueta joins John and Rebecca to discuss how dressing for the red carpet has evolved since the days of Old Hollywood. He breaks down the stylists and partnerships that have made dressing for awards season more corporate, and shares whose look he’s most excited to see at the Oscars. Plus, John and VF Senior Hollywood Editor Hillary Busis share their tak...

Happy Oscar Nom Day! Rebecca, John, and VF Staff Writer Chris Murphy were up bright and early to analyze this year's Academy Award nominations. They talk about Sinners's historic 16 nominations, and the snubs (Wicked: For Good) and surprises (Kate Hudson) that might make this Oscars more unpredictable than everyone initially thought. Plus, they offer suggestions and predictions for the ceremony it...

The 83rd Golden Globes kept the momentum going for most of the expected winners, but the night still delivered a couple of notable surprises and a killer monologue from Nikki Glaser. Rebecca and John share their impressions of what went down inside the Beverly Hilton (including Rebecca's almost-Jason Derulo moment), and try to predict what the Globes wins—and losses—mean for Academy nominations vo...

The winter break is barely over, but Rebecca and John have already hit the ground running. They share dispatches from the Palm Springs Gala and the Critics Choice Awards, and debate whether Academy voters will be able to get over the Kardashian of it all. Then, Little Gold Men's best friend, Hillary Busis, joins the conversation to make some bold predictions about what will happen at Sunday's Gold...

At a special Little Gold Men live event at the Regent Santa Monica Beach, the Australian actor revealed that he had tried to get the rights to Denis Johnson's book four years earlier. But, he tells John and Rebecca, the wait was worth it to make Clint Bentley's version of the story, which explores fatherhood. "Robert, for me, felt like some version of myself and that felt like a worthwhile thing t...

In this episode from the archives, Rebecca talks with the Aftersun Oscar nominee and Hamnet star Paul Mescal, who starred last year in Ridley Scott's long-awaited Gladiator II. The indie darling reveals why he finally said yes to a blockbuster, the sage advice he got from his director, and why he's been working at such an intense pace since Normal People. Plus, he answers the Proust Questionnaire,...

In this episode from the archives, the Oscar nominee talks to Rebecca about how much playing Glinda the Good Witch transformed her, from permanently changing her vocal cords to shifting her emotionally as well. Plus, she talks about how she survives living a very public life and plays a round of Proust Roulette. This episode originally aired on Feb 11, 2025 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit...

Rebecca and John are joined by VF's Hillary Busis to share some words of wisdom for Hollywood as we enter the new year. And Hollywood had better take note as they offer priceless unsolicited advice to the powers that be. They also share their predictions for the 10 Best Picture nominees, and discuss who is on the bubble and where there could be some surprises. Finally, Rebecca and John review the...

Rebecca talks with Amanda Seyfried, who has two films coming out over two weeks: she stars as a wealthy woman with secrets in The Housemaid, and as the leader of the Shaker religious movement in the ambitious epic The Testament of Ann Lee. The actress discusses the confidence she needed to have in herself, along with the challenges of learning the intense dance style used in the latter. "The natur...

Rebecca chats with Jacob Elordi, who plays the creature in Guillermo del Toro’s moving film. He reveals how he prepared for the unique role, his biggest concerns with the hours-long prosthetics process, and why it was, in a way, a religious experience. "I suppose maybe it takes a mask sometimes for people to see the truth of something," he says of his experience. Plus. the Australian actor talks a...

Rebecca and John are joined by their VF colleague Chris Murphy to talk all about the Globes nominations, including the biggest snubs (Wicked: For Good) and surprises (Eva Victor, Emily Blunt). They also discuss the influx of international features and what's going on with the new podcast category. Plus, they debate how the news about Netflix's acquisition of Warner Bros. might affect the Oscar rac...

This week, Rebecca and John are joined by VF Senior Editor Hillary Busis to answer a slew of mailbag questions. They highlight some of the more interesting below-the-line races, including cinematography and editing. They also debate if having a popular TV show can help an Oscar contender's chances, and whether "KPop Demon Hunters" has a shot at a Best Picture nod. Finally, they make their December...

John and Rebecca take stock of a series of star-studded Oscar contenders that are having trouble at the box office. They debate why so many indie adult dramas can't find an audience in today's marketplace, and what that might mean for their awards chances. Then, they break down the best actor race, one of the most competitive we've seen in years. And speaking of leading men, Rebecca and John are a...

Rebecca and John go down a road less traveled on this week's Little Gold Men and discuss the Grammy Awards with Vanity Fair associate editor Daniela Tijerina and staff writer Erin Vanderhoof. They break down this year's surprisingly good nominations, the Grammy's bumpy relationship with the music industry, and the idiosyncrasies of the Recording Academy before weighing in on their hopes for perfor...

Rebecca and John are joined by their VF colleague Hillary Busis to discuss the overtly political movies of the season, including One Battle After Another, A House of Dynamite, and Bugonia. Plus, they look back at how the political climate has previously affected the awards race. Finally, they discuss how stars and directors navigate the tricky task of promoting their movies when politics are front...

Rebecca and John are joined by their VF colleague Chris Murphy to talk about the season’s first nominations, The Gotham Awards. They debate which awards ahead of the Oscars actually indicate true frontrunners. Plus, they pick their favorite new movies hitting theaters in November. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Meet Wally Amos. He founded the ubiquitous Famous Amos Chocolate Chip Cookies in 1975, turning the brand into an overnight sensation and himself into a pop-culture fixture in the 1970s and 1980s.  But there’s a darker side to Wally’s seemingly sweet story. One filled with five marriages to six women and a string of bad business decisions that led him to lose the empire he had created. When he pass...

Rebecca and John discuss Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere, which hits theaters Friday. Along with debating its awards chances, they are joined by music journalist Alan Light, who reveals why there’s been such an uptick in music biopics. Finally, John and Rebecca break down the best director race, which could be full of directors who have been long overdue for their first nominations. Learn mor...

Rebecca and John recap the two biggest premieres of the New York Film Festival, Bradley Cooper's 'Is This Thing On?' and the surprise debut of Josh Safdie's 'Marty Supreme'. They also discuss Timothée Chalamet's already eccentric promotional stunts for the latter. Finally, they take a deep dive into the best actress race, which may have one clear frontrunner, but lots of spots up for grabs. Learn...

Rebecca and John are joined by VF's Hillary Busis to discuss Kathryn Bigelow's A House of Dynamite, which hits select theaters Friday. Then, they take a closer look at Netflix's packed Oscars slate, and discuss what's been holding the streamer back from nabbing their first best picture Oscar win. Could this be the year? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices