Pop Culture Confidential

Christina is thrilled to have writer/director Sean Baker ('Tangerine'. 'The Florida Project') on Pop Culture Confidential! His wonderful new movie 'Anora' won the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival and is receiving major awards buzz. In this wide ranging conversation Christina talks to Baker about 'Anora', Mikey Madison's career making performance, exploring the lives of sex workers in several...

We are thrilled to have Ryan McQuade (executive editor, AwardsWatch.com) back for a jam packed episode! After an emotional week we thought it would be fitting to discuss what has made us emotional at the movies. We pick our most emotional scenes in 2024, so far. Plus our reactions to this week's big premiere Gladiator II. And from Ridley to Francis to Clint, we talk about octogenarian (and nonagen...

Karla Sofía Gascón, groundbreaking star of ‘Emilia Pérez’! Catch my subtitled interview on YouTube or listen on Pop Culture Confidential. The trans actress is making history this awards season! She talks to me about the incredible reactions from audiences to ‘Emilia Pérez’, her own difficult and inspiring journey, how she’d love to star in an action film next and much more. (This interview first a...

With less than 2 weeks until the US election Christina is joined by journalist Chris Smith, contributing editor at Vanity Fair and best-selling author of The Daily Show (the Book), to discuss Harris and Trump's media strategies. They talk about the candidates many podcast interviews, media appearances and their messaging. If celebrity endorsements move the needle, Elon Musk, SNL, the political pow...

This is an encore episode (previously aired in Feb 2024) When Robert and Trude Steen's son Mats passed away at age 25 from a degenerative muscular disease they grieved over what they thought had been an isolated and lonely life but what they found out would change everything. Mats, a gamer known as 'Ibelin' in World of Warcraft, had despite his physical disabilities formed strong friendships, fall...

It's time for Pop Culture Confidential's first Oscar predictions episode of the season! Ryan McQuade, (Executive Editor @ AwardsWatch) joins Christina for a huge Academy Awards predictions show. With the Venice, Telluride & Toronto film festivals behind us what is the state of the race? What films are dominating the awards conversation? Ryan & Christina dive into an exciting awards season!...

Christina had the honor of interviewing the brilliant Ken Leung! This bonus episode includes their previously unaired talk about the season finale of 'Industry' now that the episode has aired. Christina is joined by actor Ken Leung for this wide ranging conversation! Ken Leung is electrifying in his role as Eric on Industry (HBO Max) which takes place in the cutthroat world of finance and is now o...

Ryan McQuade (AwardsWatch) joins Christina to talk about the big film & movie news of the week! They talk about Saturday Night Live season 50's election cast (which includes Maya Rudolph as Kamala Harris and Dana Carvey as Joe Biden), Coppola's 'Megalopolis' and 'The Brutalist' written & directed by Brady Corbet. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ryan McQuade (Executive Editor AwardsWatch) joins Christina to review and discuss the new body horror film 'The Substance' from writer/director Coralie Fargeat. The film stars Demi Moore, Margaret Qualley & Dennis Quaid. Spoilers! Plus 'Musical-fishing'! Why are studios hiding the fact that their movies are musicals in their marketing campaigns and trailers? Learn more about your ad choices. V...

It's a huge fall season for SNL! Saturday Night Live will be back for its 50th season on September 23rd and Jason Reitman's movie 'Saturday Night', (about the first ever SNL episode in 1975) premieres in October. Christina is honored to have Alan Zweibel on the show. Alan is an original SNL writer and a 5 time Emmy awards winner. (Josh Brener plays Zweibel in 'Saturday Night) Alan talks about seei...

Christina joins The AwardsWatch Podcast to discuss their reactions to the films at the 51st Telluride Film Festival! On episode 250 of The AwardsWatch Podcast, Executive Editor Ryan McQuade is joined by Editor-In-Chief Erik Anderson, Associate Editor Sophia Ciminello, and special guest Christina Birro of Pop Culture Confidential come together The 2024 film festival season has begun and many of the...

In a new Telluride Film Festival 2024 mini dispatch Christina talks to Erik Anderson of AwardsWatch.com about 'Nickel Boys', RaMell Ross narrative directorial debut. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Our first dispatch from the 51st Telluride Film Festival! Christina is in the mountains of Colorado covering the legendary film festival. Christina talks about the exciting 2024 movie line up that was just announced yesterday. And talks to AwardsWatch Ryan McQuade about why Netflix buying Pablo Larraín's 'Maria', starring Angelina Jolie, sent shock waves through the film community. Stay tuned for...

Christina is honored to be joined by actor Ken Leung for this wide ranging conversation! Ken Leung is electrifying in his role as Eric on Industry (HBO Max) which takes place in the cutthroat world of finance and is now on it's critically acclaimed third season. Ken Leung's career includes roles on TV shows like Lost and The Sopranos and in the films Rush Hour , Spielberg's A.I. Artificial Intelli...

Nosferatu & Maria Callas. Guadagnino & Almodovar. Popes & Gladiators. Ryan McQuade (AwardsWatch.com) joins Christina for a discussion about (a mostly:) thrilling season of movies ahead! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A fantastic new season of 'Industry'! 'Squid Game' returns! New shows starring Cate Blanchett and Jeff Goldblum are on the schedule! It looks like it's going to be an exciting TV season coming up this fall. Tyler Doster (TV editor @ AwardsWatch.com) joins Christina for a rundown of 2024 fall/winter TV season Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ryan McQuade (AwardsWatch) joins Christina to countdown their favorite movies of 2024 so far. A great mix! From Challengers to Hit Man and so many more. Plus the latest movie news, Horizon Part 2 heading to the Venice Film Festival, who will host the Oscars after Kimmel and Mulaney pass up the offer, Chalamet as Bob Dylan and much more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoice...

Paul Raci, Oscar nominated for his role in 2019's 'Sound Of Metal', is back on Pop Culture Confidential to talk about his phenomenal new film 'Sing Sing'! The film centers on a group of inmates putting up a play at the maximum security prison Sing Sing through (the real) Rehabilitation Through the Arts Program. Mr. Raci, who plays theater director & group leader Brent Buell, stars alongside re...

It's June all summer! Christina talks to acting legend June Squibb. The 95 year old actor stars as Nostalgia in the summer's biggest hit 'Inside Out 2' and as Thelma in Josh Margolin's wonderful directorial debut. 'Thelma', about a grandmother determined to get justice after she's scammed out of ten thousand dollars, is a generational story and an action comedy. And Ms. Squibb does her own stunts!...

From their studios at The Ringer/Spotify in downtown Los Angeles Christina visits with the brilliant TV critics and co-hosts of 'The Watch' Chris Ryan & Andy Greenwald! They talk, among other things, about their longtime friendship and collaboration. The latest seasons of TV and discuss: are we in a particularly good moment for multifaceted female characters. Talk about shows like The Bear, Sh...

Ryan McQuade (of AwardsWatch.com) joins Christina for a wide ranging discussion about Kevin Costner's four part, mega film project 'Horizon: An American Saga' and it's aftermath. Their thoughts on the first film. How will the lackluster reviews for part one and the slow box office affect the coming movies? They talk about filmmakers and their passion projects. What is Kevin Costner's legacy going...

Ryan McQaude joins Christina to discuss the new documentary 'I Am: Celine Dion'. Plus they countdown their 10 favorite celebrity docs, from Hearts of Darkness to Get Back to O.J.: Made in America and many more. Plus a fantastic announcement! Ryan will be joining us on a more regular basis. Once a month we'll have Fridays with Ryan with more great deep-dives, reviews, rants & raves! X @ryanmcqu...

2024 Emmy voting is open! Christina is joined by NPR TV critic & media analyst Eric Deggans to discuss the 2024 Emmy year, nomination predictions, possible surprises and much more. Will it be a big year for the critically acclaimed shows Shōgun and Baby Reindeer? Will The Bear dominate again for its terrific second season? Voting closes on June 24 and the 2024 Emmy nominations will be announce...

Erik Anderson, Editor-in-Chief at AwardsWatch.com, joins Christina for some early Oscar predictions! What is the Oscar buzz post-Cannes and the spring festivals? What do we have coming up this summer and at the fall festivals? Looks like it will be an incredible awards season! Particularly in the actress category; Amy Adams in 'Nightbitch' (will she get her seventh nomination?), Demi Moore, Angeli...

Guest writer/director Halfdan Ullmann Tøndel talks to Christina about his fascinating first feature 'Armand', winner of the Cannes' Camera d'Or 2024. They talk about his ambitious and risky drama that revolves around a meeting between parents and school staff regarding an incident between two kids. On how he built the tension in the script, being inspired by '12 Angry Men' & Spielberg, what mo...