Reel Insights

In this Reel Insights episode, Sean Tajipour, the Mayor of Nerdtropolis, chats with acclaimed actor Willem Dafoe about his haunting new role in The Man in My Basement, which had its World Premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF). Dafoe opens up about what first drew him to the project, crediting his admiration for Walter Mosley’s work and the vision of debut director Nadia Latif....

In this Reel Insights episode, Sean Tajipour, the Mayor of Nerdtropolis, chats with legendary actor, director, and scholar Dr. Peter Weller to dive into his brand-new YouTube channel, Weller World . Dr. Weller shares the story behind launching the channel, his lifelong journey from jazz musician and acclaimed actor ( RoboCop , The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai ) to passionate historian and teacher...

In this Reel Insights episode, Sean Tajipour, the Mayor of Nerdtropolis, chats with Josh Duhamel and director Allan Ungar about their new action-comedy London Calling , following their successful collaboration on Bandit . Josh opens up about stepping into the role of a down-on-his-luck hitman forced to babysit his mob boss’s awkward teenage son, played by Jeremy Ray Taylor. He shares how the film...

In this Reel Insights episode, Sean Tajipour, the Mayor of Nerdtropolis, chats with Anthony "CiTRiC" Campos about his role as Emilio in King of the Hill Season 14, the long-awaited revival of Mike Judge’s beloved animated series. Anthony shares his excitement about returning to Arlen, Texas, and voicing Emilio — a new character who shakes up Bobby’s world while honoring the show’s legend...

In this Reel Insights episode, Sean Tajipour, the Mayor of Nerdtropolis, chats with Owen Teague about his role as Brad in Griffin in Summer , the heartfelt coming-of-age comedy from writer/director Nicholas Colia. Owen opens up about why the film feels so different from anything he’s done before, calling it “one of the funniest movies I’ve seen in a long time” while still carrying a “sweet soul” a...

In this Reel Insights episode, Sean Tajipour, the Mayor of Nerdtropolis, chats with Callie Schuttera about her chilling role in Weapons , the latest horror-thriller from writer/director Zach Cregger ( Barbarian ). Callie opens up about landing the role through what she calls the “old-fashioned audition,” the eerie walk that became one of the film’s most haunting moments, and what it was like perfo...

In this Reel Insights episode, Sean Tajipour, the Mayor of Nerdtropolis, chats with Ben Feldman (“Avi Schwooper”), Abbi Jacobson (“Shira Schwooper”), and showrunner/writer/EP Raphael Bob-Waksberg about Long Story Short , the new Netflix animated comedy from the creator of BoJack Horseman . The trio dives into the making of the Schwooper family, sharing laughs about family traditions, the smells th...

In this Reel Insights episode, Sean Tajipour, the Mayor of Nerdtropolis, chats with Simone Miller (“Kalisha”), Joe Freeman (“Luke Ellis”), and Fionn Laird (“Nick”) about The Institute , the gripping new MGM+ series based on Stephen King’s acclaimed novel. The trio dives into what it was like stepping onto set for the very first time, the emotional goodbyes on their final day of filming, and how qu...

In this Reel Insights episode, Sean Tajipour, the Mayor of Nerdtropolis, chats with writer, producer, and showrunner Simon Kinberg about Season 3 of Invasion , Apple TV+’s bold, international, and character-driven sci-fi series. Kinberg opens up about the secrets behind the show’s cinematic look, the importance of balancing humanity with spectacle, and why writing remains his greatest passion. He...

In this Reel Insights episode, Sean Tajipour, the Mayor of Nerdtropolis, chats with Adam Devine, Beck Bennett, and River Gallo to talk all things Fixed , the outrageous new R-rated 2D animated comedy from Sony Pictures Animation and legendary creator Genndy Tartakovsky. The cast shares their most laugh-out-loud moments from recording, the wildest dog behaviors they wish humans could get away with,...

In this Reel Insights episode, Sean Tajipour, the Mayor of Nerdtropolis, chats with legendary animator Genndy Tartakovsky to talk all things Fixed , his outrageous new R-rated 2D animated comedy from Sony Pictures Animation. Genndy opens up about pushing his animation team into uncharted territory, recruiting top-tier talent from Disney and Who Framed Roger Rabbit to tackle the film’s wild and rau...

In this Reel Insights episode, Sean Tajipour, the Mayor of Nerdtropolis, chats with writer-director Tony Tost and actor Paul Walter Hauser about their thrilling new modern-day western, Americana , hitting theaters August 22. Paul shares why Tony’s script instantly grabbed his attention—calling it “one of the best scripts I’ve ever read”—and how he feared the role might go to someone else before lo...

In this Reel Insights episode, Sean Tajipour, the Mayor of Nerdtropolis, chats with Te Kohe Tuhaka about his powerful role in Chief of War , the epic Apple TV+ series led by Jason Momoa. Te Kohe opens up about portraying Namakeha—Jason Momoa’s ancestor—and what it means to bring Polynesian history to a global stage. He shares how the series honors Hawaiian language, culture, and ceremony, and how...

In this Reel Insights episode, Sean Tajipour, the Mayor of Nerdtropolis, chats with Liza Koshy about her hilarious role in the brand-new reboot of The Naked Gun alongside Liam Neeson. Liza opens up about joining one of comedy’s most iconic franchises, keeping a straight face during absurd scenes, and what it’s like to perform next to someone as tall (and serious) as Neeson. She also shares the sec...

In this Reel Insights episode, Sean Tajipour, the Mayor of Nerdtropolis, chats with WWE Superstar Charlotte Flair ahead of SummerSlam and the powerful new series WWE: Unreal . Charlotte opens up about the emotional weight of living in the spotlight, the ongoing grind behind the glam, and what it truly means to be “The Queen” both in and out of the ring. She reflects on creating lifelong moments fo...

In this Reel Insights episode, Sean Tajipour, the Mayor of Nerdtropolis, chats with Dean Cain to dive into Little Angels —his heartfelt, funny, and inspiring directorial debut. Little Angels brings together underdog soccer kids, powerful life lessons, and a big dose of second chances. Dean opens up about writing, producing, and directing the story of a disgraced football coach tasked with leading...

In this Reel Insights episode, Sean Tajipour, the Mayor of Nerdtropolis, chats with Taron Egerton to talk about She Rides Shotgun —the emotional, high-stakes drama that’s already leaving audiences breathless. Taron opens up about stepping into one of his most grounded and intimate roles yet, playing Nate, a father on the run trying to connect with the daughter he barely knows. He reflects on the d...

In this Reel Insights episode, Sean Tajipour, the Mayor of Nerdtropolis, chats with director Pierre Perifel to talk all things The Bad Guys 2 —the sleek, stylish sequel that’s winning over both kids and adults. Pierre shares the wild journey of how The Bad Guys franchise began with a single sketch and a dream, and how he and his team started work on the sequel before the first film even hit theate...

In this Reel Insights episode, Sean Tajipour, the Mayor of Nerdtropolis, chats with actor and voiceover powerhouse Feodor Chin—best known as the voice of Zenyatta in Overwatch and Wenwu in Marvel’s What If...? —to talk about his massive cross-media career. Feodor shares what it’s been like voicing Zenyatta for nearly a decade and how the peaceful Omnic monk has helped him stay grounded in real lif...

In this Reel Insights episode, Sean Tajipour, the Mayor of Nerdtropolis, chats with Chase Sui Wonders, Jonah Hauer-King, Tyriq Withers, and Sarah Pidgeon to talk about the killer new I Know What You Did Last Summer movie. The cast opens up about bringing the legendary slasher back to life, working with Freddie Prinze Jr. and Jennifer Love Hewitt, and what it was like fangirling when the OGs showed...

In this Reel Insights episode, Sean Tajipour, the Mayor of Nerdtropolis, chats with Ben Barnes and Joe Freeman about The Institute , the gripping new series from MGM+ based on Stephen King’s acclaimed novel. Ben and Joe open up about how they built the invisible connection between their characters, Tim and Luke, who start on separate paths but become deeply intertwined as the story unfolds. They s...

In this Reel Insights episode, Sean Tajipour, the Mayor of Nerdtropolis, chats with Murderbot creators Chris Weitz and Paul Weitz about their fresh and funny new sci-fi series now streaming on Apple TV+. Chris and Paul break down what drew them to Martha Wells’ award-winning books and share why Alexander Skarsgård was their dream pick to play the sarcastic, soap-opera-loving security bot. They als...

In this Reel Insights episode, Sean Tajipour, the Mayor of Nerdtropolis, chats with Elizabeth Tulloch, the beloved star of Superman & Lois , about all things Superman, Lois Lane, and an adorable dog-friendly screening of the new Superman movie! Elizabeth opens up about her first memory of Superman as a kid growing up overseas, how she found her own version of the iconic Lois Lane, and why the...

In this Reel Insights episode, Sean Tajipour, the Mayor of Nerdtropolis, chats with Lee Pace and Laura Birn to talk all things Foundation Season 3, the epic sci-fi series inspired by Isaac Asimov’s groundbreaking novels. Lee and Laura open up about why this season is bigger than ever, introducing huge new characters and exploring stunning new worlds across the Galactic Empire. They share how Found...

In this Reel Insights episode, Sean Tajipour, the Mayor of Nerdtropolis, chats with Sway Bhatia to talk all things Zombies 4 , Mighty Ducks: Game Changers , and her amazing journey working alongside Milo Manheim and Emilio Estevez. Sway opens up about stepping into Disney’s massive Zombies franchise as a self-proclaimed superfan, sharing behind-the-scenes stories with Milo Manheim, and how he mani...