The Great Creators with Guy Raz

Ryan Tedder is the lead singer and multi-instrumentalist of the band OneRepublic. He’s also a producer and songwriter behind hits such as Adele’s Rumor Has It and Beyonce’s Halo . He joins Guy to talk about growing up in a religious family, tackling his stagefright, using personal experiences to write music, working with star musicians, and how to choose singles during the TikTok age. Links from t...

Carrie Brownstein has made iconic contributions to the worlds of music, with the indie-rock band Sleater-Kinney; and comedy, in the sketch comedy show Portlandia , which she co-created with Fred Armisen. She tells Guy about how the band found its sound, about the unlikely events that led to the birth of Portlandia, and why she had to take a break from Sleater-Kinney to finally face some childhood...

The rapper Macklemore and his collaborator Ryan Lewis had their first two singles go straight to number one ( Thrift Shop and Can't Hold Us ). Even more amazing, they did it without being signed to a major label. Macklemore joins Guy to discuss why they stayed independent, his battle with addiction, why he feels indebted to the originators of hip-hop, and how to make music that means something. Ma...

Tom Hanks has had more iconic roles than most actors have had roles. From Big , to Forrest Gump , to Saving Private Ryan , to 2022’s Elvis , Tom has played countless characters spanning across different genres and different decades. In this wide-ranging interview, Tom discusses the trajectory of his career, the importance of bringing his own ideas to the films he’s acted in, and how he has managed...

Billy Porter is an Emmy, Tony and Grammy-award winning artist known for lighting up the red carpet with his incredible ensembles. But success did not come easy for Billy. He tells Guy about his years in obscurity, why he never stopped working on his craft, and what led to his big break. Links from the show: Billy's best red carpet outfits (Elle) Music video for " Show Me " Music video for " Childr...

Singer/songwriter and violinist Andrew Bird ’s singular live performances -- a blend of Americana, indie folk, and jazz -- have been captivating audiences for 20 years. He tells Guy how his signature style started emerging during several seasons spent by himself in an Illinois barn, demonstrates his violin-looping technique in real time, and discusses how a moment of crisis in his family led him t...

Danny Elfman is a musician best known for fronting the new wave band Oingo Boingo and for his scores on countless Tim Burton films ( Edward Scissorhands, The Nightmare Before Christmas, Batman ). He joins Guy to talk about his adventures in a traveling circus, his relentless battle with stage fright, his decision to leave the biggest job of his career, and how he recently did a solo set at Coachel...

Bjork is a singular artist whose work extends beyond her music to include acting and conceptual art. Her latest album, "Fossora," features a bass clarinet ensemble and the accompanying videos evoke mushrooms and tree roots. She talks with Guy about forming her unique vocal style, recording her first album at 11 years old, and why she uses symbols from nature to define each album. Links from the sh...

Andy Garcia is an actor ( Ocean's 11, The Untouchables, The Godfather Part III ) who is best known for playing the suave leading man alongside other Hollywood greats like Sean Connery, Diane Keaton, and Al Pacino. He talks to Guy about fleeing the Cuban Revolution, waiting tables for celebrities in Beverly Hills, and the best advice he got from Mario Puzo on how to prepare for The Godfather Part I...

Jim Parsons is an actor who became famous starring as Sheldon on The Big Bang Theory . But what you might not know about the on-screen super-nerd is that he's a classically trained stage actor. After twelve years playing the same character, now he's trying on new roles ( Hollywood, Spoiler Alert, A Man of No Importance ) that allow him to flex some different creative muscles. He talks to Guy about...

Zooey Deschanel is an actor ( New Girl , Elf, 500 Days of Summer ) musician ( She & Him ), crafter, and entrepreneur ( HelloGiggles, Lettuce Grow). She tells Guy how being diagnosed with ADHD as a child affected her life and career, how the "loneliness" of the actor's life led her to songwriting and her collaboration with M Ward, and how – right before landing her biggest role – she almost qui...

Billy Eichner is an actor, writer and comedian whose most recent film is the groundbreaking rom-com Bros. Billy talks to Guy about having to create his own path to success, how he developed the viral hit Billy on the Street, and what he hopes all audiences, straight and LGBTQ, will take away from Bros. Links from the show: Billy on the Street: Best Moments Billy on the Street: The Meryl-Go-Round B...

Alfred Matthew Yankovic , when he was six years old, was told by his parents to choose between accordion and guitar lessons. “And my parents being the visionaries that they were said, ‘Oh, young Alfred would love to play the accordion.’” Alfred, today better known as the chart-topping musician, satirist, and beloved nerd Weird Al Yankovic, tells Guy how that decision changed his life, and decades...

Graham Nash has made some of the most unforgettable music of the last century: songs like Marrakesh Express , Our House , and Just a Song Before I Go . And now, at the age of 80, he’s as creatively engaged as ever, still releasing new albums and roaming the streets of New York City in search of his next great photograph. He talks to Guy about where he continues to find inspiration, about the top-1...

Sigourney Weaver has appeared in more than 60 films, from her breakout role in Alien in 1979 and the blockbuster Aliens in 1986, to Gorillas in the Mist and Working Girl , and later Avatar, with many sequels in the works. Despite being raised by a family steeped in show business, Sigourney was reluctant to pursue acting for many years. In our conversation, Sigourney unpacks what was behind that re...

Oak Felder is the producer and songwriter behind hits like Demi Lovato’s “Sorry Not Sorry” and Alessia Cara’s “Scars to Your Beautiful.” He talks to Guy about his upbringing in Turkey, why comfortable couches and blue lights help creativity, songs that bring him to tears, and how he helps artists unleash their creative potential. Links from the show: Video for Demi Lovato's "Sorry Not Sorry" Video...

Nick Kroll is an actor and comedian ( Kroll Show , Parks and Recreation ) and the creator of Big Mouth and Human Resources on Netflix. He joins Guy to talk about developing outrageous characters, playing over-the-top villains, his quirky writing process, why everyone can benefit from improv classes, and his thoughts on comedy vs. “cancel culture.” Links from the show: Clip from Nick's appearance o...

The Chainsmokers production and DJ duo Alex Pall and Drew Taggart are behind the smash hits “Don’t Let Me Down” and “Closer.” They talk to Guy about why they stopped making remixes, how they moved past a breakthrough hit that felt like an artistic failure, and how they have managed to stay loyal to each other through the highs and lows. Links from the show: The Chainsmokers on Hype Machine Video f...

Audra McDonald ( Master Class , Ragtime , Lady Day at Emerson's Bar & Grill ) has won six Tony Awards--more performance wins than any other theater actor. (She's also won two Grammys and one Emmy along the way.) Still, each new role she takes scares her. Audra tells Guy why that fear is actually essential to her work, about her never-ending quest to know her characters better, and how it felt...

Stephen Colbert has played many roles--an officious high school teacher in Strangers with Candy , and a bumbling blowhard on The Daily Show and The Colbert Report. Now, on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert , he's facing his biggest challenge: being himself. Stephen talks to Guy about working through that challenge, about the early and enduring influence Amy Sedaris and Paul Dinello had on his wor...

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