Pop Culture Confidential

Scandals! Predictions! Fun! Critic and author Thelma Adams (twice chair of the New York Film Critics Circle, Gold Derby, Variety, MHzchoice) joins us to talk Golden Globes: the news that is rocking the Hollywood Foreign Press Assoc & we predict all categories, film & TV! The 78th Annual Golden Globe® Awards, hosted by Tina Fey from the Rainbow Room in New York and Amy Poehler from The Beverly Hilton in Los Angeles, will air LIVE on Sunday, Feb. 28, 2021.

Writer Megan McLachlan (Buzzfeed, The Washington Post, Cosmopolitan, AwardsDaily) joins us to talk about the latest news, controversies and Hollywood implosions. News and revelations that have rocked the pop culture landscape, fans and the industry alike. Follow Megan twitter @heydudemeg

Actor Nathaniel Curtis joins us to talk about his performance in Russell T Davies powerful, emotional and daring new series “It’s a Sin” about a group of friends in the 80s, grappling with the rise of the HIV/AIDS epidemic. We talk about how the script affected him, tackling his first TV role, the support on the set, working with intimacy coordinators, what he learned about grief and much more. ‘It’s a Sin’ is on Channel 4 (UK), HBO and premiering on HBO MAX in the US on Feb 18th

Christina and Erik Anderson (Editor-in-Chief, AwardsWatch) have been “Sundancing” for days! They share their thoughts on some of the most talked about titles, their likes and dislikes and festival surprises. Sundance titles include Coda, Flee, Passing, John and the Hole, Summer of Soul, Mass, How it Ends, In the Same Breath, Eight for Silver, Rita Moreno: Just A Girl Who Decided To Go For It, Ailey, Sparks Brothers and many more

An intimate conversation with writer/director Edoardo Ponti about his critically acclaimed new movie ‘The Life Ahead’. On the directing his mother, screen legend Sophia Loren, his parents influence, award season buzz and so much more ‘The Life Ahead’ is available on Netflix

Welcome to our Sundance Film Festival 2021 preview special! Christina is joined by Erik Anderson, Editor in Chief of AwardsWatch.com, to discuss what they are expecting and most looking forward to at this years' Sundance Film Festival!

Our guest this week is journalist and Columbia Journalism School Professor Jessica Bruder. She is the author of ‘Nomadland’, now a major motion picture and Oscar frontrunner starring Frances McDormand, directed by Chloé Zhao. The book, and the movie, explores the subculture of older American workers, many priced out of their middle class life and with no pensions, who have given up traditional housing and are living in their RVs, trucks and campers. Modern nomads  searching for temporary employment. Jessica Bruder spent three years on the project and 15,000 miles of driving — from coast to coast—following the community. 'Nomadland: Surviving America in the Twenty-First Century' is available on Amazon The movie ‘Nomadland’ will premiere in the US on Feb 19th 2021 on Hulu and in selected theaters. In other territories in March.

Join us for an intimate conversation with this seasons' breakout star Paul Raci. Mr Raci is already garnering awards buzz for his role as Joe, a deaf Vietnam veteran and leader of a rehab for the deaf, in the critical acclaimed feature SOUND OF METAL. Mr Raci talks to us about how the role in many ways mirrors his own life, a Vietnam veteran and recovering addict himself. About his identity as a CODA, a Child of Deaf Adults. About growing up as a hearing child with two deaf parents and how he in many ways was a conduit for them in the hearing world. His Black Sabbath cover band where he performs entire concerts in ASL, American Sign Language. Working with actor Riz Ahmed and why director Darius Marder thought he was perfect for the role. Plus much more A full, written transcript of this interview (provided by https://www.scriptme.io) is available @ www.popcultureconfidential.com

Epi 206 Happy New Year! Christina & Erik's/AwardsWatch most anticipated 2021 films/shows/award news. by Pop Culture Confidential

Happy Holidays listeners! Such a great Christmas special for you this week. A conversation with Pixar’s Pete Docter (co-writer, co-director & Pixar Chief Creative Officer) and Dana Murray (Producer) about SOUL, the new critically acclaimed feature starring Jamie Foxx and Tina Fey. We talk about the ‘Pixar brain trust’, the incredible animation and music of Soul, the first black lead in Pixar history, the heartbreak of not being able to release the film in theatres and much more, Very Happy Holidays to you all! SOUL premieres on Disney+ on December 25th

Iconic, Emmy winning actor Glynn Turman (Cooley High, The Wire, In Treatment, Fargo) joins us this week! We talk about his role as Toledo in the new Netflix movie ‘Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom’, working with Chadwick Boseman on his last film, Ingmar Bergman, Aretha Franklin and how this movie resonates so incredibly in 2020. ‘Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom’ premieres on Netflix on December 18th.

It’s time for one of our regular chats with the great Erik Anderson, editor in chief at AwardsWatch.com. We give you our thoughts on some of the upcoming, HUGE releases: from Fincher’s ‘Mank’ to Chadwick Boseman’s incredible last performance in ‘Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom’. Plus industry news and an awards season update! #wonderwoman84 #mank #thefather #nomadland #hillbillyelegy #maraineysblackbottom #soundofmetal #supernova Twitter @awards_watch

Don’t miss this exclusive and compelling conversation with actor/writer/director Arliss Howard (Full Metal Jacket, Natural Born Killers, The Lost World: Jurassic Park, Amistad, Moneyball, Manhunt) A journey into his process, his brilliant performance as MGM’s Louis B Mayer in David Fincher’s new epic feature ‘Mank’, working with Fincher, Kubrick, Spielberg and Stone and so much more! ‘Mank’ premieres theatrically in some territories on Nov 13th. On Netflix Dec 4.

My guest this week is the multi-talented Emerald Fennell (actor, novelist, writer and director). She stars in Netflix ‘The Crown’ as Camilla Shand, one part of what might be the worlds most famous ménage-à-trois. Fennell has starred in the BBC series ‘Call the Midwife’. She took over the reins from Phoebe Waller-Bridge as the head writer for season two of ‘Killing Eve’ and her directorial debut is the fantastic film ‘Promising Young Woman´ starring Carey Mulligan (premiering later this winter) Season 4 of ‘The Crown’ premieres on Netflix November 15th

Welcome to the 200th episode of Pop Culture Confidential and we are thrilled to have actor/writer/director Viggo Mortensen with us! The Danish/American, three time Oscar nominee is known from such diverse films as The Lord of the Rings Trilogy, A History Of Violence, The Road and Green Book and more. He joins us to talk about his directorial debut, Falling (which he also wrote and stars in). The movie stars the legendary actor Lance Henriksen (Aliens) as the conservative and homophobic father Willis who starts to exhibit symptoms of dementia, forcing him to sell the family farm and relocate to Los Angeles to stay with his son John (Mortensen) and his husband Eric (Terry Chen). The film also stars Sverrir Gudnason as the younger version of Willis, Laura Linney, David Cronenberg and Hannah Gross. “Falling” is premiering at the Stockholm Film Festival in November. In theatres December 4th (Sweden/UK)

It’s a difficult year at the movies but also full of great films! Erik Anderson of AwardsWatch joins us to talk about the state of the industry: Disney is focusing on streaming, blockbusters are being pushed to next year. Will movie theaters survive the pandemic? It’s not looking good. But still, difficult year or not, it’s shaping up to be an excellent year in film: we talk Nine Days, The Father, Mank and more.

David Litt, former speechwriter to President Obama, is our guest this week. The author of the book ‘Democracy in One Book or Less’ talks to us about the 2020 election, Trumps messaging these last 20 days, the Amy Coney Barrett hearings, threats to the democracy, voter suppression and more. In 2011, at age 24, ,David Litt was hired as a White House speechwriter and for almost 5 years, he wrote speeches for President Obama. In 2017 he wrote  the book "Thanks, Obama: My Hopey Changey White House Years",  which became a New York Times bestseller. And now he is out with his excellent , new book ‘Democracy in One Book or Less’ Twitter @davidlitt

Our favorite! Director, filmmaker and cinematographer Kirsten Johnson (Cameraperson) joins Pop Culture Confidential again to talk about her brilliant new documentary ‘Dick Johnson is Dead’ (Netflix). The very personal, funny and thought-provoking film is about coping with her fathers dementia and his inevitable death. I laughed and cried watching her film, we laughed and cried talking about it! Don’t miss!

“I thought a lot about growing up, about finding your own voice, who you are, what you want to do and the struggle of getting there!” We are replaying our interview with actor Alicia Vikander, from this spring, ahead of the premiere of her new film ‘The Glorias’ on Sep 30th (Amazon Prime) We are thrilled to bring you this special and personal conversation with actor Alicia Vikander! She talks to us about starring as feminist icon Gloria Steinem in the upcoming film ‘The Glorias’ (directed by Julie Taymor), about how she has has found her voice and what she wants to do with her Hollywood power! After more than a decade in the industry, and post Oscar-win, Alicia Vikander speaks to Christina about how she is learning to take small breaks and how cooking helps! About her focus and how she and Steinem connected in personal ways. How, early in her Hollywood career, an actress spoke up for her in an uncomfortable, sexist situation and how much that taught her. And how she wants to use her voice and her power to play women from all angles and all dimensions and to get smaller movies with interesting writer/directors off the ground, like her upcoming film ‘Blue Bayou’. And much more!

Erik Anderson of AwardsWatch.com is back to fill us in on all the movie news! What do we know about Madonna’s biopic? Venice just pulled off the first in-person festival of the season and ‘Nomadland’, ‘One Night in Miami’ and ‘Ammonite’ were the talk of the fest! Netflix has major Oscar buzz with movies like Fincher’s ‘Mank’ and Sorkins ‘The Trial of the Chicago 7” + the Academy’s new inclusivity rules! All you need to know on Pop Culture Confidential!

Critic Thelma Adams (The NY Times, Variety, expert at Gold Derby) joins us to help you get your ballots ready! It’s our ultimate Emmy predictions show 2020! Who will take the gold? Will Succession win Drama? Will Schitt’s Creek sweep Comedy? Is it the watchmen’s night? Plus what can we expect from the telecast itself during these Corona times? A huge live show with a tremendously ambitious plan. Join us!

So happy to have actor and activist Cynthia Nixon back with us on Pop Culture Confidential! Since we last spoke Ms Nixon has run for Governor of New York and is now starring in Ryan Murphy’s upcoming Netflix show ‘Ratched’. Here Nixon plays opposite Sarah Paulson in the series which tells the origin story of asylum nurse Mildred Ratched, the iconic character we know from “One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest”. We got the chance to talk to Nixon about how this series shows women's power in an era where that was not always granted, how interesting and rewarding it is to play a queer character from that era, what she learned from being on the campaign trail, how women are still immensely scrutinized  and much more. Ratched premieres on Netflix on September 18th, 2020

Film writer and critic John Bleasdale (The Guardian, The Independent, Sight & Sound) joins us for an in-depth, funny, surprising, analysing discussion on Christopher Nolans ‘Tenet’. With SPOILERS!! ‘Tenet’ is finally being released (in some territories) to theatres this week, after months of speculation as to what was possible during the pandemic. The industry has been asking, can Nolan save cinema? Let’s see. Join us as we enter the time bending world of Christopher Nolan!

“I want to be the last voice in the room” A partnership, is what Senator Kamala Harris told Joe Biden that she wanted before he announced her as his choice for Vice Presidential running mate. Professor Lilly Goren joins us to talk about Sen Kamala Harris, some history of the vice presidency and a look at this pop cultural moment in politics. And Maya Rudolph as Senator Harris, of course! Dr Goren is a professor of political science and global studies at Carroll University. Her research includes American government, the presidency and she often integrates popular culture film, TV and literature, as a means to understanding politics. Dr. Goren is the co-author of the books ‘Women and the White House’ and ‘Mad Men and Politics’

Erik Anderson, editor-in-chief at AwardsWatch joins us with the latest and best industry news: Mulan’s move to Disney+, Venice film festivals excellent line up of female directors, is Netflix leading the Oscar race? and more! Plus Christina is loving HBO’s upcoming Lovecraft Country and we’re both so excited for Judas and the Black Messiah. Listen now!

DANNY TREJO, the legend, on Pop Culture Confidential! Mr Trejo talks to us about his story, from a life of crime to hard prison time at San Quentin and Folsom prisons. How he turned his life around and how a promise to always help others led him to his massive Hollywood career with over 350 credits to his name! His films include ‘Heat’, ‘Machete’, ‘Desperado’, ‘Breaking Bad’ and ‘Spy Kids’. The new documentary “Inmate #1, The Rise of Danny Trejo’ is streaming now. His new cookbook is “Trejos Tacos: Recipes and Stories from LA"

We love it when Erik Anderson (Editor-in-Chief of Awardswatch.com) joins us to talk about all the latest news! This week we talk about Christopher Nolans ’Tenet’, cancelled premieres and possible international release. And it’s a great year for documentaries: we talk about a few that have really moved us: ‘John Lewis: Good Trouble’, ‘Disclosure’ and ‘Welcome to Chechnya’. PLUS what going on with celebrities in quarantine? We we wonder about the #FreeBritney movement and Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith discuss the state of their marriage at their Red Table. Join us!

An exclusive hour with actor Brian Cox! Mr Cox joins us to talk about his incredible portrayal of Logan Roy on HBO’s Succession, who he jokingly calls his “evil twin”. We go deep into the making of the show, his thoughts on Logans motivations, emotional scenes with Jeremy Strong and much more. Plus Mr Cox childhood, background and prolific career in roles such as Hannibal Lecktor in Manhunter and Robert McKee in Adaptation. And of course what he knows about Succession season 3!

Director Sam Feder joins us to talk about his critically acclaimed documentary 'DISCLOSURE: Trans Lives on Screen', streaming now on Netflix! The doc looks at transgender representations in film, television and media through interviews with trans actors, artists and activists including Laverne Cox, Lilly Wachowski, Yance Ford, Jen Richards and Chaz Bono. A history filled with with stereotypes, tropes, heartbreak, bravery, and progress Sam Feder talks to Christina about trans representation through Hollywood history (from DW Griffith, to Ace Ventura, The Crying Game, to Pose) , working with an almost all trans crew, the paradox of visibility, his thoughts on J.K Rowlings' anti trans sentiments and how she should really see Disclosure and so much more. Listen now!

Erik Anderson, chief editor of Awardswatch.com, joins us again to bring us up to date on the ever changing industry news, the Oscar date changes and new rules. Plus some of the summers hottest movie premieres: Da 5 Bloods, Shirley and The King of Staten Island. And what’s going on with Chris Nolans Tenet? All this and more, listen now! Erik Anderson twitter @awards_watch

Award winning host, author and executive producer Padma Lakshmi joins us this week! We talk about her excellent new documentary series 'Taste the Nation' (Hulu). Here she takes us on a journey across the US exploring the diverse food culture of various immigrant groups the shape America. Padma Lakshmi also talks to us about her own story, her mother who left India for NYC and how this has shaped her, living an honest life, Top Chef and so much more. Join us! Taste the Nation premiers on Hulu , June 18th

We are thrilled to welcome Karina Longworth to the show! Longworth is the creator and host of the now iconic podcast 'You Must Remember This'. Her excellent new season is called ‘Polly Platt, The Invisible Woman’ about the interesting and huge life of the Oscar nominated production designer, writer and producer Polly Platt. In our interview we talk about Polly Platt’s unfinished memoir, Platt’s marriage to and collaboration with Peter Bogdanovich, who had an affair with Cybill Sheperd during the filming of The Last Picture Show, and how Platt resonates in the industry much more than she has ever been given credit for. Also about Karina Longworths road to starting You Must remember This, how reporting on Hollywood is broken and so much more twitter @RememberThisPod

Eric Deggans, media analyst (NPR/NBC) and author of ‘Race-Baiter: How The Media Wields Dangerous Words to Divide a Nation’ joins us to talk about yet another case of police brutality that has shocked the world, Trumps response and a system that allows for racism and violence to keep happening. You will find Mr Deggans article “A Tale of Two Videos: Why the Images of George Floyd Dying Broke the Nation” here; https://ericdeggans.tumblr.com

Erik Anderson, chief editor of Awardswatch.com, joins us for a summer movie preview! 2020, a very uncertain summer in the midst of the Corona pandemic BUT hopefully it can bring us a whole bunch of interesting and anticipated movies, both to VOD and in theaters! Will Christopher Nolan save the summer by being the first to open wide on July 17th? Spike Lee's trailer for Da 5 Bloods looks great! The Hamilton movie out a full year early. What can we expect to see, what will be pushed. And what about the rumors that the Oscars will be postponed?! All this and more, listen now! Erik Anderson twitter @awards_watch

This week, Oscar nominated director and executive producer Lenny Abrahamson (Frank, Room, The Little Stranger) joins us to talk about his critically acclaimed and audience beloved series Normal People, an adaptation of the Sally Rooney novel. We talk about young love, sexual consent, the intimacy between the characters , the controversy, a possible continuation of Marianne and Connell's story and much more!

The man, the myth, The Jesus! Actor/writer/director John Turturro joins us to talk about his new movie ‘The Jesus Rolls’! As well as creating the iconic character with the Coen brothers, about the underachievers, the dreamers, the ‘passione’ and so much more. From 'Do the Right Thing' ,'Barton Fink', to 'Quiz Show’  and 'The Big Lebowski’  Mr Turturro has brought to life some of the most memorable characters in cinema history. On TV he starred in 'The Night Of 'and most recently as Rabbi Bengelsdorf  in Davids Simons' HBO miniseries  'The Plot Against America' based on the Philip Roth novel.  'The Jesus Rolls' premieres in Sweden on May 8th and is available to rent or buy on VOD in the US

Screenwriter, playwright and five time BAFTA award winner Jack Thorne joins us to talk about his new Netflix series ‘The Eddy’, directed by Academy Award winner Damien Chazelle. Also, how E.T. impacted his writing and life, writing the smash hit Harry Potter and the Cursed Child for the stage, his process, crossing all genres, and much more!

Erik Anderson, editor-in-chief of Awardswatch.com, joins us for a special update and a break down of the new rules presented by the Academy! This Oscar year the Academy will allow VOD releases to qualify while major theaters are closed, they are changing the rules on awards campaigning, combining the two sound categories and more! Listen now!

Director Jason Hehir joins us to talk about “The Last Dance” his series that, this week, became the most in-demand documentary in the world! “The Last Dance” is a brilliant deep dive into  Michael Jordan,  the Chicago Bulls' dynasty and the final championship season in 1997-98. It features never before seen footage and exclusive interviews with Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, Dennis Rodman, coach Phil Jackson, Magic Johnson, Presidents Obama and Clinton and many more. Airing on @ESPN and @NETFLIX

Eric Deggans, TV critic and media analyst at NPR joins us to talk about the state of television in the Corona age. Netflix stunning growth, how the broadcasters are fairing, the “at home” format like 'SNL at home', the shutdowns and what to expect going forward. Plus what we should be watching now, his best tips, the Michael Jordan doc series The Last Dance, the incredible season of Better Call Saul, Bad Education starring Hugh Jackman and Allison Janney and more. Twitter @Deggans

Icon Holland Taylor joins us this week! Ms Taylor has a long career in the theatre and on Broadway. She’s starred in films like ‘The Truman Show’ and ‘Legally Blonde’ and on television in shows like ‘Bosom Buddies’ with Tom Hanks, ‘Two and a Half Men’ and she won an Emmy for her role on ‘The Practice’.  Recently we saw her in Jay Roachs’ ‘Bombshell’. Now she's starring in Ryan Murphys, much awaited, new Netflix series ‘Hollywood' as studio exec Ellen Kincaid. The cast also includes Broadway icon Patti LuPone, Darren Criss and Queen Latifah. Producer Janet Mock recently described the show like this:  "HOLLYWOOD is a love letter to our little industry town where dreamers dwell, stars are born, and magic transcends reality.” ‘Hollywood’ premieres on Netflix May 1st, 2020

For the award winning Italian journalist Alessio Lasta reporting on the Covid-19 pandemic,  in Northern Italy, is like nothing he has ever done before. It's like fighting a war with an invisible enemy,  he says. Mr. Lasta is the the Milano based correspondent for the weekly, political talk show "Piazzapulita" on channel La7,  one of the most viewed talk shows in Italy. His reports from inside the intensive care units were seen in Italy and around the world, and they changed the perception of the Covid 19 pandemic In our conversation we talk about how, and when, he first started to realize that the pandemic had overwhelmed the region, the personal stories he has encountered, how he works, the lockdown, Italy’s phase-2 and how the stories he has reported on have affected him tremendously. Alessio Lasta has reported for Rai and Mediaset. He has reported on the Italian bank crisis, right wing extremism and is the author of the book "La più bella. La Costituzione tradita. Gli italiani che resistono", published by "add editore", a reportage that shows the lives of many forgotten Italians, without rights". Twitter: @alessiolasta @PiazzapulitaLA7

Journalist and author Chris Smith (Vanity Fair, NyMag) joins us to discuss Trumps press briefings, his claims to have “total authority” and his relationship to the media during the Corona pandemic. Plus , Mr Smith has followed and written extensively about NY Governor Andrew Cuomo and talks about his background, his relationship to Trump and how he is handling the crisis. Chris Smith is a contributing editor for Vanity Fair, New York Magazine and his recent book, The Daily Show (The Book), is a New York Times Bestseller.

Link: https://popcultureconfidential.supportingcast.fm

We had the best time talking to actor Steve Schirripa (Sopranos, Blue Bloods) who played one of our favorite characters on The Sopranos, Bobby ‘Baccala’ Baccalieri; the big hearted wise-guy, Uncle Juniors caretaker who later married Tony Soprano’s sister Janice. In the conversation Mr Schirripa takes us back to filming the first scene with the the great James Gandolfini and the rest of the crew, how Bobby changed over the arc of the series, creator David Chase attention to detail and and how he found out about Bobbys death. And, about his new podcast! Sopranos co-stars Michael Imperioli and Steve Schirripa host the definitive Sopranos re-watch podcast. More info here: www.talkingsopranos.com

We had such a great conversation with actor, writer, theatre director and arts educator Arian Moayed! We talked about Mr Moayed's background, acting and healing through the arts and, of course, his terrific performance as Stewy Hosseini on HBO's ‘Succession’… SO many great Succession stories, it will blow your minds!  Behind the scenes of the show, great anecdotes, and good tales of Stewy and the dysfunctional Roy family! The Iranian born, Chicago bred, Tony nominated Arian Moayed (The Humans, Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo) is the co-co-founder of Waterwell, multimedia theater company that also teaches drama to hundreds of public school students in the New York area. He will star in Shonda Rhimes upcoming Netflix series ‘Inventing Anna’ and, of course, ‘Succession’ season 3 BONUS!!!! On PCC Premium this week 10 minutes of bonus material; an extra deep dive into a Succession scene with Arian Moayed! Become a member here: popcultureconfidential.supportingcast.fm Thanks for your support!

A message from Christina: Hey listeners! I have some exciting news. Who wants Pop Culture Confidential with EXTRA everything!! https://popcultureconfidential.supportingcast.fm I'd like to introduce you to Pop Culture Confidential Premium! I’ve partnered up with the great Slate and their membership platform, Supporting Cast. By subscribing to PCC Premium you'll get my interviews PLUS exclusive content like: early access to the shows, bonus materials, ad free shows and you’ll greatly support the work! So if want to, and can support, PCC come join us here: https://popcultureconfidential.supportingcast.fm THANK you and stay safe! Christina

On this episode Christina Jeurling Birro and Erik Anderson (AwardsWatch) discuss some big industry news during these hard pressed and ever changing times: China reopened, then quickly shut down the countries movies theaters, the new landscape of television that’s on the internet and more. We talk about how New York Governor Cuomo’s press briefings are striking a nerve. And what else are we watching and looking forward to? From the entertaining new show Making The Cut/Project Runway, to the excellent season three of Ozark to the new series Tales from the Loop. Plus we take a real deep dive into the Netflix doc everyone is watching ‘Tiger King’! Erik Anderson www.awardswatch.com

The show must go on----from home! Journalist and TV critic Jen Chaney (New York Magazine, NY Times) joins me to talk about how the late night talk shows are tackling their productions during the Coronavirus epidemic.  The TV and Film industries are changing minute by minute as the Covid-19 outbreak shuts down productions and wreaks havoc on the industries and the people working in them. And it’s a new situation for the late night talk shows as well; Kimmel, Fallon, Colbert and the rest are finding other ways to keep their shows going. Many are broadcasting from their homes while in self-isolation: via iPhone, with the help of their kids, with guests on Skype. I talk to Jen Chaney about how this experiment is going and what it means for the future of late night.

This week we are honored to have disability rights activist Judith Heumann on the show. Ms Heumann is the author of “Being Heumann” (together with Kristen Joiner) and stars in the new Netflix documentary “Crip Camp”, exec produced by Michelle and Barack Obama. She talks to us about how her experiences; like contracting polio in 1949, being denied the right to attend school at age five, facing discrimination in life and work, have shaped her activism and civil rights work. Judith Heumann is an internationally recognized leader in the disability rights community. She served in the Clinton Administration as the Assistant Secretary for the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services and she was appointed by President Obama as the first Special Advisor for International Disability Rights. “Being Heumann” is on Amazon now and “Crip Camp” premieres on Netflix March 25th

Epi 166 An update w/ Erik Anderson: the state of the film industry, movies abt self-isolation & more by Pop Culture Confidential

This week on Pop Culture Confidential the great writer/producer Ed Burns. Burns, a former Baltimore detective and public school teacher, has together with David Simon written and produced some of TVs greatest shows, including "The Wire”. The Philip Roth novel "The Plot Against America” (published in 2004) imagines an alternate American history told through the eyes of a working-class Jewish family in New Jersey. The story follows the family as they watch the political rise of Charles Lindbergh, an aviator-hero and xenophobic populist, who becomes president and turns the nation towards fascism. Now writers/producers David Simon and Ed Burns have taken on the book and made a 6 hour HBO miniseries starring Zoe Kazan, John Turturro and Winona Ryder. We talked to Ed Burns about the series, why Donald Trumps’s presidency makes the show so urgent right now,  the future of democracy and so much more.  “The Plot Against America” premieres on HBO on March 16th

Very happy to welcome back the Editor-in-Chief of AwardsWatch.com, Erik Anderson AND to announce our new collaboration! We will be collaborating on some interviews, podcast episodes and more. On this week’s show Erik and Christina have an interesting conversation about some of the most pressing news affecting the entertainment industry right now; the Weinstein verdict and the Polanski protests at the César awards. How the Corona/Covid-19 virus is affecting the entertainment industry, upcoming film festivals and more. And how pop culture, movies and TV reflect our times, in good times and bad. We talk about how the new thriller ‘The Invisible Man’ is an intelligent parable on abusive relationships and believing women and why Steven Soderbergh’s ‘Contagion’, from 2011, is one of the most streamed movies right now.

We feel the need for speed!! On the show this week actor Rick Rossovich who played Ron ‘Slider’ Kerner, wingman to Val Kilmer’s Iceman in Top Gun (1986). Mr. Rossovich talks about his career, his experiences on Top Gun, the myths and legacy of the franchise, his work in TV and more! All leading up to this summer and the release of Top Gun: Maverick, the sequel 33 years in the making! Will we see him in The new movie on June 26th 2020? Well, we will just have to wait and see. Grab your Ray Bans and catch this interview now! Rick Rossovich has starred in some of the most pop culturally iconic films and TV shows ever: The Lords of Discipline, Streets of Fire, The Terminator, Steve Martin’s Roxanne  and Navy Seals . He played Dr. John 'Tag' Taglieri on ER and, and spent two years playing Lt. Anthony Palermo on Pacific Blue.

We are thrilled to bring you this special and personal conversation with actor Alicia Vikander! She talks to us about starring as feminist icon Gloria Steinem in the upcoming film ‘The Glorias’ (directed by Julie Taymor), about how she has has found her voice and what she wants to do with her Hollywood power! After more than a decade in the industry, and post Oscar-win, Alicia Vikander speaks to Christina about how she is learning to take small breaks and how cooking helps! About her focus and how she and Steinem connected in personal ways. How, early in her Hollywood career, an actress spoke up for her in an uncomfortable, sexist situation and how much that taught her. And how she wants to use her voice and her power to play women from all angles and all dimensions and to get smaller movies with interesting writer/directors off the ground, like her upcoming film ‘Blue Bayou’. And much more! ‘The Glorias’ premiered at Sundance and will out later this year.

On this Pop Culture Confidential Oscar week special:  Predicting the Oscars with math, analytics and good old fashion statistics! Our guest is mathematician Ben Zauzmer. Mr. Zauzmer majored in applied math at Harvard University and works as a manager of baseball analytics for the Los Angeles Dodgers. He applied his knowledge to his passion: the movies, and he has created a complex mathematical model to calculate a nominee’s percentage probability of winning. His model includes different factors: historic data,  the film’s wins and losses at other awards shows leading up to the Oscars, the actors age, if they are playing a real character, box office etc. His predictions have been published in The Hollywood Reporter, The New York Times, and The Washington Post.  Ben Zauzmer is the author of the new book ‘Oscarmetrics, The Math Behind the Biggest Night in Hollywood’.  Available on Amazon. Follow Ben Zauzmer on twitter: @BensOscarMath

It’s our 2020 Oscar predictions special!  We are thrilled to welcome Kyle Buchanan back to the show, for the 3rd year in a row. Mr Buchanan is the New York Times Carpetbagger columnist and reporter, covering every aspect of awards season. Join us as we predict the winners and discuss this years Academy Awards! Will 1917 or Parasite take Best Picture? Will there be upsets? So much to cover! Follow Mr. Buchanan on twitter @kylebuchanan

Episode 159: Oscar week special! 'Citizen Canine', author Wendy Mitchell by Pop Culture Confidential

OSCAR WEEK on POP CULTURE CONFIDENTIAL Award-winning set decorator Regina Graves (‘Blue Jasmine’, ‘I am Legend’, ‘The Knick’, ‘Gotham’, ‘Vinyl)’ joins us this week to talk about her work on Martin Scorsese’s epic new picture 'The Irishman’, premiering on Netflix this week. Regina Graves shares some the most fascinating aspects of her teams work and the massive endeavor that was ‘The Irishman’, with nearly 300 sets dressed. We talk how she collaborates closely with production designer Bob Shaw, with whom Graves has worked on multiple productions. The amount of detail that goes into finding or building pieces for, for example, Jimmy Hoffa's (Al Pacino) office set or for Russel Bufalino (Joe Pesci) and Frank Sheeran's (Robert De Niro) homes. How Martin Scorsese’s own family influenced the set decoration, the style of the Italian American gangster genre and so much more. And Regina Graves also talks about her latest production, the upcoming movie 'The Many Saints of Newark', the prequel movie to the Sopranos TV series. ‘The Irishman’ is out in a limited theatrical release now and premieres on Netflix on November 27th.

OSCAR WEEK on Pop Culture Confidential! Revisit our talk with the legendary production designer, and Oscar nominee Barbara Ling (The Doors, Batman & Robin, Falling Down, Less Than Zero). Barbara Ling talks to us about her incredible work on 'Once Upon a Time in Hollywood’, turning back to clocks to 1969 and recreating some of LAs most iconic landmarks. From incredibly difficult face lifts on Hollywood Boulevard, to rebuilding Spahn Ranch, to how they used Tarantino’s massive memorabilia collection in their design work and much more.

There is SO much great TV coming in 2020 so we took a pause from all the film award season coverage to dive into some of the upcoming TV news! TV and film critic Candice Frederick (The New York Times, The Guardian, Elle, Harper’s Bazaar) joins us to talk about some of the highlights: High Fidelity starring Zoë Kravitz, Gwyneth Paltrow’s new Netflix show about her often controversial wellness company GOOP, big stars like Al Pacino and Cate Blanchett coming to the small screen, new sitcoms by Awkwafina and The Rock and, of course, Ryan Murphy is back with two new shows!

A Pop Culture Confidential special! The great Thelma Adams (writer, critic, Oscar expert @GoldDerby ) joined us today, right after the Oscar noms were announced, to talk about our immediate reactions, thoughts and analysis. J Lo snubbed! Lot of love for Parasite, Jojo Rabbit and The Two Popes! The Irishman, Joker, Once Upon A Time in Hollywood still in the lead! Listen NOW. The heat is ON ahead of the Oscars on February 9th!

Welcome back to PART 2 of our 'Once Upon a Time in Hollywood' special! This week are joined by the legendary production designer Barbara Ling (The Doors, Batman & Robin, Falling Down, Less Than Zero). Barbara Ling talks to us about her incredible work on 'Once Upon a Time in Hollywood’, turning back to clocks to 1969 and recreating some of LAs most iconic landmarks. From incredibly difficult face lifts on Hollywood Boulevard, to rebuilding Spahn Ranch, to how they used Tarantino’s massive memorabilia collection in their design work and much more.

One of our favorite guests returns to Pop Culture Confidential! Music Supervisor Mary Ramos has spent 27 years working with Quentin Tarantino, on every one of his films. Mary Ramos has expertly and painstakingly helped make Tarantino's soundtracks and epic musical choices a major part of his cinematic legacy. This week she talks to us about the incredible work she has done on his critical acclaimed new film 'Once Upon A Time in Hollywood'. As always, in Tarantino’s films, the soundtrack on ‘Once Upon A Time in Hollywood’ is meticulously curated. And, as always, Music Supervisor Mary Ramos adds her genius to the mix. Ms Ramos talks to us about Tarantinos musical vision for the movie, his music room where they discuss all the details, her detective-like work tracking down the often forgotten tracks that the director wants and some incredible stories about working on this production!

A Pop Culture Confidential favorite is back! Editor-in-Chief of AwardsWatch.com Erik Anderson joins us for a super fun and jam-packed episode about the MUCH talked about year-end releases: how bizarre is the new musical Cats? The controversy surrounding Clint Eastwoods new movie Richard Jewell. Sam Mendes new epic 1917 and Greta Gerwigs Little Women, where do they stand in the Oscar race? PLUS we analyze this weeks Golden Globe, SAG and other guild award nominations ahead of the Academy Awards!

Award-winning set decorator Regina Graves (‘Blue Jasmine’, ‘I am Legend’, ‘The Knick’, ‘Gotham’, ‘Vinyl)’ joins us this week to talk about her work on Martin Scorsese’s epic new picture 'The Irishman’, premiering on Netflix this week. Regina Graves shares some the most fascinating aspects of her teams work and the massive endeavor that was ‘The Irishman’, with nearly 300 sets dressed. We talk how she collaborates closely with production designer Bob Shaw, with whom Graves has worked on multiple productions. The amount of detail that goes into finding or building pieces for, for example, Jimmy Hoffa's (Al Pacino) office set or for Russel Bufalino (Joe Pesci) and Frank Sheeran's (Robert De Niro) homes. How Martin Scorsese’s own family influenced the set decoration, the style of the Italian American gangster genre and so much more. And Regina Graves also talks about her latest production, the upcoming movie 'The Many Saints of Newark', the prequel movie to the Sopranos TV series. ‘The Irishman’ is out in a limited theatrical release now and premieres on Netflix on November 27th.

An exclusive hour with director Jay Roach about his explosive, upcoming new movie ‘BOMBSHELL’! Emmy award winning director Jay Roach ('Austin Powers', 'Meet the Parents', ‘Recount', 'Game Change', ‘ Trumbo') joins us to talk about Bombshell, the story of the toppling of the former Fox News Chief Roger Ailes after more than 20 women accused him of sexual harassment. Charlize Theron produced the movie and stars as Fox host Megyn Kelly, Nicole Kidman is anchor Gretchen Carlson and Margot Robbie plays a composite character of several women interviewed for the film, who were victims of sexual harassment. John Lithgow plays Roger Ailes. In our conversation Jay Roach talks about the shocking abuses and toxic environment that permeated Fox News, the impact the stories had on him as a director, the powerful performances and transformations by the actors, how he and Charlize Theron discussed the portrayal Megyn Kelly, the political impact of the story and so much more.

Get ready for battle! With the help of Richard Lawson, chief critic @ Vanity Fair, Pop Culture Confidential guides you through the, so called, streaming wars! Already overwhelmed by the content streaming out there? Well, get ready for new streamers like Apple Tv +, Disney + and HBO Max. Richard Lawson talks to us about the industry changes. What to watch. Netflix Oscar chances and more! Follow Richard Lawson on twitter @rilaws

This week on Pop Culture Confidential, Gianni Russo, author of the memoir ‘Hollywood Godfather’. Mr. Russo has a led a life so eventful it’s not surprising that the book has already been optioned, and a TV show is in the making! The film lover will recognize Gianni Russo from his role as Don Corleone’s son in law Carlo Rizzi in Francis Ford Coppola's The Godfather. When he got the part, Russo was a 25 year old with no acting experience but his real life story and life with the mob surpasses that of any of the characters in the iconic Godfather movies.  Don’t miss this fascinating conversation with Mr. Russo about his childhood in Little Italy, how being struck by polio at the age of 6 changed his life forever and how Mafia boss Frank Costello took him under his wing at age 12. We talk about Frank Sinatra (who is godfather to Russos son,  the aftermath of the the Kennedy assassination, how he got his role in the Godfather through his connections and how the film even saved his life when he was threatened by Pablo Escobar. And so much more! "Hollywood Godfather My Life in the Movies and the Mob" is available now. And Mr. Russo also has a podcast together with co-author Patrick Picciarelli also called Hollywood Godfather.

There are so many interesting discussions in the pop culture zeitgeist right now. It's time we talk about them! We are happy to be joined by critic and Editor in Chief of AwardsWatch.com Erik Anderson to talk about all the Joker chatter, that incredible Succession finale, Netflix and the Oscars plus much more. Follow Erik Anderson on twitter @awards_watch and www.awardswatch.com

Episode 150: Writer/Director Levan Akin 'And Then We Danced' by Pop Culture Confidential

The Joker! J Lo! Adam Driver! Almodovar! An exciting Oscar season is unfolding as the big film festivals roll out. Claudia Puig, President of the LA Film Critics Association and a critic on NPRs FilmWeek (KPCC), joins us to talk about the Oscar buzz coming out of the Venice, Telluride and Toronto film festivals. Plus Ms Puig and Christina share their Emmy predictions ahead of the big TV awards on Sep. 22nd. Let us know your predictions on twitter @podpopculture!

This week on Pop Culture Confidential: writer/creator Susannah Grant, producer Sarah Timberman and actor Kaitlyn Dever about their gripping, true crime, drama ‘Unbelievable’. The Netflix limited series is based on an explosive article from 2016 (ProPublica/The Marshall Project) called “An Unbelievable Story of Rape” that went on to win the Pulitzer Prize. We spoke to Susannah Grant (Erin Brockovich) and Sarah Timberman (Justified) about making this gripping and important show, what they learned about rape victims and trauma as well as about sexual assault investigations, making this post- #metoo, believing women and more. We also spoke with actor Kaitlyn Dever, who we last saw in another stellar performance in Olivia Wildes ‘Booksmart’, about playing this difficult role and why it was important for her to be a part of it. Kaitlyn Dever turns in an incredible performance as Marie, an 18-year-old from Washington state, raised in the foster care system who claimed that she was raped by an intruder in the middle of the night. When police detectives, her trusted foster moms and friends begin to doubt her story, she begins to doubt herself. She is shaken and traumatized as she has to recount her story again and again. Later two female detectives in another state (Toni Collette and Merritt Wever) are following leads of what seems to be a serial rapist on the loose and connections to Maries case are made.

This week on Pop Culture Confidential we are thrilled to have screenwriter Liz Hannah in conversation about the incredible new season of Mindhunter, as well as working with Steven Spielberg on The Post and more! Liz Hannah burst onto the scene a couple of years ago when her first screenplay, a spec script about Washington Post owner Kay Graham and her decision to publish the Pentagon Papers, was picked up none other than Steven Spielberg. That became The Post starring Meryl Streep and Tom Hanks. Liz Hannah went on the write the critically acclaimed comedy Long Shot starring Charlize Theron and Seth Rogen. Now she is onboard Mindhunter season two as a writer and producer. Liz Hannah talks to us about her career, working with David Fincher (exec producer and director on Mindhunter, writing and staging one of the most intense episodes of TV this year the Charles Manson episode, getting into the heads of serial killers and much more.

Join us for this great conversation as we dive deep into this seasons most buzzed about movie Ari Aster’s critically acclaimed ‘Midsommar'. Our guest is the very talented new star Vilhelm Blomgren. This summer Blomgren has starred in two major productions; HBOs ‘Gösta' by writer/director Lukas Moodysson and as the mysterious Pelle in ‘Midsommar’. Vilhelm Blomgren joined us to talk about the making of ‘Midsommar' and his incredible year! We talked about everything from working with the visionary director, Ari Aster, to interesting details about the long days filming in Hungary. We talked about the themes and layers in 'Midsommar’ like grief, immigration and loss. And what it was like for the Swedish actors to film some of the crazy things that go down in the movie. This and so much more. Welcome to Hårga!

Welcome back to PART 2 of our 'Once Upon a Time in Hollywood' special! This week are joined by the legendary production designer Barbara Ling (The Doors, Batman & Robin, Falling Down, Less Than Zero). Barbara Ling talks to us about her incredible work on 'Once Upon a Time in Hollywood’, turning back to clocks to 1969 and recreating some of LAs most iconic landmarks. From incredibly difficult face lifts on Hollywood Boulevard, to rebuilding Spahn Ranch, to how they used Tarantino’s massive memorabilia collection in their design work and much more.

One of our favorite guests returns to Pop Culture Confidential! Music Supervisor Mary Ramos has spent 27 years working with Quentin Tarantino, on every one of his films. Mary Ramos has expertly and painstakingly helped make Tarantino's soundtracks and epic musical choices a major part of his cinematic legacy. This week she talks to us about the incredible work she has done on his critical acclaimed new film 'Once Upon A Time in Hollywood'. As always, in Tarantino’s films, the soundtrack on ‘Once Upon A Time in Hollywood’ is meticulously curated. And, as always, Music Supervisor Mary Ramos adds her genius to the mix. Ms Ramos talks to us about Tarantinos musical vision for the movie, his music room where they discuss all the details, her detective-like work tracking down the often forgotten tracks that the director wants and some incredible stories about working on this production!

Ahead of the much awaited second season of Succession, we are thrilled to have actor Jeremy Strong join us to talk about his brilliant performance as Kendall Roy. The critically acclaimed series, also starring Brian Cox as the patriarch Logan Roy, follows a family-owned media conglomerate and the power struggle within. It’s high stakes Shakespearean drama, black comedy and the timeliest of themes of power and greed. Jeremy Strong (Zero Dark Thirty, Selma, The Big Short) talked to us while on location filming season two. We talked about researching media-moguls for the role,  the shakespearian relationship between Kendall and his father Logan, Succession in the age of Trump,  filming the very powerful last scene and how it almost made him quit acting, what's in store for Kendall in season two and so much more  Succession was created by Jesse Armstrong (The Thick Of It, In The Loop) and produced by Adam McKay (Vice and The Big Short). Season 2 of Succession premieres on HBO in August.

We are so happy to have actor, comedian and writer Brett Gelman with us this week to talk about one of the best shows on TV ‘Fleabag’, his great performance on it and so much more.  Brett Gelman is everywhere! No doubt you've seen him on one or more of your favorite shows: The Office, Mad Men, Another Period, Love, Twin Peaks: The Return, Californication, Curb Your Enthusiasm, just to name a few. Brett Gelman will be starring on the upcoming season of Stranger Things and on the Stephen King adaptation Mr. Mercedes. In our interview we talk about the genius of Fleabag and creator/star Phoebe Waller-Bridge. Bringing to life his odious but still relatable character Martin. Also how Gelman in 2016 severed ties with the network Adult Swim over, among other things, the “misogyny of their policies” and the backlash he received after, including death threats. You can watch Fleabag season 1 & 2 on Amazon Prime.

This week on Pop Culture Confidential awarding winning journalist and former CNN Chief White House Correspondent Jessica Yellin. Mr Yellin spent decades covering Capitol Hill, domestic policy, the White House, elections and more  at  MSNBC, ABC, CNN to name a few. Now she is on a mission to change how we receive and process the news. Recently she started a digital platform 'News Not Noise’, and using her instagram feed  @Jessicayellin she reports video updates,  bringing her followers the news “not a panic attack”. She has also just released her debut novel Savage News,  the story of an ambitious journalist on the front lines of the new business and the White House, obviously built on many of her own experiences.  Ms Yellin talks to us about her experiences as Chief White House Correspondent,  misogyny in journalism, Savage News and her goal to bring hard hitting news not alarm to audiences.

This week we are joined by the President of the LA Film Critics Association Claudia Puig who guides us through her most anticipated movie releases coming up this summer and fall. From Olivia Wilde’s Booksmart to Tarantino’s Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, what to expect from the new Elton John biopic Rocketman, Scorsese's new Netflix movie and the new Lion King adaptation. And what is making the festival circuit this year and we talk Oscar frontrunners. Plus the conflict between the Writers Guild and the talent agencies has led to 7000 writers firing their agents, what does this mean for the industry going forward? Join us!

This week on Pop Culture Confidential actor Jared Harris joins us to talk about his spectacular performance in the new HBO miniseries ‘Chernobyl’. We talk about researching his character, Valery Legasov, the real-life Soviet nuclear physicist who was one of the first to understand the scope of the destruction, the lies and conspiracy that surrounded the disaster, how Harris choses his roles and what he learned from his father, actor Richard Harris. Over the past years Jared Harris has given us some of the most interesting and versatile performances in film and TV, from Lane Pryce (Mad Men) to King George VI (The Crown). He has played Andy Warhol, John Lennon and Ulysses S Grant, opposite Daniel Day-Lewis in Spielberg’s Lincoln. Now he stars in ‘Chernobyl’ a 5 part miniseries that delves into one of the worst man-made catastrophes in history. 'Chernobyl' also stars Stellan Skarsgård and Emily Watson. Written by Craig Mazin, directed by Johan Renck. ‘Chernobyl’ premieres on HBO May 6th

This week we talk to documentary filmmaker Erin Lee Carr who has written the brutally honest and beautiful memoir 'All That You Leave Behind', about her relationship with her father the celebrated NY Times reporter David Carr, who passed away 4 years ago Erin Lee Carr talks to us about writing the memoir, about the the almost 2000 emails and texts that she and her dad wrote to each other through the years, her childhood, her dads addiction and her own struggles with addiction  And of course David Carrs journalistic legacy and his greatest advice to her as she continues her acclaimed career as a documentary filmmaker.  David Carr wrote the memoir 'The Night of The Gun’  (2009) where he investigated himself; his years as a crack addict, being a single parent to Erin and her twin sister Meagan through addiction and recovery, and his journey to columnist at the  New York Times Some of Erin Lee Carr's work includes the films Mommy Dead and Dearest ( HBO ), Dirty Money: Drug Short (Netflix) and the upcoming At The Heart of Gold: Inside the USA Gymnastics Scandal (HBO)

This week we are so glad to speak to film editor Nicholas Monsour about his work on the innovative, multi-leveled, genre-defying and just flat out terrifying new movie ‘Us'. In this fascinating conversation Mr. Monsour speaks about working with Oscar winner Jordan Peele, his research and influences going into the project (which included the films of David Lynch, Friedkin and Bergman) working with the incredible actors and editing the doppelgänger scenes. We also spoke of the multiple levels of 'Us', the social commentary, the many fan theories, the intersection of comedy and horror, and how Peele and team worked to both entertain, scare and start the many, many conversations audiences and critics are having.

This week on Pop Culture Confidential, Christina talks to one of her personal favorites, author David Sedaris! Sedaris, a contributor to the New Yorker and This American Life, has sold 12 million copies of his books. His personal essays and reflections have entertained, enlightened and sometimes even shocked readers for decades. His latest book of essays ‘Calypso' is hilarious and charming and it beautifully deals with aging, loss and love. In our conversation, while on book tour in Stockholm, Sedaris reflects on his hatred of American service banter, his mothers alcoholism and his mentally ill sister Tiffany's suicide just a few years ago. He talks about his thoughts on his father who is a Trump supporter, how he and long-time love Hugh complement each other after so many years together and much more! ‘Calypso' is available now.  Published in Swedish by Mondial.

This week on Pop Culture Confidential we talk about a legend,  a role model, and a real bad ass, US Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. My conversation is with someone who knows her very well, Daniel Stiepleman. Stiepleman is the screenwriter of the movie “On The Basis Of Sex", based on a major part of her life,  and he also happens to be Justice Ginsburgs nephew. We talk about the case at the center of the movie, his aunts first reaction to Mr. Stiepleman wanting to write her story, her notes on his screenplay, and more.  "On The Basis Of Sex "is directed by Mimi Leder (The Leftovers) and stars Felicity Jones as Justice Ginsburg and Armie Hammar as her husband Martin Ginsburg. The film premieres in Sweden on International Women's Day , March 8th , and is out in the theaters in the US.

This week on Pop Culture Confidential journalist Alicia Lutes joins us with a 2019 television update! Ms Lutes recently spent a couple weeks covering the TCAs, the Television Critics Associations huge event where producers, showrunners and casts gather to present their new and returning shows. From FX Fosse/Verdon to HBOs new season of Big Little Lies, to sex advice with Dr Ruth and much more! Plus we discuss the brilliance of Netflix new show Russian Doll.

Welcome to our 2019 Oscar prediction special! We are thrilled to welcome back to the show the New York Times Carpetbagger columnist Kyle Buchanan, who covers every aspect of award season. Join us as we discuss this crazy Oscar season and predict the winners. Follow Mr. Buchanan on twitter @kylebuchanan

This week we are joined by Rachel Leah (writer at Salon.com covering culture, race and criminal justice) for a conversation on some difficult topics but also about what may be the beginnings of a cultural shift. Harvey Weinstein, Bill Cosby, R Kelly, Michael Jackson, Bryan Singer… Recently there’s been a wave of shocking articles, exposés and documentaries about allegations of sexual misconduct by high profile artists and industry titans. Allegations that have dogged them for years, sometimes even for decades. How can it be possible that these allegations have been industry, and even public, knowledge for years and still their careers flourish? But has the #Metoo movement allowed for more survivors to come forward with their stories when the justice system seems to often have failed them? And what does this mean going forward? Rachel Leah has been covering these topics extensively and joins us this week for an in-depth conversation.

Episode 131: Tony McNamara, screenwriter "The Favourite" by Pop Culture Confidential

On the show this week the director and the producer of "Ralph Breaks the Internet”, the Oscar buzzed and critically acclaimed sequel to "Wreck-it Ralph"! Rich Moore (The Simpsons, Futurama, Zootopia) and Clark Spencer (Lilo & Stitch, Zootopia) join us to talk about developing their new movie, what they discovered about the darker side of the internet during their research process, Rich Moore’s legendary work on The Simpsons and what he learned about animation and satire, iconic characters from Lisa Simpsons to Vanellope to Disney princesses and much more. Plus TV and film critic Candice Frederick (The New York Times, The Guardian)on some of her most anticipate shows on TV this spring and some very interesting female protagonists we have coming our way.

A new year, and a new Oscar race! Film critic, writer and Oscar expert Thelma Adams is here to guide us, ahead of the nominations announcement on January 22nd. Ms Adams joins us to talk about this very eventful year at the movies. How did the Golden Globes change the Oscar race? What are some of the years controversies, who will get nominated and take the gold on the biggest night of the film year? Thelma Adams has written for Variety and The Hollywood Reporter. She’s an Oscar expert at Gold Derby, a two-time past president of the New York Film Critics Circle and a best-selling novelist.

On a very special edition, Pop Culture Confidential went to London to meet the cast and director of the magical new movie “Mary Poppins Returns”! Emily Blunt, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Emily Mortimer, Ben Whishaw and director Rob Marshall on the making of this sequel, 50 years in the making!

When HBO and David Simon hired an intimacy coordinator/director to choreograph and monitor the on-set sex scenes on his show ‘The Deuce’ it started a lot of interesting conversations. We wanted to know more! On the show this week, one of the co-founders of ‘Intimacy Directors International’, Executive Director Tonia Sina. An intimacy director acts as an advocate for the actors, keeping actors physically and psychologically safe when acting in scenes of an intimate nature. As stunt coordinators have long done for fight scenes.  Tonia Sina is the Executive Director of ‘Intimacy Directors International’ a nonprofit she cofounded in 2016. Ms. Sina has been researching intimacy for the stage and sexual harassment in the industry since 2004 and  she also advises Universities on their curricula to help avoid harassment and abuse in academia.

This week on Pop Culture Confidential it's all about rage! Joining us is Soraya Chemaly, author of the provocative, infuriating and inspiring new book  “Rage Becomes Her: The Power of Women’s Anger.” Ms Chemaly has written for Time magazine, The Guardian and The Atlantic. She is an activist and the director of the Women’s Media Center Speech Project. In our interview we talk about her new book, her research into women’s anger and rage, how women are taught and conditioned by society to suppress anger and how it can be a powerful tool in our lives. We talk about recent events such as how Serena Williams was penalized at the U.S. Open for arguing with the umpire, the Kavanaugh hearings, Jordan Peterson and so much more.

This Halloween week writer and critic Alicia Lutes joins me to dissect some of the new horror hits on film and TV. We cover Jaime Lee Curtis' return for her final confrontation with Michael Myers in ‘Halloween’, Luca Guadagnino's reboot of Dario Argento’s ‘Suspiria' and the Netflix hits ‘Chilling Adventures of Sabrina’ and ‘The Haunting of Hill House’. PLUS This week marks the US premiere of  ‘Boy Erased' starring Nicole Kidman, Russell Crowe and Lucas Hedges. We revisit our interview with Garrard Conley, author of the memoir 'Boy Erased’, and survivor of gay conversion therapy.

This week Pop Culture Confidential Oscar nominated screenwriter Luke Davies talks about adapting the addiction memoir ‘Beautiful Boy’ starring Steve Carell and Timothée Chalamet. As well as about his own painful and personal journal though a 10-year heroin addiction

This week on Pop Culture Confidential Oscar winning cinematographer Linus Sandgren talks about his incredible work on “First Man” Damien Chazelle’s new movie about Neil Armstrong. And: Gregory Ellwood covers movies and awards on The Playlist.net and is the host of the 4 Quadrant Podcast. Gregory joins us with an update on the Oscar race! From Lady Gaga’s star turn in “A Star is Born”, to Nicole Kidman’s in 2 powerful roles, Spike Lee is back and Christian Bale transforms himself, yet again, playing Dick Cheney in “Vice”… who are the frontrunners?

Episode 122 writer Constance Grady: the Kavanaugh hearings and reflections in popular culture. by Pop Culture Confidential

This week on the show our conversation with the award-winning Swedish director Björn Runge (The Wife). Glenn Close delivers a stunning, Oscar worthy performance in The Wife, a searing portrait of a marriage, intimately directed by Björn Runge. The film hits the zeitgeist on so many levels, particularly now at the height of the #timesup movement.  Björn Runge talks to us about marriage, compromises, how the film quite literally saved his life, working with his own wife editor Lena Runge, why he left the Swedish film industry after a frustrating period, working with the great Glenn Close and much more.

This week on Pop Culture Confidential we welcome a legend of cinema to the show, Paul Schrader! He is the screenwriter behind such films as Taxi Driver, Raging Bull, The Last Temptation of Christ and writer/director of American Gigolo and Light Sleeper, to name a few. Paul Schrader joins me this week to talk about his career, Travis Bickle, male anger, faith, love, Bergman and his spiritually brutal new work of art, First Reformed.

Episode 119: TV Special Part 2. The creators of Netflix “Maniac”, Cary Fukunaga and Patrick Somerville + 2018 Emmys recap with journalist Alicia Lutes

This week on Pop Culture Confidential the dream team of Alan Yang (Master of None, Parks and Rec) and Matt Hubbard (Parks and Rec, 30 Rock) on their new series “ FOREVER” , starring another dream team, Maya Rudolph and Fred Armison. Amazon’s new series "Forever" is already getting rave reviews right out of the box. It’s a comedy, but also quite a serious look at a marriage stuck in a rut. And there is a serious twist that we are not allowed to mention! The series stars the former SNL duo Maya Rudolph and Fred Armison as the married couple June and Oscar. Catherine Keener also stars. We talk to Alan and Matt about ”Forever”, their comedy icons, marriage, when Paul Tomas Anderson visited the set and much more. ”Forever” is out now on Amazon Prime!

This week producer Todd Fisher on his excellent memoir "My Girls". This is a very personal story of his life with two iconic women: his mother Debbie Reynolds and sister Carrie Fisher. On their Hollywood life, tumultuous relationships and the huge pain of losing them both only 24 hours apart in December 2017. Todd Fisher, the son of ”America’s Sweetheart” actress Debbie Reynolds (Singing in the Rain) and singer Eddie Fisher grew up in Hollywood glamour. In our interview he talks about his childhood among Hollywood royalty, his great bond with sister Carrie, her meteoric rise to stardom with Star Wars, her struggles and how their mother formed their lives immensely.

On the show this week, the star of Spike Lees powerful new movie BlacKkKlansman, John David Washingto and showrunner, executive producer of the the new Lifetime/Netflix series “You”, Sera Gamble. John David Washington stars as Ron Stallworth in the critically acclaimed new movie BlacKkKlansman, based on a true story and directed by Spike Lee. Stallworth, a black police officer in Colorado Springs, infiltrated the KKK in the 1970s. Also this week prolific writer, producer and show runner Sera Gamble of shows such as Supernatural and The Magicians. Her new show ”You”, which she co-exec produces with Greg Berlanti, stars Penn Badgley and Elizabeth Lail is a “twisted love story in the social media age”. It premieres on Lifetime and Netflix on September 9th. Plus journalist Alicia Lutes on Louis C.K’s return to stand up after accusations of sexual harassment.

On this special episode of Pop Culture Confidential we have teamed up with Democrats Abroad to help spread the word to Americans overseas: your vote really counts in the very important 2018 US midterm elections! PLUS an exclusive interview with actor/director and expat Greg Poehler! Poehler , the creator of WELCOME TO SWEDEN a semi autobiographical sitcom and co production beteen TV4 Sweden and NBC, is now starring on YOU ME HER. You Me Her has just been renewed for its 4th and 5th season on the Audience Network and Netflix. We talk about how moving to Sweden lead him to a career back in Hollywood, following your dreams, why certain humor really does not translate, the privilege of voting in 2 countries and much more And Alex Lange, Chair of Democrats Abroad Sweden, guides us through the process of registering to vote and requesting your ballot as an overseas voter. Voter deadlines are upon us. Your vote really matters, be a part of this historic moment! To America voters abroad: on the website votefromabroad.org you can create your voter registration and ballot request form. Here you can get help, ask questions and get all the info you need to send it in!

Episode 114: “Boy Erased” Garrard Conley by Pop Culture Confidential

We are thrilled to be joined this week by an icon of American pop culture, the parody king and the coolest man with an accordion, ”Weird Al” Yankovic. He’s sold over 12 million albums, spoofed the biggest artists from Michael Jackson, to Nirvana, to Coolio, to Miley Cyrus. A career that spans four decades. Join us for a conversation about his musical process, capturing the zeitgeist, asking Kurt Cobain and Sir Paul McCartney for permission to parody their music, the pure magic of the accordion, how the industry has changed and being kind! http://weirdal.com And journalist Alicia Lutes (The Hollywood Reporter, The Nerdist, MTV) joins us again this week to talk about the much debated news about the changes coming to the Academy Awards.

Episode 112: Actor, comedian, author Jimmy O. Yang (Silicon Valley, Crazy Rich Asians) by Pop Culture Confidential

Actress Zoe Perry of the hit CBS sitcom ‘Young Sheldon’ joins us this week to share what it means to be playing a younger version of a part that her mother Laurie Metcalf (Roseanne and Lady Bird) originated on the massive hit show ‘Big Bang Theory’, plus her thoughts on the cancellation of ‘Roseanne’. Then we give you all the highlights from this Spring with a compilation of just some of the guests such as Gustaf Skarsgård, Henry Winkler, Michael Kenneth Williams, and Karamo Brown.

Eric Deggans, NPR’s TV critic, reports on the Fall TV lineup including the genre trends, and which shows look the most promising. Then, author and comedian Laurie Kilmartin discusses her latest book, live-tweeting her father’s death, and what it means writing for Conan in the age of President Trump.

Host Christina Jeurling Birro is joined by screenwriter and producer Craig Mazin whose credits include the wildly popular sequels for “The Hangover” and “Scary Movie”, the hit podcast ‘Scriptnotes’ with fellow screenwriter John August, and the HBO limited series “Chernobyl”.

TV icon Henry Winkler joins host Christina Jeurling Birro to speak about his newest hit show “Barry”, working on "Arrested Development", the influence of "Happy Days", living with dyslexia, jumping the shark, and much more.

Luke Jennings, author of the novel “Codename Villanelle”, the basis for the hit series “Killing Eve”, plus reporter Annette John-Hall joins to give some perspective on the Bill Cosby case and trials.

Veteran comedy writer Nell Scovell shares her experience from ‘The Simpsons’ to ‘Letterman’, and how she survived the male dominated writer's rooms. Plus our big summer movie preview with Mark Johnson of Awards Circuit.

Director Johan Renck shares his ever changing creative journey, from Stakka Bo to working with Madonna, David Bowie and Beyonce, directing feature films and TV such as ‘Breaking Bad’, ‘The Walking Dead’ and ‘The Last Panthers’. Renck also speaks about his latest project is the massive new HBO series ‘Chernobyl’ starring Emily Watson, Stellan Skarsgård, and Jared Harris from ‘The Crown’.

Award winning costume designer Ane Crabtree (Sopranos, Westworld) speaks about her powerful designs for The Handmaid’s Tale, that have also become an important symbol of protest worldwide. She also discusses her creations for the much awaited second season, how she finds inspiration, her upcoming projects, and much more. In 1955, Jim Henson created the The Muppets, and by the late 70’s more than 235 million people were watching worldwide. We are joined by veteran puppeteer/director Bill Barretta who is featured in a new documentary Muppet Guys Talking, that gives a rare behind-the-scenes look at a beloved institution. Mr Barretta shares the legacy of Jim Henson, the art of acting and voicing the Muppets, and what it is like to bring some of the most famous muppets, including the Swedish Chef, to life.

Actor Michael Kenneth Williams, of The Wire and The Night Of, takes a very personal journey with a new documentary, and Joy Press speaks about how women are revolutionizing television and her new book “Stealing the Show”.

On this week’s episode host Christina Jeurling Birro speaks with geneticist, and host of the BBC Radio show Inside Science, Dr. Adam Rutherford. He has been the science advisor on 'World War Z', 'Ex Machina', and 'Annihilation', one of the most talked about films this Spring. She is also joined by bestselling author Jonathan Abrams, who wrote “All the Pieces Matter: The Inside Story of the Wire”, the definitive oral history of David Simons groundbreaking show 'The Wire'.

Host Christina Jeurling Birro is joined by actor Gustaf Skarsgård for an exclusive conversation about taking on Hollywood after his successes in Sweden, competition, rejection, advice from his father Stellan, stepping into the much anticipated upcoming season of Westworld, and so much more.

This week host Christina Jeurling Birro is joined by legendary costume designer Ruth E. Carter, who designed the stunning costumes of the blockbuster hit ‘Black Panther’, then we get the lowdown on the Spring TV season with IndieWire’s Liz Shannon Miller.

William Jackson Harper talks about his breakout role as Professor Chidi Anagonye on the brilliant hit comedy 'The Good Place', and a real Professor analyzes the philosophy of the show.

On Oscar Sunday, Jimmy Kimmel will take the stage to host the 90th Academy Awards and Pop Culture Confidential has you covered. Senior Editor at New York Magazine/Vulture, Kyle Buchanan guides us through this particularly exciting and difficult to predict Oscar year!

He's one of the stars of the "Queer Eye" reboot on Netflix, as part of the new Fab Five - Karamo Brown is making the audience laugh, cry and contemplate some very important topics. The original "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy" premiered on Bravo in 2003, a makeover show that delivered a whole new format. Five gay men brought their expertise to help straight men find their best selves. The show and the original cast broke barriers and the show was a runaway hit! The new cast are taking the show one step further, and by moving the show from New York to the South, where interesting encounters ensue. They are not just changing wardrobes - they are opening up conversations about race, LGBTQ rights and much more. Host Christina Jeurling Birro speaks to Brown about his experience making the show, what it means to be the first black "Queer Eye" star, and much more.

This year's Oscar frontrunner, with 13 nominations including Best Director (Guillermo del Toro) and Best Picture, is The Shape of Water. This week's guest, Doug Jones, is an integral part of the film, playing a nameless amphibian fish man captured at a military lab in Cold War era Baltimore. He becomes the love interest of a mute cleaning lady Elisa, played by Sally Hawkins. It's a romance like nothing we've seen before! Jones is an actor, former mime, and contortionist, with over 160 acting credits to his name. His twenty-year collaboration with director Guillermo del Toro has resulted in six films, one TV show, and twelve characters, including the films Hellboy and Pan's Labyrinth. Host Christina Jeurling Birro speaks to Jones about his long relationship with Guillermo del Toro, the emotional connection to playing creatures and monsters, the challenges of prosthetic costumes, and much more! The Shape of Water will premiere in Sweden February 14th 2018 and has premiered in the US and around the world.

From his Emmy award-winning electronic score for "Mr. Robot", to the old Hollywood feel of the FX show "Feud: Bette and Joan", to "The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story". On this week's show - genre defying composer Mac Quayle. From his early career as a producer and music re-mixer, Quayle worked with Madonna, Whitney Houston, Depeche Mode, Beyoncé, and many more. After moving to Los Angeles, his work expanded to composing for television and film and in 2015 he became the composer for Sam Esmail's new series "Mr. Robot". Host Christina Jeurling Birro speaks to Quayle about his process working with showrunners to create the soundtracks, his latest work, and much more!

Episode 94: Oscar nominations with Sasha Stone, Awards Daily Awards expert, founder and editor of Awards Daily Sasha Stone joins us to discuss this years Oscar nominations: surprises, upsets and predictions ahead of the Academy Awards on March 4th, 2018!

Our guest Ellen Lewis is the legendary casting director behind movies such as Goodfellas, Forrest Gump and The Wolf of Wall Street. She joins host Christina Jeurling Birro to share the unique process that went into casting Steven Spielberg’s acclaimed film The Post. With Meryl Streep and Tom Hanks already attached, Lewis set about to cast the large cast to play the real-life journalists and political figures in the script. The stellar ensemble includes Sarah Paulson, Bob Odenkirk, Tracy Letts, Bradley Whitford, Carrie Coon, David Cross, and so many more! We were honored to be joined by Lewis in our first season, a real portrait of her amazing career. This interview is included here as a postscript and is not to be missed!

Our guest, former FBI agent and criminal profiler, James "Fitz" Fitzgerald was one of the agents who brought down Ted Kaczynski, also known as the Unabomber. The critically acclaimed Discovery series “Manhunt: Unabomber” captures the gripping true story of mail-bomber Ted Kaczynski, his ability to elude the FBI for 18 years, and efforts made to bring him to justice. The series, now available on Netflix, stars Paul Bettany as Ted Kaczynski and Sam Worthington as our guest, FBI profiler James ‘Fitz’ Fitzgerald. The story focuses on the ongoing Unabomber investigation in 1995 and 1996, as well as the build-up to his trial, where the role of linguistics in the investigation was pivotal in his arrest and conviction. Host Christina Jeurling Birro speaks to Fitzgerald about his twenty years with the FBI, how they broke the UNABOM case, his investigation of other high-profile cases and much more!

Award’s season is upon us and the Golden Globes nominees have been announced, including our guest from this Fall - Sterling K. Brown for his role on 'This Is Us'. Brown has had a long acting career with success on both stage and television but his role as Randall on 'This Is Us' seems to have propelled him to the next level. His characters’ emotional journey and struggles have had audiences really connecting with the universal themes of family, joy and loss. The show ended the Spring season as the highest rated new network series among adults 18 to 49 with an impressive 12,8 million viewers watching the season 1 finale. The second season concluded this Fall. Brown can be seen in the recent release 'Marshall', alongside Chadwick Boseman, Josh Gad and Kate Hudson. His upcoming feature films include Marvel’s 'Black Panther', Fox’s 'The Predator', and 'Hotel Artemis', alongside Jodie Foster.

As the Oscar race heats up, we look back over our guests of 2017 to see which fan favorites are in the running, including cinematographer Hoyte van Hoytema for his work on the epic film Dunkirk. Shot on large format film, Hoytema and his team worked with director Christopher Nolan to create the stunning camera shots – from the visually stunning dogfights to the challenging water shots. We speak to Hoytema about the creative technical solutions his team used on Dunkirk, the industries’ return to using large format film, his reflections on working with so many great directors and much more!

With awards season in full swing – we speak to Senior Contributor at Awardscircuit.com – Mark Johnson, to get all of his insights as we head into the Oscar race. We spoke to Mr Johnson in September about what he had seen at Telluride – an early award season predictor. On this episode, host Christina Jeurling Birro asks about the films we have discussed before, such as Dunkirk – but also the less talked about films like Lady Bird, Get Out, The Florida Project and many more. We speak to Mr Johnson to find out his Oscar Predictions, the hits and misses – and much more!

Thrilling, dark, gripping and tense are just some of the words used to describe the hit Nexflix series Mindhunter. Playwright Jennifer Haley is a writer and co-producer on the series, and joins us this week to share her experience getting into the minds of FBI agents and serial killers. Mindhunter is a meticulously paced crime drama based on the writings of the pioneering serial killer profiler John E Douglas. Along with his team, they interviewed the likes of Ted Bundy, Charles Manson, and Ed Kemper during the seventies and eighties which resulted in a redefining of criminal profiling forever. The series has wonderful casting, beautiful cinematography, and some of the creepiest conversations you will hear this year. Lead by David Fincher who is Executive Producer and director of four of the episodes, the writers on Mindhunter have delivered an amazing array of characters.

In light of the perpetually expanding list of people accused of sexual abuse in the entertainment industry, we speak to journalist Amanda Hess about her New York Times article “How the Myth of the Artistic Genius Excuses the Abuse of Women”. Host Christina Jeurling Birro speaks to Hess about separating the art from the artist, an industry in denial, why the myth of the artistic genius has been used to excuse abusive behavior, Harvey Weinstein, Louis C.K., the power of journalism, how we should continue covering this story and more.

On this week’s episode, we are joined by writer and TV critic Alan Sepinwall to discuss his new book Breaking Bad 101: The Complete Critical Companion, an unrivalled guide to one of television’s most important shows. 
Sepinwall is a TV critic at Uproxx, He is also the author of the book The Revolution Was Televised, which is a favorite. Sepinwall is also co-author of TV The Book with another great critic Matt Zoller Seitz, who has been a guest on the podcast multiple times. Sepinwall’s latest book is THE complete guide to Breaking Bad, covering each episode of the series in Vince Gilligan’s phenomenal series that reinvented the TV narrative in so many ways.

On this week’s episode, we speak to Kasper Collin who directed the critically acclaimed music documentary I Called Him Morgan. Collin’s documentary accounts the life and musical legacy of jazz trumpeter Lee Morgan and the life of his common-law wife Helen Morgan, who would first save his life, then kill him. The documentary premiered at the Venice Film Festival and Metacritic announced the film as the best reviewed movie of the first half of 2017. We also speak to Sasha Stone of Awardsdaily.com to discuss the entertainment industry’s reaction to the disturbing sexual assault allegations against Harvey Weinstein and the Oscar Academy’s decision to expel Weinstein.

After a six-year hiatus – Curb Your Enthusiasm is back! On this week’s episode, we speak to executive producer, writer and director Jeff Schaffer who takes us behind the scenes of the latest season with all of its awkwardness, insensitivity and laugh-out-loud comedy. Mr. Schaffer also speaks with host Christina Jeurling Birro about working with Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld on 'Seinfeld', what he learned writing for the Harvard Lampoon, and much more.

On this episode of Pop Culture Confidential, Pamela Adlon speaks about life, parenting, and her jewel of a show – Better Things. After a fantastic, Emmy nominated first season of her semi-autobiographical series, Adlon is back with an already critically acclaimed Season 2 of Better Things. Pamela Adlon directs, produces, co-writes and stars in the show, which has given us some of the most touching and relatable comedy about a single working mother of three.

Last week we covered 2017’s Fall TV and Emmy awards, but September also marks the start of Oscar season and the big Fall movie releases. There are also the major film festivals like Venice, Toronto, and probably most important in terms of Oscar predictions – the Telluride Film Festival. In the last decade, eight Best Picture Oscar winners, including 12 Years a Slave, Argo, Birdman and Moonlight made their North American debut at Telluride. You could say that the festival has become something of an Oscar predictor. Joining us to talk about the Fall movies, Telluride and the start of Oscar season, is writer and senior contributor at Awardscircuit.com, Mark Johnson.

It’s here! The annual Pop Culture Confidential Fall TV preview and Emmy awards prediction special. We take a look at the Fall TV season, what shows and trends are we most looking forward too, and we share our 2017 Emmy predictions! Guiding us through all of this - critic Jazz Tangcay, lead writer at Awardsdaily.com.

Our guest, Swedish director/writer Ruben Östlund, is the newly crowned winner of the Cannes Palme d’Or for his latest film "The Square", which is described as a poignant satirical drama reflecting our times. The suspenseful satire tackles the Swedish art scene, politics, media, community and national identity. The film stars Danish actor Claes Bang, Elizabeth Moss, Dominic West and motion capture artist Terry Notary, who gives a mesmerizing performance as the “ape-man” during a black-tie museum dinner. Östlund’s previous film "Force Majeure" won him the Jury Prize at Canne in 2014 and became a huge international hit. It’s about a father who runs away from danger instead of protecting his family and the emotional aftermath. The situation brings up the expectations of manliness and the uncomfortable humor of life itself. It was recently announced that "The Square" will represent Sweden at the 2018 Academy Awards, and we couldn’t be prouder to welcome its writer/director Ruben Östlund.

An Emmy winner in 2016 for The People vs O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story, and Emmy nominee this year for this role on the massive NBC hit This Is Us, Sterling K. Brown has had quite a year. Last year we were captivated by the excellent FX drama The People vs O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story, starring this week’s guest along with Sara Paulson and John Travolta, just to name a few. Brown portrayed prosecutor Christopher Darden with a performance that was complex, nerve wrecking and critically acclaimed by audiences and critics alike. Brown has had a long acting career with success on both stage and television but his role as Randall on This Is Us seems to have propelled him to the next level. His characters’ emotional journey and struggles have had audiences really connecting with the universal themes of family, joy and loss. The show ended the Spring season as the highest rated new network series among adults 18 to 49 with an impressive 12,8 million viewers watching the season 1 finale. This Is Us returns to NBC for its second season on September 26th with guest appearances by Sylvester Stallone, Dan Lauria and Debra Jo Rupp. Not to be missed! Brown can be seen in the upcoming film Marshall, alongside Chadwick Boseman, Josh Gad and Kate Hudson. He is currently in production on three feature films; Marvel’s Black Panther, Fox’s The Predator, and Hotel Artemis, alongside Jodie Foster.

Our guest this week is Peter Baker, chief White House correspondent for The New York Times. During his career he has covered four presidents: Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, Barack Obama and now the Trump administration. Mr. Baker joined The Times in 2008 after 20 years at The Washington Post, including four years as Moscow bureau chief. His wife Susan Glasser is the chief international affairs columnist Politico. Mr. Baker has authored multiple books and his latest title is “Obama: The Call of History”, with incredible photography from The New York Times. Host Christina Jeurling Birro speaks to him about reporting on the last four presidents, the unique challenge of covering the Trump administration, his new book “Obama: The Call of History”, and much more!

Spectacular, jaw-dropping, sweeping and intimate - Dunkirk marks the return of director Christopher Nolan and our guest cinematographer Hoyte van Hoytema. The World War ll drama is a different type of war story, about bravery and survival. It focuses on the days when 400,000 British and Allied troops were trapped by the Germans on the beaches of Dunkirk, seemingly doomed to die there. Shot on large format film, Hoytema and his team worked with Nolan to create the stunning camera shots – from the visually stunning dogfights to the challenging water shots. We speak to Hoytema about the creative technical solutions his team used on Dunkirk, the industries’ return to using large format film, his reflections on working with so many great directors and much more!

Just in time for Summer we round up our best pop culture tips to enjoy – including the book from our guest Anne Helen Petersen who writes about culture, celebrity, and feminism in 'Too Fat, Too Slutty, Too Loud: The Rise and Reign of the Unruly Woman'. We have long been reading Petersen’s work and we can highly recommend her previous book 'Scandals of Classic Hollywood'. She has a PhD in media studies and is a Senior Culture Writer for BuzzFeed. Her latest book examines a group of iconic, brave women whose behavior pushes the boundaries of what some seem to think is acceptable for women in the limelight. And then - what are we at PCC looking forward to this Summer? We roundup our favorite TV shows, films, and much more!

It’s a real joy to welcome this week’s guest – television legend Chuck Lorre who has been a juggernaut, a sitcom comedy mastermind creating shows such as The Big Bang Theory, Dharma & Greg, Two and a Half Men, Mike & Molly, and Mom. Lorre has carried on the sitcom tradition in the footsteps of Norman Lear, who brought modern family dynamics to popular television with shows such as All in the Family and The Jefferson’s. His upcoming shows include Young Sheldon, a prequel storyline for Sheldon Cooper from The Big Bang Theory, and Disjointed starring Kathy Bates as the owner of a pot dispensary. Host Christina Jeurling Birro speaks with Chuck Lorre about his impact on sitcom television, the challenge of getting The Big Bang Theory green-lit, his casting process, and much more!

On Pop Culture Confidential this week we speak with journalist and screenwriter Jon Ronson about his new film Okja that recently premiered at the Cannes Film Festival. We ask Ronson what really happened at ‘that’ Cannes premiere which became world news, what it was like working with director Bong Joon-ho, how to spot psychopaths, Trump and more. Then in celebration of Twin Peak’s return - we speak to Helen Hollyman, Editor Chief at Munchies, the Vice food website, who has followed and written about David Lynch’s obsession with coffee and how it’s evolved. David Lynch’s obsession with coffee goes far beyond the diner in Twin Peaks, he loves the beverage so much he has his own blend - David Lynch Signature Cup.

Pasta, Italy, Master of None, Wonder Woman and the female gaze – Pop Culture Confidential is jam packed this week! We speak to Katie Parla, culinary writer and the author of the book Tasting Rome. Parla was the food concierge on the Italian episodes of the brilliant, and food obsessed, new season of Master Of None (Netflix) where we find that Dev (Aziz Ansari) has left New York and moved to Modena, Italy to learn the art of pasta making. Katie Parla speaks to us about Italian cuisine, Master of None, the food of Rome and even a few great restaurant tips! And we speak to Alicia Lutes, Managing Editor of Nerdist.com who shares her insights on the highly anticipated movie Wonder Woman directed by Patty Jenkins. Host Christina Jeurling Birro also asks Lutes about the female gaze in TV and film, how the sex scenes are getting a different perspective right now, and the current TV seasons many religious narratives.

On this week’s episode of Pop Culture Confidential we are joined by VOX culture writer Constance Grady to discuss the biggest news, trends and controversies of 2017 so far. We speak about how the first 100 days of Trump has influenced storylines on TV, what the ousting of Bill O’Reilly really means for Fox and why The Handmaid’s Tale is so important to audiences today. We also ask Grady what excites her about the TV season and much more - don’t miss this episode!

Screenwriting, discipline and truths – just some of the topics we explore with this weeks guest. Screenwriter, Director and Producer Paul Haggis joins host Christina Jeurling Birro to talk about his celebrated career and unique life. Haggis moved to Los Angeles in the 1970’s with a love of classic cinema such as Godard and Bergman but when he started his writing career it was focused in the world of episodic television with shows such as The Love Boat and Different Strokes. By the 1980’s he was writing television classics like Thirty Something, LA Law and EZ Streets. This experience gave Haggis the opportunity to develop discipline, as well as quick and efficient writing. It also was a study in character morality, good and evil - the perfect preparation for his feature film career. Haggis wrote scripts for the Best Picture Oscar winning films Million Dollar Baby and Crash, for which he also won Best Original Screenplay. His career has also included Flags of Our Fathers, Letters from Iwo Jima, and Casino Royale, just to name a few. In 2009 Haggis very publicly renounced the Church of Scientology after having been a member for 35 years. His letter to the leaders of the church stated he could no longer "be a member of an organization where gay-bashing is tolerated".  On this episode Haggis shares his writing process, why the script for Crash was so controversial, his reasons for staying with Scientology, why he left, and much more!

From Buster on Arrested Development, to his Emmy winning role as the devoted body man to Selina Meyer on Veep – Tony Hale has already proven that he is one of our generation’s comedy greats. Host Christina Jeurling Birro is joined this week by Hale ahead of the upcoming sixth season premiere of Veep. In this political climate, what is better than the return of HBO’s hilarious political comedy Veep. Hale returns as Gary, the anxious and often-bullied body man to now ex-President Meyer, who is portrayed by the incredible Julia Louis-Dreyfus. Before Veep, Hale inhabited another anxious character – fan favorite Buster Bluth of Arrested Development. The show gave him the opportunity to work with Jeffrey Tambor, Jason Bateman and legend Liza Minnelli who played his girlfriend. On this episode we find out how the recent U.S. election impacted the comedy in Veep, what Hale has learned from the comedy legends he’s worked with, his own experience with bullying and anxiety, and much more!

With unforgettable performances in Frasier, 24, and now one of this seasons’ most acclaimed new series Legion - Jean Smart is television royalty with a career spanning three decades and three Emmy wins. Smart’s career includes the iconic CBS hit sitcom Designing Women. A show that featured intelligent women who were both sassy and sympathetic and who expressed differing views on women’s issues. For her unforgettable role on Frasier, Smart won an Emmy, and on 24 she was gripping as First Lady Martha Logan whose fragile mental state deteriorated during the season. Smart then joined the Noah Hawley show Fargo where she gave a fearless performance as Floyd, the matriarch of the crime family. Their collaboration didn’t end there and today Smart is one of the stars of the acclaimed FX series Legion with Noah Hawley as co-creator. Legion is loosely inspired by the X-Men comics and here Smart plays Melanie Bird, a questionable therapist who is the leader of a group of super mutants being chased by the government. The show delivers a hypnotic and visual world that explores themes much as mental health in an unexpected way. We are very happy to be joined by Jean Smart on this weeks episode and to get the opportunity to speak to her portraying so many strong women, how she chooses her roles, and so much more!

Richard Simmons, workout and fitness guru, is a true American pop culture icon. One example of the empire he built is his workout video “Sweatin’ to the Oldies”, which sold millions of copies. Three years ago Simmons mysteriously disappeared from public life, including cutting off contact with most of the world. This week we speak to Dan Taberski about his search for answers that lead to the massive podcast hit “Missing Richard Simmons”. Taberski is a writer, director and former producer for “The Daily Show” who was a student at Simmons fitness class “Slimmons” in Beverly Hills. He became friends with Simmons and had discussed making a documentary about his life and work. So why does the most flamboyant and visible exercise evangelist suddenly disappear without alerting friends and colleagues? Dan Taberski talks to host Christina Jeurling Birro about the importance of Richard Simmons, the many thousands of people that Simmons so generously helped during his career and the theories to why he may have retreated for the public eye.

Now that the film award season has come to a dramatic conclusion we are happy to turn our attention to the upcoming season of television. This week’s episode of Pop Culture Confidential covers the recent Netflix event in Berlin where they unveiled the upcoming lineup. Host Christina Jeurling Birro was thrilled to speak with two of the stars of Orange is the New Black – Kate Mulgrew who plays Red and two-time Emmy winner Uzo Aduba who plays Suzanne ‘Crazy Eyes’ Warren. We also speak to Netflix Chief Content Office Ted Sarandos who shares his journey with Netflix and the power of user data in creating original content including the hit House of Cards. It’s a very special ‘on location’ edition of Pop Culture Confidential where we dive into the recent and upcoming milestones for Litchfield Penitentiary, what it means to be Captain of a Starfleet ship, the Oscar win for White Helmets and how Netflix is supporting film distribution, and much more!

The Academy Awards are upon us and this is the annual Pop Culture Confidential Oscar predictions show! We are joined again by Sasha Stone, journalist and founder of the website Awards Daily, who gives all the details of this years statistics, trends and controversies. Annually there are many big award shows during the season, from the Golden Globes to BAFTA, each giving us a hint at which film could take the top prizes at the Academy Awards. So you can imagine how excited we are that the big day is almost here with this years host Jimmy Kimmel. On this episode host Christina Jeurling Birro and Sasha Stone discuss how the preferential ballot system can affect the results, the industry buzz around the nominees – and maybe most importantly, which films we predict will win in all of the main categories!

For those who follow Pop Culture Confidential, you know that we LOVE Saturday Night Live (SNL) and refer often to how it has influenced pop culture over the decades. We are so excited to be joined this week by Eugene Lee, who has been the original Saturday Night Live production designer since the start of the show's first season in 1975. At 77, he is one of the only original crewmembers still working. The SNL set Lee designed has a true New York vibe with real bricks and a nod to Grand Central Station. Three Tony Awards, 12 Emmy nominations, and one Emmy win later, Lee continues to carry on his accomplished tradition in theater while also leading the "SNL" production-design team, week in and week out. Lee comes from the theater world and has worked on Wicked, Sweeney Todd and Candide. He is not slowing down, he has also designed the sets for Jimmy Fallon and Seth Meyers, which show the variety of his work. Lee joined us from his home and workshop in Providence, Rhode Island where he is based. He commutes to New York every Wednesday to start the week at SNL, meeting with the directors and screenwriters to understand their vision for each skit that will come that week. He hand sketches each set and works up until the last minute before each show, perfecting what we at home see on screen. We discuss the wonderful legacy of Saturday Night Live, his work process and the joy he feels being such a part of the experience we have had watching SNL for the last forty years.

Scissor hands, face masks and apes – oh my! Three-time Oscar-winning costume designer Colleen Atwood has dressed some of the most iconic characters on the big screen. This includes Hannibal Lecter, Edward Scissorhands, Roxie Hart – and all the characters in eleven Tim Burton films. Atwood has been very busy this past year with Huntsman: Winter’s War, Alice Through the Looking Glass, her most recent collaboration with Tim Burton Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children, AND the Harry Potter prequel Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them for which she has been nominated for an Academy Award. From fantasy to modern day, Atwood’s costumes are always rich in detail and a deep study of character that isn’t always obvious at first. For Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children we travel back to Wales during World War II to an orphanage full of ‘peculiar’ children with unique superpowers. The character of Miss Peregrine, played by Eva Green, has the ability to transform into a bird that is reflected in the characters signature blue coat with birdlike elements. Each of the children’s costumes also has custom elements to reflect their own special powers. We are honored to be joined by such a legend in her field and ask Atwood to share how she began her career, how she approaches each character, her response to being Oscar nominated (again) and much more!

Their legendary careers have included the animated classics The Little Mermaid, Aladdin, The Princess and the Frog – and this year’s Oscar nominated Moana. Directors Ron Clements, John Musker and producer Osnat Shurer of Moana join us this week live in Stockholm to share their excitement of being nominated and journey they have taken to bring the story to the screen. Musker and Clements started their partnership early and their collective CV is like a map of our Disney movie childhood – starting with The Great Mouse Detective. When Disney merged with Pixar it ushered in a new era and Shurer shares with us how the culture shifted for both companies. Moana, or Vaiana, as it is named in many European countries, is already a huge box office success in the US for its incredible visuals and inspiring female protagonist who sets out on a mythical adventure across a series of islands in the South Pacific to find the shape shifting Demi-god Maui. Another reason the film is so popular? It’s wonderful soundtrack! One of it’s composers is Lin-Manuel Miranda started working with the film nearly three years ago before his rise to total stardom with Hamilton. Now he is Oscar nominated for ‘How Far I’ll Go’, which is one of the films hits. On this episode we hear how all three were involved in the research for the film, including their travels through the South Pacific, the challenges of creating their first CG feature film together and the excitement of being Oscar nominated!

When we say La La Land starring Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone is one of the most buzzed about films this awards season – we’re not kidding! The film won every in every category it was nominated for at this years Golden Globes, including for Best Film and Best Director. As the most awarded film in Globe history – the road to Oscar glory seems unstoppable. Host Christina Jeurling Birro is thrilled to speak to two of the films creative powerhouses – writer/director Damien Chazelle and award-winning choreographer Mandy Moore. The film is Chazelle’s ode to Hollywood and musicals such as Singin’ in the Rain – and to the city of Los Angeles with its freeways, sound stages and dreamers. It is the perfect showcase for the beautiful choreography of Mandy Moore. Director Damien Chazelle was only in his late 20’s when he burst on the scene with his movie Whiplash, which went on to win three Oscars. He shares with us his creative process, what it takes to make it in Hollywood, what it was like to work with the films stars and his upcoming projects. Over her career Mandy Moore become a bit of a legend in the dance community. She has choreographed for films like Silver Linings Playbook and TV’s Dancing with the Stars and So You Think You Can Dance. We speak to her about the La La Land’s amazing musical numbers and teaching Stone and Gosling to not only dance but rival the greats like Fred and Ginger.

Veteran filmmaker and documentary cinematographer Kirsten Johnson has spent the last 25 years capturing the often-harsh realities of humanity in some of cinemas most influential documentaries with directors such as Michael Moore (Fahrenheit 9/11), Laura Poitra (Citizenfour about Edward Snowden) and Kirby Dick (This Film is Not Yet Rated). Her latest documentary is a very personal exploration of her life behind the camera over her vast career and is on the 2017 Best Documentary Oscar shortlist. Cameraperson is like meditation or fragmented memories, a montage of footage with no voiceover that opens up all the questions Kirsten has asked herself during her career. The film moves between outtakes from documentaries she has shot intercut with private footage of her family including Kirsten’s twins and her mother. Through all of her footage, difficult and beautiful, you feel Kirsten Johnson’s warmth, empathy and her huge laugh fills the space. Host Christina Jeurling Birro has been a longtime follower of Kirsten’s work and was delighted to have the opportunity to speak with her about the ethics and moral choices faced when filming subjects, what is was like for her to relive the joys and the horrors she has seen, the power of the moving image and much more!

We kick-off the New Year with a true Hollywood legend - Roger Corman, whose latest film Death Race 2050 is perfectly timed for the current political landscape. Then host Christina Jeurling Birro discusses politics and pop culture with author and political science Professor Lilly Goren, including how female presidents are depicted in film and TV, and how this might change after the recent U.S. presidential election results.

If you are a loyal listener of Pop Culture Confidential you know that we are huge fans of The Daily Show so we were very excited to speak to author Chris Smith who has arguably written THE definitive history of The Daily Show (The Book) that is now a New York Times Bestseller. To chronicle the shows astounding 17 years on Comedy Central Smith spoke to pretty much everyone involved with or adjacent to the show, including Jon Stewart who wrote the forward, Steven Colbert, Samantha Bee, Lewis Black, Steve Carell, John Oliver, writers, producers and more. The result is a very personal look at the shows evolution – from the early years with Craig Kilborn to Jon Stewart transforming the basic spoof-comedy show into a powerful, progressive and impactful voice in pop culture. Don’t miss this in-depth look at the impact of Jon Stewart, the process of making The Daily Show and much more! For those of you that want more episodes – we can recommend our previous interviews with The Daily Show correspondent Aasif Mandvi and producer/director Mikes Kahn who is now working at Full Frontal with Samantha Bee.

We are very excited that awards season is finally here! We speak to writer Gregory Ellwood about where we are in the Oscar race, and we speak to the Josefin Asplund – star of the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and the new season of Vikings.

A Canadian spy, a French resistance fighter, and a love story set in the Sahara desert? Academy-Award nominated screenwriter Steven Knight has spent thirty-odd years bringing the new blockbuster ‘Allied’ starring Brad Pitt and Marion Cotillard to the big screen. In those thirty years Knight has been busy writing critically acclaimed films like ‘Dirty pretty Things’ for which he was Oscar nominated, Eastern Promises, Pawn Sacrifice, and the upcoming sequel to ‘The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo’ – just to name a few. Knight has also been busy with the hugely popular BBC/ Netflix TV series Peaky Blinders and the upcoming FX mini-series Taboo starring Tom Hardy. This week host Christina Jeurling Birro is joined by Steven Knight to discuss the decades long journey to making ‘Allied’ with director Robert Zemeckis (“Forrest Gump,” “Flight”), including the original inspiration for the plot. The World War II drama is inspired by the classic films like ‘Casablanca’ and tells the story of an intelligence officer and resistance fighter, who fall in love during a mission to kill a German official in 1942. They fall in love, have a child and settle down to a fairly normal life – until they are mortally set against each other when their identities are revealed. Knight also shares his journey as a screenwriter, how Brad Pitt inspired him to bring ‘Allied’ to the big screen, Peaky Blinders, his upcoming projects – and much more!

Aliens, hackers and awesome prizes on this week’s episode! First we speak to Dr. Jessica Coon, a linguistic professor who was tapped by Hollywood to help Amy Adams communicate with aliens for the new blockbuster ‘Arrival’. We are also joined by German actor Vinzenz Kiefer, who took on Jason Bourne as hacker Christian Dassault.

Disgusting vermin multiplying before our eyes, threatening to take over modern civilization? It's the unsettling new documentary “Rats” that takes us deep into the infestation of rats around the world. Our host Christina Jeurling Birro is joined this week by the films director Morgan Spurlock who also brought us Freakonomics, Where in the World Is Osama Bin Laden and Oscar nominated Super Size Me for which he gained 25 pounds eating only McDonald’s for a month.

Race, sexual politics, masculinity, friendship and parenthood – the new FX TV show Atlanta tackles all of these subjects with uncompromising honesty and humour. This week host Christina Jeurling Birro is joined by one of the shows stars - Brian Tyree Henry who gives a powerful performance on the show as Paper Boi, a rising-star of the Atlanta rap scene.

This week host Christina Jeurling Birro is joined by Joe Swanberg – maybe one of the hardest working filmmakers in the indie world with 29 director credits to his name at the age of 35. His work has been at the center of the mumblecore film movement that has also included the Duplass brothers, Lena Dunham and many more. Often low budget, featuring naturalistic dialogue and relationship focused, his films like Digging for Fire, Happy Christmas and Drinking Buddies have attracted talent like Orlando Bloom, Anna Kendrick, Jack Johnson and Olivia Wilde. Swanberg has been called an American auteur and critics have compared him to Lars von Trier and even Ingmar Bergman. His latest project Easy, Netflix for which he is the creator, writer and director, is probably more mainstream than his previous work, but does not stray away from his usual themes. Each episode focuses on a different relationship and stars Marc Maron, Dave Franco, Malin Akerman, Orlando Bloom, Hannibal Buress, and many more. Don’t miss this portrait interview with Swanberg where he shares his work process, how he includes his own life and family into his films, what it’s like to punch a critic, why he hates movie awards - and much more!

We are joined Oscar winning director Roger Ross Williams whose inspiring documentary 'Life, Animated' tells the story of Owen Suskind, an autistic boy whose family discovered he was communicating with them thru the Disney films he was watching and The Playlist's Jessica Kiang guides us through some of the biggest trends and controversies of the film season.

Emmy award winning actress, active spokesperson for fair funding of public schools, breast-cancer survivor and ambassador Susan G. Komen For The Cure – Cynthia Nixon is just as powerful as the amazing kaleidoscope of characters she has portrayed. For most of us, she is best known for playing the glamorous lawyer Miranda on the iconic series Sex and the City, a role that still resonates with viewers today. Her most recent role is a spot-on portrayal of Nancy Reagan in the National Geographic movie Killing Reagan. Based on the best selling book of the same name, the movie also stars West Wing alum Tim Matheson as Ronald Reagan. The story centers on the assassination attempt on President Reagan in 1981 by John Hinckley, Jr. – an event that rocked the world and forever changed the security protocols for any US President. We are honored to speak with Nixon about Nancy Reagan’s legacy, how she is similar to her character Miranda, how surviving breast cancer has changed her, and much more.

Politics, power, and comedy. We speak with David Litt, former senior presidential speechwriter for Barack Obama and head writer/producer at “Funny or Die” DC, and author Rudolph Herzog who’s book “Dead Funny” documents humor in Hitler’s Third Reich.

Critic and author Matt Zoller Seitz spent 100 hours interviewing Oliver Stone for his new book “The Oliver Stone Experience” and he joins us this week to tell all. Then we speak to director David Farrier about his documentary that shocked at Sundance. “Tickled” dives into a mysterious tickling competition online and Farrier shares the deep resistance he faced when trying to document a story stranger than fiction.

The Fall movie lineup is upon us and we speak to Michael Phillips, Chicago Tribune’s film critic, to get his recommendations and early Oscar contenders. We also speak with Javier Peña, the real DEA agent that helped bring down the murderous drug lord Pablo Escobar.

The Fall TV season is here! NPR TV Citric Eric Deggans guides us through the new shows, trends, hits and misses, to give us his recommendations. The season offers a mixed bag of genres with a lot of 70’s and 80’s nostalgia, which includes a MacGyver reboot on CBS and the series The Exorcist, starring Geena Davis, based on the iconic film. We also discuss the much-awaited Netflix superhero Luke Cage, which of the political satire shows will stand out in their election coverage, and is it possible to have carpool karaoke without James Corden? Deggans weighs in on The Get Down, This is Us, Bull, The Good Place and much, much more!

The big talk of the Summer TV season (and one of our favorite shows) is the Netflix original drama Stranger Things, a show that transports us back to 1983. On this weeks show speak to breakout star Shannon Purser who plays fan favorite Barb on the show, and veteran prop master Lynda Reiss who has been able to capture the 1980’s to a tee. Created by the Duffer Brothers, Stranger Things is an eight part series starring Winona Ryder and Mathew Modine, but the story centers on a group of 12 year-olds and a supporting group of teenagers all played by an absolutely superb bunch of new actors. Shannon Purser plays Barbara Holland or Barb, the best friend of popular girl Nancy Wheeler, and she fantastically embodies the outspoken and intelligent character that we all identify with. Her performance has created what’s being called Barb-mania, with fans creating memes, fan art – even painting murals of her. Set in a small Indiana town, the show follows the disappearance of a young boy, uncovers a dark conspiracy and a scary monster along the way. The other star of the show is 1980’s American pop culture – everything from the opening credits, the music and the loving attention to details in the props plays homage to films of the era. Lynda Reiss is the prop master on the show and she has created a veritable time capsule of the 80’s with trapper keepers, BMX bikes and some wonderful fashion. Reiss shares with us how she approaches a period piece like this, her work on American Beauty and the elaborate prop work on True Detective, and much more.

Welcome to our Summer Pop Culture Confidential special! We are thrilled to talk to Paul Feig, the director of the 2016 Ghostbusters reboot and someone we have been wanting to talk to for a long time. With this years huge Summer release Paul Feig has taken on one of the most beloved comedy franchises: Ivan Reitman’s 1984 blockbuster Ghostbusters starring Bill Murray, Dan Akroyd, Harold Ramis and a host of other comedy and acting greats. It is also his biggest project to date, massive in every way - from production to the audience expectations. Feig and co-screenwriter Katie Dippold have not written a continuation of the original Ghostbusters storyline but created new characters with their own origin story. The cast includes some of the best comic actors working today - Melissa McCarthy and SNL alumni Kristen Wiig, Leslie Jones and Kate McKinnon. We speak to Feig about the unexpected reaction to the all female cast of the Ghostbusters reboot, his continuing work for greater female representation in both TV and film, Freeks and Geeks, and the fantastic story behind his jump to becoming a full-time stand up comedian at the start of his career.

On this weeks episode we dive into some of the most talked about, and difficult, topics in pop culture today. Melissa Silverstein, founder and editor of Women and Hollywood, discusses the much too slow progress for women in Hollywood and the backlash towards the upcoming female driven Ghostbusters reboot. And we speak to critic Matt Zoller Settz on how he approaches Woody Allen’s films today, post allegations. We have seen some serious ticket sales for female driven blockbusters such as Twilight and The Hunger Games. So the backlash towards women busting ghosts has been surprising, and the hatred expressed on social media shocking. We ask Silverstein – has the landscape in Hollywood actually changed for women? As of late, there have been some touchy topics, hard conversations and sadness in the pop culture community. It has become difficult as an audience member, as a fan, to come to terms with a filmmaker, artist or public figure accused of a horrific act. From Woody Allen to Johnny Depp, there are many examples of this occurring. One of the reasons we wanted to speak to Matt Zoller Seitz was his very honest article titled “I believe Dylan Farrow” which explained the complexity of being a film critic and separating the art from the artist once allegations have been made or confirmed. We explore all of these topics and much more in this very important episode.

No one is covering the issues, and in particular the 2016 US Presidential election, quite like Full Frontal with Samantha Bee. The shows Executive Producer, and a former Producer for The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, Miles Kahn joins us this week to share what makes the show so successful and entertaining. Last year Jon Stewart left late night TV just before what may be the most absurd election to date. Luckily we were given something magical to replace the void. Samantha Bee was a twelve-year veteran correspondent of The Daily Show with Jon Stewart who was tapped to become one of the few women to host on late night. The show airs on TBS and the segments are smart, brave and super funny! Miles Kahn was a Senior Producer at The Daily Show for nearly ten years and in our opinion he perfected the art of the field piece, which included reports and interviews done by correspondents out of the studio. These pieces became the core of The Daily Show and now Full Frontal. He has produced legendary pieces for John Oliver, Jason Jones, Wyatt Cenac and of course Samantha Bee.

Anticipation for the TV show “Outcast” has been mounting since it was debuted at SXSW and was immediately renewed for a second season. The series has a stellar cast including our guests - prolific actor Reg E. Cathey, who is know for his work on The Wire, OZ and House of Cards, for which he won an Emmy, and Patrick Fugit who is know for his memorable performances in Almost Famous and Gone Girl. Robert Kirkman, creator of the hit show “The Walking Dead”, helms the series about Kyle Barnes (Patrick Fugit), a young man who has been plagued by possession since he was a child, who with the help of a local reverend, tries to uncover what lies behind the horror and supernatural manifestations to rebuild himself and his family. We are very excited to speak to both Reg E. Cathey and Patrick Fugit about the show, their previous work, their process in creating such memorable characters on screen and much more! Outcast premieres in the US on Cinemax on June 3rd and in Sweden on FOX Monday June 6th.

In just 15 months British actor, comedian and Broadway star James Corden has reinvented the late night TV format with The Late Late Show on CBS. For example, his ‘Carpool Karaoke’ segment with Adele is the most-viewed late night TV clip in social media history with over 102 million views to date! On this weeks episode Late Late Show writer Lauren Greenberg joins us to share what makes the show so successful. Greenberg has been with the show since the beginning and wrote the first segment on the very first show in which Corden and Tom Hanks did a hilarious reenactment of Hanks career in six minutes! For anyone following the late night TV lineup – the last two years has turned the scene upside down with the number of changes in the lineup on the major networks. James Corden was considered an unusual choice to replace Craig Ferguson on the show, as he was pretty unknown to US audiences. But quickly he and his amazing writing team have created some of the most viral hits online, with literally billions of views. The show is already getting Emmy nomination buzz and we wish them the best of luck!

The newly released best selling book 'Her Again: Becoming Meryl Streep’, tells the origin story of arguably the most talented actor of her generation! Author, journalist and biographer Michael Schulman joins us on Pop Culture Confidential. Meryl Streep has 19 oscar nominations and 3 wins for her truly iconic performances that range from movies such as ‘Kramer vs Kramer’, ‘Sophie's Choice’, ‘The Devil wears Prada’, and ’The Iron Lady’, just to name a few. New Yorker journalist Michael Schulman did years of research and conducted over 80 interviews with Streep's friends and colleagues for his biography of her life. We talk about her school years where she was already burning with willpower and ambition, her passionate but tragic love story with ‘Godfather’ & ‘Dog Day Afternoon’ actor John Cazale. As well as her Hollywood breakthrough and first Oscar win for ‘Kramer vs. Kramer’, where she played Joanna, a woman who leaves her marriage and young son for over a year and returns to a bitter custody battle. Putting it mildly - costars Streep and Dustin Hoffman did not get along. Join us for this conversation about her life and the performances that formed one of our greatest actors!

What movie will take the summer box office this year? Will it be “The Legend of Tarzan”? “Captain America: Civil War”? Or will it be “Finding Dory”? In the summer of 1975, Steven Spielberg’s “Jaws” broke all kinds of records and the Summer Blockbuster was established. May marks the start of Hollywood’s busiest season – so grab your popcorn as Pop Culture Confidential takes a look at the Summer Movies with Ben Fritz, reporter for The Wall Street Journal. “Jaws” is still credited as the first Summer Blockbuster, earning $14 million in its first week – incredible numbers at the time. Since then “Star Wars”, “Jurassic Park”, “Top Gun”, and “Batman” have been just some of the huge summer hits for this all-important Hollywood season. This summer we look forward to “Tarzan”, “X-Men Apocalypse”, the Ghostbusters reboot, and the return of Dory in “Finding Dory”, Pixar’s sequel to the 2003 hit “Finding Nemo” and much more!

The lie detector test, bondage, feminism and superpowers – welcome to the fascinating world of Wonder Woman and her creator William M. Marston, a Harvard educated psychologist, lawyer, inventor and comic book creator. With the recent release of ‘Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice’ we get a first glimpse of Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman before her own upcoming blockbuster is released in 2017. The character is legendary – from the impact of the comic in the 1940’s and the success of the TV version in the 70’s starring Lynda Carter, but her creator has had an equally amazing life. We spoke with comic book historian, and author of the comprehensive ‘Wonder Woman Unbound’ Tim Hanley about the legacy of Wonder Woman and Marston’s life – from his contributions to the modern polygraph, which became part of the Wonder Woman legend as her lasso of truth, his polyamorous relationship with two woman, and how his strong feminist beliefs coupled with a fascination of bondage became main themes in the Wonder Woman comics – and much more!

Never has there been such a talked about pop culture phenomena that the least amount of people have actually been able to see! The Broadway smash hit ‘Hamilton’ has taken the US by storm and on this weeks episode we speak to one of its stars – actor and singer Anthony Ramos. The musical has found the impossible recipe for success – mixing rap, R&B, and pop culture references to tell the story of the American founding father Alexander Hamilton. The show’s creator and star Lin-Manuel Miranda weaves an addictive soundtrack into the remarkable milestones of Hamilton’s life, from orphan to chief architect of the American financial system, and his clash with Aaron Burr that ended in a duel that went down in history. Ramos is of Puerto Rican decent and grew up in Brooklyn where just a few years ago he was a rising baseball star. Now at just 24 he is a rising Broadway star with the role of a lifetime in ‘Hamilton’ and has appeared in on ‘Law & Order’. One sign of his success - along with the cast of ‘Hamilton’ he has not only preformed at the Grammys but at the White House for some of their biggest fans – President Obama and the First Lady!

Race, sexism, class and fame were all at the heart of how the OJ Simpson trial unfolded, themes that still resonate two decades later. The new hit series on FX ‘The People vs OJ Simpson: American Crime Story’ follows the 1994-95 trial of OJ Simpson for the horrific murders of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman. On this episode we are joined by showrunners Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski to discuss their new hit series on FX ‘The People vs OJ Simpson: American Crime Story’. The ten part series is based on the Jeffery Toobin book ‘The Run of His Life’ and it examines the racial tensions of Los Angeles, the flaws in the American justice system, our obsession with celebrity and the 24 hour news cycle. The outstanding cast of the show includes John Travolta as the larger than life litigator Robert Shapiro, David Schwimmer as OJ’s best friend Robert Kardashian, Sarah Paulson as the scrutinized prosecutor Marcia Clark, and Cuba Gooding Jr as OJ Simpson.

Miss L has taken the internet by storm. The anonymous actress based in the UK has been sharing every sexist casting call and audition notice she encounters – and it’s quite a collection! She started the Tumblr blog ‘Casting Call Woe’ four years ago to show the unusual and sometimes bizarre casting calls posted online, but quickly realized how prevalent sexism was in the industry. “It all started out of frustration at seeing such ridiculous things and really just wanting other people to see what actors were dealing with on a daily basis,” Miss L has explained. Here are just some examples of the real world casting calls for women that she has shared: We are honored to speak Miss L and ask – Since she started, has the conversation on sexism changed? What is the craziest casting call she’s seen? And much more!

Alternative histories, conspiracy theories and a race against time - these are all at the heart of the gripping new Hulu series 11.22.63. The sci-fi series has an all-star team – it’s adapted from the best selling novel by Stephen King, J.J. Abrams is Executive Producer and it stars James Franco! On this week’s episode we speak to the woman behind it all – veteran writer (Friday Night Lights, Parenthood) Bridget Carpenter. Carpenter adapted for television the story of a teacher, played by James Franco, who discovers a time portal that leads to October 21st, 1960 and goes on a quest to try and prevent the assassination of John F. Kennedy. We find out what it was like to recreate Dealey Plaza, to work with Stephen King and J.J.

Sander’s playlist highlights his revolution, Clinton roars with Katy Perry, and Trump is rocking in the free world - even though Neil Young may hate it. This week on Pop Culture Confidential - the candidates and their music! Since the birth of the United States there has been a continued tradition of presidential candidates using music to express their campaign messages. We speak to Dr Eric Kasper, Asst Professor of Political Science and the co-author of the book "Don’t Stop Thinking About the Music: The Politics of Songs and Musicians in Presidential Campaigns" to find out – Where did the tradition of campaign songs begin? What does it mean for a candidate to have a musician’s endorsement? How can a campaign be hurt when a musician sends a cease and desist on the use of their track?

Race, sexism, class and fame were all at the heart of how the OJ Simpson trial unfolded, themes that still resonate two decades later. The new hit series on FX ‘The People vs OJ Simpson: American Crime Story’ follows the 1994-95 trial of OJ Simpson for the horrific murders of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman. On this episode we are joined by showrunners Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski to discuss their new hit series on FX ‘The People vs OJ Simpson: American Crime Story’. The ten part series is based on the Jeffery Toobin book ‘The Run of His Life’ and it examines the racial tensions of Los Angeles, the flaws in the American justice system, our obsession with celebrity and the 24 hour news cycle. The outstanding cast of the show includes John Travolta as the larger than life litigator Robert Shapiro, David Schwimmer as OJ’s best friend Robert Kardashian, Sarah Paulson as the scrutinized prosecutor Marcia Clark, and Cuba Gooding Jr as OJ Simpson.

On this weeks Pop Culture Confidential: Jenni Konner, executive producer, writer and co-showrunner of HBO's "Girls", alongside show creator and star Lena Dunham. Jenni Konner started her career as a writer on Judd Apatow’s Undeclared and went on to become co-exec producer, with Apatow, on the groundbreaking series Girls. We talk about the cultural impact of the series, her close collaboration and friendship with Lena Dunham, their new feminist newsletter The Lenny Letter and why season six of Girls will be it’s last! And Oscar Sunday is finally here! The great Kyle Buchanan, senior editor of New York Magazine/Vulture and Christina talk through what is the most confusing Oscar year ever! Is it three way race for Best Picture between The Revenant, Spotlight and The Big Short? Leo DiCaprio has been doing excellent campaign work, they say, what does that mean? All the last pro tips you will need to win your Oscar pool!

This week’s guest Kevin Avery is a writer on HBO’s ‘Last Week Tonight’ and co-host of the very funny podcast ‘Denzel Washington is the Greatest Actor of All Time Period’ with fellow comedian W. Kamau Bell. His credits also include head writer on the critically acclaimed FX series ‘Totally Biased with W. Kamau Bell’ which was created by Chris Rock, and writer on VH1’s ‘Best Week Ever’. From more serious subjects like Net Neutrality and immigration, to the Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue – Avery and the staff writers, along with John Oliver, impeccably dissect politics, global issues and humanity at large, all while making us laugh out loud. ‘Last Week Tonight’ is a show not to be missed! In this episode we get the chance to ask: Are there any subjects that can’t be funny? What makes Denzel Washington such a perfect podcast subject? Will Chris Rock rock the Oscars? What is the writing process for ‘Last Week Tonight’ and what is the writer’s room like? And MUCH more!

More than a music supervisor Mary Ramos is a detective, a negotiator and a fixer when it comes to suggesting and securing the perfect music for her directors. If you have been to the cinema in the last twenty years - you already know her work! Her credits include over 100 films from Reality Bites to Spotlight, and the many iconic Quentin Tarantino soundtracks. At this year’s Göteborg Film Festival Mary Ramos joined for a Master Class, moderated by our podcast host Christina Jeurling Birro, to share her process. This episode was recorded live during this Master Class and we were excited to have the opportunity to ask her: What does her work as a Music Supervisor entail? How does she select music? What lengths will she go to to secure song rights? How does the process differ when working with composers? And MUCH more!

Welcome to this very special episode of Pop Culture Confidential that we recorded live in London where we interviewed several of the greats, in and around, this year’s most talk about films – ‘Spotlight’. The film won ‘Best Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture” at the SAG Awards, and is a definite Oscar contender for Best Picture. We sit down with Mark Ruffalo and the Pulitzer Prize journalist for the Boston Globe he portrays in the film, Mike Rezendes. As well as Walter Robinson, the Pulitzer Prize winning investigative reporter for the Boston Globe who was portrayed in the film by Michael Keaton, and writer and director Tom McCarthy. We ask – What shocked them most during the original investigation? Has the Catholic Church done enough to stop the cycle of abuse? What was it like bringing the story to the screen? And MUCH more! In 2001 the Boston Globe’s investigation team, called Spotlight, was responsible for exposing the systematic cover up of sexual abuse towards children by more than 70 priests in the Archdiocese of Boston. The series published on the scandal won the Pulitzer Prize in 2003, and now writer and director Tom McCarthy has brought this investigation to movie audiences where we follow the journalists and editors as they uncover the unnerving details of the abuse scandal, the secrecy of the Catholic Church and the power they had over Boston.

On this weeks episode we are honored to talk to Susan Sarandon - Oscar winning actress, producer, Ping-Pong enthusiast, social and political activist, and passionately committed to human rights. Together with her production company Reframed Pictures; Susan Sarandon now embarks on a documentary project about one of her real inspirations, actress Hedy Lamarr! Lamarr was a Hollywood superstar know as the “the most beautiful woman in the world” but she had a secret life – as a brilliant inventor. Lamarr’s World War II invention changed history and our lives, and today is a technology that we use in cellphones, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi communication, but Hedy Lamarr would not get the recognition she deserved. Because of her storied career, Sarandon was in a unique position to understand what it was like for Hedy Lamarr to fight hard for roles on screen while fighting harder to change the world off screen. In this week’s episode we talk to Susan Sarandon about her new documentary but also why Hedy is an inspiration to her, how Sarandon has survived the pressures of Hollywood, why she is endorsing Bernie Sanders, the Oscar boycott, and SO much more!!

The King’s Speech, Juno, American Hustle, Argo, and now Spotlight and The Revenant – these are just some of the scripts featured on The Black List that have gone onto receive Oscar nominations and Oscar gold! Our guest Franklin Leonard is the founder of The Black List and it’s podcast compliment The Black List Table Reads. And this week we check back in with our favorite TV critic June Thomas, Slate’s culture critic, to hear her highlights from the recent Television Critics Association’s ‘Winter Tour’ held in Los Angeles.

This weeks guests Moira Demos and Laura Ricciardi spent ten years of their lives documenting the Avery case which became the Netflix docu-series “Making a Murderer”. If you have not watched the complete series, please know that this episode and the text below contain spoilers. Was Steven Avery setup by the local authorities as payback for the lawsuit? Is an innocent man in jail the second time? Was 16-year-old Brendan Dassey's confession coerced? The series is spellbinding and infuriating, regardless of guilt or innocence, as it shines a light on the entire justice system.

full frenzy and what better way to start the year than to predict the nominees for this year’s Oscars. We last spoke to awards expert Sasha Stone, Awards Daily, after Telluride in September. Now we check in with Sasha and ask the big questions: Who are the frontrunners? What happened to the early buzz for Steve Jobs? Will Alicia Vikander receive two nominations? And much more!

Steinem has been an outspoken champion of women’s rights since the 1970s and has just released her new memoir ‘My Life of The Road’. Her work has been an inspiration to us personally and to a whole generation of women in pop culture – from comedian Amy Schumer to actress Lena Dunham, both of who are highlighting how society looks at women today with their work. As a columnist for New York magazine and a founder of Ms. Magazine Steinem has published seminal articles, including one that detailed her stint as a Playboy bunny to highlight the sexist treatment of women at Playboy Clubs, and a pioneering work in 1969, titled “After Black Power, Women’s Liberation.” Which brought her to national fame. More recently she has written about importance of Hillary Clinton’s run for President and what it means for society. Throughout her life she has battled for reproductive rights and has been vocal about her own abortion when she was 22. This book is in fact dedicated to “the doctor that changed her life”.

Gorgeous, moving and subtle – ‘Carol’ is a beautifully crafted tale of forbidden love that has wowed critics and audiences alike. And it’s no wonder – director Todd Haynes (Far from Heaven, I’m Not There) along with the films stars Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara have delivered Oscar worthy performances. ‘Carol’ follows two women from very different backgrounds that find themselves in an unexpected love affair in 1950s New York. Their undeniable attraction is challenged by the conventional norms of the time but what emerges is an honest story of resilience and fulfillment. Our guest is screenwriter Phyllis Nagy who adapted Patricia Highsmith’s book “The Price of Salt” for the film. Highsmith wrote more than twenty novels before her death in 1995, many of which including “Strangers on a Train” and the Tom Ripley series but it is the love story of Carol and Therese that draws inspiration from her own life. We ask Phyllis about the twenty year struggle of bringing this story to the big screen, her friendship with Highsmith and how the period drama can be seen as a reflection of todays society.

From Citizen Kane, All The Presidents Men, Anchorman, and Newsroom to this years much buzzed about films Truth and Spotlight – Hollywood has had a long, adoring, but complicated relationship portraying journalism. The iconic 1976 film Network staring Faye Dunaway and Robert Duvall will soon celebrate its fortieth anniversary. In both television and film, journalism is still a hot topic today with crusading journalists, cutthroat executives and stressed newsrooms front and center. The film Network was groundbreaking when it premiered but it’s influence is still felt and has inspired filmmakers like Aaron Sorkin and TV personality Stephen Colbert. On the show, we speak to New York Times writer Dave Itzkoff and author of the hit book Mad as Hell: The Making of Network and the Fateful Vision of the Angriest Man in Movies about Network on the continuing allure of the journalism genre. Why are these depictions important in our greater culture? Why do newspaper journalists get so much more respect then their counterparts on TV? And is there any truth to the power-hungry female news producer?

We are thrilled to speak with Roger Christian who won Best Art Direction - Set Decoration for 'Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope' in 1977. Along with his team, he is responsible for the iconic interior of the Millennium Falcon, the first lightsaber, R2D2, and much more. And we talk to Entertainment Weekly senior writer Anthony Breznican about everything you need to know about Star War: The Force Awakens premiere and much more! Host/Producer: Christina Jeurling Birro. Producer: Renee Viterstedt. Editor: Tom Hansen.

This weeks guests have created some of the most iconic looks for superstars like Britney Spears, Pink, David Bowie, Ozzy Osbourne, and Marilyn Manson. They are behind the wonderful costumes in the Oscar winning film Dallas Buyers Club, and most recently they designed the costumes for Mockingjay Pt 1 & 2 of the Hunger Games franchise. Kurt Swanson and Bart Mueller, who make up the New York-based costume design team Kurt & Bart, created meticulously detailed looks for Jennifer Lawrence, Elizabeth Banks, Liam Hemsworth, Josh Hutcherson and the rest of the cast, along with over 10,000 extras. Yes, you read that correctly - 10,000 extras! Unlike the previous Hunger Games films, Mockingjay Part 1 & 2 take place mainly in District 13 as Katniss leads the revolution against the Capitol. The costumes Kurt & Bart designed reflect the shift for each character as they take on new roles and the limitations of wartime. The result is both restrained in color and materials, but no less visually stunning.

Marlon Brando was one of the most acclaimed and influential actors of all time. He also was one of the most elusive and enigmatic. In the new documentary Listen to Me Marlon, written, directed and edited by Stevan Riley, we get a powerfully absorbing portrait that dives into the inner space of Brando’s mind. The film features exclusive access to Brando's previously unseen and unheard personal archive of private audio tapes the actor recorded at home, in business meetings, during hypnosis, in therapy, and during press interviews. And Brando doesn’t hold back as he reflects on his childhood, his movie career and the people he worked with. No talking heads, no interviewees: just Brando on Brando. We speak to director Stevan Riley to hear about his process making the film, what Brando felt about celebrity and his own appearance, his relationship with Francis Ford Coppola and the myths of Apocalypse Now - and much more! This year Listen to Me Marlon has been nominated for “Best Feature” at the 2015 International Documentary Association Awards, and is one of the documentary features submitted for the 2016 Oscar race.

Carrie Coon burst onto the scene in 2014 with two remarkable performances in David Fincher’s Gone Girl and HBO’s The Leftovers. We are honored to speak with her! How would you react if 2% of the world’s population suddenly disappeared, including your husband and two children? This is the premise for Carrie Coon’s character Nora Durst on the hit HBO show The Leftovers, now in its second season. The show is co-created by Lost’s Damon Lindelof and the author of the novel, Tom Perrotta. We speak to actress Carrie Coon about her work on The Leftovers and what season two will bring for her character, what it was like to work with David Fincher on the psychological thriller Gone Girl and how the roles for women on television are evolving. Then we ask the question – can watching television increase your emotional intelligence? New research shows that watching award-winning television shows, such as Mad Men, Lost, The Good Wife or The West Wing, can increase our ability to read emotion and to empathize. We speak to Professor of Psychology Jennifer L. Barnes to find out what this research means for avid viewers like us.

By 1982, cocaine made up 30% of all Colombian export, surpassing coffee, with much help by cocaine kingpin Pablo Escobar. The new hit Netflix series “Narcos” traces his rise as one of the leaders of the Meddellín Cartel, the flow of cocaine from Colombia into the United States and the DEA’s attempts to bring down Escobar and the cartel. Brazilian actor Wagner Moura has received high praise for his portrayal of Escobar, who is a complex character – to say the least. He is one of the worlds most notorious criminals, reportedly responsible for over 4,000 murders and terrorizing many more, but to some he is also a hero, a Robin Hood like character who gave money to poor comminutes in Colombia, built soccer stadiums and even ran for office. At the time of his death, he was reportedly worth an estimated $25 billion dollars – making him also the wealthiest criminal in history. “Narcos” is filmed on location in Colombia with some real archival footage mixed in, and many of the real-life protagonists are consultants on the show. The result is equal parts drama and fascinating history lesson. We speak to producer Paul Eckstein about the extensive research that went into developing the project, the amazing cast and crew who have brought the scripts to life, and what is next for him and the team. We also ask him about his experience acting on Star Trek and why he thinks the show is a hotbed for talented writers.

Twenty-five years ago Buzz Bissinger went in search of the Friday night lights – to chronicle the high school football ritual that can bring together a small American town. The result of this journey that took him to Odessa, Texas became the New York Times bestseller “Friday Night Lights: A Town, a Team, and a Dream”, a book that would later be adapted into both a movie and TV show of the same name. The book shows America’s love of football while exposing its racism and greed, which is just as prevalent today but often overlooked. Since then Bissinger has not shied away from controversial subjects, including his own life. He has written about his struggle as a shopaholic which has included spending over $500,000 on high-fashion clothing in just two years, as well as his love of wearing women’s clothing. In his very touching book “Father’s Day: Across America with an Unusual Dad and His Extraordinary Son” he explores his relationship with his son Zach, who is savant challenged by serious intellectual deficits, as they take a road trip across the U.S.. As a contributor for Vanity Fair he has written very revealing profiles - of the disgraced journalist Stephen Glass, post scandal Tiger Woods, Oscar nominated Bradley Cooper and maybe his most memorable - Caitlyn Jenner in which he chronicles “the fears and doubts, love and courage, and tensions and traumas involved in the transition”.

Guest: Priyanka Chopra This week we interview one of the world’s biggest movie stars. She acts, she sings, she dances, and as an FBI agent in the new ABC drama “Quantico” she kicks some serious butt! Priyanka Chopra, the Bollywood superstar has over 50 films on her resume, and is now taking Hollywood by storm – and making history by being the first South Asian woman to headline a US network drama. Priyanka Chopra was born in Jamshedpur India, but as a teenager she lived for some years with her aunt in the United States. She returned to India in her late teens and at 18 she won the Miss World Title, an event that helped start her film career. Today Chopra is one of Bollywood's highest-paid actresses and a vocal advocate for women’s rights. She has shown herself to be extremely versatile by playing a range of unconventional characters, including a serial killer, a glamorous femme fatal, India’s real-life boxing champion Mary Kom and an autistic woman in the internationally acclaimed romantic comedy Barfi!. In “Quantico”, helmed by Joshua Safran of Gossip Girl fame, Chopra plays Alex Parrish, a new FBI recruit in training who is accused of a terrorist attack as the series begins. The series premiered in September on ABC and airs on Sundays. In Sweden it premieres October 19th on Kanal 5.

Guest: Kevin Baillie Even a death-defying high-wire artist has to start somewhere. As a boy, Philippe Petit dreamt of performing daring feats for dazzled crowds. As an adult, his life’s ambition came true when on August 7, 1974, he successfully walked between the Twin Towers, 110 floors up with no harness or net! Our guest Kevin Baillie’s journey also reads much like a film script. By the age of seven, after being inspired by films like Back to the Future, he had already chosen his career path and was best friends with Ryan Tudhope, with whom he would later co-found the visual effects studio Atomic Fiction. With his dream, much determinacy and hard work, Baillie was working at Skywalker Ranch at just 18 years old! Flash forward; Baillie is the Visual Effects Supervisor on The Walk, and along with the team at Atomic Fiction, worked with legendary director Robert Zemeckis (Back to the Future, Forrest Gump, Flight) to bring Petit’s seemingly impossible stunt to life in The Walk. In this highly anticipated film staring Joseph Gordon-Levitt, it is the absolutely stunning visuals that make this vertigo-inducing journey so believable, a feat that meant recreating the twin towers and New York in the 70s. Baillie has worked with Zemeckis on multiple films. Remember the gut-wrenching plane crash in Flight? That was his work! His resume also includes work on Star Wars: Episode 1 – The Phantom Menace, Hellboy, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End, Sin CIty and Star Trek Into Darkness.

In the 1970s, there wasn’t a Hollywood agent more successful than Sue Mengers. Her client roster read like a who’s who of the hottest actors and directors of the time: Barbra Streisand, Gene Hackman, Ryan O’Neal, Ali MacGraw, Diana Ross, Michael Caine, Candice Bergen, Jacqueline Bisset, Mike Nichols, Peter Bogdanovich, and a glittering marquee of many other high- profile performers. Author Brian Kellow interviewed over 200 people, to collect all of wonderful moments in her often loud and abrasive life and career for his recently released biography Can I Go Now?: The Life of Sue Mengers, Hollywood’s First Superagent. The last twenty years has been referred to as the second golden age of television. Shows like Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Freaks and Geeks, and The Wire were breeding grounds for the showrunners who are now bringing us smash hits like Empire, Girls, Madmen, Unreal and many more. Tara Bennett, who interviewed showrunners Joss Whedon, Ronald D. Moore, Damon Lindelof, Terence Winter, and many more for her book Showrunners: The Art of Running a TV Show, joins us to shine the light on the people making this golden era come to life.

Black Mass, starring Johnny Depp and directed by Scott Cooper, tells the terrifying story of real-life Boston crime boss Whitey Bulger who kept Boston in his grip for decades. After 16 years on the run he was finally arrested in 2011 and found guilty of federal racketeering, extortion, conspiracy and involvement in 11 murders. Former Boston Globe reporter Dick Lehr was a Pulitzer Prize finalist in investigative reporting. He spent decades reporting on Whitey Bulger and his unholy alliance with the FBI. Together with Gerard O'Neill, Lehr wrote the critically acclaimed, NY Times bestselling book Black Mass, which the film is based on, as well as the book, Whitey: The Life of America's Most Notorious Mob Boss. We also follow up with Awards Daily Sasha Stone, arguably the best Oscar tracker in the industry, who we last spoke to after the Cannes Film Festival. We get all the buzz from the Telluride Film Festival – a hotbed for Best Picture winners. One film getting buzz is Spotlight about The Boston Globe’s investigative reporting unit, or "Spotlight" team, and their coverage of the Massachusetts Catholic sex abuse scandal.

Guest: Debra Birnbaum, Variety With the Emmy’s just over a week away, we share our thoughts on the nominations, the gala, the snubs, surprises and of course – PREDICTIONS! Our expert guide is Debra Birnbaum who is the executive editor, TV for Variety! She also covers the Emmy Awards, producing 13 special issues highlighting the Emmy contenders. She knows her Emmys!

Guest: Jenny Jaffe Funny, fearless and passionate are just a few of the words that describe Jenny Jaffe, comedy writer and founder of Project UROK - a nonprofit organization that is creating honest and frank videos for teenagers who are struggling with mental health issues, made by people who have been there before.Their message - You are not alone, you are okay! These include actor and writer Wil Wheaton (Stand by Me, Star Trek, The Big Bang Theory) who shares his struggles with mental illness and depression, Mara Wilson who came to fame as a child actress in Matilda and Mrs. Doubtfire shares her struggle with anxiety, as well as gossip reporter Perez Hilton who struggled with panic attacks.

Guest: Ellen Lewis The iconic performances in Goodfellas, Scent of a Woman, Forrest Gump, The Devil Wears Prada, Wolf of Wall Street and close to 70 other films have one thing in common - renowned casting director Ellen Lewis. While the director and screenwriter create a films world, it is the casting directors job to fill this world with just the right mix of actors to create exhilarating onscreen chemistry. Lewis has been doing just that for directors such as Mike Nichols, Jim Jarmusch, and Martin Scorsese. In fact her IMDB page looks like a list of the best films from the past two decades. In this exclusive interview with Ellen Lewis we discuss her career changing films, tricks of the trade, why there is still no Oscar given for casting, and her recent work which includes the upcoming Steven Spielberg feature Bridge of Spies, and highly anticipated new HBO series Vinyl, produced by Martin Scorsese and Mick Jagger.

Guest: Lisa Belkin Race, community and politics – topics just as relevant today as they were in 1988 when Mayor Wasicsko fought an aggressive battle to set in motion a housing desegregation plan for the city of Yonkers, New York. These dramatic real-life events are the inspiration behind the new HBO miniseries Show Me A Hero, written by The Wire creator David Simon, directed by Oscar winner Paul Haggis and starring the critically acclaimed Oscar Isaac. The series is based on the gripping book Show Me A Hero: A Tale of Murder, Suicide, Race and Redemption written by Lisa Belkin who followed the events and citizens of Yonkers for seven years.

As correspondent on The Daily Show or on HBOs hit series The Brink, Aasif Mandvi is tackling bigotry and Islamophobia one show at a time. In this portrait of his life and career he shares the immigrant journey that brought him eventually to New York, the importance of The Daily Show and the unique opportunity he has today to change the perception of Muslims with his Funny or Die parody series Halal In The Family. Since Jon Stewart steps down this week from The Daily Show, after hosting the Emmy-winning program for the last 17 years, we ask Aasif about what the show, and Jon Stewart, has meant to him personally and on a larger scale – geopolitics in comedy today. We also speak to Amy Mitchell of the Pew Research Center in Washington, Department of Journalism, on the impact and influence of The Daily Show.

It’s the TV season mid-year mark and we round up Spring’s biggest hits and misses! From the unbelievable finale of The Jinx, to the electricity of Empire - and looking forward - will True Detective season two live up the acclaimed first season? Time Magazine’s James Poniewozik gives us the lay of the TV land. And it's never to early to start predicting the Oscars! Sasha Stone, arguably the best Oscar tracker in the industry, shares who is leading the race post-Cannes!

Our Town, the critically acclaimed debut novel by author Kevin McEnroe, begins in the Golden Age of Hollywood and is a fictionalized account of his grandmother actress Joanna Moore - her life, passions, addictions and ultimate self-destruction. Kevin McEnroe, son of tennis legend John McEnroe and actress Tatum O’Neal, talks to Pop Culture Confidential about his book, how writing it was a very personal turning point and how his grandmother saved his life. Host/Producer: Christina Jeurling Birro Producer: Renee Viterstedt Editor: Tom Hansen Theme Song: Carl Borg

Episode 5: Groundbreakers & Side Splitters by Pop Culture Confidential

Guests: Mary McNamara & Joe Toplyn After 6,028 episodes and nearly 20,000 guests, on May 20th, 2015 David Letterman will host his last night of "Late Show with David Letterman" on CBS. We believed that this momentous occasion deserved a show all of its own. This David Letterman special dives into his 30+ year career and the moments that have made it so influential for pop culture.

Guests: Rob Feng & Henrik Bastin Whether it’s from Westeros or Stockholm, all roads can lead to Hollywood. In this episode we discuss Game of Thrones, The Comedians, Bosch and much more.

We dive into the intersection of politics and pop culture - from Saturday Night Live, to the White House Correspondence Dinner. Guests: Allison Silverman & Ian Crouch.

Exploring the Church of Scientology’s reaction to the revealing new documentary ‘Going Clear’ and diving head first into the world of sex, drugs and classic music of ‘Mozart in the Jungle’. Guests: In this episode we speak with Kim Masters, Editor-at-Large of the Hollywood Reporter and host of KCRW's The Business, to get insights into how the Church of Scientology is reacting to the controversial new documentary on HBO – ‘Going Clear’. Blair Tindall, oboist and author of the memoir "Mozart in the Jungle: Sex, Drugs, and Classical Music" talks about her experiences in the New York City classical music scene and working with Roman Coppola and Jason Schwartzman on the TV series based on her book.