Ronny Chieng chats with Hong Chau, an Oscar-nominated actor recognized for her powerful roles, about her latest film 'The Instigators' and her Hollywood journey, emphasizing the importance of cultural representation. He also speaks with Jon M. Chu, a celebrated director known for his adaptation of 'Wicked', who shares insights from his memoir 'Viewfinder' and offers advice to aspiring filmmakers. Together, they discuss the challenges of navigating fame, the significance of storytelling, and staying true to one’s heritage in the entertainment industry.

In this engaging discussion, former GOP Congressman Adam Kinzinger shares insights on his work with Power the Polls, aiming to recruit a new generation of poll workers for fair elections. Acclaimed actress Hong Chau opens up about her rise in Hollywood and the unique challenges facing introverted artists. They explore Kamala Harris's running mate options amid political satire and Trump’s commentary on her racial identity while enjoying a delicious Vietnamese Banh Bo cake, blending humor, identity, and civic responsibility.

A special compilation of this year's Oscar nominees talking about their nominated works. Hear excerpts from Marc's interviews with Michelle Yeoh, Daniels, Brendan Fraser, Hong Chau, Austin Butler, Andrea Riseborough, Sarah Polley, Todd Field, Rian Johnson, Judd Hirsch and Tony Kushner. Sign up here for WTF+ to get the full show archives and weekly bonus material! https://plus.acast.com/s/wtf-with-marc-maron-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hong Chau owes her acting career to social anxiety and a fear of performing in public. It was the desire to overcome those obstacles that led her to improv and acting classes. Hong and Marc talk about the dangerous journey her family undertook to get from Vietnam to America, her upbringing in New Orleans, the controversy around her performance in Downsizing, and her Oscar nominated performance in The Whale. Sign up here for WTF+ to get the full show archives and weekly bonus material! https://plus.acast.com/s/wtf-with-marc-maron-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Oscar-hopeful Hong Chau discusses her rise to fame, while the hosts debate font choices like Times New Roman vs. Calibri. They also analyze if Salesforce is a 'who' or 'them' in the tech world, and share humorous celebrity mix-ups.