Q with Tom Power
CBC
Five days a week, Tom Power brings you candid conversations with the artists shaping our culture. Whether he’s chatting with A-listers or rising stars, his disarming warmth and meticulous research always gets below the surface, bringing us deeper into the art and lives of today's most compelling musicians, writers, actors and filmmakers.As a Canadian institution, Q has attracted the biggest names in the world. But it's never been about the fame. It's always been about the art.Since becoming the host of Q in October 2016, listeners have come to know Tom for his in-depth interviewing style (asking founding Wu-Tang Clan member RZA what was inside his teenage notebooks), his mischievous sense of humour (jokingly chiding actor Catherine O'Hara for her parenting skills in Home Alone), and his genuine enthusiasm and fearlessness (singing a duet with Mavis Staples).You’re just as likely to hear from celebrities and cultural icons as you are to hear from emerging artists at the beginning of their career. Tom gives each and every artist the space to tell their story in their own words. He also has a track record for interviewing artists on the precipice of stardom, like Lizzo, Billie Eilish and Daniel Caesar, who appeared on Q well before they hit the mainstream.On Q, we cover arts and culture in all its forms, including music, movies, film, TV, comedy, painting, photography, theatre, cinema, Broadway, fashion, dance, opera, documentaries, books, fiction and memoirs.Look to our archives to hear some of Tom’s award-winning artist interviews, including his moving and insightful conversation with the Canadian actor Michael J. Fox, which was awarded the prestigious gold medal for best interview at the 2021 New York Festivals Radio Awards.In 2022, Tom spoke with Friends star Matthew Perry in front of a live audience. Their warm and frank conversation about the actor's struggles with substance abuse struck a chord, leading to millions views on TikTok and Instagram, while also being picked up by news outlets internationally, including Vanity Fair and CNN.Tom’s impactful discussions with top talent have included Adele, Bono, Chappell Roan, Pamela Anderson, Cate Blanchett, Dua Lipa, Cher, Denzel Washington, Mick Jagger, Florence Pugh, Francis Ford Coppola, Kristen Stewart, Emma Stone, Jim Carrey, Billy Porter, Tom Hanks, Jerry Seinfeld, Tyler Perry, Alicia Keys, Alan Moore, Bruce Springsteen, Dolly Parton, Barbra Streisand, Darren Aronofsky, Harry Styles, Simu Liu, Sean Penn, Sandra Bullock, Michaela Coel, Ryan Reynolds, Katy Perry, Neil Young, Shakira, George Clooney, Ava DuVernay, Omar Apollo, Trixie Mattel, Orville Peck, Big Sean, Anil Kapoor, Jane Fonda, Robert DeNiro, Antonio Banderas, Elton John, Celine Dion, Kerry Washington, Chuck D, Steven Soderbergh, Mikey Madison, Cillian Murphy, Sean Baker, Steve McQueen, Paris Hilton, Taylor Tomlinson, Gwen Stefani, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Kylie Minogue, Stanley Tucci, Rufus Wainwright, Caroline Polachek, Hans Zimmer, Denis Villeneuve, Alex Garland, Alan Ritchson, Britt Lower, Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson, David Blaine, Brian Tyree Henry, Perfume Genius, Deepa Mehta, Tracy Chapman, Chloë Sevigny, Josh Hartnett and many more.
Episodes
Mentioned books
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Aug 2, 2024 • 21min
Josh Hartnett: Shedding the heartthrob label
Between 1998 and 2002, Josh Hartnett was an inescapable presence on the big screen. During that time, he became a teen heartthrob with films like “The Virgin Suicides” and “40 Days and 40 Nights,” before catapulting to A-list status in blockbusters like “Pearl Harbor” and “Black Hawk Down.” But then, at the height of his fame, he decided to walk away from Hollywood in search of artistic fulfillment. Now, he’s back in the spotlight with recent roles in “Oppenheimer,” “Black Mirror” and “The Bear.” Josh joins Tom to talk about his relationship with fame and his latest role in M. Night Shyamalan’s new action-packed thriller, “Trap.”
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Aug 2, 2024 • 22min
Elijah Wood: Child stardom & his new movie Bookworm
Elijah Wood has racked up more than 60 TV and film credits over the course of his 35-year career. He made his film debut as a child actor in 1989’s “Back to the Future Part II” and established himself with several lead roles throughout the 1990s. By the early 2000s, he had become a megastar thanks to “The Lord of the Rings” franchise. Elijah’s latest role is in the family-friendly adventure movie “Bookworm,” which follows a washed-up magician who reconnects with his estranged daughter. He tells guest host Talia Schlanger about the film and his past as a child star.
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Aug 1, 2024 • 36min
Sarah McLachlan: Fame, stalkers & her biggest hits
Sarah McLachlan is having a big year. Right now, the Grammy-winning Canadian superstar is in the middle of a massive North American tour to celebrate the 30th anniversary of her breakthrough album, “Fumbling Towards Ecstasy.” This September, she’ll also be inducted into the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame. Sarah joins Tom to talk about being back on the road for the first time in nearly a decade, what she thinks about some of her biggest hits, and why she says her daughters finally think she’s cool.
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Aug 1, 2024 • 14min
Quick Q: Emily Austin on rewriting parts of the Bible through a queer lens
What’s your relationship like with holy texts? Growing up, the Canadian poet and novelist Emily Austin attended Catholic school and was an altar server, but as she got older, she started questioning how parts of the Bible made her feel as a woman and a queer person. In her new collection of poetry, “Gay Girl Prayers,” she reclaims Catholic prayers and biblical passages by providing alternate versions through a queer and feminist lens. Emily joins Tom to talk about the collection and read a poem from it.
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Jul 31, 2024 • 23min
Keanu Reeves & China Miéville: Their new novel The Book of Elsewhere
Sometime between starring in action movies and touring with his band Dogstar, Keanu Reeves created a comic book series called “BRZRKR.” But he wanted to take the story further, so he called up China Miéville, one of the most prolific speculative fiction authors in the world, and convinced him to collaborate. Now, they’ve released their new novel, “The Book of Elsewhere,” which is based on the series. In this Canadian broadcast exclusive interview, Tom chats with Keanu and China about the book and how they felt about stepping outside of their creative comfort zones.
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Jul 31, 2024 • 24min
Qasim Khan: Taking on the role of Hamlet
The Canadian actor Qasim Khan has taken on the coveted role of Hamlet for Canadian Stage’s annual Dream in High Park, which sees him performing in an outdoor amphitheatre to an audience of a thousand people, six times a week. Qasim sits down with Tom to talk about the part, his complicated relationship with the iconic “To be, or not to be” soliloquy, and what this production of Shakespeare’s most famous tragedy does a bit differently.
Jul 30, 2024 • 25min
Karen Robinson: Her starring role on Law & Order Toronto
For more than 30 years, “Law & Order” has taken viewers inside a dramatized version of the American justice system. While the franchise is most notably associated with New York, it’s now come to Toronto with the Canadian spinoff series “Law and Order Toronto: Criminal Intent.” Actor Karen Robinson talks to Tom about her starring role on the show, her love of telling complex stories, and how it feels making her dad proud.
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Jul 30, 2024 • 18min
Marigold Santos & Rajni Perera: Their epic new exhibit in Montreal
Two Canadian visual artists, Marigold Santos and Rajni Perera, have come together to create an epic exhibit called “Efflorescence/The Way We Wake” at Montreal's Fondation Phi. The four-floor show includes work by both artists separately as well as pieces they made together. It explores topics like diasporic identity and motherhood through the lens of science fiction and folklore. Marigold and Rajni join guest host Talia Schlanger to talk about the exhibit and the trust between them that made it possible.
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Jul 29, 2024 • 40min
Jelly Roll: From incarceration to country music stardom
Jelly Roll’s origin story isn’t that of the average country singer-songwriter. While growing up in Nashville's Antioch neighbourhood in the ‘90s, Jelly Roll developed an interest in hip-hop music and learned to rap. But from 14 to 25, he began cycling in and out of prison for various offences, including felony charges. In the years since getting out, he’s gone from rapping to singing, ultimately finding a home in country music. Jelly Roll sits down with Tom to share his incredible story.
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Jul 29, 2024 • 12min
Quick Q: Donovan Woods returns with his 7th studio album
The acclaimed Canadian troubadour Donovan Woods is back with a brand new album, “Things Were Never Good If They’re Not Good Now.” He sits down with guest host Talia Schlanger to set up a new song called “When Our Friends Come Over” (featuring Madi Diaz).
