Awards Chatter

The Oscar and Emmy winning actress and Goop founder and CEO reflects on breaking into the business in the 1990s and becoming "the First Lady of Miramax"; working with a generation of great filmmakers early in their careers, including David Fincher, PTA and Wes Anderson; why she grew disillusioned with Hollywood and focused primarily on business for the last 17 years; and what lured her back in front of the camera to play, well, an actress coming out of retirement, opposite Timothée Chalamet in Josh Safdie's latest film. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In front of an audience at the Miami Film Festival's GEMS event, the trailblazing filmmaker reflects on helping to usher in New Queer Cinema with 'Mala Noche' and 'My Own Private Idaho'; subsequently jumping between mainstream films, like 'Good Will Hunting' and 'Milk,' and experimental works, like 'Elephant'; why he came close to directing, but did not direct, 'Brokeback Mountain,' 'Call Me by Your Name' and '50 Shades of Grey'; and returning to feature filmmaking, after seven years away, with a film that is set in the '70s but is eerily timely today. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The writer/director best known for dramedies like 'The Squid and the Whale,' 'Frances Ha' and 'Marriage Story' reflects on the people and films that shaped him, the evolution of his collaboration with Greta Gerwig spanning 'Greenberg' through 'Barbie,' and his new Netflix film, which centers on a movie star (George Clooney) in the midst of an existential crisis. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The singer/songwriter and actress, who shot to fame as Hannah Montana and then became a real pop star, reflects on navigating child stardom; the origins of her biggest hits, from "See You Again" to "We Can't Stop" and "Wrecking Ball" to her Grammy-winning "Flowers"; and how she wound up co-writing and perfomring "Dream As One," an original song for the third installment of James Cameron's blockbuster film series. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The English singer/songwriter, who is arguably the most successful male pop star in the world and has been described by Taylor Swift as "the James Taylor to my Carole King," reflects on his path from busking on the streets of London to superstardom; the origin stories of hits like 'The A Team' 'Sing' and 'Thinking Out Loud'; and why he agreed to co-write and perform "Drive" and "Zoo," original songs for two of 2025's biggest blockbusters. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In front of an audience at Chapman University, the two-time Emmy nominee reflected on her breakthrough roles on TV's 'Euphoria' and 'The White Lotus' and in the film 'Reality,' getting into producing with 'Anyone But You,' and challenging herself as never before by producing and starring in a new biopic about boxer Christy Martin, for which she is currently garnering Oscar buzz. She also teases her upcoming film 'The Housemaid,' the return of 'Euphoria,' and her Kim Novak project 'Scandalous.' Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In front of an audience at Chapman University, the winner of multiple Emmys, Golden Globes and SAG awards reflects on why he walked away from dancing and towards acting in his teens, what he learned from his 11-season run on 'Shameless,' how he landed his star-making role as chef Carmy Berzatto on 'The Bear' and how, subsequently, his own conflicted feelings about fame helped him to play Bruce Springsteen during the darkest period of the music legend's life. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In front of an audience at the Virginia Film Festival, and a piano, one of the leading film composers of his generation reflects on how he was shaped by both classical and hip-hop music, how his best known scores for TV (the main title theme for 'Succession') and film (Barry Jenkins' 'Moonlight' and 'If Beale Street Could Talk') came to be, and how his score for Noah Baumbach's new film was composed and employed differently than any of his others. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Rian Johnson, the acclaimed writer-director of films like Knives Out and Star Wars: The Last Jedi, discusses his creative journey from indie filmmaker to blockbuster director. He shares insights into his passion for storytelling, the influences behind his films, and the evolution of his Benoit Blanc series. Highlights include his unique approach to time travel narratives, navigating the complexities of directing iconic actors like Mark Hamill, and the tonal diversity across his mystery trilogy. Plus, he reveals future ambitions, including a desire to tackle musicals!

Amy Madigan, a veteran character actress celebrated for her roles in classics like 'Field of Dreams' and 'Uncle Buck,' shares insights from her impressive four-decade career. She discusses her transition from music to acting and her creative partnership with husband Ed Harris. Madigan reveals the transformative experience of portraying the quirky Gladys in 'Weapons,' emphasizing the character's ambiguous backstory and her unique physical transformation. She also reflects on the industry's challenges and her recent triumphs with the film's box office success.