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Benedict Cumberbatch joins the show to talk about his performance as Phil Burbank in Jane Campion's much anticipated film, The Power Of The Dog. Set in 1920's Montana, the film follows rancher Phil and his brother George (Jesse Plemons). When George brings home his new wife Rose (Kirsten Dunst) and her son Peter (Kodi Smit-McPhee), Phil responds to the pair with mocking cruelty, until the unexpected happens. In this interview, Cumberbatch reflects on the personal significance and excitement of meeting Campion for the first time, explains his deep fascination with his character Phil, and describes the intense physical preparation he went through to bring him to life.Cumberbatch also gives insight into Campion's directorial style, speaks frankly about the challenges of the two-month Covid lockdown that halted the film's production, and tells listeners why he's been feeling fearless lately.  

Welcome to the the 3rd and final episode of the Present Company mini-series,More Like This. Today, we're at the London Hotel in Los Angeles, where we'll hear from Maggie Gyllenhaal on her feature directorial debut, The Lost Daughter. This conversation will be led by actress and filmmaker Olivia Wilde, who made her own directorial debut back in 2019 with the beloved coming-of-age comedy, Booksmart. 

Welcome to the 2nd episode of the Present Company mini-series, More Like This. Today, we’re at the School of Visual Arts Theater in New York City, about to hear from Lin-Manuel Miranda on his directorial debut, Tick, Tick...Boom. This conversation will be led by film and theater director, producer, and choreographer Rob Marshall, who has captured our hearts over the years with films such as Annie, Chicago, and Memories of a Geisha.  

Welcome to the 1st episode of the Present Company mini-series, More Like This. Today, we're at the Directors Guild of America in Los Angeles, about to hear from writer & director Jane Campion on how her breathtaking film, The Power of The Dog, came to life. This conversation will be led by filmmaker Kimberly Peirce, who made waves in 1999 with her groundbreaking debut feature film, Boys Don't Cry. 

Over the past few months, Krista sat down separately with Maggie Gyllenhaal and a few of the actors behind her feature directorial debut, The Lost Daughter. Today, she takes a deep dive into those conversations, to bring together the perspectives and experiences of the people who brought this film to life. 

In this episode, Krista takes a look back at some of her favorite Present Company moments of 2021.

Maggie Gyllenhaal joins the show to talk about her feature directorial debut, The Lost Daughter. Adapted from pseudonymous Italian novelist Elena Ferrante's book by the same name, The Lost Daughter follows Leda (Olivia Colman), a college professor vacationing in Greece who becomes obsessed with a young mother and daughter that she encounters at the beach. Over the course of Leda's trip, her proximity to the duo prompts memories from her own early days of motherhood, forcing Leda to confront her past. In this interview, Gyllenhaal explains why she was originally drawn to the story, what it was like to contact Ferrante, and how she brought Olivia Colman onto the project. Gyllenhaal also shares what it was like to direct her husband Peter Sarsgaard, explains the importance of creating a loving, supportive on-set environment, and reflects on why opening herself up to the idea of directing took so many years. 

Adam McKay joins the show to talk about his new disaster comedy, Don't Look Up. The film boasts a massive star-studded cast, including Leonardo DiCaprio, Jennifer Lawrence, Meryl Streep, Jonah Hill, Rob Morgan, Timothée Chalamet, Cate Blanchett, Tyler Perry, and Ariana Grande. In this interview, McKay shares the unlikely initial source of inspiration for the project, details how he assembled his knockout cast, and discusses the essential role that improv played on set. McKay also describes how he got his start in comedy, reflects on the current state of the world, and gives an update on his daughter Pearl, who gained international fame at 2 years old after she starred in his and Will Ferrell's classic Funny or Die sketch, "The Landlord."

Over the past few months, Krista sat down separately with the cast of Jane Campion’s new film, The Power of the Dog. Today, she takes a deep dive into those conversations to bring together the perspectives and experiences of the actors behind this incredible project.

Olivia Colman joins the show to talk about her performance in Maggie Gyllenhaal's feature directorial debut, The Lost Daughter. Adapted from Elena Ferrante's novel by the same name,The Lost Daughter follows Leda (Olivia Colman), a college professor vacationing in Greece who becomes obsessed with a young mother and daughter who she encounters at the beach. Over the course of Leda's trip, her proximity to the duo prompts memories from her own early days of motherhood, forcing Leda to confront her past.  In this interview, Colman explains why she was immediately drawn to the script, what it was like to be directed by Gyllenhaal, and how she collaborated with co-stars Dakota Johnson, Ed Harris, and Jessie Buckley.  Colman also reflects on her humble journey from British theatre and TV comedy to international stardom, offers advice to young actors on how to stay grounded and grateful, and opens up about the anxiety caused by her dwindling anonymity.