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Episodes

509: Director Weronika Tofilska. Exploring Existential Themes, 'Baby Reindeer', and Netflix’s 'Something Very Bad Is Going to Happen'.
March 27, 2026

509: Director Weronika Tofilska. Exploring Existential Themes, 'Baby …

Emmy-nominated director Weronika Tofilska joins Christina to discuss her bold, existential storytelling, from the wildly successful Baby Reindeer to her latest project, Netflix’s chilling horror series Something Very Bad Is G...

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508: We Recap the 2026 Academy Awards! (With Guest Ryan McQuade)
March 16, 2026

508: We Recap the 2026 Academy Awards! (With Guest Ryan McQuade)

Ryan McQuade of AwardsWatch joins Christina to recap last night’s 2026 Academy Awards (and cap off a long season!) One Battle After Another ’s biggest wins, Sinner s' successes, the surprises, emotional highlights, and so muc...

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507: Our 2026 Oscar Predictions! Guest Erik Anderson, AwardsWatch
March 9, 2026

507: Our 2026 Oscar Predictions! Guest Erik Anderson, AwardsWatch

Join us as we dive into the 2026 Oscar predictions! Christina is thrilled to be joined by Erik Anderson of AwardsWatch.com. This year has brought us outstanding films, incredible performances, and one of the most unpredictabl...

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506: The State of the Oscar Race. BAFTAs, PGAs & the Actor Awards with Ryan McQuade
March 3, 2026

506: The State of the Oscar Race. BAFTAs, PGAs & the Actor Awards wit…

The race is alive! We’re just about ten days away from the Oscars, and things are heating up on the precursor front. The BAFTAs were last weekend, and this weekend brought the PGAs and the Actor Awards (the awards formerly kn...

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505: Oscar Nominated Costume Designer Malgosia Turzanska on Designing Hamnet
Feb. 19, 2026

505: Oscar Nominated Costume Designer Malgosia Turzanska on Designing…

Christina is joined by 2026 Oscar nominated costume designer Malgosia Turzanska, celebrated for her extraordinary work on Chloé Zhao’s Hamnet . Known for her unforgettable costumes in Train Dreams , Stranger Things , The Gree...

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504. Inside Train Dreams: A Conversation with Writer-Director Clint Bentley
Feb. 17, 2026

504. Inside Train Dreams: A Conversation with Writer-Director Clint B…

Writer and director Clint Bentley joins Christina to discuss his acclaimed film Train Dreams , one of the most beautiful and celebrated films of the season! Nominated for four Academy Awards, including Best Adapted Screenplay...

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503: Arian Moayed Returns!  On Working with Malala, 'Wonder Man', the 'Succession' Family & the Urgency of Art
Feb. 13, 2026

503: Arian Moayed Returns! On Working with Malala, 'Wonder Man', the…

The endlessly inspiring Arian Moayed is back on the show and it is, as always, an absolute blast. The actor, director, and producer joins Christina to talk about his exciting new Marvel series Wonder Man and co-producing the...

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502:  Revisit! Alexander Skarsgård on Pillion, Career Highlights & Creative Risks (Live from Stockholm Film Festival)
Feb. 4, 2026

502: Revisit! Alexander Skarsgård on Pillion, Career Highlights & Cr…

Encore episode! Alexander Skarsgård talks Pillion , career, and more. With Pillion now premiering widely (the wonderful, warm, and emotional BDSM rom-com co starring Harry Melling) we revisit Christina’s wide ranging convers...

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501: Breaking Down the 2026 BAFTA & WGA Nominations (Guest Eoin Daly)
Jan. 28, 2026

501: Breaking Down the 2026 BAFTA & WGA Nominations (Guest Eoin Daly)

Awards season 2026 continues to steamroll ahead. Just days after the Oscar nominations, the BAFTA and WGA nominations have arrived. To help break it all down, Christina is joined by Eoin Daly, co-host of the Shhh, My Stories ...

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Episode 500: Breaking Down the 2026 Oscar Nominations! (Guest: Ryan McQuade)
Jan. 23, 2026

Episode 500: Breaking Down the 2026 Oscar Nominations! (Guest: Ryan M…

Christina & Ryan McQuade (of AwardsWatch.com ) break down the 2026 Oscar nominations, diving into the biggest surprises, snubs, historic milestones, and what it all means for the race ahead! Learn more about your ad choices. ...

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499: Our Most Anticipated Movies 2026 (Guests Jay Ledbetter & Ryan McQuade)
Jan. 19, 2026

499: Our Most Anticipated Movies 2026 (Guests Jay Ledbetter & Ryan Mc…

2026 is shaping up to be an incredible year for cinema, from visionary auteurs to indie gems and everything in between. Christina is joined by Jay Ledbetter and Ryan McQuade from the Director Watch Podcast for a massive break...

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498: A Conversation with Production Designer Fiona Crombie on Hamnet, Love, Grief, and Shakespeare
Jan. 15, 2026

498: A Conversation with Production Designer Fiona Crombie on Hamnet,…

In this episode of Pop Culture Confidential , Christina sits down with prize-winning production designer Fiona Crombie , whose work has shaped some of the most visually striking films of recent years. They talk in depth about...

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497.  Golden Globes 2026 Reactions! The Wins & the Surprises. (Guest Ryan McQuade)
Jan. 12, 2026

497. Golden Globes 2026 Reactions! The Wins & the Surprises. (Guest …

Christina is joined by Ryan McQuade (AwardsWatch.com) to break down the Golden Globes 2026! The winners, the losers, the speeches, the cringe... and what it all means for the Oscars race. Learn more about your ad choices. Vi...

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496: Critics Choice Awards Instant Reactions With Christina Birro & Ryan McQuade (AwardsWatch)
Jan. 5, 2026

496: Critics Choice Awards Instant Reactions With Christina Birro & R…

For the first episode of the year, Christina is joined by Ryan McQuade (AwardsWatch.com) to recap the Critics Choice Awards 2026, the first televised awards show of the season! Fresh off attending the ceremony, they break dow...

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495: Counting Down Our 20 Best Movies of 2025 (Guest: Ryan McQuade)
Dec. 16, 2025

495: Counting Down Our 20 Best Movies of 2025 (Guest: Ryan McQuade)

It’s a huge episode! Ryan McQuade ( Executive Editor, AwardsWatch) joins Christina as they countdown their 20 best movies of 2025. What a year of cinema it has been! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoi...

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494: Our Reactions to the Latest Critics Awards, Critics Choice, Globes Nominations & the Road to the Oscars (w/ Ryan McQuade)
Dec. 10, 2025

494: Our Reactions to the Latest Critics Awards, Critics Choice, Glob…

Awards season is officially in full swing! Prizes and nominations are rolling in from critics groups, the Critics Choice Awards, the Golden Globes, and more. It’s been one announcement after another and we’re breaking it all ...

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493: Alexander Skarsgård. Live Interview from the Stockholm International Film Festival
Dec. 6, 2025

493: Alexander Skarsgård. Live Interview from the Stockholm Internati…

This week’s episode is a special one: Christina’s interview with actor/producer Alexander Skarsgård! The interview was recorded live at the Stockholm International Film Festival (Nov 2025), where he received the 2025 Stockhol...

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492: The Biggest Pop Culture Moments of 2025! (Guest Ryan McQuade)
Dec. 4, 2025

492: The Biggest Pop Culture Moments of 2025! (Guest Ryan McQuade)

2025 was a year in pop culture like no other! Celebrities “went to space,” Kendrick blew our minds at the Super Bowl, demons were hunted, SNL turned 50, and kiss cams caused chaos. It was a massive year for film and TV, packe...

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491: The Top Movie Performances of 2025 (with Guest Erik Anderson of AwardsWatch)
Nov. 26, 2025

491: The Top Movie Performances of 2025 (with Guest Erik Anderson of …

As we head into the final weeks of the year, we couldn’t resist diving into the incredible performances that have already defined 2025. It’s been an extraordinary year at the movies, full of bold artistic swings, deeply emoti...

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490: A Conversation with Michael Strassner, Writer and Star of ‘The Baltimorons’
Nov. 24, 2025

490: A Conversation with Michael Strassner, Writer and Star of ‘The B…

Christina talks with writer/actor/comedian Michael Strassner about his new film The Baltimorons, directed by Jay Duplass, a story shaped by the spirit of Baltimore and the most personal chapters of Strassner’s own life. They ...

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489: Benny Safdie.  Live Interview from the Stockholm International Film Festival
Nov. 20, 2025

489: Benny Safdie. Live Interview from the Stockholm International F…

This week’s episode is a special one: Christina’s interview with writer and director Benny Safdie at the Stockholm International Film Festival (Nov 2025), where he was also honored with the Stockholm Visionary Award . They di...

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488: Coming Attractions: End of the Year Movie Roundup  (Guest Ryan McQuade)
Nov. 14, 2025

488: Coming Attractions: End of the Year Movie Roundup (Guest Ryan M…

It’s preview time! Christina is once again joined by critic Ryan McQuade (AwardsWatch.com) to preview the most exciting movie titles coming to theaters and streaming for the rest of the year! From awards hopefuls like Hamnet ...

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487: A Conversation with Rebecca Miller . On 'Mr. Scorsese',  Her Portrait of the Filmmaker
Oct. 30, 2025

487: A Conversation with Rebecca Miller . On 'Mr. Scorsese', Her Por…

Filmmaker Rebecca Miller joins Christina to talk about her remarkable new series Mr. Scorsese , a five-part portrait of Martin Scorsese , now streaming on Apple TV+. The series offers a rare and intimate look at the legendary...

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486: A Conversation With Gustaf Skarsgård ('To Cook A Bear')
Oct. 20, 2025

486: A Conversation With Gustaf Skarsgård ('To Cook A Bear')

In this episode, Christina talks with actor Gustaf Skarsgård, who is powerful in the historical crime drama To Cook a Bear (Hulu/Disney+), based on the bestselling novel by Mikael Niemi. They discuss embodying the Pastor, a f...

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