Episodes

We are honored to be joined by actor and author Dee Wallace! We talk about her iconic roles, from Cujo to E.T., the Spielberg classic celebrating 40 years this year! Her role as Mary, the kids' mom in E.T., is one of the most heartfelt portrayals of a single mom on screen. The role, and the film, has meant so much to many generations of film lovers! We also talk about her latest book Born, & how to ask for what you want and need from life. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit m...

Co-directors Tia Lessin & Emma Pildes join us to talk about their excellent, urgent and vital documentary THE JANES, premiering on HBOMax June 8th. The film is the story of the Jane Collective, a group of women who formed a clandestine network that used code names and safe houses in an underground service for women seeking safe and affordable abortions pre Roe v. Wade. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week we are joined by Benita Alexander, the former NBC producer who’s fairytale romance with the so called ‘super surgeon’ Dr Paolo Macchiarini turned out to be all lies, a scam. Ms Alexander tells her story, how she fell for Macchiarini, the wedding that was to be officiated by the Pope himself, how she ultimately exposed Macchiarini in a stunning turn of events and how she is now working to help empower other women. Ms Alexander is in Stockholm, Sweden covering Macchiarini’s trial. He ...

Erik Anderson of AwardsWatch.com is back on Pop Culture Confidential! But are movies back? We talk about the buzz around movies like Top Gun: Maverick, Everything Everywhere All at Once and more. Plus our Cannes Film Festival preview. Erik predicts the Palme d’Or winner, we think it’s going to be a Michelle Williams year, Ethan Coen is back at Cannes without Joel & Elvis is in the building. Listen now! And don’t miss the new AwardsWatch.com podcast and all their upcoming Cannes coverage! Lear...

Dirty cops, scammers, Vikings, mormon detectives, complicated female characters, Netflix setbacks and the state of the TV industry. We cover it all in our spring TV special! We are so happy to welcome back critic, author & friend of the show Thelma Adams for this great discussion. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

From the widely publicized trial of silent film star Fatty Arbuckle in 1921, to Weinstein, Cosby, Britney Spears conservatorship battle and the now ongoing Johnny Depp/Amber Heard defamation trial, celebrities in court seem like a constant source of news. Associate Professor of Communication Andrea M McDonnell joins us to dive into the subject of Hollywood legal battles, how they test our perception of celebrity and fame & much more Professor McDonnell is a media scholar examining gossip, celeb...

We feel the need for speed!! On the show this week actor Rick Rossovich who played Ron ‘Slider’ Kerner, wingman to Val Kilmer’s Iceman, in Top Gun (1986). Mr Rossovich talks about his career, his experiences on Top Gun, the myths and legacy of the franchise, his work in TV and more! All leading up to this spring and the release of Top Gun: Maverick, the sequel 3 decades in the making! Will we see him in the new movie?! Well, we will just have to wait and see. Grab your Ray Bans and catch this in...

Actor Billy Magnussen joins us to talk about his versatile career, playing the villain in the latest Bond film 'No Time to Die' and taking on the iconic role of the young Paulie Walnuts in the Sopranos prequel ‘The Many Saints of Newark”. Plus his two upcoming premieres. Magnussen is starring (as Dietrich Schneider) in Barry Levinsons’ powerful film ‘The Survivor’, based on the true story of holocaust survivor and boxer Harry Haft (April 27th, HBO). As well as the season 2 premiere of the hit,...

The great Nico Muhly, composer, joins Christina for a wonderful conversation about how the incredible score for ‘Pachinko’ came together, his early influences, what he learned working for Philip Glass, how being open about his mental health struggles has helped his work and helped others. And much more! ‘Pachinko” is now on AppleTV+.

A conversation with Danny Strong (‘Game Change’, ‘Recount’) the creator/writer/director of ‘Dopesick’. Mr Strong talks about making the series & taking on the origins and devastation of the opioid epidemic in the U.S. And how one company triggered the worst drug epidemic in American history. ‘Dopesick’ starring Michael Keaton, Kaitlyn Dever, Michael Stuhlbarg

Ryan McQuade (AwardsWatch, InSession Film) joins Christina for a post-Oscar conversation. The ceremony, the winners, Will Smith/Chris Rock and more.

Thrilled to have writer, producer, director Liz Hannah (The Post, Long Shot, Mindhunter) back on Pop Culture Confidential. Liz Hannah is currently involved in two of the most critically acclaimed, true crime series on television. She is a writer and exec producer on ‘The Dropout’, about disgraced Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes (Amanda Seyfried) and creator, exec producer & showrunner on ‘The Girl from Plainville’, based on the true story of Michelle Carter (Elle Fanning) the teen who was convicted of involuntary manslaughter in the notorious ‘texting-suicide’ case.

New York Times journalist and awards season columnist Kyle Buchanan is back on Pop Culture Confidential for his yearly visit! We talk about his fantastic new book “Blood, Sweat & Chrome” on the chaotic making of George Miller's masterpiece Mad Max: Fury Road. Plus the crazy Oscar season 2022 and we predict Sundays winners!

A wonderful conversation with writer/director Kogonada about his film ‘After Yang’, memory, feeling displaced, being in the present, the love of movies, the AppleTV+ series ‘Pachinko’ and much more

She is never afraid of a challenge. The fearless and talented actor & producer Noomi Rapace joins us for a conversation about her new film Lamb, her most personal work yet, & much more. Noomi Rapace is also starring in the upcoming films Netflix ‘Black Crab” & the Sundance hit ‘You Won’t Be Alone’

Erik Anderson, editor-in-chief, at Awardswatch joins us to talk about last nights 2022 SAG awards! Plus our reactions to the Academy Awards decision not to air 8 major awards during the Oscar telecast in March.

The wonderful Jeff Hiller (‘30 Rock’ ‘Community’ ‘Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt’) stars in the hit, HBO comedy-drama ‘Somebody Somewhere’. Jeff joins us for a great conversation about the themes of the show, finding your people & community,  surviving bullying and how he, like his character Joel, found a safe space in the church and in school choir. Plus much more! ‘Somebody Somewhere’ is co-created & executive produced by Hannah Bos & Paul Thureen; starring and executive produced by Bridget Everett. Airs on HBOMax.

Writer Esther Zuckerman joins us to talk about her new book “Beyond the Best Dressed” a cultural history of Oscar fashion! Esther Zuckerman is an entertainment journalist whose work has been published by Thrillist, Entertainment Weekly, Vanity Fair, Refinery29, and The A.V. Club, among others.

Writer/director Sir Kenneth Branagh joins us for a conversation about his semi-autobiographical new film “Belfast” and much more! ‘Belfast” is nominated for 7 Academy Awards including, Best Director, Best Screenplay and Best Picture

A conversation with newly minted Oscar nominee Eskil Vogt! Vogt was just nominated for Best Original Screenplay, together with director Joachim Trier, for ‘The Worst Person in The World’. The film was also nominated for Best International Feature. We talk about his long collab with Trier, ‘The Worst Person in the World’, as well as his new film, his second feature as writer/director, the supernatural horror film ‘The Innocents’.

Erik Anderson, Editor-in-Chief of Awardswatch.com, joins us to to talk about the Oscar nominations 2022! The surprises, the snubs and state of the race. The 94th Oscars will be held on Sunday, March 27, 2022.

This week on Pop Culture Confidential, actor Jamie Dornan, star of ‘Belfast' the critically acclaimed and semi autobiographical film by Kenneth Branagh! Dornan joins us to talk about returning to him hometown for this movie, playing Branagh’s father, his intense year, Bond rumors and much more.

Director & co-writer Joachim Trier ( ‘Reprise’, ‘Oslo, 31 August’ ) joins us to talk about his critically acclaimed new feature “The Worst Person in the World”, life, love and rom coms! “The Worst Person in the World” is Norways Oscar submission 2021 & actor Renate Reinsve won the award for Best Actress at Cannes this for her performance as Julie.

This week we are at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival! We are excited to be joined by Ryan McQuade, editor at InSessionFilm, host of the Chasing The Gold podcast and covering Sundance for AwardsWatch.com! We are a little more than half way through the virtual festival, Christina & Ryan sit down to talk about some the incredibly interesting movies at this years' fest. The most about buzzed films, which films they loved and which ones they just can’t wrap their heads around! Twitter @ryanmcquade77