Episodes

Iconic, Emmy winning actor Glynn Turman (Cooley High, The Wire, In Treatment, Fargo) joins us this week! We talk about his role as Toledo in the new Netflix movie ‘Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom’, working with Chadwick Boseman on his last film, Ingmar Bergman, Aretha Franklin and how this movie resonates so incredibly in 2020. ‘Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom’ premieres on Netflix on December 18th.

It’s time for one of our regular chats with the g…

Don’t miss this exclusive and compelling conversation with actor/writer/director Arliss Howard (Full Metal Jacket, Natural Born Killers, The Lost World: Jurassic Park, Amistad, Moneyball, Manhunt) A journey into his process, his brilliant performance as MGM’s Louis B Mayer in David Fincher’s new epic feature ‘Mank’, working with Fincher, Kubrick, Spielberg and Stone and so much more! ‘Mank’ premieres theatrically in some territories on Nov 13th. On Netflix Dec 4.

My guest this week is the multi-talented Emerald Fennell (actor, novelist, writer and director). She stars in Netflix ‘The Crown’ as Camilla Shand, one part of what might be the worlds most famous ménage-à-trois. Fennell has starred in the BBC series ‘Call the Midwife’. She took over the reins from Phoebe Waller-Bridge as the head writer for season two of ‘Killing Eve’ and her directorial debut is the fantastic film ‘Promising Young Woman´ starring Carey Mulligan (premiering later this winter) Season 4 of ‘The Crown’ premieres on Netflix November 15th

Welcome to the 200th episode of Pop Culture Confidential and we are thrilled to have actor/writer/director Viggo Mortensen with us! The Danish/American, three time Oscar nominee is known from such diverse films as The Lord of the Rings Trilogy, A History Of Violence, The Road and Green Book and more. He joins us to talk about his directorial debut, Falling (which he also wrote and stars in). The movie stars the legendary actor Lance Henriksen (Aliens) as the conservative and homophobic father Willis who starts to exhibit symptoms of dementia, forcing him to sell the family farm and relocate to Los Angeles to stay with his son John (Mortensen) and his husband Eric (Terry Chen). The film also stars Sverrir Gudnason as the younger version of Willis, Laura Linney, David Cronenberg and Hannah Gross. “Falling” is premiering at the Stockholm Film Festival in November. In theatres December 4th (Sweden/UK)

It’s a difficult year at the movies but also full…

David Litt, former speechwriter to President Obama, is our guest this week. The author of the book ‘Democracy in One Book or Less’ talks to us about the 2020 election, Trumps messaging these last 20 days, the Amy Coney Barrett hearings, threats to the democracy, voter suppression and more. In 2011, at age 24, ,David Litt was hired as a White House speechwriter and for almost 5 years, he wrote speeches for President Obama. In 2017 he wrote  the book "Thanks, Obama: My Hopey Changey White House Years",  which became a New York Times bestseller. And now he is out with his excellent , new book ‘Democracy in One Book or Less’ Twitter @davidlitt

Our favorite! Director, filmmaker and cinematographer Kirsten Johnson (Cameraperson) joins Pop Culture Confidential again to talk about her brilliant new documentary ‘Dick Johnson is Dead’ (Netflix). The very personal, funny and thought-provoking film is about coping with her fathers dementia and his inevitable death. I laughed and cried watching her film, we laughed and cried talking about it! Don’t miss!

“I thought a lot about growing up, about finding your own voice, who you are, what you want to do and the struggle of getting there!” We are replaying our interview with actor Alicia Vikander, from this spring, ahead of the premiere of her new film ‘The Glorias’ on Sep 30th (Amazon Prime) We are thrilled to bring you this special and personal conversation with actor Alicia Vikander! She talks to us about starring as feminist icon Gloria Steinem in the upcoming film ‘The Glorias’ (directed by Julie Taymor), about how she has has found her voice and what she wants to do with her Hollywood power! After more than a decade in the industry, and post Oscar-win, Alicia Vikander speaks to Christina about how she is learning to take small breaks and how cooking helps! About her focus and how she and Steinem connected in personal ways. How, early in her Hollywood career, an actress spoke up for her in an uncomfortable, sexist situation and how much that taught her. And how she wants to use her v…

Erik Anderson of AwardsWatch.com is back to fill …

Critic Thelma Adams (The NY Times, Variety, expe…

So happy to have actor and activist Cynthia Nixon back with us on Pop Culture Confidential! Since we last spoke Ms Nixon has run for Governor of New York and is now starring in Ryan Murphy’s upcoming Netflix show ‘Ratched’. Here Nixon plays opposite Sarah Paulson in the series which tells the origin story of asylum nurse Mildred Ratched, the iconic character we know from “One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest”. We got the chance to talk to Nixon about how this series shows women's power in an era where that was not always granted, how interesting and rewarding it is to play a queer character from that era, what she learned from being on the campaign trail, how women are still immensely scrutinized  and much more. Ratched premieres on Netflix on September 18th, 2020

Film writer and critic John Bleasdale (The Guardi…

“I want to be the last voice in the room” A partn…

Erik Anderson, editor-in-chief at AwardsWatch joi…

DANNY TREJO, the legend, on Pop Culture Confidential! Mr Trejo talks to us about his story, from a life of crime to hard prison time at San Quentin and Folsom prisons. How he turned his life around and how a promise to always help others led him to his massive Hollywood career with over 350 credits to his name! His films include ‘Heat’, ‘Machete’, ‘Desperado’, ‘Breaking Bad’ and ‘Spy Kids’. The new documentary “Inmate #1, The Rise of Danny Trejo’ is streaming now. His new cookbook is “Trejos Tacos: Recipes and Stories from LA"

We love it when Erik Anderson (Editor-in-Chief of…

An exclusive hour with actor Brian Cox! Mr Cox joins us to talk about his incredible portrayal of Logan Roy on HBO’s Succession, who he jokingly calls his “evil twin”. We go deep into the making of the show, his thoughts on Logans motivations, emotional scenes with Jeremy Strong and much more. Plus Mr Cox childhood, background and prolific career in roles such as Hannibal Lecktor in Manhunter and Robert McKee in Adaptation. And of course what he knows about Succession season 3!

Director Sam Feder joins us to talk aboutDirector Sam Feder joins us to talk about his critically acclaimed documentary 'DISCLOSURE: Trans Lives on Screen', streaming now on Netflix! The doc looks at transgender representations in film, television and media through interviews with trans actors, artists and activists including Laverne Cox, Lilly Wachowski, Yance Ford, Jen Richards and Chaz Bono. A history filled with with stereotypes, tropes, heartbreak, bravery, and progress Sam Feder talks to Christina about trans representation through Hollywood history (from DW Griffith, to Ace Ventura, The Crying Game, to Pose) , working with an almost all trans crew, the paradox of visibility, his thoughts on J.K Rowlings' anti trans sentiments and how she should really see Disclosure and so much more. Listen now! his cri…

Erik Anderson, chief editor of Awardswatch.com, j…

Award winning host, author and executive producer Padma Lakshmi joins us this week! We talk about her excellent new documentary series 'Taste the Nation' (Hulu). Here she takes us on a journey across the US exploring the diverse food culture of various immigrant groups the shape America. Padma Lakshmi also talks to us about her own story, her mother who left India for NYC and how this has shaped her, living an honest life, Top Chef and so much more. Join us! Taste the Nation premiers on Hulu , June 18th

We are thrilled to welcome Karina Longworth to the show! Longworth is the creator and host of the now iconic podcast 'You Must Remember This'. Her excellent new season is called ‘Polly Platt, The Invisible Woman’ about the interesting and huge life of the Oscar nominated production designer, writer and producer Polly Platt. In our interview we talk about Polly Platt’s unfinished memoir, Platt’s marriage to and collaboration with Peter Bogdanovich, who had an affair with Cybill Sheperd during the filming of The Last Picture Show, and how Platt resonates in the industry much more than she has ever been given credit for. Also about Karina Longworths road to starting You Must remember This, how reporting on Hollywood is broken and so much more twitter @RememberThisPod

Eric Deggans, media analyst (NPR/NBC) and author of ‘Race-Baiter: How The Media Wields Dangerous Words to Divide a Nation’ joins us to talk about yet another case of police brutality that has shocked the world, Trumps response and a system that allows for racism and violence to keep happening. You will find Mr Deggans article “A Tale of Two Videos: Why the Images of George Floyd Dying Broke the Nation” here; https://ericdeggans.tumblr.com

Erik Anderson, chief editor of Awardswatch.com, j…