Episodes
May 7, 2022
280: Our Spring Television Special! With critic Thelma Adams
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 & fr...
April 27, 2022
279: Hollywood trials & when celebrities take the stand. A conversation with Professor Andrea M McDonnell
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 l...
April 25, 2022
278: We revisit our talk with actor Rick Rossovich! On the legacy of Top Gun, ahead of the premiere of Top Gun: Maverick.
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 m...
April 20, 2022
277: Actor Billy Magnussen (Barry Levinsons' 'The Survivor' & 'Made for Love' season 2, HBO Max)
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 Saint...
April 13, 2022
276: A conversation with composer Nico Muhly (Pachinko)
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 …
April 5, 2022
REVISIT! Executive producer/writer Danny Strong 'Dopesick'
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.
…
March 29, 2022
275: Post-Oscar talk with Ryan McQuade! (AwardsWatch, InSession Film)
Ryan McQuade (AwardsWatch, InSession Film) joins Christina for a post-Oscar conversation. The ceremony, the winners, Will Smith/Chris Rock and more.
March 27, 2022
274: Writer/Showrunner Liz Hannah "The Dropout" , "The Girl From Plainville"
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 T…
March 23, 2022
273: Kyle Buchanan is back! We talk Oscar predictions and his new book “Blood, Sweat & Chrome: The Wild and True Story of Mad Max: Fury Road”
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…
March 16, 2022
272: Kogonada "After Yang" "Pachinko"
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
March 9, 2022
271: A conversation with Noomi Rapace!
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’
Feb. 28, 2022
270: Will Smith, Coda and Squid Game big winners at the Screen Actors Guild awards 2022! SAG reactions with Erik Anderson! (AwardsWatch.com)
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.
Feb. 25, 2022
269: Actor Jeff Hiller 'Somebody Somewhere' (HBO)
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…
Feb. 21, 2022
268: "Beyond the Best Dressed-A Cultural History of the Most Glamorous, Radical, and Scandalous Oscar Fashion". Author Esther Zuckerman
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.
Feb. 15, 2022
267: Writer/director Kenneth Branagh, 'Belfast'
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
Feb. 10, 2022
266: A conversation with Oscar nominee screenwriter/director Eskil Vogt (co-writer 'The Worst Person in The World', writer/director 'The Innocents')
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 W…
Feb. 8, 2022
265: The Oscar nominations 2022! With Erik Anderson (AwardsWatch)
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.
Feb. 1, 2022
264: A conversation with actor Jamie Dornan, 'Belfast'!
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.
Feb. 1, 2022
253: Joachim Trier, director/co-writer 'The Worst Person in the World'
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…
Jan. 26, 2022
263: The Sundance 2022 edition! With critic, host & writer Ryan McQuade
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 ta…
Jan. 20, 2022
262: Creator/Showrunner Patrick Somerville & EP Jessica Rhoades ("Station Eleven") on making a post apocalyptic show about joy and healing.
We are thrilled to be joined by EP Jessica Rhoades (Sharp Objects, The Affair) and creator, showrunner & EP Patrick Somerville (The Leftovers, Maniac) to talk about their groundbreaking series “Station Eleven”. On making a post apocalyptic show about joy and healing during an actual pandemic. On th…
Jan. 9, 2022
261: Most anticipated new TV shows of 2022! with NPR TV critic Eric Deggans
Thrilled to welcome NPR TV critic Eric Deggans back to the show for a new year of television! In this episode we talk about some of the most anticipated new shows coming the first half of 2022. Notorious scandals like the story of Pamela Anderson and Tommy Lee’s stolen sex tape in the upcoming Hulu…
Jan. 4, 2022
260: The good, the bad & the complicated. Motherhood in film & TV this season. With critic Thelma Adams
Critic & author Thelma Adams joins us for an in-depth conversation on the many incredibly interesting portraits of motherhood in film & TV this season, from The Lost Daughter to Succession to Spencer and many more!
Thelma Adams recent article in Variety is “Screenplay Contenders From ‘Lost Daugh…
Dec. 21, 2021
259: Jazz Tangcay, Senior Artisans Editor at Variety, on the year in movies!
We are so happy to have Jazz Tangcay, Senior Artisans Editor at Variety, back on the show! We take a look at some of the incredible achievements behind the scenes, this tumultuous year in cinema. 2021 has been an incredible year at the movies, from giant blockbusters like Dune and Spider-Man to the…